《Magic-Smithing》


 Ch: 1

    A long time ago, my eighth-grade teacher wrote a quote from someone on the board. It went, "Regret for wasted time is more wasted time."


    Back then, those were just words. An anecdote meant to promote thought in a bunch of juvenile children. Of course, none of us thought too deeply about the words, and I doubt my teacher had either. I don¡¯t even remember his name, but he had been, what, 30 back then?


    What insights could someone essentially just starting their life possibly have on time and its importance or lack thereof?


    My thoughts grew ever more jaded as I gazed up at the thatched roof above me, unable to move my body correctly or so much as turn my head. I¡¯d spent the last week like this, and it was becoming more apparent that I was going stir-crazy.


    It didn¡¯t help that my emotions were constantly flip-flopping on me. Like now, I was just sad that I couldn¡¯t move, but now I was feeling thankful to be alive. After all, things could be worse¡­. I could still be dead.


    It felt like just a moment ago, I was alive and hanging out with my best friend, Stanley. He was my only friend, really, but that didn''t diminish the importance I placed on our friendship.


    After we left high school, he was the only person I tried to stay in contact with. My parents called me antisocial when I was in school, but I was just your average-looking kid who didn''t know his place in the world. I preferred games and TV over people and growing up as an only child didn¡¯t help much either.


    I talked to people, but they were just school acquaintances, nothing more. I had been content to move through life, acknowledging people and interacting with them but not making any real friends. However, when Senior year rolled around, that all changed when I met Stanley.


    We knew of each other back then, but it wasn''t like we''d ever talked at length before. We probably only spoke a few words to each other, which made it much weirder when he approached me about joining the Science club.


    I was school smart, where I could read, listen to people talk, memorize terms, take a test, and pass it, but by no means was I a genius or overachiever. Besides, knowing science and loving science were two totally different things. So, I politely turned Stanley down after listening to his sales pitch.


    I had thought that would be the end of it and he would be on his way, but even after I refused him, Stanley started asking me what appeared to be harmless questions. What do you do after school? Who do you hang with? Do you have a job? Any sports?


    Again, I may be book smart, but I wasn¡¯t people smart, so it wasn''t until Stanley asked his last question that I finally realized what he was doing. By my admission, I had no reason to turn down his offer.


    By the end of lunch that fateful day, I was signed up for the science club and told there would be a meeting after school. And that was where my only true friendship in life started.


    I attended that first meeting as I had promised. Afterward, I tried to quit multiple times, but Stanley wouldn¡¯t have it and constantly ensured I attended the meetings. He was the science club''s president and wouldn''t take no for an answer. To this day, I don¡¯t know what he saw in me, but I''m glad he didn''t let me quit.


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    And science club hadn''t been all that bad. We did little experiments occasionally, but it was mostly a place for budding scientists to talk with like-minded people. There were groups inside the club for every scientific field, such as astronomy, botany, chemistry, and everything else under the sun and beyond.


    Stanley¡¯s thing was rocks or geology, if I was being more accurate. His uncle lived in California on a piece of land that was a prominent gold mine in the 1850s. Stanley told me it only took one trip to his uncle¡¯s place as a kid to make him fall in love with everything rock related. His uncle was also a blacksmith, like the old-timey kind that worked with a forge and made specialty items for people. I still vividly remember the cool sword Stanley owned, a real-life sword his uncle crafted for him.


    Needless to say, Stanley''s summers were much cooler than mine, where I spent the whole time playing Skyrim. While I was inside being a hermit, Stanley was learning about metals from his uncle when he wasn''t out panning for gold.


    Unlike Stanley, I had no scientific interests. So, I figured I¡¯d spend the time hanging with him since he practically strong-armed me into joining¡ªthe best decision of my life.


    We parted after graduating high school; he went off to college, but we kept in touch, and I would even chill with him on campus when I could.


    Unable to move and left to my thoughts, I almost started tearing up thinking about my friend.


    The best moments of my life were spent hanging out with Stanley, and nothing, even how I died, would change that.


    It felt like yesterday I turned twenty-three. It was springtime then, and Stanley had plans to go to his uncle''s place like he usually did during spring break. Only this time, he offered for me to join him. I was between jobs then and had nothing better to do for my birthday, so I hopped on the chance to blow off some steam with my best friend.


    It was fun meeting his uncle. We spent days panning for gold in a small stream, I watched Stanley turn an old railroad spike into a knife, and we got to chill under the stars every night. It was on the fifth day that it happened.


    We were down an old mine shaft, looking for quartz seams that might still have traces of gold left. Almost all of the gold had long since been mined away, but according to Stanley and his uncle, there were still a few spots it could be found in small quantities.


    After seven hours of swinging a pickaxe, our bags were full of quartz. Of course, we would''ve gotten less than an ounce of gold overall, but we didn''t care about the money; we were mining for the experience anyways.


    Suddenly, I started to feel a sense of vertigo, and when I looked at Stanley, he was also tripping over his feet. Then the ground started to shake for real, and we both paled. It was an earthquake, and we were still deep in the mine.


    We dropped our gear and ran for the exit. Bits of stone and dust fell from overhead, impacting our mining helmets, and you could hear the old wooden beams creaking under the shifting earth.


    The shaking made running difficult, but we were motivated enough to overcome it. My heart beat a mile a minute as we sprinted toward the exit.


    But just as we saw the light up ahead, the shaking stopped. The earthquake was over as quickly as it began. But just because the shaking had stopped didn''t mean we did. We were still coursing with adrenaline, and we needed a breath of fresh air after such a scare. Plus, neither of us wanted to remain underground after such a thing.


    An overwhelming sense of relief came over me as we stepped outside. I remember thinking fresh air never tasted so good.


    I was about to high-five Stanley when I heard the sound of splintering wood right behind us.


    I don¡¯t remember what made me do it, but I shoved Stanley with everything I had. The last thing I saw as the side of the mountain fell on me was my friend rolling to safety.


    ¡­..


    I spent what felt like an eternity being crushed until the pressure suddenly vanished, and I could breathe again. Then, retching a wad of bile from my throat, I took the largest breath I ever remember and let out a triumphant scream.


    My senses felt muted, and before I knew what was happening, I could vaguely feel myself being quickly wiped down with a rough wet towel and wrapped in an itchy blanket. I felt like Play-Doh being molded by giant hands and couldn¡¯t even struggle if I tried. My muscle control was everywhere, and I could only flail inside the covering.


    People were talking around me, but everything sounded muffled and wrong. I couldn''t understand anything anybody was saying. I tried to ask what was wrong with me and if my friend was ok, only to produce another wailing screech.


    I had no idea what was happening, so when floating text appeared in front of my face, I froze in confusion.


    [Initializing Complete]


    LV: 1 Experience: 0/100


    Health: 80/80 Stamina: 33/33 Manna: 50/50


    Vitality: 8


    Endurance: 1


    Strength: 1


    Agility: 1


    Senses: 3


    Mind: 26


    Magic: 5


    Clarity: 1


    <u>Skills:</u>


    At the time, I had no idea what the hell I was looking at.


    I realized that I had died and been reborn only later, but thinking about that had to wait. As a baby, I had almost no strength, and when I felt tired, it was almost impossible to keep my eyes open.


    A new world awaited me, but for now, I would sleep and dream of what would come next. Because hell if I knew, anything was better than staring at a roof all day.

 Ch: 2

    It''s official; I''m going crazy, and not because I died and was reborn. No, I was going crazy because I''ve been lying here for two months and was incredibly bored with nothing to do but stare up.


    Ok, breathe; I try to get a hold of emotions before I accidentally start crying. Again.


    I wish I could say I haven''t cried that much, but it has been a long couple of months. It''s becoming more manageable as the days pass, as I slowly adjust to my new life, but I still don''t have adequate control over my emotions.


    My first two days in this world were the worst. I was in a panicked state the whole time, and the next three weren''t much better. I spent days thinking I was surrounded by giants speaking another language¡ªthat or contemplating if I had just gone completely insane.


    Maybe I wasn''t as bright as I thought, but in my defense, it wasn''t like what I was going through was common.


    Either way, I slowly realized I was a baby and could do nothing about it. It also became rather apparent that being a baby was anything but fun. I could do nothing alone and ask no one any of the numerous questions that haunted my every thought.


    First, I had yet to learn what civilization was like in this world compared to Earth. Judging by the open windows with no glass, wooden walls, and the thatched roof combined with the wool blanket and plain clothes the people are wearing, I¡¯m in the dark ages or this world''s equivalent.


    Then again, I had yet to meet that many people, and the ones I have are up at dawn and in bed soon after sunset, leaving me little time to interact with them.


    The only light source I''ve seen is candles, which are rarely used. As a result, it gets so dark at night I can barely see my hand in front of my face.


    With technology being almost nonexistent, there were no modern-day necessities that I was used to. No light, no running water¡­. no diapers, well at least not like what we had back on Earth. I had to deal with old scratchy towels wrapped around my bottom.


    Talking about it hurts my soul, but having a baby¡¯s body meant I had no bowel control. As a result, I''m constantly leaking unmentionables, and if that''s not bad enough, I can hardly move. I can¡¯t even tilt my fat head up to better view my surroundings.


    So, as previously stated, I¡¯m stuck staring at the ceiling.


    I have no way to tell my new family what I want, let alone need, other than whining. Having an adult mind meant I don''t like to marinade in my mess, and even if it hurts my pride, I scream my head off till I¡¯m changed, and god help them if they don¡¯t come quickly.


    I shouldn''t say that; my new mom didn''t deserve my misplaced anger. To her, I was an average baby, so I couldn''t fault her for how she treated me.


    Besides, she appears to be on the younger side, like 25¡¯ish. I try not to let it bother me, but having a mother so close to my previous age is weird. I can only guess her height because of how small I am, but I''d think she''s around 5'' 8'''' with a dark, slightly reddish hair color. Her eyes are brown, with a slender face and build, and she sports a slight tan.


    She''s relatively thin and doesn''t have much muscle, but I don''t let her size fool me anymore. Even though her arms are small and toned, I once watched her pick up a large bucket of water while juggling me in her other arm and based on her expression at the time, neither of us was heavy to her.


    That was the first time I¡¯d seen physical proof of what stats could allow a person to do, but without knowing her exact Strength value, I had no idea if she was the average or an outlier. Still, my mother was quite beautiful in a rustic way. Though there was one part of her anatomy, I was embarrassingly familiar with.


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    It probably goes without saying, but I''m fed multiple times daily. I was a virgin before I died, and the only breasts I''ve seen were on the internet¡­. till now.


    The first two days, I didn''t know what was going on, but after that, let¡¯s say even if I¡¯m starving and crying uncontrollably and she goes to feed me, I try to be a gentleman about it and close my eyes to not look at her C grade assets. But, sadly, closing my eyes didn''t help with the embarrassment I felt, and I could always feel myself blushing during and after my feedings.


    Because I was a relatively quiet baby, I was mostly left alone in this incredibly sparse room with little furniture. Mother keeps me in a crib-like structure, swaddled heavily beside a twin-sized bed. The only other furniture in the room is some box shelving my brother uses to store his few possessions. So, even if I could move my head, it wasn''t like I had much to look at.


    Speaking of, I have an older brother now. Technically this was his room. He''s four or five, super energetic like all kids his age are and has a curious mind. I''ve woken from more than a few naps to find his short dirty blond hair and bright green eyes staring at me while I sleep. I¡¯ve cried a few times waking up like that; give a baby a heart attack, why don¡¯t you? He has a pudgy face and a slightly darker tan than Mother, meaning he probably spends more time outside than she does.


    The only other person I¡¯ve met besides those two is who I assume is my father. If Mother is 5'' 8'''', he''s probably 6'' tall or even taller than that and was the epitome of manliness with his dark tan and arm muscles bigger than my body.


    The man obviously works hard because I only see him closer to sundown and never in the mornings. And if Mom can easily lift a large bucket of water with her stats, Father might be able to smash a mountain with his. Appearance-wise, he has the same hair and eyes as Brother, though his hair is more sun-bleached rather than dirty blond. He also sports a trimmed beard and mustache, giving him a fierce look.


    I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s not good with babies or if it¡¯s just me because any time he holds me, he''s overly gentle and panics if I start to cry or look upset.


    At this point, I only really know my family''s physical features. They didn''t exactly have long conversations in front of me, and it wasn''t easy guessing what they might be talking about.


    I don¡¯t even know any of their names yet!


    While my family and surroundings were still a mystery, I haven''t learned nothing while in this new world. The most exciting thing about this world I''ve learned so far is the presence of magic. That one concept has helped me fight off my boredom the most.


    Mana was everywhere; I was sure of it. It was hard not to notice the slight tingling sensation running throughout my body. Then there was the air; not only did it taste cleaner than on Earth, but there was a weird sensation I felt every time I took a breath. It, thankfully, wasn''t painful, only odd.


    It was also nice being able to open my status page and confirm magic''s existence:


    LV: 3 Experience: 75/156


    Health: 80/80 Stamina: 31/40 Mana: 50/50


    Vitality: 8


    Endurance: 2


    Strength: 2


    Agility: 1


    Senses: 5


    Mind: 26


    Magic: 5


    Clarity: 3


    Status Points: 20


    <u>Skills: </u>Sense Mana LV2


    Just thinking about it pulls the numbers out of my head and displays them in front of me like a projection. It took me longer than I liked to admit to figure out the weird mental sensation required to summon my Status page. It took me over a week to do so, though I wasn''t exactly mentally stable that first week. It''s a wonder I managed to summon it when I did.


    Playing with it daily, I''ve confirmed that the numbers representing my status have slowly increased as I get older. Since birth, I¡¯ve gained a point in Endurance and Strength and a further two in Clarity and Senses. I was even awarded experience points for learning Sense Mana. After 12 days of trying to feel the weird tingling sensation in the air and my body, I got the first Sense mana level. The sensation of ambient magic was easy for me to grasp because I was still mentally used to living on Earth, which had no mana, so focusing on the difference helped a lot.


    I got 100xp for the first level and another 200xp for the second 3 days ago. And with nothing else to do and all this free time on my hands, I made some math observations about my status page as the numbers increased. I was interested to see how the values affected different things.


    First, Vitality is multiplied by 10 to give me my Health, the same thing with my mana pool and Magic. Stamina appears to be an average of Vitality, Endurance, and Strength; which makes sense considering stamina in my previous life was affected by most of one¡¯s physical aspects.


    Hopefully, my physical stats will continue to rise as my body moves and grows older. At least that¡¯s what I was praying for; I wanted as many free stat points as I could get my tiny baby hands on.


    Regarding what I got for leveling up, I was given ten stat points for each level up. And though it was only conjecture at this point, the experience requirement goes up by 25% after each level. I wanted to run some tests with the extra status points I got from leveling, but each time I tried to use them, I infuriatingly got a lock-out message:


    (Status Page Locked For 148 Lunar Cycles)


    After cursing the system in my head for a bit, I calmed down. The time lock must be the system''s way of keeping children from accidentally misusing their status points.


    It initially said I was locked out for 150 Cycles, which dropped to 149 after I turned a month old. It again dropped to 148 when I hit two months.


    It sucks that I couldn''t raise my Strength to the point that I could use the bathroom on my own, but I suppose it removes the temptation of using my points immediately. Just as well, I don''t want to be a super baby; I can only imagine the things that could happen in a magical world where one stands out too much.


    The best thing I can do right now is continue to kick and flail my arms to build my muscles and increase my status points. The quicker I gain those, the sooner I can move and stop staring at this accursed ceiling.


    Sadly, just as I got motivated, I started feeling tired again. Guess it¡¯s time for another nap; I can''t wait till I don''t have to take twelve of those a day.

 Ch: 3

    Star Date: Unknown


    Life on this uncharted world is fascinating; in the past six months I''ve lived here, many things have become clear. The planet appears to be populated by giant beasts standing on two legs, much like mine. They swarm to smaller animals that shriek in the night and clean up the mess they find; albeit reluctantly.


    Boredom remains an issue as I''ve barely regained any of my prior strength, so keeping myself mentally stimulated remains my number one priority.


    Attempts to communicate with the local inhabitants have proven fruitless. However, I will continue to try and build a dialog with them to gain their trust.


    The smallest of them has been stalking me more lately, and I''ve grown used to his constant staring. I''ve noticed he prefers to watch me as I perform my workout routine in my slightly enlarged sleeping quarters. And I must keep an eye on him as he does, for he has a habit of trying to pick me up at the most inopportune times.


    When he isn''t grabbing me, I spend most of my time devising and utilizing various stretches and poses. My favorite I called ''sleeping baby,'' but I''ve also come up with many others. I''ve also mastered rolling onto my side and recently accomplished sitting up independently without any of the giant''s help.


    My ability to move was still nothing like it was before I crashlanded here and was removed from my pod, but every day I grow stronger. If I''m right, I might be able to start crawling soon if I continue to push myself to the point of exhaustion.


    I''ve tried using the walls of my prison to try standing again, but I fear my legs have atrophied after lying for so long. I flail my legs as much as possible to regain muscle, but it will be some time before I can stand using a crutch, much less without one.


    The giants have noticed my activity but don''t appear to see any harm in it. If anything, they take great joy in cheering me on.


    Due to my increased activity, as of late, the female giant has become much more attentive. She doesn''t leave me alone for long, meaning I''ve had much more time to interact with her.


    Due to her increasing familiarity, I''ve learned I have a certain control over her and the other''s actions. Of course, screaming is still the best way to get them to do what I want, but I''ve discovered that smiling and giggling can also produce fascinating results.


    If I want to distract them, all I have to do is smile, and the giants essentially turn into great big piles of mush. However, doing so does come with a few drawbacks, mainly in the form of being smothered in their arms for hours on end. Though I''ll reluctantly admit, I''ve slowly grown to like the feeling of being held.


    The female still feeds me in a most undignified manner, but I''ve slowly become accustomed to that too. No matter how embarrassing it is, her feeding me is the only thing fueling my workout routine.


    I''ve grown considerably, both in size and in other aspects. In fact, Computer, Status Page!


    LV: 10 Experience: 338/737


    Health: 90/90 Stamina: 37/66 Mana: 60/60


    Vitality: 9


    Endurance: 6


    Strength: 5


    Agility: 4


    Senses: 9


    Mind: 27


    Magic: 6


    Clarity: 8


    Status Points: 90


    <u>Skills: </u>Sense Mana (LV6), Acting (LV4), Meditation (LV3)


    Damn¡­I cough to clear my throat¡­ seeing my progress made me momentarily drop character.


    Oh well, recording continuing.


    Seeing my progress tangibly was another thing I was slowly getting used to, but it was no less a vital part of my recovery and a continued supply of mental stimulation.


    Since arriving here, I''ve gained three skills. The first was Sense Mana which has grown as I continue to better feel the unique energy surrounding me. The second skill I gained in this world was aptly named Acting, and it played a vital role in helping me fit in among the giants.


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    Thirdly, I unlocked Meditation. It only made sense that I would get such a skill after being alone for much of my day. And though it didn''t have any immediate benefits like sensing energy or helping me blend in, it did help me pass the time and slightly boosted Sense Mana when I used the two together. That proves skills could be synergetic and that I wasn''t limited to using one at a time, a crucial thing to know.


    And as my skills leveled, I noticed the benefits of doing so. For example, as Sense Mana went from level 1 to 6, I''ve been able to sense a greater degree of mana around me. It was like a bubble surrounded me, and as I leveled the skill, it grew slightly bigger, and the contents inside became clearer.


    Unlike Sense Mana, as Acting leveled, it didn''t give me a quantitative boost. Instead, as it leveled, I was better able to commit to a persona, and it even sometimes warned me that I was acting out of character. Of course, it didn''t happen all the time, but I assumed the sensations would increase the higher its level rose.


    Meditation was the least interesting of the three in that it just helped me focus when I was sitting still. Nothing remarkable, but again, very helpful to my current lifestyle.


    I was proud of my skills and how much they''ve leveled, especially seeing how their growth increased my overall level. I didn''t know if level 10 was high for a baby, but I was guessing it was.


    The more a skill increased in level, the more experience I got, but not all skills were equal. As my three skills leveled, I tracked how much experience I received in return, leaving me to classify my skills into two categories.


    Again, I had no one to ask about anything and had no idea how strong my skills were compared to others, so I categorized my skills as I saw fit. Because I got my skills relatively easily, I categorized them as Basic and Novice.


    Whenever a Basic skill leveled, I got 50 experience times whatever the skill level was. So:


    Basic Skills: LV1 (50xp)-> LV2 (100xp)-> LV3 (150xp)-> LV4 (200xp)


    As for Sense Mana, which was my only Novice skill despite being the first one I unlocked, I got 100 experience times each level. Meaning leveling went like this:


    Novice Skills: LV1 (100xp)-> LV2 (200xp)-> LV3 (300xp)-> LV4 (400xp)


    The increasing amount of experience points pushed my overall level to where it is. However, though I was getting increasing amounts of experience points, each level required more and more to advance.


    Level 1 only required 100exp. Level 2 took 125, 3 needed 156, and it only continued to balloon to where level 10 needed 737. I could only imagine what higher levels would require.


    Further study would be needed.


    Speaking of which, I needed to focus on the giant''s language. Skills were all well and good, but I could only guess at most stuff without anyone to talk to.


    I was never good at other languages, so if I didn''t start doing the work now, I was afraid I''d never understand those taking care of me.


    It may take time away from my workout routine, but I needed to spend more time around the giants. I should first at least try and gleam their names if I can. Then, if I complain enough, I can keep the female from putting me down. Hopefully, that will let me observe them closer.


    I''ll put my plan into action tomorrow, as it''s getting late, and I''m feeling another wave of tiredness threatening to take me.


    Though, before I pass out, I note we''ve moved on to the rainy season of my current biome. It started a month ago when I heard the rain first start pelting the thatched roof above me, and it has picked up significantly since then. The temperature is also dropping steadily; if my predictions are correct, snow should fall in less than a month.


    Unnamed Captain, signing out!


    <hr>


    Update pending; it has been ten days since my last report. My previous plan has seen marginal success. I was initially afraid the female giant would be mad because I refused to be put down, but if anything, she looked happy at my increased affection.


    Now that I was being carried everywhere, I''ve become much more spatially aware of the giant''s domicile and its layout.


    Their house was one big rectangle with only two bedrooms. One was where the little giant and I slept, while the other was the main bedroom. I called it the main bedroom, but it was only slightly bigger than the other room.


    Across from the bedrooms was a hall storage area absolutely packed to the ceiling with dried wood. Other than that, the rest of the house was one big open room.


    There were counters for cooking next to a large stone fireplace. Close by sat two barrels used to store drinking water. And in the middle of the room was the table where the giants ate dinner together.


    Other than that, the only significant furniture besides some small storage was in the corner across from the fireplace. That''s where the female giant did her sewing and passed most of her time, usually with me sitting on her lap. That was where I currently was, sitting in her lap, watching her expertly patch a pair of pants.


    It was interesting to see how the giants lived without modern-day amenities. One would think the house would be dirty, but it was kept surprisingly clean. The giants even changed their footwear whenever they went outside to not track in mud.


    The floor was made of cut stone, and the walls consisted of thick wood planks. There were few windows, but they were all well placed to allow enough sun to illuminate the area. There was no glass in the windows; instead, each opening had a thick shutter that could be propped open and locked at night.


    The kitchen had no sink as there wasn''t any running water, meaning the female giant had to be highly efficient with the water they did have. There were shelves holding clay jars containing simple spices, and hanging underneath were a handful of pots and pans. Mostly pots.


    Of the dinners I''ve participated in, I''ve seen the giant family eat almost nothing but soup and stews. Everything was cooked in the fireplace, where a wrought iron spit was set up.


    The door to the house was massive and could swing either inward or outward. I had hoped I would be taken outside at some point, but the female giant seemed reluctant to do so with the rain and falling temperatures.


    Oh, well, I was busy learning the giant''s language anyway and had little time to dream of the outside world.


    Thanks to the increased time I''ve spent with the family, I''d finally managed to decipher a handful of words and their meanings.


    The larger female is addressed as ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Momma¡± by the little monster but also responds to ¡°Silvia¡± when addressed by the large male I rarely see. He, in return, happily responds to being called ¡°Dad¡± or ¡°Father" by the little one while addressed as "Honey" by his partner but seems to be called "Darrius" when he angers her.


    "Richard" is the name of my stalker who continues to scrutinize my every move. I could be placed on the floor, and he''d be right there beside me. Resting in Mother''s, I mean Silvia''s lap, and you guessed it, it didn''t take long for him to scamper over and poke me until I smiled or, more often, whined at him.


    It was nice to finally have some names to go along with the faces I knew, but annoying I still needed to decode my own name. The three like to use what I assume are pet names or baby speak when talking about me, so it was frustratingly difficult to learn what they called me.


    In fact, the only other name I''ve deciphered them saying was Aaliyah.


    And I had yet to learn who she was, maybe a grandparent I still needed to meet?


    Before I can think about the name further, Silvia puts down the pants she''s finished sewing and flips me around in her lap so I can face her.


    The way she stares down at me with so much love in her eyes hits me hard in the chest, and I drop my silly inner starship captain monologue.


    I can admit I''ve started to grow attached to this new family of mine. Of course, I could still remember my previous family and would always love them deep down, but when someone shows you this much affection and caring, I¡¯d like to see anyone resist those feelings.


    As I stare, smiling, into her face, I see her enunciate the name Aaliyah as she smiles back at me. Wait a minute!


    Am I Aaliyah? Is¡­That¡­My¡­Name!?


    I notice the smile fading from mother¡¯s face; she¡¯s starting to look panicked.


    I don''t feel good. I think I''m going to throw up.


    I start to breathe erratically.


    Tears spill from my eyes as I slip into oblivion, mourning the loss of my manhood.

 Ch: 4

    Silvia¡¯s point of view:


    I''m curious if all mothers worry about their parenting as often as I do.


    The other wives and grannies in the village warned me that no two children were alike, but I didn''t think the difference between my first and second would be like night and day.


    I already had experience helping raise my younger brothers and sister when I had Richard, and each one of them was different than the last. So, I was under the impression I could handle anything.


    I was partially correct; raising Richard with Darrius had been a cakewalk, at least when I compared raising him to Aaliyah.


    Looking outside, I saw the sun setting over the horizon. My wonderful woodsman husband should be home soon.


    He was always hungry when he got home, and dinner wasn''t completed yet. I still needed to set the table, but I couldn''t stop stirring the pot; I hadn''t burnt a meal in six years and wasn''t going to now.


    ¡°Richard, is Aaliyah asleep yet?¡± I ask over my shoulder.


    Turning around, I glance at the crib we moved next to our kitchen table, where I see Richard staring at his little sister while she sleeps. It''s so sweet how much he helps me keep an eye on her. It helps free up my time to make supper and keep our house in shape, even if he makes her cry sometimes.


    "Come here and help me set the table; she''s not going anywhere," I direct him.


    "Ok," he scurries over to where we keep the bowls, all while trying to keep an eye on his sister stealthfully. Raising a hand to my mouth, I hold back a chuckle. I really had the most precious little boy.


    "Make sure to clean your


    hands first," I remind him as he reaches for the utensils to set the table. Richard freezes and gives me a sheepish grin; he then moves over to where the wet rag hangs over our countertops.


    Just as Richard starts wiping his hands clean, we both hear the familiar creaking of our front door swinging open. I turn to check if the noise is loud enough to wake little Aaliyah, but she doesn''t even twitch at the noise.


    Richard used to wake up and whine every time Darrius would come home, and I¡¯d have to settle him down again before we could eat. But not Aaliyah; it still worries me how soundly she sleeps. I''d think she were dead if her little chest weren''t slowly moving up and down.


    I stride over to my husband as he sets down another large stack of wet wood next to the entrance of the front door. He''s been cutting all day for the rest of the village, but he always remembers to bring extra home for us. I lean into his sweaty shirt and kiss him deeply, letting him know how much I''ve missed him.


    "Glad to see you too, Honey. Let me remove my boots quickly, and I''ll help you grab the stew." He''s so kind; it''s no wonder Richard takes after him. Even after working all day for the village''s sake, he starts thinking of ways to help around the house as soon as he walks through that door.


    Of course, I shoot down his offer with a glare that reminds him that there''s only one thing I want him to do. With the look of a kicked puppy, he grabs the bucket of water I keep ready for him and shuffles off to our room to wipe himself down. Seeing my giant of a man act so cute when I scold him always brings a smile to my face. But no matter how cute he looks, I can''t let him be around the baby smelling like he needs a change instead of her.


    Plus, I was still worried he might accidentally get her sick. She was still less than a year old, after all.


    Richard was old enough that it didn''t matter, so up until I had Aaliyah, I was letting Darrius eat before cleaning himself off. I sort of miss the smell of my man mixed with the forest; to me, it always smelled of the perfect mix of man and beast. Oh well, I¡¯ll wait until Aaliyah''s two; then, maybe I might slack on the restrictions a little.


    I lay a flat stone on top of our table and carry the pot of horned hare stew and place it on top of the stone. Then, filling Darrius'' bowl first, I dish out dinner. It doesn''t take him long to clean himself, and soon he''s taking his seat with us, where the three of us then hold hands as he leads us in the daily prayer.


    ¡°We give our thanks to the gods and spirits of the forest. We thank you for the food we received and the continued health of our family. May your blessings hold true."


    At the end of the short prayer, I can¡¯t help but glance at quiet Aaliyah. It''s only been three days since she burst into an uncontrollable fit. She cried so hard she passed out. I''ve had nightmares of how pale she looked that day, every night since. Since that scary day, she''s randomly burst into tears multiple times throughout the last few days and only stops when I hold her tight and rock her to sleep.


    I know that''s typical baby behavior, but considering how quiet of a baby she''s always been, I can''t help but worry.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Don''t worry, Honey; Aaliyah will be fine. Remember how Richard would cry exactly like that? So you don''t need to worry so much," Darrius reaches over and places one of his calloused hands on my own.


    It amazes me how much he can read my mind. "It is normal baby behavior, but she''s never been like this before. She would only cry for food or when she needed a change. These random fits are starting to worry me."


    Darrius gave me the sweetest smile he could and reminded me what I already knew. "Anastasia already came and checked her out that day, Sweety. However, if you''re still concerned, I can try and convince her to come to check her out again tomorrow."


    "No, we can''t do that. I used my skills to negotiate the price down the last time she came, and sadly they need to be higher for me to use them successfully again so soon. She charges too much, especially for her low leveled skills, just because she''s the only person in the village who can use magic.¡±


    I never thought when I ran away with my husband to this village in the middle of nowhere, I would have a chance to use the merchant training my parents forced on me so much. I almost wished I had taken it more seriously. Almost.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I keep an extra eye on her over the next few days; if anything looks a little wrong, I''ll take her over to Anastasia''s immediately," I tell him.


    I wonder if my parents are still mad their oldest daughter ran away with a lumberjack. You would think they would have more sympathy. Both of them were childhood friends who happened to be business partners, and they got to marry for love rather than money. You would think they would be more supportive. But it doesn''t matter now; I chose love and never looked back.


    "I can help too, Mom. I won''t let her out of my sight!" Richards''s bold claims distract me from the negative thoughts of my old family and remind me to focus on the ones I have in front of me.


    "I know you will, Sweety; mommy can always count on her little man," I ruffle his dirty blond hair. Leave it to my five-year-old son to know what to say to soothe my troubled heart.


    "Heh-Heh," herring my husband chuckling across the table, has me break the smile towards my son and raise a questioning eyebrow at him instead.


    "What? Just marveling at my beautiful family," he tries to deflect, but I just continue giving him the look. "You know you look much more beautiful when you smile," he tries again as a bead of sweat forms on his forehead. "Seeing you relax makes me happy," he forces out through a strained smile.


    "Your right, Dear; I should relax more," I pretend to let him off the hook. But watching him relax makes what I¡¯m about to do much more fun. Does he think I will let him off that easy with only a few compliments? Time to land the killing blow to remind him who really runs this family; "I think I should take the rest of the night off; you can handle the dishes, right?"


    Seeing his scrunched-up face helps, but it isn''t the expression I was after; better hit him lower. "I think I''ll go to bed early tonight; that way, I''m feeling fresh tomorrow making Aaliyah¡¯s first outfit.¡±


    "What about our¡­ thing tonight?" Darrius avoids the confused look of our son.


    He remembers to stay vague in front of Richard but can¡¯t hide his panicked look now. That''s the look I was after. Knowing I could bring a man of his level and stature to his knees with a few words was enough to send shivers up my spine.


    "I''m sorry for laughing, and don''t worry; I''ll do the dishes tonight!" He informs me in a panicked voice, pleading I forgive him with his eyes. I grin at the display; Women always hold the true power in a relationship.


    For the next few minutes, Darrius kept his eyes on his bowl and continued eating with a sad face that was so cute. I wasn''t actually angry with him, and he would be a fool if he thought we weren''t going to fool around later.


    Poor Richard doesn''t know why his father looks so beaten down, so when he smiles and offers his father help, it hits Darrius that much harder. "Don''t worry, Dad. I always help Mom with the dishes; I''ll help you figure it out."


    The look of defeat Darrius has is priceless, and I can''t help but start laughing. My smiling makes Darrius smile, and I''m reminded of how lucky I am for my family.


    ¡°Wwwaaaaa¡±


    Just as we''re laughing and about to finish dinner, Aaliyah wakes up and informs me that she is hungry. She hadn''t eaten in a few hours, so I knew when she woke up, she would be starving. As I pick her up from her crib, I pat her bottom to make sure she isn''t wet. She isn''t, so I slide my chair away from the table and move over to my sewing corner to feed her.


    When I again take my seat and throw a small towel over her, Aaliyah stops whining as she waits for me to lift my shirt. She''s so smart for her age; Richard would cry until the moment he latched on.


    While I enjoy the bonding time with our daughter, Darrius starts cleaning the kitchen with the help of Richard.


    For a brief moment, everything feels right with the world. I don''t want to ruin the moment, but my thoughts can''t help but turn to Aaliyah in my arms.


    She was slowly getting better after her mysterious tantrum, but I couldn''t help but worry about her. She was doing so well before it, too. For the longest time, she seemed like she didn''t want to be held, so when she started whining until I picked her up, I was relieved.


    "Not like that, Dad," I hear Richard tell Darrius. My husband was playing the fool, allowing Richard the chance to show off how much he knew.


    Out the nearby window, I could see the sun had almost entirely set. It was almost time for Darrius to close the house up and for us to head to bed. Unfortunately, the sun was falling faster the closer we got to winter. It would snow soon, and I needed to make Aaliyah proper garments before then. She''ll be crawling soon with how much she moves, and I can''t let her on the cold floor as she is.


    Instead of helping me around the house this winter, I¡¯ll need to ask Richard to watch Aaliyah once she can move independently.


    The boys finish the kitchen, and Darrius moves to prep the fireplace so it will burn for a few hours longer before dying out for the night.


    "In our room again?" Darrius jestures to Aaliyah''s crib. I nod, so he easily picks it up and moves to place it in our room.


    I feel Aaliyah stop suckling, so I adjust my clothing and stand up. Her eyes are closed again. She always does that after a feeding, so I''m unsure if she''s still tired or if she''ll be up the next couple of hours.


    After moving the crib, Darrius returns to the living room and starts shuttering all the windows, ensuring each is properly sealed tight.


    While he''s doing that, I lead Richard down the short hall to his room. When we get to the door, he turns around and hugs me. "Is she not sleeping with me again?" He asks with big round eyes.


    "Not tonight," I tell him. "Maybe in a few days, when we''re sure nothing is wrong with her,


    "Ok," Richard buries his head into my clothing.


    Bending down, I return his hug. "You''ll see her tomorrow," I tell him. "Now go to sleep," I gently nudge him toward his open door. I blow him a kiss and wish him goodnight as I shut his door to give him the privacy to change into his night clothes.


    "Ready for bed?" Darrius asks behind me. Turning around, I see him waiting in our doorway for me.


    Moving next to him, I lean in and snag a quick kiss from Darrius before entering our room and placing Aaliyah in her crib.


    I then slip into my nightwear and climb into bed next to my husband, facing toward the wall. He snuggles behind me and starts to comb my hair with his hand. I wonder if he knows how much I love it when he does that.


    I flip around to look him in the eyes, knowing even if I can¡¯t see his face in this light, Darrius would know I''m looking at him.


    "Am I a good mother?" I softly ask.


    "The best," he leans in and answers right next to my ear.


    We kiss deeply, and I feel his strong hands move to shift up my nightgown. We''re about to have fun when Aaliyah lets out an annoyed cry.


    Darrius ignores our daughter''s growing wails, so I reach down and pinch his hands with all my strength. He gives a quick yelp and retracts his bear paw from my butt. His physical stats are higher than mine, so I know it didn''t hurt that much.


    "Aww, come on?" I hear him groan as I move from underneath our covers and pick Aaliyah up. She immediately stops making noise once she''s in my arms, so I move her to our bed, where she lies between Darrius and me.


    "We''ll try again tomorrow," I whisper in the dark.


    "Alright," Darrius lets out a long sigh.


    I think I hear Aaliyah giggling at her father for a brief second, but I chalk it up to coincidence.


    Leaning over Aaliyah, I give Darrius one last condolence kiss. Then I kiss my daughter on the forehead. Darrius kisses her after I do before the three of us huddle together.


    All my fears and worries fade away as I fall asleep with two of the most important people in my life.

 Ch: 5

    It''s been a whole year since I was reborn, but notice how I say year instead of twelve months. That was because time on this planet was measured differently than back on Earth. Not only were the months a few days longer, but a year was considered fifteen months instead of twelve.


    I knew it had been exactly a year today because it was my birthday. After all, everyone stayed home and was fussing over me more than usual. That, and the lockout screen that pops up every time I try to distribute stat points, ticked down to 135 cycles this morning.


    Plus, the parents acted a similar way five months ago for my brother, where Dad didn''t go off to work outside, and Mom made a bigger meal than usual. I still needed to learn to count in their language, so I wasn''t sure how old he turned, but I was sure it was Brother''s birthday because he had received a present. He got a wooden sword from Father, which he loves to swing everywhere.


    Similarly, I also received a gift today, but it wasn''t much of a surprise because I''d watched Mother fuss over it the last couple of months. But while Richard got a cool sword for his birthday, I got a dress. It wasn''t frilly or flamboyant by any means, but it was undoubtedly a dress, one that Mother forced me into and ensured I kept on for the entire day.


    No matter how much I struggled and whined, I couldn''t escape the breezy garment. Thank god my birthday was at the beginning of fall, so I wouldn''t be forced to wear it for long.


    We got all types of weather where we live, though it was mostly sunny. Summer took up a third of the year, taking up five whole months. Fall, which was where we were now, lasted only two months, with the second month being mostly rainy. After that, the temperature dropped rapidly as the seasons shifted to winter.


    It snowed on and off again for four months straight during my first winter here. And the last four months were spring, where the sun melts all the snow.


    It was difficult to track the weather, as I could only do it by sneaking glances out the window. But it''s become easier the bigger I get. And as I previously stated, it was currently the beginning of fall.


    It wasn''t exactly cold yet, but I still spent most of my time sitting on the ground in front of the fire. I briefly considered shuffling out of the dress I was forced to wear and throwing it into the flames, but I knew that would break Mother''s heart. She worked really hard on the plain white cotton gown, and reluctantly it was more comfortable to wear than the other clothes she''s made for me, albeit more drafty.


    I still felt like a fool in the dress, but it wasn''t like rebelling against my gender would change anything. At least I wasn''t overly panicking about it anymore, it still caused me to lose sleep, but that couldn''t be helped. The simple fact was I spent twenty-three years as a male in my past life, so spending fifteen months as a baby girl didn''t automatically change how I saw the world. I was still me, just with some different plumbing. At least, that''s what I was repeatedly telling myself.


    I had nothing against women, but I never considered what it would be like to be one. If I were back on Earth, therapy would be an option, but that wasn''t exactly an option here. Instead, I had to deal with the mental ramifications of swapping genders by myself, as I couldn''t formulate the words to tell my new parents, let alone explain why I wasn''t comfortable in a dress.


    I''ve slowly come around to the idea that I was female now, but that didn''t just make everything easier for me. It was a good thing I was reborn as a baby because if I had been transported to a new world as a woman outright, without any time to come to grips with what happened to me, I might have gone completely insane.


    I might actually be insane now, as insane people don''t often realize they''re insane.


    Shaking my head, I try to clear those dark thoughts from my mind.


    "Aww, **** you **** up, Aaliyah?" My brother Richard frowns, mistaking my head shake as me complaining about his outstretched hands.


    He looks so sad I start to feel bad. So, I stretch out my little chubby toddler arms and say, "Up," childishly.


    Richard''s sad look instantly disappears as he reaches out and gently grasps my smaller hands with his bigger ones. Then, ever so carefully, he helps me to my feet and helps me balance in place.


    As I wobble, for the first time, I consider the possibility that my previous life memories were doing me more harm than good. For example, If I didn''t remember being a male, I wouldn''t have this gender identity crisis. I wouldn''t have to pretend to be a baby around my loving family. And I''m pretty sure a normal baby would be walking by themselves at this point.


    I had the leg muscles to do it, but balancing in this new form was so different from my past life I kept overcompensating.


    Behind me, I hear the parents clap; like me, standing was the greatest achievement they''ve ever seen. It was even more embarrassing, considering I wasn''t even standing on my own yet.


    "Gooo," I slur the word go, which was code for ''let me go.'' Having done this a thousand times now, Richard understands my command and slowly retracts his arms, so he''s no longer supporting me in any way. However, he keeps his hands near in case I trip or fall over, as an excellent big brother would.


    Tentatively, I turn around and step away from Richard and the fireplace. Then another, followed by a few rapid steps as I leaned too far forward and almost tripped. Luckily, I find my center of gravity before toppling over.


    "Go, Aaliyah," Dad chears.


    "You, *** ****, Honey," I catch half of what Mom is trying to say, but I know it''s inspirational.


    It was nice that I was finally becoming able to understand everyone. I knew a few dozen words and even used a few of them regularly to communicate what I wanted.


    Crap, I lost my concentration!


    Flailing my arms, I try to stop myself from falling over. Brother moves to catch me, but he''s not swift enough, and I fall backward onto my bottom.


    My instincts tell me to cry, but I refuse to tear up over nothing.


    "*** you, ok?" Brother sits down next to me on his knees with a concerned look.


    Acting reminds me to look sad, which isn''t hard due to my frustration. Brother tries to cheer me up, but I ignore him and instead pull up my status page, hoping to see at least some improvement.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    LV: 16 Experience: 1,428/2,807


    Health: 100/100 Stamina: 17/80 Mana: 69/90


    Vitality: 10


    Endurance: 7


    Strength: 7


    Dexterity: 6


    Senses: 12


    Mind: 27


    Magic: 9


    Clarity: 14


    Status Points: 150


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV11), Acting (LV8), Meditation (LV10), Expel Mana (LV1)


    Nothing new since I checked it yesterday. But it wasn''t like I earned a skill every other day.


    Overall though, if I look at my status page and compare it to what it was a year ago, heck, even eight months ago, there was a drastic change.


    Biggest of all, Sense Mana passed level 10. Until that happened, I wasn''t sure if skills were capped out at that point or not. My current theory was that skills didn''t have a level cap, but I had no way to verify that. After all, my three skills have leveled up a lot, but not that much.


    As a toddler, I still didn''t have any responsibilities yet. And while Mother or Richard was almost always around me, I could still pretend to fall asleep to meditate and practice my various skills. That''s how I unlocked Expel Mana.


    When Sense Mana passed level 10, I could better feel the mana inside my body. And once I could reasonably feel it, I naturally tried to control it. If I wanted to cast magic in the future, I would obviously need to practice controlling my mana.


    Originally, I tried to control it as a whole, but when that didn''t work out, I started focusing on the mana in my hands because that was where my mana network was closest to my skin. In my fingers, specifically.


    And while I was focusing on the mana in my fingers, I could get it to seep through my skin which was how I unlocked Expel Mana. Of course, the mana dissipated as soon as it left my body, but I was confident I was on to something and would be able to throw fireballs in a few years'' time.


    So far, Expel Mana doesn''t do anything other than let me dump my mana pool rapidly, but that could be useful by itself. Since I unlocked the skill a week ago, I''ve been using it to deplete my mana pool every night, hoping it increases it overall. Other than video game logic, I had no evidence that that would happen, but it was something at least.


    "**** ** try again?" Dismissing my status page, I face Brother, who''s holding out his hands again, expectingly.


    Not one to give up, I take his offered hands, but I don''t tell him to let go this time. Instead, I point at Mom, sitting in her sewing chair, watching us with a smile. "Mmomm," I purposely stretch out the word cutely.


    Brother understands me, and this time, holding my hand so I can balance better, he walks me over to her. Then, when I''m only a few steps away from her, I let go of Brother''s hand and take the last few steps by myself.


    I''m so proud of myself when I reach mothers legs; I don''t even need to fake smile up at her.


    "***''** so cute," Mother''s smile is brighter than the sun. And god help me, I giggle in joy from how much love I feel towards this woman.


    "Up," I wave my hands, saying I want to be picked up.


    Mom bends down, effortlessly sweeps me off my feet, brings me up, and begins kissing me all over my face, causing me to laugh even harder.


    While struggling to breathe from laughing so hard, I feel a familiar sensation in the back of my head. A week ago, I felt the same sensation when I successfully unlocked Expel Mana. Did I get another skill; for what?


    I conjure my status page again and gasp at what I see.


    LV: 16 Experience: 1,978/2,807


    Health: 100/100 Stamina: 9/80 Mana: 69/90


    Vitality: 10


    Endurance: 7


    Strength: 7


    Dexterity: 6


    Senses: 12


    Mind: 27


    Magic: 9


    Clarity: 14


    Status Points: 150


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV11), Acting (LV9), Meditation (LV10), Expel Mana (LV1), Charm (LV1)


    Wow, I got 100 experience for unlocking that skill, just like I did with Sense Mana, putting it in the second category of skills I''ve discovered. And for added bonus, Acting leveled as well.


    I didn¡¯t get as much experience as I did when I unlocked Expel Mana, that skill seemed to be a cut above he rest and awarded me 150 experience. Which is surprising, because it¡¯s the skill I¡¯ve found the least uses for.


    I¡¯ve only had my new skill for a few seconds and have a feeling I know what it does and how useful it could be, but it''s hard to keep my eyes open. My Stamina was now below 10, meaning it took everything I had from falling asleep in Mother''s arms.


    Whenever Stamina or Mana fall below 20%, it''s like all the energy is sucked out of you. The result is the same between the two, but it''s easier to endure low Stamina than it is, Mana. Another big difference is their recharge rate. I''ll take a nap in a moment and regain most of my Stamina by the time I wake up. In comparison, I emptied my Mana Pool to 20% last night, and it still hasn''t fully recovered. However, sleeping does help, if only a bit.


    Speaking of which, I can no longer keep my eyes open, and while in Mother''s arms, I drift off into blissful sleep.


    <hr>


    Was my bed moving? Opening my eyes, I awake in Father''s big strong arms as he''s carrying me over to the kitchen table.


    I was confused because I specifically remember falling asleep in my mother''s arms, not my father''s. Looking around, I quickly see why I changed hands.


    Mother was standing in front of the fireplace, preparing dinner. Richard was also in the kitchen, setting the table, which left only one other person to hold me.


    Man, I must have been out if I didn''t notice Dad was holding me. That wasn''t me complaining about him holding me or anything. Over the last few months, he''s grown more confident handling me. It''s just Dad''s arms are super muscly and about as comfortable as laying on cement. I didn''t know how long he held me, but it was probably a while if Mom was almost done with dinner.


    Even if I''m not the most comfortable at the moment, I still smile up at Father. He could''ve placed me in my crib if he wanted to, but he chose to hold me instead.


    Behind his bushy blond beard, Dad smiles down at me as he puts me in my highchair¡ªthe highchair he made specifically for me. I''m strapped in with a piece of leather across my lap, but Dad doesn''t take any chances and sits beside me until Mother tells him she''s done.


    Dad then gets up and moves the hot pot full of porridge to the center of the table for Mom while she moves next to me.


    Dad recites this world''s version of a prayer. I hear it every night, but he recites it so quickly that picking out individual words is hard.


    Dinner time flies by quickly as Richard happily chats with our parents while mother shares her porridge with me. She mashes all the vegetables before spoon-feeding me and even gives me small chunks of mystery meat. I was teething all the time, which sucked, but at least I wasn''t being breastfed anymore.


    While eating, I note how my new family might not live an extraordinary lifestyle, but everyone is obviously happy, including me.


    At the end of the day, no matter how I feel about being a girl or my worries about the future, I only need to look at Richard''s and our parent''s smiling faces to feel better about the second life I was given.


    Our night continues like any other; two people clean the kitchen while the third watches over me. Of course, the family takes turns in who gets to watch me, and tonight it''s Richard who has the pleasure of sitting back and watching the parents clean while trying to keep me entertained.


    It didn''t take long for the parents to have the kitchen spotless, but it was almost dark outside by that point, meaning it was time for bed.


    For my first birthday in another world, today was pretty nice.


    I don''t even make a fuss when Mom uses her medieval toothbrush to brush my eight teeth, and soon I''m laying in my crib in Brother''s room. The whole house was soon silent, which was good for me. Everybody else''s day was done, but thanks to that nap not too long ago, I was wide awake, and now was the perfect time to work on my skills without drawing any suspicion toward me.


    Plus, it was rare not to hear the parents having ''fun'' through the walls. You would think at the rate they were going, they''d have a dozen children by now, but surprisingly it was just Brother and me.


    Either way, I relax and clear my mind. Activating Meditation, I try to better feel both the mana around me as well as the mana inside me.


    I spend what I think is an hour in that state without feeling any of my skills leveling up. Oh, well, it was a marathon, not a sprint, and I''d already unlocked a new skill today.


    I''m about to call it a night and discharge the mana I''ve regained until now when I hear what sounds like drums in the distance.


    Why would someone be playing the drums this late at night?


    I don''t have long to ponder that thought when another drum starts playing closer to our house. Now I was starting to worry. The noise wasn''t enough to wake Richard, so I did the only thing I could. I cry.


    Richard groans in the dark, but he''s soon up, and if the shuffling I hear in the nearby parent''s room is any indication, they are too.


    Richard pulls me out of my crib as Mom bursts into our room, holding a light candle and a knife in a sheath. Thanks to the light, I can clearly see down the hallway and catch Dad running for the front door, holding his largest woodsman''s axe.


    He shouts something as he runs, which has Mom looking like she''d seen a ghost. Then, after ordering Richard to do something, Mom rushes after Dad.


    Richard places me up against the wall farthest from the door and window. Outside our room, I hear the tell-tale sound of our front door being flung open before being shut and locked.


    Mom rushes back into our room and closes the door behind her. Then, with Richard, she and he push his bed against the door like a makeshift barricade.


    Mother then directs Richard to sit down next to me. He pulls me into his lap and protectingly wraps his arms around me.


    Meanwhile, Mother is standing in the middle of the room looking between the barricaded door and the shutter sealing the window in the room closed.


    My anxiety spikes as Mom carefully unsheaths the dagger she''s carrying.


    All manner of horrible thoughts fill my head. The way she was acting, we were under attack, but by what.


    Bandits? Monster? This world had magic, so I couldn''t rule anything out.


    For thirty agonizing minutes, Richard and I stay huddled together, watching our mother, until the three of us flinch hearing dad calling mom''s name from outside the house.


    Mother visibly relaxes hearing Dad''s voice, and with help from Richard, they move his bed away from the door, and mom runs out of our room.


    Richard picks me up and runs after Mom. The two of us find her crying while hugging Dad in the middle of our living room. He was sweating and covered in green paint.


    Only as we got closer to them did I realize it wasn''t paint. Instead, Father was covered in green blood. The stuff was dripping from his axe and pooling on the stone floor.


    Mom soon realizes this and rushes to grab a bucket of water and a rag.


    Needless to say, I didn''t get much sleep that night.

 Ch: 6

    There was nothing like being chased.


    As you try to outpace your pursuer, the adrenalin you get, the swerving in and out of buildings, all of it made me feel alive. I glance over my shoulder, hoping to get a glance at the person trying to chase me down, only to see poor Richard doubled over, panting up a storm. Skidding to a stop, I turn around and blow a raspberry at my defeated brother.


    "You''ll never catch me!"


    "You''ll never catch me!"


    "You''ll never catch me!"


    Like any good sister, I have to taunt my older brother any chance I get.


    While hopping around and taunting my brother, I think about how it''s been seventy months since I was reborn, making me a little over four and a half years old at this point. I sounded young when I put it that way, but that made me almost the equivalent of a six-year-old back on Earth. So yeah, I was still the equivalent of a child, just not that young.


    Sometimes I still get confused by the longer years, but it''s getting easier on me as time passes. The trick was throwing out my preconceived notions of age related to Earth.


    Take Brother, for example; tomorrow, he turned ten and was gaining access to his status points. You would think ten was too young to gain access to a supernatural system that made a person stronger and faster overnight. And you still might think that, but it made more sense when you thought of Richard as a preteen, almost a teenager.


    "Tomorrow, you''ll never beat me again, Little Rabbit!" Richard wheezes, causing my face to scrunch up. I hated that nickname, and Brother knew that. I stare daggers at him, as Mom does to Dad when she wants him to apologize, but that only makes Richard''s smile grow.


    I could only stand there and pout, missing the days when Richard was a kind, attentive big brother.


    Off to the side, three passing female villages giggle at the display, and to my frustration, they all are on Richard''s side.


    "Don''t worry; you''ll catch the Little Rabbit tomorrow," one says. "That''s right, " another agrees with the first. "Keep trying, and you''ll get her," the third smiles at Richard, causing him to blush.


    I was red, too, partially because of the annoying nickname but equally because of how much it''s spread among Spotted Creek Village. It wasn''t even that good of a nickname.


    I mean, sure, I ran around the village every chance I got ever since I learned to walk, but who wouldn''t after how long I suffered crawling around on my hands and knees?


    My obvious annoyance only made the three ladies giggle more. However, they did have a point about Brother catching me. Once he gained full access to his status page, chances were, I wouldn''t be able to outrun him any longer, even if I kept my Running skill higher than his.


    Looking up at the red moons slowly becoming more visible as the sun starts dipping in the sky, I resign myself to the fact I''ll soon no longer be faster than my brother. And while a clear sky didn''t solve all my problems, it always relaxed me to stare upwards.


    Unlike on Earth, there was little pollution in this world, meaning as long as there weren''t any clouds in the sky, you could see the seven moons orbiting the planet quite early before the sun even went down. It was the first month of the year, and they''d recently turned a beautiful red color, so they stood out amongst the pale blue sky.


    To everybody else, it was normal to see the moons slowly shift colors throughout the year, but to me, it was still magical and wonderful to see. They started red at the beginning of the year, and after five months, they slowly shifted over a few days to a bright blue. And then, after five more months, they change to green and then back to red when the new year rolls over.


    I''ve asked my parents and a few villagers why they did that, but no one seemed to have a solid answer. One of the older people in the village told me it was because of the gods shifting emotions throughout the year, but I suspected that wasn''t the case. As someone who died and was reborn without ever meeting a so-called ''god,'' I didn''t put much stock in their existence.


    The change in the moons likely had to do with mana, but that was my best guess.


    "Got you!" I feel two hands grab my shoulders while looking up at the sky.


    "That doesn''t count," I angrily snap at Richard, who took advantage of my distracted state.


    "Does, too," he sticks his tongue out at me, making a goofy face, and I struggle not to laugh.


    I didn''t think he would actually catch me, especially today, as he''s spent most of our playtime looking back at our house. He obviously wanted to go home, but it was my job to keep him distracted while Mom and Dad prepared for tonight.


    Usually, we celebrated our birthdays the day of, but because Richard was turning ten tomorrow, the Parents needed to sit him down and explain the nuances of his status page before he got access to it.


    They didn''t tell me all that, but that was clearly what they were prepping for. Mom just asked me to have fun with Richard, hinting that I should try to keep him away from the house by saying I was in charge, even though she said it jokingly.


    So this year, Richard was getting two special meals, one tonight celebrating the unlocking of his status page and another tomorrow for his birthday.


    I couldn''t wait for dinner tonight. Dad left early this morning with a group of the village''s hunters to track down some big game for dinner tonight. He arrived back a few hours ago with the hunting party, helping carry a wolf the size of a bear. It was so cool to see.


    My mouth was practically watering, thinking about the type of steaks a person could get from a beast that big. And as long as Mother didn''t turn the meat into another stew, I''ll be happy with whatever she cooks.


    Don''t get me wrong, I''m happy always to have a hot meal with my family, but as soup and stew were easy and filling to make, it made up most of our dinners. It was only on special occasions like today and tomorrow that Mom branched out and made something different.


    "What do you think Mom will make tonight?" I ask Brother as he lets go of my shoulders.


    "I don''t know," Brother rubs at the non-existent stubble on his chin. "Maybe, we''ll have a roast? You saw all the meat Dad brought back from his hunting trip."


    "I hope we get some fresh salad," I wish fondly.


    "You''re weird," Brother lightly shoves me playfully. I didn''t even care about the light insult; I was tired of mushed vegetables. So even if it weren''t childlike, I''d devour a green salad with a smile on my face.


    I was soon to start getting my grown-up teeth in, and what good were big girl teeth if I wasn''t chowing down on a delicious steak or other foods that didn''t just fall apart in the mouth?


    While thinking about food, I again see Richard look back at our front door, which was still closed. Smoke was billowing up from the chimney, meaning dinner was going, but we had yet to be called back.


    "Starring won''t help," I lightly tease in a childlike manner. Of course, the older I got, the less I needed to pretend to be a silly child, but I still needed to act my age. I''ve cultivated the image of being an intelligent child, but that didn''t mean I could do whatever I wanted without raising suspicion.


    At least I''ve become primarily independent over the years. Of course, I was still always under somebody''s supervision, but at least I could eat, change, and go to the outhouse by myself.


    I''ve grown a lot since those first few days I''d spent as a crying baby, both physically and mentally. I was 4'' tall now and in relatively great shape. My red hair was tied up in a ponytail, and I was slowly developing a tan like the rest of my family.


    Mentally though, I was almost a completely different person. Over the last four years, I''ve come a long way in coming to terms with my new life as a girl. Of course, I still had moments when I wished I was still a boy, like during potty training, but those were becoming few and far between.


    I''ve grown comfortable in this body. The daily running and stretching helped with that, but it no longer felt like I was in the wrong body. I was Aaliyah, and I was ok with that. I''ve made peace with my situation.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I still missed my previous parents and Stanley, but I didn''t let the grief of their loss ruin my chance at a happy life as Aaliyah. Speaking of which, I see our front door swing open out of the corner of my eye.


    Before Richard can react to the sound our door makes, I lightly shove him to throw off his balance, but not hard enough to knock him over. Then, while he stumbles, I book it toward our house and our smiling mother in the doorway.


    Without looking back, I shout, "To slow again, Brother!" Knowing this was probably the last time I could outrun him for the foreseeable future.


    "Hey!" I heard him shout behind me, but I was already in full sprint mode, and there was no way he could catch up to me.


    When I reach our open front door, I jump into Mother''s arms. "Must you antagonize your brother?" She chuckles as she easily lifts me up.


    "Yep," I cheekily grin.


    While still in Mother''s arms, I carefully kick off my outdoor shoes to not track unwanted dirt into our abode. Mother smiles in approval before carrying me deeper into our house. Richard was hot on our heels and would be here any second, but before he arrived, I finally noticed Dad standing next to the kitchen table, which was covered in food.


    He holds up three fingers and slowly starts to lower them. Mom laughed at the gesture, and luckily I realized what he was doing before he lowered his last finger.


    When Dad reaches zero, Richard appears in the doorway, and all three of us shout at once, "Happy awakening!"


    Richard is frozen in the doorway, and before he can do anything, Mom moves forward, still holding me, and hugs Richard affectionately. I also lean in to show my support, and soon the three of us are joined by Dad, who wraps all of us in his powerful embrace.


    Everything is a whirlwind of activity after that. We all sit at the table, and Dad recites the dinner prayer. That was another thing I asked my parents about, but I was told to wait until I was older. So, I didn''t know who these gods we were praying to are or why we did so in the first place. I just went with everything because it made the parents happy.


    After the prayer, I looked at all the food on the table while Richard got the first pick of what he wanted.


    The first thing I noticed were steaks from the beast Dad helped hunt. They were cooked beautifully, and I couldn''t wait until Mom helped me fill my plate. The next thing I noticed was the fluffy bread rolls, which I recognized as Granny Gellar''s handiwork. She lived a few houses down from us and was the village''s best baker.


    She made everything from a sizeable wheat-like plant called weizen, which was grown in the village''s fields and could grow up to ten feet tall.


    Also on the table was this world''s version of corn on the cob. The husks were green like regular corn, but the cob was slightly red and leaked a red juice when cooked, which made it look like it was bleeding, hence the name blood maze. It was weird that it was the opposite of the weizen in that blood maze was a relatively short plant, only topping out at five feet instead of growing as tall as Earth''s variant.


    Then there was the stemmed pomme. They were potato-like fruit that grew on trees and resembled apples in appearance but was, in fact, a starch. Inside they had a seed like a weird avocado, but I''d long since grown used to their unique taste.


    Lastly, I was happy to see a bowl of salad. It was a bunch of different leafy greens mixed together, with fresh berries on top, without any dressing, but that was fine with me.


    Soon, everyone has a plate of food before them, and the light banter begins.


    "Did you finally catch the rabbit, Sweety?" Mom starts by asking Richard if he was able to catch me, but halfway through, she changes targets and looks at me, knowing I don''t like my nickname.


    "I actually did near the end," Richard happily proclaims before joining Mom in smirking at me.


    I know I''m playing into their hands by answering, but my pride is on the line. "Just because I wasn''t paying attention," I retort furiously. I look to dad for some backup, but he gangs up on me too.


    "Let your brother have his moment today, Aaliyah. Starting tomorrow, he''ll probably catch you easily, depending on how he distributes his points." Dad then starts telling us about his morning hunting trip.


    "So, there I was, crouched in the bushes following the beast''s trail, when suddenly the farkas leaps from the brush behind me. In a single moment, I turn and swing my axe using all my skills at once, slicing its head clean off." Father mimics swinging his axe for added effect.


    Defiantly a good story, but I can tell by Mom''s smile that maybe 15% of that is true. Sure, Dad is incredibly strong, and I''m sure he could kill a farkas with a single swing of his axe, but he had little hunting experience. That''s why he had to ask the hunters for help. He might have killed the beast, but he certainly didn''t find it.


    Though, if Richard''s open mouth was any indication, he was hanging on every word and didn''t even think to ask about the other men he knew were with Dad during the hunt.


    The rest of dinner was spent much the same way, Dad talking about hunting and working in the forest, Mom asking if we needed anything sewn, and Richard was excited about tomorrow. It was nice.


    But dinner didn''t last forever, and there were more important things to discuss. So everyone helped clean the kitchen, including me. Of course, I was only allowed to help clear the table, but at least I helped with something. And once everything was washed and put away, we all gathered back at the table.


    The parents told me I didn''t need to sit here and hear all this yet, but there was no way I would miss an explanation regarding status pages.


    I expected Mom to lead the discussion, but surprisingly, it''s Dad who starts with a severe expression demanding he is listened to. "Richard, I need you to focus on what your mother and I are going to tell you and take this very seriously. How you distribute your stats will determine your future in life. Depending on which stats you focus on will determine what future careers you have access to."


    Mother speaks up next. "Honey, you need to think carefully about how you distribute your stat points. For example, if you want a physical job like your father, you must focus on Vitality, Endurance, and Strength. However, if you want to be more of a craftsman, you should instead focus on Dexterity, Senses, and Mind."


    "But don''t forget always to place a few points in other areas as well, especially Vitality," dad cuts in quickly.


    "I was about to explain that next, Darrius!" Mother snaps at dad for being interrupted, causing dad to give her an apologetic look in return.


    But Mom ignores Dad, to his dismay, and continues explaining to Richard. "You see, Sweety, you''re still growing, and now is the best time to distribute your stats. Depending on how you distribute your points, you will likely grow taller, more muscular, and even age slower. This is because every person puts a part of their points into Vitality, not only to survive when something goes wrong but to slow their aging without sacrificing too much in other areas."


    I know they are focusing on Brother right now, but I have a question. "What about the other two?" I ask.


    My question reminds the parents I''m still here. They both look at me and then back at Brother and explain Manna and Clarity.


    "Those two stats are not for everyone; you need to have a talent for magic before you waste points on them." Richard looks at Mom with a confused face, obviously wanting her to explain further.


    "Mana-related skills, even the lowest ones, are much harder to get. People have tried to unlock these skills by pouring the majority of their points into Mana and Clarity, but all of them quickly find out it''s a waste if they don''t have any natural talent for it," Mother tells us.


    "How do you know if you can use magic?" I couldn''t help but ask another question.


    Mom and Dad smile sadly at me and tell us it takes years of practice and a mentor before focusing on Richard, as he''s gaining access to his status page tomorrow, not me.


    "If you''re interested in seeing if you have any magical talent, your father and I can talk to Anastasia tomorrow as she''s the only person who can, and try to get her to test your aptitude," Mom offers Brother.


    Anastasia was our village''s only healer; as such, she had a high position in the village and had an attitude that matched. If she was the only person in the village who could use magic, chances were, Brother was out of luck, as she''d charge Mom and Dad a fortune to teach him if he had the aptitude.


    He must realize this, too, because Brother looks crestfallen and nods in understanding. Mother moves to give him a light hug and continues with the lecture.


    "You also need to remember your states page is very personal. It represents who you are as a person and should only be shared with those you love and trust. Your father and I will tell you ours to show you how we distributed our points. So, never tell anyone outside our house about any of this. I''ll go first."


    LV: 40 Experience: 50,834/62,504


    Health: 1,890/1,890 Stamina: 697/796 Mana: 200/200


    Vitality: 189


    Endurance: 25


    Strength: 25


    Dexterity: 120


    Senses: 30


    Mind: 48


    Magic: 20


    Clarity: 20


    Status Points: 0


    Skills: Running (LV17), Mathematics (LV34), Writing (LV47), Trading (LV31), Lower Price (LV9), Cooking (LV50), Sewing (LV62), Cleaning (LV51), Dagger skills (LV11), Fast Hands (LV26), Detect Rip (LV4)


    "You see, I spent my younger years learning how to operate my family''s store before I met your father, so most of my skills are business related. Thanks to that, when I turned ten, my parents had me put most of my skills into the crafting categories. The rest I picked up after I met your father."


    "She burnt all our meals when we moved out to the village," Dad laughs with a reminiscent look on his face.


    Mother blushes but otherwise ignores Father''s comment. She then explains to Brother how you can get experience points from crafting and how some people choose to go that route rather than hunting. The only catch was you only got experience for what you personally did, so you couldn''t just buy a bunch of unfinished work, finish it, and get easy experience that way. Whatever you put into your craft, the more you receive back.


    Mom''s example was if a farmer throws some seeds on the ground and comes back a few months later to harvest, he''ll get some experience for whatever grows, but it will be nothing compared to the farmer who cares for his field all season-long.


    "Alright, now it''s my turn!" Dad excitingly starts telling us how his status page looked.


    LV: 41 Experience: 54,816/69,380


    Health: 1,810/1,810 Stamina: 812/983 Mana: 70/70


    Vitality: 181


    Endurance: 42


    Strength: 122


    Dexterity: 78


    Senses: 35


    Mind: 15


    Magic: 7


    Clarity: 3


    Status Points: 0


    Skills: Running (LV50), Cleaning (LV29), Axe Skills (LV74), Woodcarving (LV26), Hunting (LV22), Axe Arts (LV48), Perfect-Chop (LV33), Mathematics (LV24), Writing (LV18),


    I can''t help but be impressed with Dad''s physical stats. He loves the attention and starts flexing for us. ¡°Aren¡¯t I awesome? I¡¯m 6 levels higher than the average villager,¡± he states proudly. My eyes nearly pop out of my skull, not because of Dad but because of me. The average villager was level 35? I was getting close to that myself!


    Mom rolls her eyes, but as I''m sitting right next to her, I can see her steal more than a causal glance at Dad''s muscles. Mom lets Dad show off for a minute before she coughs into her hand, signaling him to stop. She then points out a significant difference between her and his status pages.


    "As you heard, your father never invested any points in Mana or Clarity as I did. My parents had me take classes from a local mage in hopes I could unlock magic, but I only ended up wasting my status points. Another thing I hope you noticed, Richard, is that even though I have more skills than your father, his are higher level, work better with each other, and are much stronger for it. Unlike me, your dad didn¡¯t switch professions halfway through his life, and is better off because of it."


    Mom stops talking to give Dad a chance to say his piece. " That¡¯s right, you should place some of your points tonight, as you were technically born in a few hours, but I wouldn''t distribute all your points at once," he cautions.


    "The sooner you distribute your points, the better, but you shouldn''t rush your decision. I recommend going around the village tomorrow and asking people about their various jobs. You don''t need to decide on your carer right away, but you can narrow it down so you know where you should best distribute your points. If you offer to help for free, I''m sure more than one person will let you help them, so you can get an idea of what it''s like doing their job. Just don''t give them exact numbers."


    "On the same note," Dad adds. "You can come work with me for a day to see what I do, just like my old man did with me," he grins proudly at Richard.


    "Don''t let your father bully you into taking his path," Mom''s stern words are like a bucket of cold water dumped on Dad. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it if you find something you love later and have already distributed most of your stats.¡±


    "Why Silvia?" Dad asks Mom with a look of betrayal.


    "Stop exaggerating," Mom waves off Dad''s defeated expression. "You know what you were doing, don''t tell me otherwise. You can take Richard to work with you after he''s helped around the village and has experienced more by himself."


    Mom and Dad go back and forth a bit after that, but they never raise their voices or belittle the other''s opinions.


    While all that''s going on, I can tell Richard is looking at his status page because it looks like he''s staring at something in front of him that only he can see. He had a rare look of concentration that I wasn''t used to seeing on his childish face.


    That was good; it meant he was taking Mom and Dad''s warnings seriously, as he should.


    While everyone is distracted, I pull up my own status page.


    LV: 25 Experience: 8,736/9,157


    Health: 130/130 Stamina: 89/110 Mana: 107/170


    Vitality: 13


    Endurance: 11


    Strength: 9


    Dexterity: 12


    Senses: 14


    Mind: 28


    Magic: 17


    Clarity: 21


    Status Points: 240


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV19), Acting (LV20), Meditation (LV22), Expel Mana (LV8), Charm (LV12), Running (LV14), Cleaning (LV4)


    Ok, after hearing about the parent''s status pages, it was abundantly clear mine was exceptional for my age. And I had another eighty months to grow even stronger before distributing my status points.


    Part of me didn''t want to wait any longer, but another part thought of my parents. When I turned ten, did I tell them about my abnormal level or keep it a secret?


    I can say one thing for certain, Richard wouldn''t be the only one staying up late thinking about his status page.

 Ch: 7

    "Why did I have to suck at art in both my lifetimes?" I frown up at the ceiling.


    I had successfully convinced Mom to buy me some paint from the merchant who visits our village every month to spruce up my room, only to waste it all essentially.


    Was it so wrong of me to want to bring some color to my drab and dreary room? I didn''t think so.


    Sighing and cocking my head to the side, I stare at the Rorschach spots dotting my ceiling. They were supposed to be soothing clouds, but now I questioned my sanity every time I looked up at them.


    When Brother stopped by shortly after I painted them, he had laughed at me for destroying his old room and very sarcastically suggested I take up art as a hobby.


    I had kicked him out of my room for the offense, but I had to admit, he had a point. If I had more paint, I would cover the splotches, but I had already wasted too much money on them in the first place, so I just had to deal with it.


    And despite him laughing at me, a part of me missed Richard living with us. Of course, only a tiny part.


    I loved having my own room, both as a growing girl and because it allowed me to meditate and practice my magic skills in peace. And it wasn''t like Richard wasn''t still eating dinner with us every night; he just had his own place to return to afterward. His house was mostly empty, but as a carpenter, he was slowly changing that.


    A lot has changed since he accessed his status page five-odd years ago.


    It took Richard a year and a half to find his calling, but he''s achieved a lot since he did. Initially, Richard had trouble deciding what he wanted to do, but one day he saw Salus, our village''s architect, fixing someone''s wall and offered assistance. The rest was history.


    It was a good thing for the village that Richard decided to become Salus'' apprentice. He wasn''t old, but Salus was getting up there in age, and many had suggested he start looking for someone to take over his mantle.


    Especially with all the random goblin attacks we''ve been having lately, it was simply too hard for Salus to fix everything himself.


    It was actually back when the goblin activity first started to pick up that Richard ran into Salus and offered his help, so you might even call it destiny that the two of them met.


    Much to Dad''s disappointment, Brother loved being a carpenter and learning from Salus. And Salus genuinely enjoyed having Richard as his apprentice. It was common for people with apprentices to saddle them with all the undesirable work, but not Salus. According to Brother, he takes his time showing him everything.


    And that''s how a year and a half ago, Brother did the unthinkable and told us he would build his own house with his own two hands. And six months ago, he finished it.


    Salus had helped Brother in his free time, but that just went to show how much they appreciated one another.


    Brother had found his passion, and soon I would need to too.


    My status page would unlock early tomorrow morning, and I''d finally be allowed to distribute the hundreds of status points I''ve earned for working hard over the last ten years.


    Tonight Mother was making a celebratory feast, which was good because it was technically Richard''s turn to cook. Since he moved out, Mom demanded that he starts practicing his Cooking skill, so now we all had to suffer through his meals twice a week.


    Mother planned to get Richard to cook passable meals by the end of this year, but now that it was my birthday, half the year was gone, and Richard was still torturing us with his cooking.


    I actually miss the casual soups and stews Mom prefers to make. Unfortunately, my brother is still under the impression there''s no such thing as too much seasoning, so everything he cooks comes out under an inch of pepper. And the sad thing was, I wasn''t even exaggerating that much!


    Thank the imaginary gods that Mother wasn''t making him cook my celebratory dinner. He was in the kitchen helping, but that should be fine.


    Normally, I''d be happy to have him over with us, but he''s been quite loud the last few hours. That¡¯s why I came here for some peace and quiet.


    "Why are you not scolding her about proper stat distribution as you did with me?" Case in point, I hear Richard grumble in the kitchen, the house''s thin walls doing nothing to stop it from reaching me. If staying in here isn¡¯t going to help, I might as well go be in the thick of it.


    Getting out of bed and exiting my room, I make it to the kitchen in time to hear Mother''s response.


    "Honey, you never asked us any questions about your Status Page. Always running around shouting how strong you were going to be. We worried you''d dump everything into your Strength stat if we didn''t sit you down and spell it out for you," Mother looks at Richard with pitying eyes.


    "Aaliyah has been asking us questions about stats and skills for years. She even asked me to teach her the Mathematics and Writing skills to take notes." As Mom further laid into him, I met Richard''s gaze and cockily grinned at him.


    Richard''s cheeks brighten under Mother''s scrutiny, and I have the urge to brag about my level but catch myself at the last minute. I still had yet to decide if I wanted to tell my family about my level, mainly because: status page.


    LV: 36 Experience: 6,699/38,335


    Health: 160/160 Stamina: 117/160 Mana: 187/360


    Vitality: 16


    Endurance: 17


    Strength: 15


    Dexterity: 19


    Senses: 21


    Mind: 30


    Magic: 36


    Clarity: 32


    Status Points: 350


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV41), Acting (LV23), Meditation (LV39), Expel Mana (LV19), Charm (LV30), Running (LV21), Cleaning (LV12), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV2), Wood Carving (LV6), Drawing (LV3)


    It was crazy to think that I was only a few levels off from Mother''s level. Of course, she probably leveled a few times in the last five years, but even then, I was still incredibly close for someone turning ten.


    I didn''t need to see other kids'' status pages to know; I was incredibly over-leveled for my age. It would''ve been nice to know for Acting purposes; sadly, Richard had always remained tight-lipped about his status page, only ever alluding to how amazing he was.


    But considering the parents told us the average villager was level 35, and I was past that already, it would be quite a shock if my level was revealed to people.


    All of my original skills have seen decent growth, but Sense Mana gave me the most experience and was by far my most valuable skill. I thought it would eventually hit some roadblock as I leveled it, and I especially worried when it hit level 40, but my fears never came true. Sense Mana hit level 41 not long ago and was, in my opinion, super overpowered.


    Using it, I could see the different hues of mana around me. Sense Mana also allowed me to gauge my internal mana supply and others vaguely.


    But in doing so, I had to be extremely careful. My skill had a twenty-seven-foot radius, meaning I could quite easily see what went on in the parent''s bedroom. And I''ll just say my parents really love each other, and nothing is worse than seeing a Picasso painting of mana depicting what they do at night. It takes much more than meditating to get that picture out of my head. Yuck.


    While Mom and Richard are cooking, I sit at the table with Dad. He starts talking about how proud he is of me and how work is going. I try to listen as long as possible, but when Dad starts going over every tree he decided to chop down today, my mind naturally wanders back to my status page.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    While Sense Mana gave me a lot of experience points, it''s been slow to level as of late. And it''s actually been Mathematics and Writing that has been providing me the most experience as of late.


    Learning to read in a village as small as this was hard, as there were few books on hand, and the ones that were were usually boring, like crop yield reports. Still, Mother did an excellent job teaching with what she had.


    But by comparison, Mathematics was much easier to level. Once Mom taught me the symbols used for numbers in this world, it was literal child''s play to do the math as I had a high school degree in my past life.


    At first, I thought I wouldn''t gain anything from the skill once I leveled it up, but it had the surprising effect of helping me remember the math equations I was forced to memorize in school. Those equations, in turn, helped me level my skill further. It almost made me wish I had taken more than up to geometry in school.


    Each skill was a success in its own right, but some got more attention than others. For example, the levels in Wood Carving were from dad teaching me, but I wasn''t focusing on it. The same could be said for Drawing; while I would love to level it up and finally advance from drawing stick figures, it wasn''t my number one priority. They just weren''t as crucial as my growing number of mana skills.


    Along with Sense Mana, Meditation, and Expel Mana, I now had Mana Manipulation to keep me busy. The only problem was that I''d had the skill for over a year and could only get it to level 2.


    I had only unlocked it by slowing down the mana flow inside my body. I''ve tried slowing it down further, but that has seen little progress, while speeding it up didn''t work at all. But I didn''t want to focus on the negative during my big day, so I cleared those thoughts before they could bring down my mood.


    I would eventually figure it out, and one day I''d be able to cast fireballs like I''ve always wanted to.


    After making that promise to myself, it is only a short time before Dad gets up to help the rest of the family bring the food to the table.


    We all recite the dinner prayer together, and I get served first, as it''s my big day.


    The rest of the night goes as usual in our house. Richard and I trade a few good-natured barbs until Mom tells us to stop. Dad talks more about the surrounding forest and how the village''s hunters are trying to combat the pesky goblins¡ªtypical family talk.


    Mother and Father take a minute to discuss how I need to be careful about distributing my points tomorrow, despite telling Richard earlier they wouldn''t, but I don''t mind. I''ve been thinking about tomorrow for ten years, and any advice they offer me, I''ll take it.


    The three of us eventually have to say goodbye to Richard, but he doesn''t leave without giving me a spine-cracking hug and whispering, "Good luck tomorrow," in my ear.


    After that, I move on autopilot. I change into my nightgown, brush my teeth and yell goodnight through the walls, subtly hinting to the parents that I would appreciate a quiet night for a change.


    Tomorrow couldn''t come any sooner!


    **********


    I hear the creaking noise of our front door opening.


    Grabbing my blanket, I pull it tighter around me and curl into a ball wishing the sun would go back down. Unfortunately, I had not slept as well as I had planned. My parents were quiet, which was nice, and I even dumped most of my mana pool, thinking it would help me sleep, but nope.


    I was too excited for my own good, only managing to swing a few hours of rest before the sun started to leak in through the shuttered window.


    Rolling over, I face the door to my bedroom and wait. It isn''t long after I hear the front door close shut that there''s a knock on my bedroom door. Mom doesn''t wait for me to respond before opening it, as she usually has to come in to wake me up.


    "This is a surprise," she says, seeing me already awake. "Now that you''re an adult, do I still need to wake you up in the morning?" She jokingly smiles at me.


    "Please do," I groan.


    "Couldn''t sleep?" Mom hits the nail on the head first try.


    "I was too excited," I tiredly tell her.


    Gliding over to my bed, Mom leans down and kisses my forehead. "Don''t worry; you''ll feel more awake once you distribute your status points."


    "Because they will energize me or because I''ll be flopping all over the place?" I give Mom a dubious look.


    "Both," Mother lightheartedly chuckles.


    What I was referring to is that once I start distributing my stats, I''ll temporarily be unable to control my body. Usually, a person levels up and distributes their points immediately, and doing so, has little effect on the body, even if you put all ten in a single category.


    However, when a child turns ten, they gain access to multiple levels'' worth of status points, and distributing them can have some funny consequences.


    When Brother distributed his points all those years ago, he flopped around on the ground like a fish for hours before he regained control of his body.


    "Mom, can I please distribute my points inside?" I activate Charm and plead with my eyes, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of whoever walks by during the day.


    "Sorry, but it''s too dangerous for you to be indoors. We can''t have you breaking everything inside just because you don''t want to be embarrassed." Mom wickedly smiles at me; "Now go outside and start. The longer you put it off, the longer you must stay outside."


    Mom gives me one last kiss on the forehead before leaving, but this one feels more aggressive than the first.


    After she''s gone, I finally throw back my covers and slowly crawl out of bed. Of course, I procrastinate by taking longer to get ready, but even then, I''m out of my bedroom in thirty minutes with my red hair brushed out and tied up in a ponytail. I''ve tried styling it several ways, but I prefer it like this, as I can keep it long without it getting in my eyes as I run.


    As for my clothes, I chose my worst pair of pants and an old shirt, as they are likely to get dirty. I could wear one of the only two dresses I have to get back at Mom for not letting me stay inside, but she''ll probably make me wash it myself if I get that dirty.


    Even though I''m annoyed at Mother, I still hug her goodbye when I snag a piece of jerky from the kitchen, and she, in turn, wishes me luck.


    Swapping out my house slippers for my outdoor shoes, I leave the house and stretch under the morning sun. Of course, it was fall, so it was a little chilly out, but at least it wasn''t raining yet, and as long as I stayed in the sun, the cold air wouldn''t bother me.


    I already knew the spot I was going to use. A dozen feet from our front door was a decent-sized boulder. During the summer months, I loved to sit atop it and let the breeze wash over me.


    I was lucky to be born when I was; Dad told me children born during winter must go to the village''s stables when they first distribute their status points. I wasn''t sure if he was joking, and I didn''t want to find out.


    Crawling atop the boulder, I let my legs dangle comfortably as I meditate for a minute before distributing my points. Contrary to what Mom said, there was no rush, and it was better to have a clear head.


    After taking a few calming breaths, I feel my shoulders relax, and only then do I pull up my status page and distribute my points as planned.


    LV: 36 Experience: 6,699/38,335


    Health: 1000/1000 Stamina: 659/666 Mana: 338/500


    Vitality: 100


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 50


    Clarity: 50


    Status Points: 86


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV41), Acting (LV23), Meditation (LV39), Expel mana (LV19), Charm (LV30), Running (LV21), Cleaning (LV12), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV2), Wood Carving (LV6), Drawing (LV3)


    As a gamer in my past life, I knew spreading my points out like this wasn''t the most productive use of them, but I had a good reason for doing so. Mainly because no matter what this world was like, it wasn''t a game, and min-maxing myself could lead to a whole host of problems.


    But that doesn''t mean I''m going to distribute all my points evenly; in fact, depending on what future path I decide to take, I''ll probably never put points in some of these categories again.


    Having 50 in each stat just meant I had a solid foundation for whatever I chose later. Besides, I still had a lot of points left that I was planning on holding off distributing until I found a job I liked. And when I do I''llll.......


    Holy shit! I close my eyes as I start trembling. I need to grit my teeth to keep myself from moaning.


    I felt absolutely amazing!


    My whole body feels like it''s on fire, but in a good way.


    Slowly opening my eyes, I''m greeted by a new world. The colors were brighter, the air tasted fresher, and I could hear the wind against the houses better. It was like all my senses went from one to ten instantaneously.


    My heart was pounding in excitement; I wanted to see this new world and experience all it had.


    I go to push myself off the boulder, but I immediately hate myself for getting caught up in my emotions. Because as soon as I push off the rock, I''m flailing my arms as I rocket myself six feet forward.


    I land on the ground face-first. Groaning, I wonder if I accidentally broke something, only to realize I barely felt any pain from the fall. It must be the Endurance I raised.


    Okay, time to get up, I tell myself, but my limbs refuse to listen to me. Every movement I make is exaggerated. When I try to get my hands underneath me to push myself up, I end up hitting myself in the sides.


    Just then, I hear some giggling not that far away from me. Without moving my head, I search my surroundings with my eyes and see a group of village ladies laughing at me.


    "Tough, isn''t it?" A familiar voice says from my blind spot. My whole body jerks as I try to face my brother, and it takes me a while to overcome my spasms. And when I do, I find Richard perched on my favorite boulder, looking down on me.


    "Remember back when it was me on the ground, and you spent the whole day teasing me while I couldn''t move?" Richard reminds me with a grin.


    I had no response, well, more like I couldn''t respond. Trying to say something snappy in return only causes a weird screech to come out of my mouth.


    "You sound like an injured rabbit!" Richard almost doubles over in laughter.


    Now he''s starting to piss me off; fueled by anger and red with embarrassment, I force my body into a crouched position. And while he''s still laughing at me, I launch myself like a rocket at him.


    Brother''s eyes turn the size of dinner plates as I turn myself into a human missile. I wanted to catch him off guard, but Richard reacts surprisingly well. He actually braces himself on top of the rock and catches me mid-flight. Despite myself, I can''t help but congratulate him. "Nice catch."


    While in his arms, Richard looks down at me with a severe look. "Aaliyah, you need to be more careful. Even if you feel invincible right now, you can still get hurt," he lectures me.


    In hindsight, I might have overacted, but at least he wasn''t laughing at me anymore.


    Hopping down from the boulder, Richard gently sits me back down on the ground. "Take it slow; feel your toes, your feet, then your legs. Once you think you have a handle on those, try to move them, but as little as possible. Get used to how much you need to hold back," he advises me.


    Following his words, I slowly flex my toes in my shoes, then my leg muscles.


    "Good, keep that up, and you''ll be up and running again in no time. I wish I could stay and watch you struggle a bit longer, but I''m supposed to meet Salus across the village for work," Brother then reaches out and pats me on the head like a dog.


    I want to knock his hand away, but I''m afraid I might use too much strength and hurt him. So I let him torment me until he''s satisfied as payment for making fun of him when he had to go through this.


    Brother doesn''t stay long, and soon he leaves for work, and I''m left by myself again. The giggling ladies were also gone, and I couldn''t see anyone else, so I was able to suffer in solitude.


    Unable to move properly, I do the only thing I can and meditate again.


    While trying to get used to my body, I noticed how much it''s changed over the years. I was a young woman now; I was 5'' 3'''' and growing taller daily. Without proper mirrors, I''ve only ever seen my reflection in Dad''s polished axe, so inspecting my face is hard.


    I know I was slowly losing the chubby cheeks I had as a baby, but I was okay with that. I wasn''t a model by any standards, but I was happy with my appearance. I especially like the green eyes that I inherited from my father.


    Village life has kept me fit, and thanks to my stretching and running each day, I''ve kept a skinny figure. Puberty has already started, so keeping my body clean is a must, but I''m hoping higher stats keep pimples away.


    My chest has started to grow, giving me mixed feelings. I know a lot of confidence can come with size, but I''m hoping they end up the same size as Mother; not too big, not too small.


    I''m still growing and curious to see how my stats affect my body over the next few years.


    After focusing on my body for so long, I can slowly move my limbs. To get up, I imitate a sloth; you would think learning to walk for the third time would be easy.


    One slow step after another, I slowly became more accustomed to my enhanced body. I had to thank Richard later; without his advice, I would still be lying face down in the dirt right now.


    I was forced to pause initially, but as I walked around the outskirts of the village, I regained control of my legs.


    After my first lap around the village, I feel comfortable trying jogging.


    Jogging slowly morphs into running, and soon I''m back at normal speed. But I wasn''t stopping there.


    With every step I take, I push a little harder. As a result, I was going faster, and it was much easier to maintain my speed without feeling winded.


    While making my fourth lap around the village, still not feeling tired, I''m comfortable enough to turn my attention partially toward the village.


    I was so caught up in my runner''s high that I missed the people shouting and waving at me. They were over forty feet away from me, and the wind rushing past me was muffling their voices, but I knew what they were shouting.


    "Little Rabbit."


    "Little Rabbit."


    "Little Rabbit."


    I sigh in resignation; over five years later, I still can''t escape that nickname.


    As I pass by our house again, I decide to stop. Slowing down almost sees me tripping, but I catch myself before I fall.


    I had tested my physical stats enough; it was time to see what boosting the others did.


    Once again, climbing up onto my favorite rock, I activate Meditation. The skill was getting a lot of use today, and I barely had to focus to sense a noticeable difference in my mana network.


    My overall mana had increased by almost 40%, and with the boost to Senses, Mind, and Clarity, it was much easier to track its movements throughout my body.


    It would take a lot of experimentation to see what new bonuses my stats afforded me; good thing I loved doing just that.


    Look out, world, because there was a new superpowered Aaliyah to deal with!

 Ch: 8

    "Let me sleep in," I groan, pulling my blanket over my head.


    "Oh no, you don''t," Mom''s annoyed voice pierces my fabric shield. Through Sense Mana, I watch the outline of my mother, reach down and grab my blanket. I could try stopping her, but it would mean the destruction of my blanket. "It''s time you get up," Mother forcefully rips the covering off me.


    On reflex, I curl up, bracing myself for the cold air of fall to wash over me, but it never comes. My room is chilly, but for some reason, it''s not to the point that I can''t bear it. Why aren''t I cold?


    For a moment, I''m confused, but I quickly realize what''s going on. It was my Endurance; it was no longer a measly 17 but a robust 50. Only two days ago, I gained access to my status page and distributed most of my status points, and I was still getting used to the perks that came with that.


    My Endurance had almost tripled, so it stands I''d be more resistant to the cold. Too bad it didn''t help me resist Mother''s frosty glare.


    Mom stood over me, her arms crossed in front of her chest, glowering down at me. "You should''ve been out of the house hours ago," she scolds. "What will people think if you sleep in all the time? Who would want an apprentice like that?"


    "A vampire," I sassily whisper.


    "A what?" Mother leans in, eyes narrowing menacingly. She didn''t hear what I said but somehow knew I was talking back to her. "Honestly, Aaliyah," she shakes her head disappointingly. "You''re ten now; you''ll be an adult in a few years. I can''t keep coming in here every morning to ensure you''re awake."


    "But you''re so good at it," I pout and use Charm to make a cute face.


    Mom smiles lovingly at me, and for a brief second, I think my skill worked, only to have Mother flick me in the forehead. "That won''t work," she shakes her hand as if it''s injured. "I see you put some of your points into Endurance," she notes with a sour face.


    "Sorry," I apologize, and it''s sincere. I would''ve tried to dodge if I knew Mother would hurt her finger flicking me.


    "It''s fine," Mother blows on her hurt digit. "It''s up to you how you distribute your points; I just hope you didn''t distribute them all simultaneously as we warned you not to."


    "Don''t worry, Mom, I didn''t," I reassure her. I still had 86 points saved up; that''s almost nine levels worth of status points¡ªplenty left to distribute once I find an apprenticeship. Speaking of which, why did I have to go looking so soon? Can''t I get at least a week off to get used to my new stats?


    "Can''t I have one more day to relax; I mean, get used to my stats?" I hurridly correct myself. But judging by the look Mom gives me, she isn''t buying what I''m selling. "Come on; I bet hardly anyone in the village even knows I turned ten two days ago," I whine.


    That actually gets a chuckle out of Mom. "Sweety, most of the village saw you running for three hours straight the other day. The whole village knows our ''little rabbit unlocked her status page."


    "Must you use that silly nickname?" I frown. "After all, you say I''m an adult now."


    "I said you''re almost an adult," Mother takes great joy in correcting me. "And if you want me to treat you like an adult, act like it and get up on your own," she pats my leg, urging me up.


    Damn, Mom''s good. She easily flipped my words back on me.


    "Why do you want me to get a job so bad?" I ask Mom as I swing my legs over the side of my bed.


    Mother sighs like she does when she thinks I''m asking her the wrong question. "I don''t want you to find a job; I want you to find something you''re interested in. Not a job somebody picked out for you like my parents tried to do with me, but something that makes you happy."


    "Your father was lucky because he loved doing what his dad did. And I''m thrilled Richard found something to be passionate about as well. Of course, I want the same for you, but unless you want to become a seamstress like me, you must go out and experience the world."


    "I wouldn''t call Spotted Creek Village the world," I deadpan, earning another small chuckle from Mother.


    She reaches up and brushes my hair out of my face. "Start with our village first. Then, if you can''t find something that interests you here, we''ll discuss other options. Is that okay with you?"


    "I suppose that''s fair," I stand up and shake out my limbs. "Though I''m still going to do my morning workout routine."


    "That''s fine, as long as you talk to at least three people by the end of the day," Mom holds up three fingers. "I''ll ask around and find out if you don''t," she threatens.


    "Deal," I hold out my hand as if we''re making a business agreement, but Mom just pulls me into a hug.


    Our embrace doesn''t last long, and soon Mom excuses herself from my room so I can get ready.


    I do my routine that has me brushing out my hair and tying it up. Then I brush my teeth with a medieval toothbrush made of a wooden handle and thick hair for bristles. There''s no toothpaste, but I make up for it by brushing longer and twice a day. I''ve heard of few adults who have ever had teeth problems, meaning stats must help fill in the gap left behind by toothpaste.


    I quickly wipe my body down using a rag and the small pail of water I keep in my room. If there''s one thing I absolutely hate about this world, it is its lack of plumbing, specifically a shower. I rarely get to take a bath, so I''m stuck wiping myself down multiple times a day.


    After cleaning myself, I throw on one of my pairs of trousers. Then I bind my budding chest with the garment Mother made for me and throw on a comfortable shirt. Lastly, I grab my raincoat. It could start raining any day now, and even with my new tolerance for the cold, I didn''t want to risk getting caught up in the rain.


    Leaving my room, I say goodbye to Mom, sitting in her chair sewing, and walk out the front door.


    I don''t go too far from our house before I start stretching. My routine consists of a lot of simple stretching techniques I remember from P.E. class back on Earth. But I''ve added a few new exercises to my list since yesterday.


    Leaning over and placing my hands on the ground, I kick off with my feet, so I''m standing on my hands. I couldn''t do this before distributing my status points, but now I could act like an anime protagonist with my increased physical stats. Counting off, I do five sets of ten upside-down pushups before hopping back onto my feet.


    Next, I do a standing backflip just because I can. After that, I fool around for a few more minutes, enjoying my supercharged abilities, but all good things must end. I still need to do my laps and talk to people in the village.


    So, I quit clowning around and got to running.


    Running was my favorite pastime. It was invigorating, gave me time to think, and with it having its own skill related to it, I know if I''m improving. Like now, while doing laps around the village, I think of who I want to visit first.


    Roughly 70% of the village worked in the fields, so it was a given I would need to visit them, but there were still quite a few people who had other jobs.


    And though it was probably useless, I knew the first person I needed to visit.


    Finishing my morning laps, I stop in front of Anastasia''s house, our village''s clinic. As far as I know, she''s the only other person in the village with any magical skills, and there were some questions I was hoping she could answer.


    I''ve been waiting for the right time to talk to her about magic. If I visited her any other time, it would raise questions, but practically every child went to meet with her once they unlocked their status page, so I was in the clear.


    Standing in front of her house, I notice how nice it is. It''s easily three times the size of ours, and to my knowledge, Anastasia lives alone. Unlike every other house, Anastasia''s had brick walls and slate roofing instead of thatch like the rest of us. It just went to show how much the village valued her.


    I''ve heard Mom complain about Anastasia and how arrogant she is for her skill level multiple times over the years, especially the few times Dad injured himself working and had to see her. But a weak healer was still a healer. Most villages our size only had a few emergency tonics, but our village is much safer with Anastasia here.


    Mom said she could only cure relatively minor injuries, but that didn''t matter to me so long as she could tell me about magic. Her personality mattered even less to me. I had to work retail in my past life, so I knew how to deal with unreasonable people. I''ll just have to turn up my Charm.


    Smirking, I open the door to Anastasia''s house, as it was the village''s clinic and always open during the day in case of an emergency.


    Much like our house, I walk into a large room, only this one isn''t a kitchen and is lined with chairs. There were two doors leading to the rest of Anastasia''s house. One had a sign that said ''private'' on it, which probably led to the part of the building she lived in, while the other door had a sign that said ''in use.'' That must be the room she sees patients in.


    Since the sign said ''in use,'' she must be seeing somebody now, so I sit and wait. Luckily for me, I don''t have to wait long before the door is opened, and one of the elderly members of the village, who I didn''t know the name of, walks through the door.


    "Thank you, Lady Anastasia," the old man tries to bow to her but can''t do much more than lower his head. "My back always acts up before the first rain."


    "It was nothing," Anastasia waves off the old man before holding her hand out. "My payment?"


    "Of course," the old man fishes three bronze coins out of his pocket and places them in Anastasia''s outstretched hand.


    As soon as the coins are in her hand, Anastasia loses all interest in her patient and turns her attention to me. "Are you sick?" She looks me up and down with a scowl, leaving the old man to exit alone.


    Confronted with blatant hostility, I put on my best customer service smile and lie my ass off. "Sorry for taking up your time; I''m not injured. I recently turned ten and came to talk to big sister about magic, as you''re the best (only) mage in the village." I keep Charm activated while I butter Anastasia up with a starry-eyed look as if I were meeting my hero.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Slowly, Anastasia''s look of disdain starts to slip, and she smirks at me. "Only the most talented, like myself, can use magic. In fact, only one in five hundred has the potential to sense mana. Do you think you are one of them?"


    If she raises her nose any higher, it will pierce her roof. But, of course, I don''t say that; instead, I nod and continue to lay on useless platitudes. "Wow! No wonder you''re the most important person in the village. My parents even told me you saved my life as a baby!"


    "I am blessed with great talent, but no matter how blessed I am, I can''t teach you if you have no skill in sensing mana," she warns me.


    "That''s okay; I just want to be able to throw fireballs at goblins," I tell her in an overly childish voice.


    Anastasia scoffs, "Children and their fire spells. There''s more to magic than simple destruction spells."


    Great, I got her talking. Now let''s see if I can extract any hints from her. "Okay, like what? How do people cast magic?"


    "I suppose I can give a respectful child like yourself some information for free. If only every child that comes to bug me is the same in the future. Listen carefully," she gestures for me to sit still in my seat, which was hard because I was practically shaking with excitement.


    "There are multiple ways a person who can sense mana can use magic, but the most common you are no doubt familiar with is chanting, using an incantation. Words hold power, and reciting an incantation correctly with the right pitch, can bend mana to your whim."


    "Next," Anastasia smiles at me and holds up her hands, where I see she''s wearing a fancy pair of leather gloves. "A person can channel their mana into a magic item made with runic magic. The effects they produce are always the same but usually cost less mana than reciting a similar spell and are much easier to use. Like my gloves that convert my mana into healing energy."


    Anastasia sounds proud of herself, but it takes much of my willpower not to frown. By her admission, she isn''t even casting any magic; she''s just the battery! Hell, I could probably do that! No wonder Mom says she charges too much for what she does.


    "Sister, can I see your magic gloves?" I innocently smile, but it doesn''t work.


    "Are you crazy?" She pulls her hands back as if I was going to try tearing them off her hands. "Did you think I would hand over something so valuable to a complete amateur?"


    "I''m so sorry," I quickly apologize and hang my head, but mostly I do it to avoid Anastasia seeing my annoyed expression. I mean, come on, lady, what would I do with them? Throw them in a fire? Run off with them? We live in the same small village.


    "I suppose you didn''t know what you were asking," she says after hearing my fake apology.


    Damn, I was losing her; I could tell she was moments away from asking me to leave. If that were the case, I might as well try to ask her at least one more question. "So you need a spell or an item to cast magic? What about conjuring stuff from your mind; is that possible?"


    Thankfully, my question turned Anastasia''s focus away from her gloves, but her answer wasn''t what I wanted to hear. "You''re talking about casting spells with nothing but Mana Manipulation. It is possible, but the techniques have been lost to time. Some talented mages can do simple things with it, but the skill is primarily used to boost the casting of the other two forms of magic and empower skill-based magic effects."


    Okay, so no help there.


    Anastasia once again grins at me. "You''re quite studious, aren''t you? If you find you can sense mana, come back, and I''ll teach you."


    "Really?" I''m honestly surprised by her offer.


    "Yes, though getting a pair of gloves like mine will cost you five large silver coins. And I charge five large bronze coins a day for lessons."


    I''m rendered speechless by how shameless Anastasia is. Even if the gloves were that expensive, charging five large bronze coins daily for lessons was highway robbery.


    When Mom taught me math, she explained how money worked. Everything was denoted through coins, starting with iron, and when as follows:


    10 Iron Coins = 1 Large Iron Coin


    10 Large Iron Coins = 1 Bronze coin


    10 Bronze coins = 1 Large Bronze Coin


    10 Large Bronze Coins = 1 Silver coin


    And it kept going for silver and gold. A few iron coins could get you a loaf of bread and were primarily what villagers used to buy essential goods. A single bronze coin could get you a lot, so asking for fifty of them a day to teach me how to use magic items was absurd!


    It''s clear she never had any real intention of teaching me, and now that I know the extent of her skills, I no longer particularly want to learn from her, but I suppose I should at least ask what she could teach me.


    "So if I can sense mana and get my parents to pay you, what will I learn?" It isn''t easy to blatantly act like a child. I know my family can''t afford her prices, and she knows I can''t, but I need to act like I''m ignorant of both to continue the conversation.


    "If you become my student," she puts a lot of emphasis on the if. "Then I can guarantee you will acquire four skills," she says proudly.


    "Really!?" I acted excited but felt I already knew which skills she was talking about. "Which four skills?"


    "The first, you''ll need to unlock on your own, but I can help you level it up quickly. The skill is called Sense Mana, and every mage needs it to control mana. I''ve gotten mine to level 37, so I can help anyone talented enough to at least get it to level 20," she openly brags, and I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing.


    I had already gotten Sense Mana to level 42; were my other skills already higher than hers? "Wow," I pretend to be impressed.


    "I don''t like to brag," Anastasia brings her hand up to her chest and poses as if she were a noble, confirming the opposite of what she said. "But I can also guarantee each student would learn Expel Mana, Meditation, and Chanting," she proclaims.


    I already had three of those four skills, and based on the name, it was easy to guess what Chanting did.


    "Cool; does that mean you can chant spells too?" I gently prod, hoping for any piece of information.


    "I know a few," Anastasia proudly grins down at me. "But they''re secret spells, and I''ll only teach them to my apprentices."


    Even if she knew some spells, part of me wanted to call her out on her ridiculous pricing, but I would be stupid to antagonize the only person in the village who knew even a semblance of healing magic. So, I grit my teeth and stand up.


    With a forced smile, I bow and thank Anastasia for her time, even though she didn''t deserve it. I told her I''d talk to my parents about the money and try to sense mana, but anyone could see she wasn''t expecting me to return.


    "Well, that sucked," I grumble once I''m sure the door to the clinic is fully closed behind me. Getting some information about magic was nice, but Anastasia completely ruined it for me with her greed.


    I''ll acknowledge she had the information I needed, but I would need to explain why my skills were already so high even if I somehow got the money. I still hadn''t even told my parents about my magic talent, let alone somebody else.


    Being able to use magic was a big deal in this world. If I could already sense mana better than a woman in her thirties like Anatasia, I could only imagine what forces I would bring down on myself and my family if that information got out.


    The only thing I could do was continue practicing by myself. Maybe when I was a bit older, I could fake discovering mana and talk to Anastasia again and work out a deal, but for now, I wasn''t going to ask her to teach me.


    Due to my disappointing first meeting, I take my time walking to my next destination.


    Moving north through the village, I eventually come upon the fields at the back of the village. There were roughly fifteen acres of tilled land. I knew little about farming, but I''m guessing they recently planted whatever crop they hoped to harvest in the springtime.


    I was curious what that is, though. We had almost a month of rain ahead of us, followed by four months of snow. Can anything survive that much punishment?


    "Look out for the crops, Markus; a rabbit appeared," a voice says behind me.


    "Don''t worry, Ezekiel, she doesn''t look hungry," a second person replies to the first.


    I wonder if I can gain skills from murdering a couple of farmers, I darkly think as I turn around with yet another forced smile. I would skip talking to the two if Mother hadn''t threatened that she''d ask around if I did so.


    "Afternoon Markus. Hello Ezekiel," I greet the two men. I didn''t know the names of many of the villagers, but I knew these two. Both were the highest leveled farmers in the village and were in charge of overseeing the fields.


    They loved heckling me while I ran and were two of the first to start calling me ''little rabbit.'' They never said anything overtly mean, but they were quite rude whenever we interacted.


    "Finally making your rounds now that you turned ten? Markus smirkingly asks me.


    "I''m surprised she even came to see us," Ezikial nudges his partner.


    "Just looking," I flatly tell the two. "What did you guys plant?" I turned to look at the fields as I didn''t want to look at the two men.


    "Hear that, Markus? Finally, someone in their family has some appreciation for what we do," Ezikial preens.


    What the hell does he mean by that? "Just curious about the crops, I assure you." I try not to roll my eyes.


    "We''re planting wortel," Markus finally answers my question.


    That makes sense; wortel are the long green carrots Mother always puts in our stews. They grow underground, but I wasn''t aware they could survive under the snow.


    "Yep, we planted them yesterday," Ezikial adds.


    He meant they supervised the planting. I understood the importance of having somebody in charge, especially when I was sure some skills benefited a group. However, that didn''t give Markus and Ezikial the right to look down on everybody else. And what was that about my family?


    "Want to learn a few skills?" Markus chortles. "You can pick up some fast levels if you come work under us, unlike your mother or brother."


    "Yeah, and we won''t even chase you out of the fields as we do the other rabbits," Ezikial jokes, and both men barrel over in laughter.


    "What do you have against my family?" Finally, I can no longer hide my feelings and snap at the laughing duo.


    "What, do we have something against her family?" Markus exaggeratedly asks Ezikial.


    "No, who can have a problem with the perfect couple?" Ezikial spits venomously.


    "What has my family ever done to you two?" I ball my hands into a fist angrily.


    The two men look at each other and scoff in unison. Markus then turns to me with a sneer. "Your entire family thinks it''s too good for farming," he wildly proclaims.


    "That''s right," Ezikial mirrors Markus. "When your mother and father moved here, who did you think offered them jobs? It was one thing for your father to turn us down, being a woodsman and all, but your mom was a spoiled merchant''s daughter and couldn''t do anything. She should''ve begged us to teach her the ropes, but instead, she took up tailoring because she was too good for us."


    "Your brother did the same thing," Markus adds. "We took the time to explain how important we are to the village, and what does he do?"


    "He ditches us halfway through the season for another apprenticeship," Ezikial finishes for Markus.


    "And now you, with all your running around," Markus spits near my feet. "It''s been days, and you''re only coming to see us now. You have the same amount of respect the rest of your family has. The two of us are the most important people in the village; thanks to us, you and your family have food to eat every night. You should be so lucky to work under us."


    "I''ll consider it," I turn around and walk away before I break and strike the cackling duo with my fists.


    "You''ll be back," I hear Ezikial shout after me. "And when you do, we''ll let you shovel the manure," he cackles.


    Screw those guys, I fume. Why was everyone I met today a greedy charlatan or a couple of annoying ass farmers?


    Even if I can''t convince a single other person to let me be their apprentice, I''ll never work under Markus or Ezikial.


    But where did I go next? I don''t think Mom will count dumb and dumber as two people, so I still need to hit up at least one other person today. But after my last two stops, I don''t think I could take another lousy encounter. It was only my first day looking for an apprenticeship, and I was already over it.


    Without any other ideas, I aimlessly wander around the village. I considered reaching out to Granny Gellar, but I wasn''t that interested in baking either. What do I do?


    "Hey, Aaliyah," Brother''s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.


    I don''t know what drew me to this part of the village, but I was next to the stables at the moment, and Brother was here with his mentor Salus.


    Richard called out to me from an exposed beam on the village''s only barn. It was the only place the village had to store its livestock during winter, and it looked like Richard and Salus were in the middle of patching it up.


    "Hey," I lazily wave back. Usually, I''d be happier to see Brother, but I couldn''t muster the energy.


    Brother gives me a concerned look, but he was in the middle of swapping out some planks and couldn''t get down until he finished. He''d get angry at me if I left without telling him what was wrong, so I wait nearby for him to finish what he was doing.


    In the meantime, I watch the various domesticated animals in their pens.


    The biggest animals were the bivol. They were shorter, stockier bison-like creatures with coats of black fur. They were the village''s beasts of burden. The farmers used them to plow the fields and push the carts, and on rare occasions, they were led around the village to tamper the ground. Most considered them the all-around most helpful animal to have. Although they did have one drawback, bivols were notoriously slow. They could pull a full cart all day and still not get that far.


    Running around the feet of the bivol were tiny velociraptors called kips. Not the kind portrayed in movies, mind you, but the ones actually discovered by paleontologists. The key difference is that they weren''t the size of people, with the biggest being turkey-sized. They were scavengers in the wild, had feathers like chickens, and lay decently sized eggs. It took them longer than chickens back on Earth, but they produced a decent amount of eggs, to the point it was worth raising them.


    The pens were built primarily to house the bivol and kips, but a third animal was present. There were two horse-like creatures with horns. It would''ve been funny if they were called unicorns, but they weren''t. Instead, they were called jelens, and their horns were a mix between rams horns and a deer''s. Both were the village headman''s property and weren''t used for labor.


    "Rough day?" Richard asks me after walking over to me.


    "You can say that," I sigh. "Hello, Mr. Sallus," I greet Brother''s mentor, who walks up and joins us. "I don''t suppose you''re looking for another apprentice?" I jokingly ask.


    "Sorry, but I have my hands full with your brother," Salus politely turns me down.


    "Well, I tried. If my mom asks you, can you tell her I talked to you?" I half-heartedly smile at Salus.


    "That bad, huh?" Brother gives me a sympathetic smile.


    "Yeah, it hasn''t been fun," I tell him. "But with Salus, that makes three people I''ve visited. So I think I''ll call it early and go back home. Maybe I''ll help Mom with dinner."


    "What happened?" Brother urges me to tell him, but I shake my head.


    "I''ll tell you at dinner; see you when you stop by." To Brother''s displeasure, I don''t answer any of his questions before walking off.


    The rest of my day has me feeling like I''m underwater. And I don''t start feeling better again until dinnertime with the family.


    "What has you down, Sweetie?" Dad asks, concerned, seeing me play with my soup.


    "She had a bad day," Richard answers for me.


    "That explains why she was so quiet while helping me with dinner," Mom frows. "You came home earlier than I thought you would; what happened?"


    The problem with a loving family is that they won''t let you brood in silence. I know none of them will leave me alone until I tell them, so I take my time and explain my run-in with Ansitasia, Markus, and Ezikial to the three of them.


    "I really hate that lady. Where does she get off saying her time is that valuable? Everyone knows she spends most of her day doing nothing!" Mom lightly slams her hands against the table.


    "I had no idea Markus and Ezikial thought that way about us," Dad growls in annoyance. "If either of them ever touches you or speaks to you like that again, let me know, and I''ll bury them in the woods."


    "Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn''t want you poisoning the forest," I joke, trying to lighten the mood around the table. "Besides, they''re jerks, but they''ve never done anything warranting that. I just never want to work for them."


    "And you don''t have to," Mother reaches over and pats my arm. "I''m sorry you had such a bad day, but you can''t let this stop you."


    "I know, I''m just moping," I admit. "I don''t want to go back out tomorrow."


    It''s then Dad gets a huge smile on his face. ''If that''s the case, why don''t you go out with me tomorrow? I can show you the forest; you''ve never been outside the village after all."


    "That''s, actually sounds like a great idea," I smile. I''ve always been curious about the wider world, and spending time with Dad sounds fun. Although, "Am I going to have to get up early?" I hesitantly ask.


    "Before the sun even rises," Dad confirms my suspicions.


    "Fine," I groan. "But you''re going to have to make sure I''m up," I point at him. Dad laughs, but I''m being serious.


    The rest of the night is much better than my day, and I end up in bed with a smile on my face. Even though I couldn''t stay up late practicing my mana skills because I had to get up early, spending time with my dad was worth it.


    I don''t dump my mana as I want it full for tomorrow, but I do pull up my status page before I go to sleep.


    LV: 37 Experience: 7,999/43,318


    Health: 1000/1000 Stamina: 659/666 Mana: 342/500


    Vitality: 100


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 50


    Clarity: 50


    Status Points: 96


    <u>Skills: </u>Sense Mana (LV42), Acting (LV25), Meditation (LV40), Expel mana (LV23), Charm (LV32), Running (LV27), Cleaning (LV12), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV5), Wood Carving (LV6), Drawing (LV3)


    Over the last two days, multiple skills have leveled thanks to my increased stats. With more mana and energy to draw from, I could fool around with my skills longer than ever.


    The bonus stat points helped me so much; I even gained an unexpected level.


    Thanks to my family and seeing my improving status page, I fall asleep, with the pain of the earlier feeling like a thing of the past.

 Ch: 9

    Darrius point of view:


    Laying down beside my wife, it¡¯s hard to sleep.


    I can¡¯t stop thinking about the look of defeat Aaliyah had after her first day of looking for an apprenticeship. Shifting again, slowly not to alert my wife, I look at the wall separating our rooms. Richard didn¡¯t have any problems finding easy work.


    I figured with how smart Aaliyah is, she would know exactly what she wanted to do after her awakening. She has always been an active child and has never stopped improving.


    Just imagining the look of defeat on her face for the first time makes my blood boil!


    I slowly shift back towards facing my wife. Seeing her always calms me down.


    Flinching, shaking the bed, I realize her beautiful brown eyes are open and staring straight at me.


    ¡°Aaliyah had a bad day?¡± She asks me softly, cutting straight to my problems as usual.


    I can only sigh; ¡°Ya¡±.


    I quietly tell her what Aaliyah went through today.


    Getting lost telling her what I heard from Aaliyah, I failed to notice the silence till it was too late.


    ¡°Those farm pigs talked to my daughter like that! And that woman thinks her skills are so valuable, tomorrow I¡¯m going to beat some mind points into her empty head!¡±, she starts to yell a little too loud.


    ¡°Ssshhh, Aaliyah¡¯s asleep.¡± I try to calm her down the best way I know. Before she can continue, I lean in and kiss her wrapping my arms around my ¡°hellcat¡± wife.


    After her tension fades, I part our lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t know having a daughter would be this difficult.¡± I whisper in her ear.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t help she¡¯s so active, Darrius; I tried convincing her to take up a simpler crafting trade, but she only wants to do more physical work.¡±


    ¡°She probably realized how difficult that would be today. That¡¯s why I offered to take her to the forest with me, tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You''re taking her out to cut trees¡­ to make her feel better about her physical abilities?¡±


    I can¡¯t help but rub my beard at that. ¡°She needs a distraction from the village, and letting her take her anger out on some helpless trees will do her good. Plus, she¡¯ll understand the work she must put in if she wants a more physical job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you think this hard about anything before, I¡¯ll leave this to you; but you better make sure she doesn¡¯t get hurt in the woods tomorrow or I¡¯ll make you sleep in the stables with the jelen all winter!¡±


    I can¡¯t help but smile more at my wife¡¯s protectiveness; ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± I tell her leaning in for another kiss. ¡°Good night honey, love you,¡± I say finally relaxing for the evening.


    Slowly drifting into a deep sleep, I hear my wife whisper one last thing before she passes out.


    ¡°Good luck waking her up tomorrow.¡±


    She always gets the last word¡­ gods I love her so much.


    <hr>


    ¡°Are you all packed and ready to go, Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°Yes dad¡±, she looks at me with her mother¡¯s scowl. I guess her mother never turned the bed on its side to wake her up before.


    Silvia was laughing at me trying to shake her awake, when she told me Aaliyah sleeps like she¡¯s dead, I thought she was exaggerating. I have too much work I need to do and I promised I¡¯d take her today, so drastic measures were taken.


    Even while trying to give me angry looks, I can tell how excited she is to see the forest.


    With the first morning rays of sunlight, we set off towards the forest. Passing by the fields, I notice the farmers starting their day while Markus and Ezekiel are nowhere to be found. Good thing too, I¡¯d probably punch them after mocking my daughter so much yesterday.


    Passing the end of the fields and a few trees, we come to the hunters clearing.


    ¡°From here, Aaliyah you need to stay close to me. Everything beyond this point is pure wilderness. We need to keep an eye out for goblins and farkas the most, but we could also run into a few karhu. The karhu are preparing their dens for the winter and can be territorial. If we hear their growls, we back away slowly. Here¡¯s one of my smaller axes.Always stay close to me and I¡¯ll teach you how to use it.¡±


    Her excitement is impossible to hide. I wonder if my father had these same feelings taking me into the woods for the first time. Anxiety, worry, doubt, and an overwhelming sense of pride can¡¯t even describe the feelings of having my little girl being next to me right now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±, I say confidently.


    We walk into the wilderness, not looking back.


    <hr>


    I¡¯m surprised how well she¡¯s doing with the hiking; she must have put quite a few points into her physical stats. She probably doesn¡¯t know it, but she¡¯s starting to glow with vitality. I wonder if she has over 70 in vitality. Watching her over the years I know how hard she worked at everything she does, I¡¯m confident she has a high level for her age.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I realized I slowed down to match her speed, but this gives me an excellent time to teach her. She picks up everything I teach her so quick. She would make a great woodsman.


    As we walked through the forest, I explained to her about the different type of trees I¡¯m looking for and avoiding. Some trees make the best firewood, while others are so strong, we use them for our houses; and some are so hard I can¡¯t cut them with my skills, or they release toxic fumes when burnt.


    I had to explain why I take the time to grade each tree between one and ten.


    ¡°Not only do I pick out the correct type of tree for different situations in the village, but I have to grade them to find the best ones for the job. See this one with the lumpy black bark, where have you seen this wood before?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our firewood, right?¡± Aaliyah answers confidently.


    ¡°Yes, this wood burns the slowest while giving off enough heat to fill a house. Each tree is different though and I need to decide if I should cut it down or leave it to improve. This tree is only a 4, I try to find a grade of 6 at least before I cut anything down.¡±


    ¡°How does a tree Improve?¡± Aaliyah caught my point immediately.


    ¡°Plants and animals feed off of the mana in the air much better than we do. Plants constantly absorb more mana over time and improve their physical properties thanks to it.¡±


    ¡°This tree is probably two years old and will take another year or so to reach grade 6.¡±


    ¡°As the tree grows older the mana builds inside the wood making it burn longer and give off more heat after being turned into firewood.¡±


    I didn¡¯t realize it would be this fun teaching her about my work, maybe she¡¯ll want to do this with me forever. A father could only hope.


    <hr>


    After hiking for a few hours, I found a berry bush so we decided to take a break with a snack from nature. Aaliyah looks tired but is still watching the forest for any danger. We¡¯ve spent so much time talking about trees that I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to talk about yesterday. How am I supposed to convey my feelings to her¡­?


    ¡°Aaliyah, has mom ever told you how we met, yet?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she responds with a questioning look.


    Setting my gear down next to me, I start to tell her how I met her mother in the city of Aurorast.


    ¡°When I was 17, I¡¯d already separated from my family and started working by myself. I wanted to go to a city for once, thinking I could find my fortune like so many bards have claimed was possible. I guess you could say I did find my treasure though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been good at being a woodsman so I figured that I''d find some really good wood and sell it for piles of silver.¡±


    ¡°The sad thing was as I got closer to the city all the good lumber sites were owned by people. Areas of the forest around Aurorast are divided by the city and sold to people for a profit. The only trees I could fell for free were miles away, or areas open for anyone, which had the worst lumber remaining.¡±


    ¡°After spending days collecting wood from grade 3 and 4 trees, I had another problem, I had no idea where to sell my wood or what price to get.¡±


    ¡°Walking about the markets listening to the merchants shouting prices around I got overwhelmed. I picked an alley to rest in and questioned why I was there in the first place.¡±


    ¡°''Are you giving up already?'' Asked a red headed angel. Standing in the alleyway, sun at her back, was the most beautiful women I''d ever met. Your mother pulled me out from that alley and dragged me back to her family¡¯s store. Now that I think about it, she probably undercut the price of my wood that day, but I fell in love with her from then on.¡±


    ¡°Every day after that, no matter how much wood I could gather, I would go to her shop and talk to her. I won¡¯t bother you with your father¡¯s smooth words, but she knew I liked her. Sadly, so did her parents.¡±


    ¡°They started off by interrupting our conversations and when that didn¡¯t work, they eventually just banned me from their store. We kept seeing each other around town of course, but hiding our relationship was taxing us.¡±


    ¡°After two years I had enough, I stormed into their family¡¯s store and asked her father for her hand in marriage!¡±


    ¡°I was thrown out immediately.¡±


    ¡°That night we met up at a tavern near the outskirts of the city and ran away together. I wasn¡¯t going to let anybody tell me I couldn¡¯t marry your mother. Needless to say, we traveled for a little before we found our village. The woodsman who supplied the village with lumber was getting old so I took over in his place.¡±


    ¡°You see honey, when you find something you really want you have to fight for it. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you, you can¡¯t do something, work hard and prove them wrong. Whatever you decide to do, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be great at it.¡±


    I move to give my daughter a hug and hear her muffled thanks from my chest. While we both wipe our eyes, we start packing up, we still have work to do.


    <hr>


    After our break, we spent the next few hours looking for the very specific tree I need.


    Finally, after hiking all day I see the silver sheen of the tree I¡¯m after. Compared to its surroundings its small at only 20 feet. Its dark brown leaves rustle in the wind and I¡¯m happy that it appears to be grade 6. Finding these trees are hard enough, let alone finding a mature one.


    ¡°Its beautiful,¡± I hear Aaliyah say beside me.


    ¡°It is one of the prettier trees in this forest. We call it ¡°Blacksmiths¡± tree not only because it looks like it is forged from metal but because its wood is prized by blacksmiths.¡±


    ¡°Why do blacksmiths want this tree so bad, do they use it for hilts or something?¡± Aaliyah askes still staring at the tree.


    ¡°The wood from this tree is practically fireproof. It takes a long time to light the wood but when it catches it burns ridiculously hot. If you put it in a normal fireplace it would melt the stone around it.¡±


    She looks at me and her eyes go wide with the thought of this tree on fire. Suddenly though her face turns to confusion, ¡°Are you selling this wood dad? We don¡¯t have a blacksmith in our village.¡±


    ¡°He lives in the forest south west of our village, and I give him a great deal because he made this custom axe for me and maintains it regularly.¡±


    ¡°He also, reluctantly, supplies the village with metal works on the basis that they leave him alone.¡±


    ¡°Why does he want to be left alone?¡± Aaliyah¡¯s inquisitive eyes drill into me.


    ¡°He¡¯s a part of the Stone Kin clan, people either bother them for their skills in metalworking, or make fun of their size.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about dwarfs?! There¡¯s a dwarf close to our village! Can we meet him?¡± Aaliyah¡¯s outburst shocks me. Why does she want to meet a Stone Kin so bad?


    ¡°First of all, sweety, don¡¯t call them dwarfs, they take great offense to that word. Second what do you think we¡¯re doing with this tree after we cut it up?¡±


    Seeing her cheeks turn red from embarrassment is cute, but were wasting time, ¡°Let¡¯s get to work or you won¡¯t have time to meet him later.¡±


    <hr>


    It took longer to process the tree than usual but showing my baby girl how to swing an axe is now one of my proudest moments of my life.


    When we finished, she even told me she got the Axe skills skill. I know I¡¯m getting my hopes up but maybe she will want to continue learning from me.


    The image of us working together to fell a tree, year¡¯s from now, causes the largest grin to appear on my face since my wife ran away with me.


    ¡°Dad, why are you staring at nothing like that? Let¡¯s go, I want to meet the Stone Kin!¡±


    Her words bring me out of my daydream.


    Why does she want to see him so bad? Usually I would be worried about her showing such excitement for meeting a man, but when she meets Del-Razen, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have nothing to worry about.

 Ch: 10

    Dwarfs are real, I mean Stone Kin. I don¡¯t care, my Tolkien fantasies are alive again. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been reborn in a fantasy world and I forgot to ask about other races. Doesn¡¯t matter, as soon as we¡¯re out of this forest I can meet a Stone Kin.


    Why can¡¯t we get there sooner? Looking back, I see dad walking at a brisk pace. I¡¯m just about to call out for him to walk faster when I see the humongous backpack of wood he is carrying. I almost forgot about our haul.


    Shifting on my feet, my own backpack almost causes me to fall over. More aware of our circumstances, I calm myself down with a quick use of Meditation. Rushing won¡¯t help anyone.


    I have to be carrying at least 100 pounds on my back right now and only feel it when I move too quickly. Dad has a whopping 800 pounds on his and the only evidence the weight is affecting him is his slower movement.


    ¡°Hey dad, what are you going to do with the pile we left behind?¡± I asked him, curious about the neat pile we stacked next to the tree stump.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back tomorrow and grab what¡¯s left, even if I have to make two trips, I can finish by dinner time.¡± He looks confident but that¡¯s still a lot of wood left.


    Looking up at the canopy, I can¡¯t see the sun. Do we even have enough time to make it home? ¡°Dad, how far from home are we? What do we do if we can¡¯t make it home in time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if we keep this pace, we¡¯ll make it to Del¡¯s in a few hours. It always takes me most of the day to find and process the trees I need.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ how do you know where we¡¯re going? Do you have a direction skill or something?¡± Looking around, the forest seems to stretch forever in a sea of green. Dad told us he invested almost no points in the Senses stat, so how is he finding his way?


    ¡°No, I never had any talent with skills like that. I learned from my father how to recognize the different ways trees grow. It took me years to get a sense of it.¡±


    ¡°Just to make you feel better, the village is directly that way, and north is there, south, west and finally east.¡± Watching him point out the directions so precisely settled my mind immensely.


    ¡°So, when are you going to let your mother teach you house work? They¡¯re good skills to have.¡±


    It¡¯s going to be a long walk back.


    <hr>


    Is jinxing a real thing with magic? We had the most leisurely stroll through the forest I thought possible and when dad says we¡¯re almost home, something happens. Is luck a hidden stat somewhere?


    We just crested a small hill and 20 feet in front of us is a humongous monster digging a hole. This thing looks like two bears fused together, if you looked at a bear walking on the ground and stuck a whole other bear where its head was, you¡¯d get this monstrosity.


    The bear-taur has a ridge of spikes down its back and must be at least 12 feet tall. The monster has four paws on its upper body with claws digging through the rocky forest floor like butter.


    I never saw a wild bear back on earth but this thing makes bears on Discovery channel look like Winnie-the-poo.


    I can¡¯t look away from the beast, my whole body is paralyzed from fear. What do I do, am I going to die again?


    ¡°Karhu¡±, I hear whispered in my ear.


    Shuddering, I feel my father¡¯s hands slowly pulling me back. My legs won¡¯t stop shaking and if father wasn¡¯t bracing me, I would have fallen over.


    Feeling the breeze push against my back, it feels like my spine is frozen.


    The karhu starts sniffing deeply into the air and looks directly up at us.


    ¡°Take off your pack and run for the village sweety.¡± Dad tells me in a steady voice.


    What is he talking about? I turn around to ask him why, only to see him standing with his axe ready, and his wood thrown behind him.


    Suddenly, onehanded, he grabs me and tosses me to the side. As I hit the ground and roll, "Rrraaaaaaaaaaa" I hear a roar that almost makes me pee myself. I cover my ears trying to get the sound out of my head.


    When the ringing of my ears stops, I look down at my hands with shaky vision. Blood, touching my ears again there¡¯re wet. That things roar was so powerful it made my ears bleed.


    Looking down at the bottom of the hill the Karhu vanished!


    ¡°HHHAAAAAA!¡± a much more human roar to my left draws my attention.


    ¡°AALIYAH RUN!¡± dad yells at me. He¡¯s facing the monster with his axe.


    The creature is forcing dad back, little by little. Each swing from either of them draws blood and sounds like a gunshot.


    Dad looks at me for a moment and loses his concentration. One of the massive paws flash in front of him. His vest is torn and blood starts spilling onto the ground.


    Why did he look away?


    ¡°Run Away¡±, I hear him say softer again.


    Oh no, did he lose his focus because of me? He¡¯s going to die because I distracted him?


    I turn around and run into the forest.


    I can¡¯t tell which direction I¡¯m going; my tears are making everything blurry, and my head is still ringing. The bushes scratch against my skin, while I taste blood in my mouth. I can barely run straight.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The village has to be in this direction!


    I¡¯ll find one of the hunters!


    They can save dad!


    Maybe the villagers could hear me from here!


    ¡°HELP!¡±


    ¡°HELP!¡±


    ¡°HELP!¡±


    Why is no one coming to save him?


    Running too fast I trip over something.


    Lying face down in some leaves and dirt, I start sobbing¡­ because of me¡­ because of me, dad got hurt!


    If I wasn¡¯t with him, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Crackkk


    Sitting up, I hear footsteps form the bushes across from me. Someone came to help us! We still have time to save dad!


    All my hope vanishes as the two creatures walk out of the bushes.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen a goblin. As they step outside the bushes, I can see their gray skin that looks like wrinkled leather. Their red eyes, pointed ears, and sharp teeth give me a savage look like they just found something delicious.


    Looking around for my axe, I realized that I left it on the hill. I must have dropped it as father threw me to safety.


    AAAggggg


    The little child sized monsters run at me naked, screaming.


    They¡¯re so much faster than I thought possible. Both of them jump on me and start trying to bite and scratch me. It feels like two cats are using me like scratching post, each pass more and more blood covers my body.


    Trying to kick them off, they shift and each grab one of my arms. I try use my strength to keep them away from be but they keep getting closer to my head. Looking to the one on my left, I notice he¡¯s aroused.


    I quickly remember what goblins were known for back on earth. I never heard of anything like that around our village, but parents usually don¡¯t talk about the details about what goblins do to humans in general.


    A strong force I never knew I had bubbles up in my chest. Righteous fury overtakes me and I do the first thing that pops into my head.


    I grab ahold of their arms as they try to restrain me. Using everything I have; I start to pump my mana out of my palms and force it into them. My mana is passing through some sort of barrier that¡¯s fighting back.


    It takes a few seconds, but now there¡¯re trying to escape my grasp! Slowly, blue lines crawl up their arms. I can feel my mana drop below 200, doesn¡¯t matter, I keep forcing it into them.


    The goblins are flailing around now clawing at their skin.


    My mana is almost out.


    It¡¯s hard to pay attention to the goblins anymore.


    It looks like their skin is flaking off into blue woodchips. The flakes dance in the air and disintegrate in the air.


    The last thing I see before I pass out, is the two smoldering goblin corpses lying either side of me.


    <hr>


    I feel so empty. Like I¡¯m floating in and out of clouds in an endless sky. No need for up or down, completely free.


    Did I die again?


    The memories slowly come back to me, I got father killed! I ruined my chance at another life.


    I deserve to float here for an eternity.


    <hr>


    I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been floating in the sky but I can see a yellow sun now. The sun¡¯s rays slowly fall on me and with its warmth, I can feel my body again. A small jolt and I¡¯m awake.


    ¡°Dear gods I hate it when they open their eyes like that!¡± Anastasias'' is staring down at me.


    Looking up, that¡¯s not my ceiling, ¡°Where am I?¡± I can¡¯t move, my body feels like a mix of numbness and pain.


    ¡°Stop trying to move! Silvia control her or I¡¯ll stop healing!¡±


    I feel someone grab my hand, looking over slowly its ¡°mother¡±. ¡°Shuu Aaliyah, don¡¯t move I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Seeing mother smiling down on me I try to cry but nothing comes out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, I hiccup.


    ¡°Dad died because of me!¡±


    ¡°Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t run away fast enough!¡±


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡±


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t there the karhu wouldn¡¯t have eaten him!¡±


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± ¡­ ¡°Your father isn¡¯t dead, he¡¯s home resting. Once Anastasia finishes healing you, we can go home and you can see him for yourself. He¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡± I stare at mother. He looked so injured when I left the hill.


    ¡°Did you hear your father''s roar?¡± Seeing my head nod slightly she continued. ¡°He knew he was close enough to the village someone would hear him. The hunters could tell it wasn¡¯t a beast¡¯s roar so they came to help.¡±


    ¡°After the three closest hunters came, they killed the karhu and split up. One of them took your father back to the village while the other two went looking for you.¡±


    ¡°They were quite surprised following your trail, you ran three miles into the deeper part of the forest before collapsing.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was running towards the village.¡± I tried to defend my actions but mom only smiled down towards me.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± I ask looking back up at Anastasia


    ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for two days.¡± She says in a neutral voice. I what!


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. When I first examined you, you only had some scratches and bruises. I decided to focus on your father who was much more injured than you. You were given minor treatment to keep you stable and when Darrius was able to walk, I started treating you full time.¡±


    ¡°You were lucky you didn¡¯t run into anything in the forest. If you were caught by goblins, they would have¡­¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I don¡¯t think she needs to hear about that right now!¡± Mom interrupts Anastasia with a glare.


    What do they mean I ¡°didn¡¯t run into any goblins¡±, didn¡¯t they see the bodyies next to me?


    The image of the goblins peeling apart comes to mind. Did the goblins completely disintegrate before they found me? I wonder if that happens to anything you pump mana into. Maybe I can trap some rats around the stable to test my theory.


    ¡°Child you need to lay off the vitality. I know your parents probably told you how important it is but you shouldn¡¯t put all your points into it. It helps you take more damage but also a lot longer to heal.¡±


    I disagree, if my vitality was lower, I might have passed out from the goblin attack. I can¡¯t imagine the horrible things that could have happened to me if they knocked me unconscious.


    They are the first monsters I¡¯ve killed though; I wonder what my stats are now, Status Page:


    LV: 37 Experience: 34,176/ 43,318


    Health: 829/1000 Stamina: 54/666 Mana: 117/500


    Vitality: 100


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 50


    Clarity: 50


    Status Points: 96


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV43), Acting (LV25), Meditation (LV40), Expel mana (LV27), Charm (LV32), Running (LV31), Cleaning (LV12), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV5), Wood Carving (LV6), Drawing (LV3), Axe Skills (LV2), Inject mana (LV1)


    Two new skills and all my mana skills leveled up like crazy. Too bad I wasn¡¯t paying attention when I got Inject Mana, I can¡¯t tell what grade the skill is.


    My health isn¡¯t that low, but its been three days and I¡¯ve only regained 117 mana! How long is it going to take to refill me completely again?


    I go into a quick meditative state and use Sense Mana to see what¡¯s going on. Wow, my mana network looks separated into tiny parts. My mana always looked like one continuous stream but now there¡¯s gaps everywhere. Trying to touch my mana with Mana Manipulation sends a shock throughout my body.


    ¡°I told you not to MOVE!¡± Anastasia glares at me and then at mom. ¡°Take her home if she¡¯s able to move this much she should be fine. Same thing as Darrius bed rest for the next few days, and for payment I want the karhu pelt.¡±


    ¡°Fine you can have it.¡± Mom slowly helps me up to my feet. It feels like I¡¯m using my legs again after a long time. Mother and Anastasia are still glaring at each other and even though she¡¯s really rude, she did save dad''s life.


    After making eye contact, I bow my head, ¡°Thank you so much for saving father.¡±


    She looks like she is about to yell at me for sassing her, stopping though when she sees the very sincere look on my face. I think I¡¯m about to cry again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget this; if you ever need help with something, just ask.¡±


    Mother and Anastasia look shocked at my words.


    ¡°No need to thank me I¡¯ve already been paid¡­ I better not see you back here again anytime soon.¡± I see her trademark scowl slips for a second as we leave her house. So, she does have a heart after all.


    Walking home slowly, I think about the next few days: it¡¯s going to be hard if I can¡¯t practice my mana to kill time.


    I hope my next adventure won¡¯t be as perilous as that again.

 Ch: 11

    ¡°Eeerrgggggg¡±


    Ignore the pain.


    Focus inward.


    It''s morning, three days after I woke up in Anastasia''s clinic. My body is healed, but my mana flow remains separated.


    Over the last two days, with mom insisting I stay in bed, I¡¯ve been completely focusing on Sense Mana and Meditation.


    When anyone would come into my room and ask me what I was doing, I would respond with ¡°Meditation.¡± They of course laughed at the notion. Is becoming a mage really that hard, everyone shoots down the idea without consideration.


    ¡°Dinner.¡±


    With mothers shout, I roll out of bed. I change out of the clothes I¡¯ve been wearing all day and brush my hair. The comb looks pretty ugly but I carved it myself so I¡¯m proud of it. After getting most of the tangles out of my hair, I tie it up just how I like it.


    Walking towards the table, a strong smell of beef stew floats around our house. The smell isn¡¯t beef though it''s karhu. The mutant bear tastes like beef from my past life, only way more flavorful. We only got the left-over cuts from the karhu because dad claimed the pelt and used it to pay for our treatment.


    The meat may be the leftovers of the karhu but it tastes the same as prime beef; even with Richard preparing it, it still tastes amazing. Dad said it¡¯s because karhu are semi-magical beasts. Apparently, the more mana a beast has in its body the more delicious it is.


    Mom told us she once had a fillet of an aquatic magic beast when she was little. The fish was the size of a goat and was the best tasting thing she ever had to this day.


    Makes me want to try something like that. Too bad the best cuts were sold to the village headman.


    Sitting down at the table all four of us offer our prayers:


    ¡°We give our thanks to the gods and spirits of the forest. We thank you for the food we received and the continued health of our family, may your blessings hold true.¡±


    Glancing over at dad, I can¡¯t believe how quickly he healed. I know he received more care than me while I slept but he looks the same¡­ almost the same.


    When he changed his shirt for dinner, I saw the new scar across his chest. Anastasia can only use basic healing with her gloves and mom says that just increases the body¡¯s natural healing properties. You need stronger magic to remove a scar like that.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Aaliyah?¡± He noticed me looking at him, I stare down at my food.


    The last few days we¡¯ve barely talked. I can¡¯t stop thinking about how he almost died because of me. If I don¡¯t apologize now, I never will.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting you hurt.¡± Almost whispering my apology, the family stops eating.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get¡­¡±


    ¡°Let her finish Darrius.¡± Mother stops dad, nodding at me to continue.


    ¡°Because I didn''t run away like you said, you got hurt! I didn¡¯t listen and you almost died! If I wasn¡¯t there, you would have been able to avoid the karhu. I¡¯m so sorry, dad.¡± Every night I repeat these words in my head, no matter how much I meditate, I can¡¯t clear them from my mind.


    After finally saying it, my heart feels lighter. With tears in my eyes, I look at dad¡¯s face. So many emotions are crossing his face, he doesn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Now tell her how you feel Darrius.¡± Mothers words push father to continue.


    Getting up from the table, father walks next to me, and before I can say another word he scoops me out of my chair. Holding me close, he starts telling me how proud he is of me.


    ¡°You did just fine sweety. I would¡¯ve run into that karhu with or without you. It was bad luck we got so close without noticing it. Seeing a karhu for the first time and having it attack, anyone would freeze like that. I was so worried you were going to be stuck on that hill with me, and the thought of you getting hurt terrified me more than the karhu. Even after you left, knowing you were nearby gave me the strength to fight the hardest I¡¯ve ever fought before.¡±


    Listening to dads¡¯ words replaced my tears of sadness with tears of joy. Knowing he doesn¡¯t hate me for my failure let me truly relax in his arms, for the first time in days.


    ¡°Good, now that that¡¯s over both of you sit down and eat before it gets cold.¡± Looking over I see mother and Richard are both almost finished eating, watching us like a soap opera.


    Separating, dad walks back to his chair. I feel so much better and looking at father I can tell he¡¯s the same. Mother still has this look, like everything went according to her plan. My face reddens realizing how easily she played me and dad.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re feeling better, what do you want to do, forest rabbit?¡± Richard changed my nickname? Better than little, I guess.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Wait that reminds me!


    ¡°Did you already deliver the wood to the stone kin?¡± I ask a little too quickly.


    ¡°You still want to meet Del that much?¡± Father looks surprised I even remembered about the dwarf.


    I can¡¯t explain to him that I just want to meet Del because he¡¯s a dwarf like a classic fantasy movie.


    Quickly thinking I answer; ¡°Maybe I can get an apprenticeship from him? Forging stuff sounds fun.¡±


    Father has a complicated look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll take you as an apprentice. Del¡­ tolerates, other people; but never likes company.¡±


    ¡°Please¡±


    ¡°Please¡±


    ¡°Please¡±


    I give him the look that says I can go all night.


    ¡°Please¡±


    ¡°Ok, you win! But you¡¯re still not well enough to go back to the forest. I need to make two more trips tomorrow, so I¡¯ll grab half of the wood and come back home for you. You¡¯ll have till I get back with the last stack to convince Dell to take you on as an apprentice.¡±


    Poor dad, he thinks this is a negotiation.


    I purposely don¡¯t answer and start to clean the table.


    ¡°I mean it, by the end of the day!¡±


    I look back at the table smiling at father, throwing in a little Charm skill.


    ¡°Sure daddy.¡±


    <hr>


    The wind brings a slight chill in the air. We¡¯re entering fall, the moons changed to blue so the rain should start soon. I was finally allowed to start running again, it feels good again after 7 days despite the weather.


    Focusing inside myself, I¡¯d say my mana has recovered to the 350 mark. As my mana fills up again the gaps close and my mana stream is only broken in a handful of places now. It''s still too painful too try and release any mana but Mana Manipulation doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore. It will probably take another two or three days for it to completely repair itself.


    The best thing I learned with the karhu experience didn¡¯t involve skills but my mana limit. I would always feel tired when I went below 20% but now, I know what happens when you reach zero. Actually, I passed out before I could check my mana pool, maybe I just got close to zero. Either way, the lower I drain my mana the longer I¡¯ll pass out for.


    20% should continue to be my soft limit and 10% if my life is in danger. If Anastasia wasn¡¯t healing me, I could have been knocked out for who knows how long, not to mention the eight days my mana pool takes to recover.


    ¡°Haaaa¡±, I¡¯m glad dad isn¡¯t back yet. If he makes a round trip too quick, I won¡¯t have any time at Del¡¯s house. That said, waiting sucks!


    Maybe I should run a few more laps to kill time. I used to be so lazy in my past life, look at me now.


    Hands at my side feeling proud of myself, I stare in the direction of the blacksmith. Its been so long since I thought about blacksmithing. I wonder if Stanley is doing well. He¡¯d be in his 30¡¯s now, I wonder if he has a new family like I do?


    ¡°Ready to go?¡±


    I stumble over my legs, trying to jump forward and look behind me at the same time.


    Dad¡¯s standing there, smiling, carrying another 800 pounds of silver firewood.


    ¡°Gods dad, you almost made me fall over!¡± Complaining doesn¡¯t do anything for me.


    ¡°Pay attention more, even if you¡¯re in the village, you can¡¯t space out like that. Ready to go?¡±


    Not caring for a response, he starts walking again towards the village blacksmith.


    Dwarves here I come.


    <hr>


    The trip through the village and small stretch of forest was both short and too long.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    I can hear the sound of clashing metal. Visions of the short time I spent with Stanley and his uncle come to mind. I remember how much fun I had creating my first knife; I mean arrowhead.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    I was just joking about being a blacksmiths apprentice, but now. The thought of crafting swords fills my head. I can do that.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    Each ring strikes a chord in my heart. Entering the clearing ahead, I think I know what job I want to do, and who else should I learn metallurgy from if not a dwarf.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    In front of us, in the middle of the clearing lies a shack and workshop. Everything is made from grey stone, carved perfectly, with each stone interlocking perfectly forming foundations, walls, and even benches.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    At the forge stands a bulky man only slightly shorter than me, maybe 5¡¯ 1¡¯¡¯. Surprisingly, he has no beard¡­ or any hair; no eyebrows, no arm hair, he¡¯s even bald. His skin is the same color as coal with muscles larger than dads on a smaller frame. His face is sharp, with a strong chin and small nose. His ears are triangle shaped but pointed downwards. He stops for a moment and looks up at us. His purple eyes carry a strength that reminds me of the karhu.


    He only spares us a quick glance and continues to hammer the, pan?


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    Well, fantasy broken. He¡¯s not that short, doesn¡¯t have a beard, and he¡¯s not even making a sword. Father walks past me and drops his wood next to one of the sheds scattered around.


    ¡°Bang¡­ Bang¡±


    A few good hits and a red glowing pan is formed. Inching closer, I see he¡¯s not wearing any gloves! He¡¯s holding the hot metal with his bare hands!


    He turns around and shoves the pan into a bucket of water. The water hisses with steam billowing out.


    Pulling the pan out the water he inspects it with only a quick once over. Shrugging his shoulders, he tosses the pan on the ground a few feet away and turns to father.


    ¡°Ta last off it? Took yer long nuf.¡± (That the last of it? Took you long enough.) Salty dwarf, nice.


    ¡°I got another load left for you. I¡¯ll be back with the last of it in a few hours.¡± Dad doesn¡¯t seem to care about his words.


    ¡°Yer been help¡¯nn to?¡± (You helping him?) Del asks me with a look of dissatisfaction.


    Before I can answer dad cuts in. ¡°That¡¯s Aaliyah, my daughter. I told you yesterday why I was late. She helped me with the wood before the karhu attacked. She¡¯s still not completely healed so I¡¯m leaving her here with you while I grab the last of the wood.¡±


    ¡°Waahtt, I¡¯s no sitter. Shez go halme!¡± (What, I¡¯m no babysitter. She should go home!)


    ¡°She¡¯s been wanting to meet you for days. Just watch her for a few hours, put her to work if you want.¡±


    With that dad disappears from the clearing, leaving Del and me staring at the forest.


    Turning to the stone kin I decide to bow my head and introduce myself. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Aaliyah.¡± I try to use my Charm as much as possible.


    ¡°Del-Razen, sheet N ther.¡± (Del-Razen, sit over there.) He nods his head to a stone bench furthest from him.


    Is this Dwarf drunk? He¡¯s really hard to understand. If I wasn¡¯t used to deciphering what people are saying to me, I¡¯d have no idea what¡¯s going on.


    He appears to understand everyone else fine though. They say Dwarfs like straightforwardness, let¡¯s try that.


    Instead of walking to the bench, I move right in front of him. ¡°Master Del-Razen, teach me to be a blacksmith!¡±


    We stare at each other for a second, he looks dazed.


    ¡°What, no way!¡± He yells at me.


    We continue to stare at each other.


    ¡°So¡­ you can speak like a normal person?¡±

 Ch: 12

    ¡°Why in Tarrow''s forge, would you want to be my apprentice?¡± Del stands, scowling at me.


    ¡­..


    ¡°Are you not going to say anything!¡± he looks even angrier.


    ¡°It¡¯s just, your change of accent is throwing me off.¡± Looking at the Stone Kin, I can¡¯t imagine why he would talk so funny to people.


    ¡°Why does it matter how I talk?¡± The pressure coming off of him is almost visible. He¡¯s just scowling at me and I feel like I need to run! What level is he. Do I back down or continue?


    Continue!


    ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t you always talk like this? How do people even talk to you?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t, that¡¯s the point; ya daft girl!¡±


    ¡°Oooo, you''re just shy with people.¡± I try to keep a straight face. I learned from mom, the more you antagonize someone, the more mistakes they make. Considering how angry he looks, I think I¡¯m almost there.


    ¡°I¡¯m not shy! I don¡¯t like idiots like yourself, bothering me!¡± That¡¯s a little mean, but gives me something to work with.


    ¡°So, no one knows your accent is a lie; I wonder what people would think of that?¡± I make sure to leave it ambiguous for his imagination.


    ¡°You''re threatening me, girl?!¡± he takes a step forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aaliyah, and I would never dream of threatening my master.¡± My passive answer astounds him. I take a step forward and look him in the eyes.


    Trying to add a little Charm but it does nothing to his outward scowl, atleast I tried. ¡°Teach me how to be a blacksmith.¡± I say again with the firmest tone I can manage.


    ¡°I can¡¯t teach you magic, girl.¡± What! What¡¯s he talking about? His expression turned so solemn so quickly, I don¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°What does magic have to do with blacksmithing? My question seems to surprise him greatly.


    ¡°You just want to learn some blacksmithing? Why come to me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only blacksmith in town. Why else would I come to you? Dad said you¡¯re really good, even made his custom axe.¡±


    ¡­.


    No response from him, fine! Looking around, I notice all the wood father dropped off next to one of the sheds. Might as well do something while I¡¯m waiting.


    Walking over to the wood pile, Del finally breaks from his silence. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asks still clearly shocked.


    ¡°Putting the wood away, sounds like apprenticeship stuff, right?¡± I turn around giving him a smile and start stacking the wood inside the shed.


    The silver logs appear to sparkle it the sun. A fire from these logs must be beautiful. Dad said they could melt stone, how hot was that again? Stanley would give me so many fun facts about rocks, it¡¯s hard to remember them all; lava straight from the ground is about 1200¡ãC and if I remember correctly steel takes up to 1500¡ãC to melt. Can hese logs can be used to melt steel?


    Is it wrong that I want to burn them right now?


    After I finished stacking the logs, I look over at Del. He¡¯s just sitting on a bench sipping something from a crude metal canteen.


    He doesn¡¯t say anything as I walk up to him.


    ¡°What else do you need done?¡± I stand over him, trying to show my confidence.


    Taking a big swig from his canteen, he looks around scrutinizing everything. His eyes finally stop, with a smile crossing his face. What now?


    ¡°If you need something to do so badly, clean out the forge. It¡¯s been awhile since I really cleaned it; and you are my apprentice, right?¡±


    That¡¯s how you want to play this.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I reply, making sure my smile covers my whole face. He looks disappointed at my reaction, but he would feel much more worried if he knew how tenacious I could be.


    Walking over to his forge, I can admire it up close. The square forge is roughly five feet across and five feet wide, being three feet tall. The walls are made from a black stone that I can¡¯t remember Stanley ever talking about. The whole thing is covered in ash and soot, with warm coals leftover from Del finishing the pan earlier.


    Looking around, I see his tools thrown around haphazardly covering an anvil and workbench. Brush¡­ check, shovel¡­ check, container¡­ aww, there; grabbing a bucket of water I toss it over the remaining coals, container¡­ check.


    First, I shovel the coals into the bucket. There¡¯s a pile of ashes close to the forest so I dump them over there. It takes seven trips to remove all the debris. Below the coals is a metal mesh grate. The air comes up through the grate, pumped with the bellows beside the forge. I don¡¯t know what the brush is made from, but the hairs on it are incredibly bristly. Del wasn¡¯t lying about rarely cleaning out his forge, even with the strong brush I can barely scrape any of the grime from the walls.


    I don¡¯t know how long I can keep this up.


    ¡°If you want to quit, you can!¡± Del taunts from his bench.


    Like I would give him the satisfaction of seeing me quit.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ready to go home, sweety?¡±


    I look up from my work to see dad dropping the last load of wood next to the same shed as last time.


    ¡°I still need some time to finish cleaning the forge, dad.¡± Looking down I can see I still have 30% to go. I¡¯ve been scrubbing for hours and I can barely feel my hands. I must look a sight; ash covers my body head to toe, I think I can even taste it.


    ¡°Th¡¯ts nuff, find jab.¡± (That¡¯s enough, fine job.) Gods, Del is back to sounding like a drunkard.


    ¡°See honey, you¡¯re not even his apprentice. I thought you would help him straighten up a little, not this.¡± Dad waves his hands at the forge.


    Del is just smiling off to the side. Probably thinking he won.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok dad, Master Del-Razen said he¡¯d teach me. I start work tomorrow.¡±


    Del stops laughing, he and dad both stare at me, dumbfounded at the joy on my sooty face. Dad turns wide eyed to Del.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°That true Del, she working with you now?¡±


    Before he can answer I interject. ¡°Master is happy to have someone to talk to that understands him so clearly." Father looks at me then back at Del waiting for his answer.


    Del looks at me judgingly, so I sneer back at him.


    With a look of defeat, he answers father. ¡°Ja, werkin morrow.¡± (Yes, she¡¯s working tomorrow.) They both share a look at each other conveying how difficult their futures will be.


    ¡°I told you I could get his apprenticeship.¡±


    Both men stop and stare at me.


    This should be fun.


    <hr>


    Running out the door to our home, I sprint off towards the woods. I¡¯m running with all I have because I overslept like usual. Mother wasn¡¯t happy with my job choice and didn¡¯t wake me up like she usually does. This might mean, gods forbid, I have to get up by myself.


    After I had changed, I hugged mother and ran away before she could continue to try and talk me out of my apprenticeship. Father and mother spent most of dinner last night giving me reasons why I shouldn¡¯t work for the grinchy Del-Razen. Mother was practically mad about how filthy I was when I came back home with father last night.


    573, 574, 575, 576 whewww 576 seconds. It takes almost ten minutes to run to Del¡¯s. Breaking into his clearing I thought he would be waiting for me with an angry face. Looking around I don¡¯t see anybody.


    The forge is still empty since I cleaned it yesterday and all the tools look like they haven¡¯t been moved since I saw them either. Where¡¯d the dwarf go?


    Walking around, looking for clues I close in on his little hut. Pushing on the door it swings in and I gasp at the filth I see before me. The one room hut has to be only 50 square feet, but is packed with crates of rocks, unfinished metal objects, and junk laying everywhere.


    The fireplace is dirtier than his forge! Old pots are stacked around his fireplace ready to fall like dominos. The ants are trying to carry one of the smaller pots away!


    Amongst the filth lies a sleeping Stone Kin. He¡¯s bundled under a pile of hides on top of a stone bed. Clutched in his hand is his canteen I saw yesterday. Slipping the canteen out of his grasp, I open the cap. One whiff of the liquid and I barrel over coughing. I wasn¡¯t a drinker in my old life but that stuff smells like gasoline. Out of all the dwarven stereotypes he failed at, he has to be a drinker!


    Walking over I try to call his name.


    ¡°Del¡±


    ¡°Del¡±


    ¡°Del¡±


    ¡°Del-Razen!!¡±


    He didn¡¯t even flinch! I go to poke his cheeks and it feels like I poked a rock! This guy has to have at least double the endurance of dad. If he¡¯s not going to get up, perhaps I should just go home.


    ¡­


    No, mom wouldn¡¯t let me live that down. Looking around at the filth, I might as well clean like yesterday. I will probably level my Cleaning skill a lot in this pigsty.


    I need some room to start, so I pull everything I can out of his hut. I make sure to separate everything as I go. Armor, weapons, pottery, dishes, chunks of metal; each type of item gets its own spot. 20 minutes later his hut is empty besides his bed and three metal containers each holding loose stone. One container appears to have a red stone in it most likely iron, while the other is a green stone, so maybe copper. The last container is the smallest and has black stones like the ones his forge is made from. The black stone looks rough but feels smooth to the touch. I try to pick up a small chunk of stone, only to find it weighs more than lead!


    Buried amongst his things, I found an old broom and a few rags. The first thing that needs to be cleaned is his fireplace. I grab the supplies I used yesterday to clean the forge and start to work on the fireplace. After I have the soot out, I tie a rag around the broom and try to sweep the chimney. "Phew, done!" Now that it''s as good as I can get it; I just have to scrub the bottom and rinse it out.


    Should only take me a few more minutes.


    ¡°What the dragon-shit happened to my house!¡± Aww, Del finally woke up.


    He flails around, trying to get out of his covers. When he finally gets out, I notice he slept in his clothes from yesterday. I stop scrubbing the fireplace and turn around waiting for him to notice me.


    When he finally sees me in his fireplace, his confusion only doubles.


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    ¡°Cleaning, obviously. And I thought I slept in too long. The sun''s been up almost three hours.¡± He must have a habit of stating the obvious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what time it is! What did you do with my stuff!¡± He demands looking around.


    ¡°Outside, sorted into piles. You have a lot of junk, you know that.¡± Rolling my eyes, I get back to scrubbing the fireplace I need to finish so I can move onto the cobwebs and sweep the floor.


    ¡°Why are you cleaning my house?" No longer looking concerned about his junk he looks furious at me again.


    ¡°It¡¯s an apprentice''s job to clean for the master and your house was a toxic pit, I tried to wake you to ask what I could do but you never woke up.¡± I tell him leaving the hut to grab a fresh bucket of water from his well.


    Walking back in with fresh water, Del is still standing beside his bed. After a quick glance, I decide not to bother with him and continue cleaning.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my food?¡± He finally says something, as I finish up the fireplace.


    ¡°The rotten food, or the jerky?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The jerky!¡± He yells again, not happy with my joke.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± I walk outside again with Del stomping after me this time. ¡°Your jerky is in the box on top of your bench,¡± I point with my chin.


    While Del grabs some brunch I dump the grey water and grab the broom again. Still eating, Del tries to follow me inside.


    Tuning around, ¡°Stay out here you¡¯re only going to get in my way as I clean.¡±


    Mouth open, some of his chewed jerky falls out and whines to me. ¡°It¡¯s my house!¡±


    Luckily, he doesn¡¯t follow and leaves me to dust and sweep.


    <hr>


    I¡¯m finally almost finished. His house is swept, wiped down, and most of his junk is organized in crates back inside. The only thing left is washing all his kitchen utensils, covered in grime and insects.


    Del¡¯s been complaining to himself the whole time, sitting drinking what I assume can only be lighter fluid.


    In the middle of cleaning, I couldn¡¯t help but ask him if he plans on doing anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to forge, or something?¡± I say out loud.


    ¡°I don¡¯t just make random things, that¡¯s a waste of materials. You want me to make you something, He-He.¡± His sarcastic remark finally worries me. What if he refuses to teach me anything?


    I stop scrubbing a pot and seriously look at him. ¡°You are going to teach me, right? I don¡¯t mind doing chores for you, but I¡¯m serious about being a blacksmith. Dad told me you¡¯re the best blacksmith in hundreds of miles. I want to learn from the best.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the best.¡± Del takes a long swig from his canteen. ¡°The reason I don¡¯t want an apprentice is because I¡¯m not qualified.¡±


    ¡°Not qualified, what do you mean?¡± How can he not be qualified to take on an apprentice?


    ¡°You see girl, Stone Kin are born naturally talented with magic. We live longer and focus on our crafting skills the most. Despite our lower birth rates compared to humans our city¡¯s grow twice as fast because of our magi-tech. A Fledgling picks a path and sticks with it till he¡¯s a master then passes that knowledge on to the next of Kin. Almost all of our knowledge incorporates magic in some small way.


    Del stops to take another drink. He shakes his canteen and it sounds almost empty.


    ¡°I was born, ¡°Stripped¡±. ¡°Stripped¡± is used to describe a Stone Kin born with no mana abilities. The chances of being born with no mana abilities is 1/100,000 for Stone Kin. No matter how hard I tried I could never use the true knowledge from my elders. Like most crippled Kin I left my only home after my 70th birthday.¡±


    Finishing his drink, he throws the canteen on the ground.


    ¡°We stone kin are known around the world as the best magic crafters, so no matter where I went people hounded me for magic items. Each request only reminded me of my failure. I secluded myself in this village to finally have peace. I started to talk funny so people would stop asking me to teach them magic. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you as an apprentice, I could never teach you properly. You should find someone else to learn from.¡±


    Wow, that¡¯s heavy. He reminds me of how I felt after the karhu attack, he needs someone to tell him it¡¯s ok.


    ¡°That¡¯s sad and all, but you¡¯re the only blacksmith around and I really had my heart set on metalworking. You can melt metal, right?¡±


    I stare at him till he answers.


    ¡°Ya¡±


    ¡°You know how to shape it, right?¡±


    ¡°Ya¡±


    ¡°Then you sound like a blacksmith to me.¡±


    He looks genuinely stunned. Now that I have his attention, I can continue.


    ¡°I saw how beautiful dad''s axe is. He swings it thousands of times a day and it never seems to chip. You made that without magic. That¡¯s what I want to be able to do too. You still have all the knowledge of your kin, right? That¡¯s what I need the most knowledge and a teacher.¡±


    Standing up, I slowly walk in front of Del. ¡°Del-Razen, please teach me how to be a blacksmith!¡±


    I try to convey my will with my eyes.


    A fire starts to burn in Del¡¯s eyes, it evaporates the sea of pity he was stuck in. Taking a step back I watch my master rise from the bench.


    ¡°I, Del-Razen, will teach you all I can about blacksmithing; if you¡¯ll take me as your master.¡±


    With no hesitation I agree. ¡°I Aaliyah, thank master Del-Razen for accepting me as an apprentice. I promise not to let you down.¡±


    With those words Del looks the most invigorated I¡¯ve ever seen someone before.


    ¡°Alright, let me grab some metal and I¡¯ll show you how to fire the forge!¡± Del starts running towards his house.


    ¡°Wait, Wait¡­Wait!¡± I scream after him.


    Stopping suddenly, Del turns around looking confused. I¡¯m happy for his enthusiasm but there is something we need to finish first.


    ¡°We still need to finish cleaning Master Del.¡± I remind him about the rest of his work area that needs to be cleaned.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    I rub my eyes at his response.


    This might be harder than I thought.

 Ch: 13

    Why do I have to be the adult in this relationship?


    I know I¡¯m old mentally, but Del left his city when he was 70.


    I shouldn¡¯t have to remind grandpa to clean his room.


    ¡­


    Gods, I¡¯m already turning into my mother.


    So tired, we spent the rest of the day cleaning everything. Now I¡¯m covered again, in all things foul. Walking home to a verbal slap-down doesn¡¯t make me feel any better either. It¡¯s too cold to wash off before I get home and mother should already be making dinner. A Sneak or Invisibility skill would be handy right about now.


    Maybe she¡¯s distracted teaching Richard to cook. If I can make it to the hallway, I¡¯ll only have to explain why I snuck in. Is sneaking around better than being filthy?


    Reaching our front door, I bend down and unfasten my shoes. My feet will get cold but sneaking barefoot is quieter. Just have to open the door slowly.


    Cccrakkkeeeee


    Gods, damn that door. Maybe that¡¯s why dad never fixes it, the door has a built-in alarm system. Looking in, Richard and mother are staring at me while I''m in the doorway. Richard is trying not to laugh, while mother looks like she could be a dragon in disguise. I wonder how far she can spit flames?


    ¡°I thought a goblin was trying to sneak in. Turns out its just my filthy daughter. Did you have fun at work?¡± Her eyes are demanding a tribute, but I don¡¯t have any gold on me or does she want blood?


    ¡°Sorry mom, I didn¡¯t want to disturb your cooking lessons with brother; so, I thought I¡¯d try to be more quiet today.¡± She¡¯s not buying it! Smile and charm! Smile and Charm!


    ¡°Go wash yourself¡­ now!¡± It''s worst when she¡¯s quiet!


    My feet are too dirty to put on my slippers. Walking on the cold stone I move to the bucket of water mom keeps for dad.


    There are two now?


    Looking over my shoulder, mom''s still stone faced. I grab one of the buckets and head to my room, but right before I enter my room, mother''s voice sends a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be dirty again.¡± Closing the door behind me, I¡¯m reminded how scary mother can be.


    Taking off my clothes, I start wiping my body down with the cold washrag. Pausing for just a minute, I look down at my naked body. I don¡¯t feel any desire when looking down. It¡¯s just me.


    When I think about it, I¡¯ve fully transitioned into my new life. My previous memories have helped shape who I am, but I¡¯m Aaliyah now: and that¡¯s just fine.


    With the philosophical outlook on myself over, I finish cleaning myself. ¡°Man, that water is dirty. No wonder mom was pissed.¡± Carrying the dirty water back to the front door only Richard turns to smile at me. Mother doesn¡¯t even turn around from stirring the stew.


    ¡°Make sure you throw it far enough away from the door, Aaliyah.¡± Her timing always amazes me, I was just about to toss it outside and be done with it. ¡°Yes Mother,¡± I responded with a content voice. Maybe all mothers are psychic?


    Throwing on my shoes, I round our house to dispose of the disgusting water. I need to find a better way to clean myself. My new job is probably going to be messy.


    Cccrakkkeeeee


    After entering our house again, and closing the door softly behind me; I can finally put my slippers on.


    Cccrakkkeeeee


    Stumbling on one leg, I hit the stone floor; landing on my rear-end. This brings back memories. Looking up, I see father closing the door again behind him.


    ¡°You ok sweety? I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t scare me, dad. I¡¯m still getting used to my Dexterity.¡± His snicker proves my story wasn¡¯t working.


    With my slippers on, I go to help set the table for dinner.


    Everyone in our house moves with a certainty to it. Dad changes, I set the table, brother and mother bring the food, we pray, and we eat. Even if our schedule is the same, it¡¯s the most important part of our day. The whole family can relax and talk about how our days went.


    Usually we get exaggerated stories from dad, mom complaining how dirty our clothes are, or brother talking about something he learned from Salus. Richard was in the spotlight since he started his job a few years ago, but now I¡¯m the one with the new profession; making it my job to entertain the family and listen to what they have to say about my work.


    ¡°What is that man having you do all day? I know yours isn¡¯t the cleanest job, but do you have to come home filthier than your father?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to be a blacksmith sweety? There¡¯s plenty of other jobs around, or you could come to work with me again?¡±


    ¡°He probably hired you to be a maid. Whenever Salus takes us to get nails from Del, the whole place is always messy. A rabbit maid, no; a bunny maid!¡±


    ¡°Richard if you call me that again, I¡¯ll burn your house down while you''re sleeping!¡± I make sure he recognizes how serious I am. I will not be called a bunny maid!


    ¡°And for the rest of you, I know what I¡¯m doing. We came to an agreement today, and Master Del seems really excited to teach me.¡±


    ¡°He originally didn¡¯t want to teach me, but I refused to leave. I know how messy Master Del is. To pass the time, I started cleaning and we got talking. Del isn¡¯t a bad guy, he¡¯s just awkward around people. We talked and I convinced him how serious I am about blacksmithing.¡±


    ¡°In fact, he got so excited he wanted to start teaching me today. However, I couldn¡¯t work in such a dirty environment. So, it was my idea to clean everything.¡±


    Everyone is gawking at me. Brother looks surprised, father appears sad for some reason, while mother actually looks a little proud.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I came home so messy again mom; depending on what he teaches me, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be coming home this dirty again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried about how dirty you get, honey. Like your brother said, he could be just looking for a maid. If he has you ruin your stat distribution, you can get stuck working for him; unable to find another job.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so worried about Master Del, mom?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird that he¡¯s out here, ok. Growing up in a merchant household, I¡¯ve heard many things about Stone Kin. They may produce some of the finest goods around; but they never, and I mean never, live outside their cities.¡±


    Mothers words silence the table.


    ¡°That man could have been banished for any number of reasons. I worry about something happening to you.¡±


    All three of them are looking at me now. How do I convince them Del is an alright person?


    ¡°You''re right mom.¡± Mom looks at me in disbelief. If you try to argue with someone who already made up their mind, you¡¯ll always lose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Del-Razen is, but I do know he is an accomplished blacksmith though. I don¡¯t need to distribute my points right after starting my apprenticeship. I¡¯ll keep an eye on him and if something funny happens I¡¯ll tell you guys immediately.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°We will always support you Aaliyah. If you need anything at all let us know about it, ok?


    ¡°Ok,¡± I smile thanking my supportive family.


    With those last words from dad and my acceptance of a nosy family, we finished dinner in peace. Richard leaves after helping us clean our small kitchen, while the rest of us go off to bed. I can¡¯t remember when I last felt this physically tired. Cleaning Master Del¡¯s place, even with boosted stats was incredibly taxing.


    Even the muffled sounds from my parents room can¡¯t keep me awake tonight, thank the gods.


    <hr>


    The cave is shaking again, I don¡¯t want to die!


    My eyes open with mother shaking the life out of me. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t have to worry about you working for Del; he¡¯ll fire you if you keep showing up late.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably¡­¡±, I stop my retort. Probably not the best idea to tell mom that Del is probably not even up yet either.


    Focusing inward, I check my mana.


    ¡°Yeeeesss!¡±


    My mana flow is finally repaired! Slowly speeding it up, I don¡¯t feel any pain anymore. I can finally train my mana skills again tonight.


    Getting dressed, I wonder what Del has planned for today. If he acts like yesterday, I¡¯ll probably have to steer him in the right direction. With my hand on my bedroom door, I remember there is something else I need to do.


    Status Page:


    LV: 38 Experience: 14,308/ 48,950


    Health: 1000/1000 Stamina: 664/666 Mana: 500/500


    Vitality: 100


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 50


    Clarity: 50


    Status Points: 106


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV45), Acting (LV25), Meditation (LV43), Expel mana (LV27), Charm (LV33), Running (LV31), Cleaning (LV17), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV5), Wood Carving (LV8), Drawing (LV5), Axe Skills (LV2), Inject mana (LV1)


    I gained a few skill levels, while on sick leave.


    Sense Mana went up by two and Meditation three times. Those skills went up the most because of mom forcing me to stay in bed all day. The two days of cleaning Del¡¯s place gave me five levels in my Cleaning skill while Drawing and Wood Carving went up by two in my spare time. Hopefully I can get some cool blacksmithing skills and maybe Del can answer some of my mana questions. He can¡¯t use magic but he probably knows a lot more than Anastasia.


    Walking through the house and giving mom a goodbye-kiss, I step outside. I can tell its colder but it isn¡¯t affecting me as much as last year.


    My stats! That¡¯s why people still go out into the snow and rain. With higher stats, temperature isn¡¯t a problem. Last night the floor was probably freezing, but it only felt a little cold to me. I could practice outside more if I raise Endurance higher!


    No. If I waste my points for that, it will be awhile before I can get them back. Looking at the clouded sky, I think I¡¯ll do my exercises and run a few laps. Let see if I can finish before Del gets up by himself. I could work up a morning training schedule if he always gets up late.


    <hr>


    Stretching and running ten laps around the village, with a cooldown walk to Del¡¯s house only took me an hour. Looking around the clearing, I don¡¯t see Master Del.


    His door is unlocked, so I let myself in. A dirty pot of stew is left sitting next to his fireplace. After all the work I put into cleaning yesterday, he can¡¯t even clean a single pot! Taking the dish outside, I scrub it clean.


    Now that I have a clean pot, I have an easy way to wake Master up. Taking the pot over to his well, I fill it with water. Master''s physical skills keep him from feeling me trying to wake him up physically, I wonder if that applies to waterboarding as well?


    Walking over to his sleeping form a devilish smile crosses my face. I place one of his work rags over his exposed face. Ever so slowly I start pouring the pot of water over him.


    ¡°Kha..Kha¡­Kha!¡±


    The bundle of hides rolls onto the floor, with a coughing dwarf still wrapped up. After he frees himself, he quickly finds me. Before he can yell, I cut him off.


    ¡°Good thing I cleaned your floor yesterday, you would have fallen onto some scrap metal if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Was that water magic? I thought I was drowning! He looks a little frightened.


    ¡°You scared of water? Is that why you smell like you haven¡¯t washed in days?" I taunt him while he¡¯s still on the ground.


    ¡°Yes, water scares me! Stone Kin aren¡¯t known for their swimming. The scariest thing possible in a mine is falling in water. You never know how deep it is or if it¡¯s acidic. Miners drown every year; it¡¯s considered one of the worst ways to go!¡± Now I feel like an asshole.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know. I just wanted to wake you up. I¡¯m not strong enough to physically wake you.¡± It takes a minute but Del calms down and thinks about my problem.


    ¡°Aww yes. You see that barrel with the nozzle? That¡¯s my Blacksmiths Brew, fill up my canteen and wave it under my nose, that should wake me up.¡± Your favorite drink works as smelling salts!


    ¡°Alright lass, now that you woke me up so early let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    I put my hand in front of him, so he can¡¯t walk outside yet.


    ¡°First, the whole village has been up for hours. Second, wash your dishes before you go to bed.¡± I hand Del the clean pot I¡¯ve been carrying. ¡°And third, wash yourself! You smell like good cheese.¡±


    Slamming the door behind me I take a seat on one of his stone benches. He¡¯ll need to scrub for at least an hour to remove the smell of depression.


    <hr>


    ¡°Happy now?!¡± Del yells from his doorway. He finally changed his clothes; I¡¯ll have to train him to wash himself regularly.


    ¡°Yes, did your cleaning skill go up after washing? I gained five levels after helping you clean your house the last two days.¡±


    ¡°Haw-haw, good to know my apprentice has a sense of humor.¡±


    Without smiling, I look at him, ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking.¡±


    Del looks away and coughs, trying to clear the air.


    ¡°Speaking of skills if you¡¯re going to be my apprentice, I have a few questions I need to ask. Do you have any smithing skills?¡±


    ¡°Does Axe Skills count?¡±


    ¡°It does actually. Axe Skills affects your use of a pickaxe. What¡¯s your skill level and overall level?¡±


    How do I answer this? I don¡¯t mind giving him some of my information, but how will he react to my level?


    ¡­


    He¡¯s not pressuring me. Let¡¯s see how I compare to other people. ¡°It¡¯s 2 and 38.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me it''s ok, I understand. You don¡¯t need to lie though.¡± So, he doesn¡¯t believe me, lets wipe that grin away.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, I reached level 38.¡± Del¡¯s face freezes.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, you turned ten less than a moon ago! How did you level so quickly?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really personal information, I understand we¡¯re Master and apprentice but I have some secrets to keep. All you need to know is that I¡¯m a hard worker. Any more questions?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you your full status build; but for now, I need to know your Vitality, Strength, and Dexterity. I need to know your Vitality in case you get hurt, while Strength and Dexterity affect proper metalworking.¡±


    ¡°100¡­ 50¡­ and 50¡±


    Hearing my values, he breathes a sigh of relief.


    ¡°At least your stats aren¡¯t ridiculous as well. That¡¯s a good place to start off learning to smith. You should save your points till you reach the age of 15. When your body stops growing, that¡¯s when your points become the most important. I¡¯ll try to teach you the foundations of blacksmithing till then. Do you have any questions for me now?¡±


    ¡°Only two. What level are you, and what am I learning first?¡±


    Now Master Del looks unsure whether or not to respond. I just gave him a lot of my personal information. If he can¡¯t do the same, I might have to find a new master.


    ¡°I¡¯m level 87.¡± He didn¡¯t take as long as I did to decide.


    Gods, I thought father was ridiculously strong. This guys a monster. How do you get a level like that?


    ¡°Stop giving me that look. You may think my level is high, but that¡¯s only because normal humans don¡¯t have time to level like Stone Kin do.


    ¡°This year I¡¯ll be 238 years old. Stone Kin usually reach level 100 by the time they reach 140 years of age. By Stone Kin standards I¡¯m quite under leveled.¡±


    Over level 100, how strong does that make someone? I feel super human at level 38; what¡¯s possible with a level three times that, or more.


    Looking at Master Del, he¡¯s just sitting there waiting for me to compose myself. Taking a few breaths, I set a new goal in my heart. I¡¯ll rise my level to the highest any human has ever gone. Crafting in games gives loads of experience, I need to learn everything I can from Master Del.


    Standing up, I shout to the gods.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±


    Realizing how silly I must look; I turn to Del.


    He¡¯s just sitting there with his hand on his chin, I didn¡¯t know people actually did that.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I do something?¡±


    ¡°Huh, no. I was thinking about your second question. This is the first time I¡¯m teaching somebody else. If we were in a Stone Kin city you would start off identifying metals.¡±


    ¡°That wont work here because I have a limited selection of metals, I only have what I can mine myself. I had to learn about mining metal the hard way after I left my home. Unlike our cities, we don¡¯t have magic tools to mine and smelt large amounts of minerals. So, I was thinking about taking you mining for your first lesson.¡±


    When he mentions mining, the feeling of being crushed to death comes to mind.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mine around here, is it safe?¡± I can¡¯t help but tremble a little.


    Walking up to me, master Del puts his hand on my shoulder. The strength from his hand envelopes me like a hug. If I didn¡¯t already know master can¡¯t use magic, I would have thought he cast a calming spell on me.


    ¡°Worried about cave-ins, huh. I sometimes forget humans fear things like that. I can promise you the mine is very safe and even if a collapse happens, I could dig us out in a minute.¡±


    That¡¯s right, master strength must be over 300 he could probably pick up a boulder like an apple.


    ¡°Take some deep breaths and calm yourself. Stand here while I grab some gear.¡±


    Disappearing into his house for only a few minutes he comes out with two pickaxes, two weird looking hard hats, and a clear stone.


    ¡°Here take the light-hat and an pickaxe. I¡¯ll show you how to use them when we get to the mine.¡±


    Following behind master, as he walks around his hut, and over to a giant hand cart made of metal. It has to be five feet wide and ten feet long with a metal wheel in the front. Del simply gets behind the giant metal wheelbarrow and starts pushing it towards an open path leading deeper into the forest.


    Remembering what dad taught me, I survey the woods around me, not that Del cares. He walks forward never taking his eyes off the path. I bet he could punch a karhu to death if he needed to.


    Twenty minutes later we come to a small quarry. The forest has been pushed back, with rocks piled around the perimeter. The dirt path leads straight down to the bottom of the quarry, where a stone archway stands leading to a deep abyss.


    ¡°Is this my first Dungeon Crawl?¡±

 Good News Everybody!

    Thanks to all of you, I broke into the top 500. I honestly didn¡¯t think people would like my writing that much. I just wanted to tell everybody how thankful I am for having so much support.


    I don¡¯t want to post something so small, so I¡¯ll address a few issues I¡¯ve been noticing people comment about.


    First, is the time in my new world. The year is composed of 15 months instead of the normal 12. I figured if I had a new planet to work with, it shouldn¡¯t be the same size as Earth. So, when Aaliyah reaches 10 that¡¯s 12 years six months in Earth time. So, when I stated in the last chapter, she would be learning the basics till she reaches 15, that mans she would be 18 years and 9 months old back on earth.


    With the timing set aside, the next issue I want to clarify is aging. Humans age the same up in till they reach their tenth birthday. When they distribute stats, the parents recommend they put a few points into Vitality so they live longer. After a person¡¯s body matures their vitality goes to reducing the signs of aging. So, after someone reaches the age of 15 it becomes hard to tell how old someone really is.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Some people think I should change the story so Aaliyah was a woman in her previous life so I can drop the Gender-bender tag. As I stated on the home page this is the first thing, I¡¯ve ever written for other people. I really enjoy a female MC and wanted to challenge myself writing from that perspective. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve managed it as well as I could have. I truly feel the background of Aaliyah has shaped who she is now. I hope people have noticed how I¡¯ve slowly shifted her perspective to that of a female. I posted that last line in the previous chapter to show that she¡¯s comfortablewith herself, and will tackle the future from the perspective of a woman. Of course, being a man, I expect to fail at portraying a women''s perception of the world.


    If anyone feels that I¡¯ve messed up writing something, please continue to comment. I check comments multiple times a day and read everything you guys are posting. Please help me become a better writer.


    One last thing, some people have been asking me where they can donate? I know many people are suffering from Covid 19 whether through sickness or time off of work. Everything I post will be free for quite a while.


    If you want to donate, I have a patron account here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10824361</a>


    Please only donate if you have the means.


    Stay safe everyone.

 Ch: 14

    ¡°Dungeon Crawl? What¡¯s that?¡±


    With sparkling eyes, staring into the abyss, I can¡¯t help but channel the joy every kid feels when playing their first game.


    ¡°A maze of corridors and passageways; teeming with traps, monsters, and treasure!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Kid, I don¡¯t know what cave you¡¯ve ever been in, but this is just a mine.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t there monsters?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Finally, I thought a part of me was about to die. ¡°All caves have bugs and animals you have to look out for.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Del! I¡¯m talking about a place of adventure, where people challenge themselves or hunt for treasure, places like that!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess a bandit lair fits those criteria, or maybe an old ruin somewhere. Heck if I know! A cave is just a cave.¡±


    So, no dungeons... I hang my head in defeat. Even with the game elements, this world isn¡¯t a game. People live simple lives, and, as Del put it: a cave is just a cave.


    Looking left, Del doesn¡¯t seem to care about my dead childhood, while he¡¯s preparing for our mining trip.


    ¡°If you''re finished daydreaming come over here. We need to cover a lot of things before we head in.¡± Walking over, I immediately start paying attention. It¡¯s rare to see Del so focused and serious, he deserves the same from me.


    ¡°First, let me show you the gear. Your pickaxe is self-explanatory, but I¡¯ll show you the proper form when we reach our mining spot. This is a light-hat.¡± Taking off his hat he starts pointing out its functions. ¡°Usually a Stone Kin knows a simple light spell, so when I left my city I learned about these light-hats from human miners; they¡¯re semi-magical items.¡±


    Pulling one of the small black rocks that he kept in his house out of a pocket, Master Del holds the stone up for me to see. ¡°This is magicite, also known as magic coal. Magicite can be found in the ground around even the smallest of mana veins. The clearer the stone, the more mana is contained within. There is a small mana vein at the bottom of the mine that I¡¯ll show you later. You take the magicite and place it in this compartment on top of the helmet.¡±


    Del clicks a little latch and the square box on top of the hard hat opens up. Inside are a bunch of orangish lines crisscrossing around. ¡°You could fill the box up with magicite if you wanted to but a stone of this size is enough for the rest of our day.¡± Closing the box, and latching it again, a small yellow flame sprouts out of the little metal nub on the front of the box.


    After I stare at the light-hat a while longer, Master Del takes the rock out and hands it to me. ¡°Don¡¯t put it in yet, wait till we are about to enter the mine.¡±


    Reaching into another one of his pockets, he pulls out the clear stone I saw earlier. ¡°This is a wind stone, one of the few things I took with me from my old home. Magic stones, not to be confused with magic gems, are rocks that take on an aspect of nature when exposed to certain types of mana for long periods of time. Wind stones are a miner¡¯s best friend, the stone clouds over the dirtier the air becomes. When there is too much dust in the air or any harmful gases, the stone becomes muddled with different colored streaks.¡±


    Wow, Stanley had a little machine for the same purpose, and I know they used to use birds back in the day, but it¡¯s nice finally seeing something so magical used to solve a problem.


    ¡°Now that the equipment is covered, let us move on to the dangers inside a mine. Always watch where the ground is. The main tunnel through the mine is cleared for my cart but all the side tunnels are uneven and if you¡¯re not careful, falling is almost guaranteed. I haven¡¯t hit any pockets of water yet, but all water underground should be considered dangerous. Some metals can turn a pool of water into acid and you never know how deep the water really is.¡±


    ¡°I already told you about the air and gases. If the wind stone starts changing color we back off and move to the previous shaft. If any rock comes loose, I want you to remain still while I dig us out.¡±


    ¡°The last thing we need to watch out for is the wildlife. Rarely a karhu or farkas gets caught down in the mine, and sometimes I¡¯ve found packs of goblins nesting in here for the winter moons. We also have to look out for shadow bats, venomous snakes, and large purple spiders. The most common vermin we need to look out for are gem snails. They secrete a mucus that acts as an acid, they use the mucus to melt stone and eat it. Gem snails aren¡¯t aggressive but you want to find any that have a shell bigger than three inches. Their shells are as hard as stone but if you can smash it, they die rather quickly. The shell fragments can be processed to improve certain metals, so always keep an eye out for the bigger ones.¡±


    ¡°So, nothing too dangerous. Ready to do some mining?¡±


    What does this stupid grandpa mean ¡°nothing too dangerous¡±! He just named like a million things to watch out for! Stanley told me he knew what he was doing so I never questioned his uncle about the gold mine. If I heard even half of this from Stanley earlier, I never would have gone into the old mine.


    Well, there was gold and Stanley definitely wouldn¡¯t let me back out. At least I have a super-dwarf with me this time.


    Pulling my light-hat off and placing the magicite inside, I make sure the flame flickers on before I put it back on. I watch Del do the same, before he starts pushing the cart into the dark tunnel.


    Following closely behind Master Del, the fear in my stomach settles, and the excitement for my next adventure squashes my fear completely.


    <hr>


    Silently, we creep through the cavern listening to the screech of metal rubbing up against itself, the cart sounds so loud now that we¡¯re in an enclosed space. The small yellow lights from our helmets illuminate only ten feet In front of us. The air Is humid and slowly climbs in temperature as we go down the dark tunnel.


    Del must be able to see farther than me, because he steers the cart perfectly through the winding tunnels. Every few feet, we come across some wooden rafters held together by metal plates. Passing by one, I try touching the wood. The red wood feels solid to the point my nails don¡¯t even leave a mark. I notice the light around me become brighter, so I turn to see Del watching me.


    ¡°See, nothing to worry about. I had your dad chop down and bring me the hardest wood he could find, and fashioned them into the supports. I won¡¯t have to replace any beams for 200 years.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, Master, it does make me feel better. I didn¡¯t ask because I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to talk.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we be able to talk? I thought you were just amazed at the mine.¡±


    ¡°You were concentrating so hard on the path, so I thought you needed it quiet.¡±


    ¡°What, no! I thought you wanted it quiet.¡±


    So, both of us were being too considerate for the other. Well, if we have time to kill, I should ask some questions.


    ¡°How long till we reach our mining spot? How deep is this mine, anyways?¡± Depending on how long we have to reach our destination, I have a lot to ask.


    ¡°The deepest part is half a mile below the surface, the main shaft stops right on top of the magicite and mana vein. I¡¯ve dug out nearly nine miles of tunnels leading to different beds of ores. Salus takes the good slabs of stone I bring up and uses them as building materials.¡±


    That¡¯s amazing, one man can move that much stone by himself. The foundations for the whole village are thanks to Del.


    Let¡¯s see if I can get some magic answers from him next. ¡°What is a mana vein, Master Del?¡±


    ¡°Mana veins are the natural flow of dense magic in the world. It¡¯s unknown how exactly they form, but they mostly appear in undisturbed patches of nature. Earth mana veins are the easiest to come by. If you dig enough, you¡¯ll find a small one like I did. I¡¯ll show you what they look like when we reach the deepest part of the mine.¡±


    ¡°Mana veins don¡¯t have to be in the ground either, the sky is full of mana veins that we can¡¯t see. I learned from my elders that there are rare mana veins that can form as well. You can get rare fire mana veins around volcanos; or opposite, water mana veins can form in the sea or within waterways. These areas produce the rarest of mana-touched materials, which all craftsmen look for.¡±


    ¡°All mana veins are unique, coming in all shapes and sizes. Mana veins can be hard to measure, but are classified as small, medium, and large. As a mana vein grows in size the mana inside the vein grows more powerful, making larger veins incredibly rare. 90% of mana veins are small with 9.99% being in the medium category, and finally only 0.01% of mana veins can be considered the large variant. The large mana veins contain so much magic, that if non-mages or low leveled creatures get near them, they die instantly. Kingdoms have been built on the riches of a single larger class mana vein, or have been destroyed for one.¡±


    I should try meditating by the mana vein when we reach it. I wonder what the surrounding mana looks like next to such a rich source of magic.


    ¡°Master Del, how does someone die from too much mana?¡± If Master Del can answer that, I won¡¯t have to try any animal testing.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Different creatures handle mana differently; some are born in mana rich environments and naturally can handle it, but others after absorbing multiple times their mana pool¡­simply, poof.¡±


    ¡°Poof?¡±


    ¡°Ya, poof. The mana burns them from the inside out, if their bodies can¡¯t take it. A person with a weak body can only stand maybe seven times their own mana pool. People usually feel it long before it gets that bad though, and just leave the area.¡±


    I pumped 250 mana straight into each of those little goblins over a few seconds, no wonder they disintegrated. Mana doesn¡¯t even need to be channeled into a spell; if you have enough, you could just melt someone with it.


    Walking past our first side tunnels, moving deeper; another important question, that I wasn¡¯t sure I should ask my parents, pops into my head. ¡°Master Del, why do skills give different amounts of experience? Also, how many tiers of skills are there?¡±


    ¡°Your parents never taught you this? No matter, what is the most amount of experience you¡¯ve ever gotten for a new skill?


    ¡°150¡±, I reply. Well, I have three of them;, but let¡¯s not say that yet.


    ¡°No wonder your level is so high! You already have a tier three skill at your age, that¡¯s impressive. Skills are rated between one and five¡­ I mean six, but no one admits to having a tier six skill. Tier one to three are considered normal skills. Your average villager will have two or three third tier skills if they work hard enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the fourth, fifth and six tiers that define how gifted someone really is. Forth tier starts at 250xp, then fifth at 500xp, and sixth is rumored to give 1,000xp for the first level. Your average villager never gets a tier four skill, and even among the longer-lived races tier four skills are hard to obtain. People with fifth tier skills are the best of the best, they¡¯re celebrated anywhere they go and usually hold the most power.¡±


    ¡°The higher the grade the skill is, the more concentrated its benefits are. For example: Axe Skills is a tier one skill, while Axe Arts is tier two; then you might get a tier three skill like Double Chop, Perfect Cut, Quick Swing, and skills like that. When you get to tier four skills, they start to be personalized to an individual.¡±


    So, I¡¯m already at the same level as your average villager, with three tier three skills.


    ¡°Master Del, you said people with high tier skills are always sought-after; are you one of those people?¡±


    ¡°I wish! There¡¯re plenty of more accomplished human blacksmiths in the capitol of Akavile. Remember I¡¯m a magic-less Stone Kin. There¡¯re plenty of humans who know how to craft with magic, we Stone Kin are just known as the best.¡±


    ¡°You said the capital city of Akavile. My parents always call it the kingdom, what¡¯s our kingdom''s name?¡±


    ¡°We are in a part of the Kingdom of Olebert, ruled by the Zalis royal family. Olebert Zalis claimed this land 700 years ago during the warring period of Masora.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Masora?¡±


    ¡°Masora is the name of the continent we live on; your parents haven¡¯t taught you any of this?¡±


    ¡°I was more interested in easy skills I could learn, and stuff like that. I know how to read, write, and do math if it makes you feel better.¡±


    Master Del stops at the largest branch tunnel we¡¯ve passed so far. ¡°Down there is the biggest iron bed I¡¯ve uncovered so far; we¡¯ll be mining down there later. And no, I¡¯m not impressed! All Stone Kin children are required to have those skills, it is you humans that like to limit each other¡¯s knowledge."


    Continuing deeper down the tunnel for another quarter mile, the hair on the back of my neck stands up, it feels like the air is becoming heavier.


    ¡°You feel that lass?¡± Del looks over his shoulder to me. The flame on his light-hat is a little bigger than when we started.


    ¡°Ya, I can feel it. It¡¯s like I have warm cobwebs clinging to my body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the magic in the air, you¡¯re feeling.¡±


    As we reach the bottom of the tunnel, we come to an open oval room. I can tell Del has been mining here for a while. The room is easily 2500 square feet, with a ceiling almost 20 ft in places. The walls have spots of magicite sticking out of the exposed rock. By now, the webs have turned into ropes around me, The magic is dense enough that little flecks of brown light are oozing from the rock and float about before falling and melding into the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you down here for too long for your first time. I want you to watch me, and try to get used to the feeling of this much ambient magic.¡±


    Master Del turns the cart around, so he can push it back up the tunnel later. Once the cart is positioned, he takes his stance facing one of the walls.


    ¡°Boom!!!¡±


    With one swing of his pickaxe, he sends a small explosion into the rock. The rocks, surrounding the area where he struck, fracture and tumble to the ground. In one swing, he ripped out hundreds of pounds of rock.


    ¡°Did you see my stance?¡± Master turns to see if I¡¯m paying attention.


    I start coughing, because my mouth was wide open after his swing, so I got some dirt in it. Nodding my head rapidly, Del returns to his work, with a smile on his face.


    We won¡¯t be here long so while Master Del is mining, I sink into some quick meditation. Feeling my mana stream, I notice minute brown strands slowly mixing with my mana stream. Turning away from an inward perspective I check my surroundings. I almost startle myself awake, I¡¯m in a sea of brown. Instead of the many colors I normally see around my house, I can only see different shades of brown flowing through the air. The mana is so thick I can¡¯t even see the mana in the walls around me.


    Deactivating my Meditation skill, I walk across the room and stand next to a wall; lets see what a mana vein looks like.


    Focusing on my meditation again, with one hand on the wall, I try to feel the mana vein.


    ¡°Bam¡±


    I fell on my backside. I can¡¯t breathe, and I¡¯m sweating more than I should be in this hot cave.


    ¡°You ok?¡± Del appeared over me. He bends over and easily lifts me up.


    ¡°Yeah, just tripped over a loose rock.¡±


    ¡°Ok, be careful. I¡¯m loading up what I need now and then we''ll go mine some iron.¡±


    Watching him sort the rocks, I wipe the sweat from my face. Looking back at the wall, I discard any idea of trying that again. The force I felt in the wall was massive. The only thing I could compare it to is if a person tried to watch a nuclear explosion without glasses¡­ and they were holding the bomb.


    Trying to get a hold of myself I walk over to the cart. Del is loading chunks of pure magicite into the cart. It looks like the waste material fell off completely.


    After the cart is loaded, we make our way back up the mine shaft. Once the mana starts to weaken, I feel good enough to ask Del about the magicite.


    ¡°Is that a skill you used to mine the magicite so perfectly?¡±


    Pushing the cart like it weighs nothing, Del answers. ¡°No, magicite is just like that. After you break through the stone around it, it separates naturally. The stone around magicite requires at least a strength of 100 to chip away at it; but once you break it, gathering it is easy.¡±


    We arrive back at the iron tunnel Del told me about earlier. Looking down the tunnel I see a smaller wheelbarrow waiting on the side of the tunnel entrance that I missed the first time.


    ¡°Grab the wheel locks out of the little wheelbarrow.¡±


    Looking inside the little wheelbarrow there are two metal triangles. Picking them up, they must each weight around twenty pounds. Even with my strength, it¡¯s hard to pin them under the large cart''s front wheel.


    ¡°Good job, now throw your pickaxe in the little wheelbarrow and push it down the shaft.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, you need to work on your muscles and practice pushing the cart when it is empty.¡±


    Reluctantly, I push the smaller metal cart down the rocky path. It''s only the size of a regular wheelbarrow from Earth but it¡¯s made from thick metal and without a rubber wheel in front, pushing it while empty is still a chore.


    Trying to distract myself, I ask Dal something that has been bugging me; ¡°Where¡¯s all the bugs, Del?¡±


    ¡°You might want to improve your Senses, we¡¯ve past loads of bugs and animals coming down. Most of them stay away from people, so unless you look for them in the dark, they¡¯re really hard to see.¡±


    ¡°What about the gem snails I¡¯m supposed to be looking for?¡±


    ¡°Ha-Ha, ha-ha¡±


    Laughing, Del walks up to me while I¡¯m trying to get the cart unstuck from a rocky divot.


    ¡°I told you they look like rocks; so, look at the rocks.¡±


    Reaching past my head, he grabs a small pebble from the wall. Holding the pebble up to my eye, I watch as a snail pops out of the bottom. The gem snail is black and dripping yellow mucus underneath it. After holding it for a minute, Del places the small snail back against the rock. Instead of moving off, it retracts back into its shell and blends so well into the wall, that after I blink, I can¡¯t find it again.


    I wonder if I could keep one as a pet? Can their acid eat through glass? Maybe I can get Del to teach me how to work with glass.


    With Del''s help, I managed to get the cart moving again. After a few twists and turns we reach another dead end.


    Looking around, this room is shaped like a triangle. The walls are made from a black stone that absorbed the light of our helmets making the cavern even harder to see.


    ¡°We''re finally here. See this black stone, that¡¯s what we''re here for!¡±


    ¡°Master Del, I thought iron ore was red in color?¡±


    ¡°It is, usually. This is called ¡°Lovers¡± iron ore. This ore naturally draws other metals to it like an expert lover, he-he. When it''s melted down, it produces some of the richest iron you can get.¡±


    Bending over, Del picks up a small chunk of ore from the ground and tosses it to me. Examining the rock closely reminds me that I¡¯ve seen this before in Stanley¡¯s collection. This is called¡­what was it?¡­Magnetite, that¡¯s what it was! It was one of the most common iron ores back on Earth.


    Holding the chunk of metal over the cart, it jumps out of my hand and slams into the carts railing. It shouldn¡¯t be that magnetic.


    ¡°Master Del, why is it sticking so much?¡±


    ¡°I told you, it loves other metals; the more mana in the ore, the stronger it reacts. Don¡¯t worry about it right now, come take a few swings at the wall.¡±


    I watched his swing earlier and I already know how to swing a pickaxe from my past life. Lining up next to a fissure already in the wall, I place one leg behind me, keep my back straight, and let my arms guide my swing so that gravity can do its thing.


    ¡­


    I missed.


    By a lot.


    ¡°This time, do it again; but this time, actually try.¡±


    I was trying, you monster dwarf!


    ¡°Let me show you again.¡±


    Del takes his stance and brings his pickaxe down right where I was previously aiming.


    ¡°Bang¡±


    Another explosion of dust, and this time the section cleared is three times larger than the hole he created in the magicite.


    ¡°Do it like that, ok?¡±


    Looking at his smiling face really pisses me off.


    ¡°How am I supposed to copy your swing when you move too fast?¡±


    ¡°Just keep trying and remember, with feeling.¡±


    You are so getting water-boarded again tomorrow!


    <hr>


    Maybe I won¡¯t water-board him.


    Right now, I¡¯m sitting on the back of the large cart, I can¡¯t move right now, I¡¯m too tired. I spent hours listening to Del criticize my swing, posture, stamina, you name it. Then, we had to load the ore into the small wheelbarrow and take it to the large one.


    Swinging the pickaxe; up and down, up and down.


    Hauling stone; side to side, side to side.


    I can barely hold on to the side of the cart. Master Del, the nicest, sweetest, most generous man ever, told me to ride on the cart for the trip back. Even now, Master Del is pulling the whole cart up the mine shaft. And I thought dad was strong, hauling thousands of pounds of stone makes Del a true monster. That¡¯s what happens when you invest so heavily in physical skills, I want to be that strong one day.


    <hr>


    Opening my eyes, I feel groggy. Did I fall asleep on the wheelbarrow?


    Why am I staring at the ground?


    Why am I staring at the ground and at a dwarf¡¯s ass?


    Looking over my shoulder, I realize Del is carrying me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.


    Before I can say anything, I hear the familiar crack of a door.


    Now the ground has turned to a stone floor and a familiar door shuts in front of me.


    ¡°Orry late¡¯s, ell aseep out da mie.¡± (Sorry she¡¯s late, she fell asleep on our way out of the mine.)


    Before I can proclaim my innocence, I feel weightless. In one motion, Del flings me over his head and catches me in a princess carry.


    Looking around my house, I see mother and father looking dumfounded at me. Richard is on the floor laughing and looks like he is going to die soon.


    Trying to hide behind my hands, I know my whole face is red right now. Richard is laughing even harder.


    ¡°Creeek¡±


    Before the door closes again I hear Master Del say ¡°g-nite¡±(good night) before leaving me alone with my family.


    I take back my ¡°take back¡± from earlier.


    The village will hear tomorrow, about how a dwarf drowned in his sleep.

 Ch: 15

    Back in Master Del''s house, I stride over to his sleeping form. Sleeping like a big baby, a level 87 baby. How much experience would I get for killing a level 87 blacksmith?


    Last night, after I told my parents why I fell asleep, they joined brother in laughing at me. I couldn¡¯t even shield myself from their ridicule, I was still too tired to do anything, even eating was tough.


    When I finished with dinner, I crawled into my bed and passed out. The first night in over a week since my mana stabilized and I couldn¡¯t even practice for a minute.


    Why did he have to carry me home? He could¡¯ve woken me up, like I did to him earlier that morning.


    He could¡¯ve shaken me, poured water on me, or just left me till I woke up by myself.


    No, he had to carry me back home¡­


    After, he carted me out of the mine¡­


    After, teaching me all day¡­


    Haaaaa, he did do a lot for me yesterday. I¡¯ll postpone my vengeance for later. Turning away from my sleeping master, I walk out of the hut and take a big breath of fresh air.


    The first rain came last night and it always seems to wake the forest up. The animals know winter is coming and are scrambling to find food. Villagers will start preparing for winters first snow. Crafters move their operations inside, leaving those with high physical stats to run the village.


    Sitting on one of the stone benches, I¡¯m not sure what to do? I woke up earlier than usual and wanted to save my stamina for work today, so I didn¡¯t do my physical exercises this morning. The plan was to wake Del up in the most excruciating way possible, but now I realize how much I overreacted.


    Del will probably sleep for at least two more hours, I need something to pass the time. Feeling the tranquility of the clearing, it comes to me. I should practice my mana skills now. I haven¡¯t had a chance to use Inject Mana since I acquired it.


    I need something to shove my mana into, so I should grab some different objects and see what happens. Standing up, I start walking around the clearing, looking for different materials. First, I grab some sticks from different types of trees, along with their leaves. I pluck a weed from the ground, roots and all. Walking over to the shed holding the ¡°Blacksmiths¡± tree branches, I grab the smallest log on top.


    This wouldn¡¯t be a good experiment if I only used plants. Sitting next to Dels hut, is the cart of ore we gathered yesterday. I grab a small sample of ¡°Lovers¡± iron and a pebble of magicite. With plenty of items to test, I sit back down, preparing myself to disintegrate some stuff.


    A quick scan of the materials, and I decide which order I¡¯ll start with. I¡¯ll see how the mundane materials fare against mana first, then if I have enough mana, I¡¯ll try the ores and silver log.


    Relax¡­ breath in¡­breath out. I need to be able to see how the materials react to my mana, so I can¡¯t fully submerge myself with Meditation. Mana Manipulation is still too hard for me to use without Meditation so I can only use Expel Mana and Inject Mana with a quarter of the control I¡¯m used to.


    Grabbing one of the branches at my feet, I point it away from me like a wand. I don¡¯t want to Harry Potter this, and blow something up by accident. Slowly I try to push my mana into the stick.


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Nothing happened. Inject Mana feels like it¡¯s trying to work, but has nothing to push. Maybe I can only inject mana that I¡¯ve already expelled from my body? Pointing the stick away from me again, I try using both skills together in my right hand.


    Ow! A small shock shot up my arm, causing me to drop my stick. When I tried using the skills together in one hand, the mana became uncontrollable when it shifted from my body to the Inject Mana skill. This didn¡¯t happen with the goblins, but that was an adrenalin fueled situation and I did it with one skill not two.


    Third time is the charm. Holding the stick still in my right hand, I plan to use Inject Mana with my right hand and fuel it with Expel Mana from my left hand. Bracing myself, I start using Inject Mana on the stick. Bringing my left hand on top of my right, I release mana through my palm.


    Immediately, I feel both skills working. Staring at the branch, I slowly continue using my skills.


    The stick looks like it has life being injected into it. Originally, it was a dry twig on the ground, now its color is returning, and the part I¡¯m gripping feels softer.


    I have about eight points of mana in the stick, almost nine. Suddenly, the sensation of Inject Mana hits a barrier. I think the stick is rejecting my mana. Ignoring the feeling I try to force more mana past the barrier. 13, 14, 15; at 15 mana the barrier crumbles. The stick disintegrates quickly in my hand, unlike the goblins, who slowly peeled apart.


    After trying three more normal sticks, I can make some conclusions. Injecting my mana can partially revitalize a dead plant. The last stick I set aside without breaking the barrier. With my mana sense, I can observe the revitalized twig. The mana I injected slowly evaporates, leaving the twig the same as when I found it on the ground.


    Once all of my mana has left the twig, I decide to try filling it again. The second time filling it only takes six mana instead of thirteen. The barrier is also much more fragile. I didn¡¯t want to destroy this twig but the barrier breaks without me trying, so the last of my normal sticks are gone.


    Picking up a fresh leaf, I try the same tests.


    Weird, it¡¯s opposite from the sticks. When injecting mana into something, still technically alive, the barrier tries to stop any mana before it can enter. Once the barrier broke in the leaf, it only took one point of mana for the leaf to disintegrate.


    Let¡¯s try a small plant. Reaching down, I pick up the small weed. Channeling my mana, I hit the same type of barrier as the leaf. This barrier is much more resilient to my mana, it takes nearly 20 mana to finally bypass the barrier. Unlike everything so far, the weed¡¯s barrier doesn¡¯t shatter completely. The barrier continues to fight my mana as I pour it in.


    To my surprise, the weed starts to grow. The roots extend a little and even two new leaf¡¯s start to bud on the top. At four points of mana the weed starts turning blue, and with the fifth point, the weed starts to disintegrate slowly like the goblins. Fauna and flora are able to fight against foreign mana, as long as they are alive.


    Let¡¯s see how inanimate objects fare against mana.


    With the iron ore in my hand, I check how much mana I¡¯ve used so far. Focusing in, I can tell I¡¯ve used about 110. The iron ore has more mana already inside than the twigs, so I¡¯m not sure how much I¡¯ll spend on this chunk. Forcing my own mana into the ore, it feels like cramming your clothes into your girlfriend''s already filled closet. You can see the different clothes but they never mix properly.


    Suddenly, the ore chunk shatters into smaller pieces. The black ore cracked into 13 smaller chunks, but each chunk is much darker than before. Looking around the chunks, brown sand and dust are scattered around the broken pieces. Reaching down again, I pick up one of the new iron ore samples. Trying to channel my mana back into the ore reveals all my previous mana is gone. Only the mana that was originally in the ore is left and it is much more concentrated.


    I¡¯ll have to find different ores to test my hypothesis, but it looks like my mana caused the waste material to disintegrate, leaving only pure iron. If I practice this skill enough, I might be able to mine with this skill alone. I could just inject my mana into an ore bed and pick out only the pure chunks left behind.


    All of that experimenting on the iron ore cost me 130 mana. I only have 160 left before I reach my 20% limit.


    Looking at my palm, the pebble of magicite sends a shiver down my back. Remembering the feeling from the mana vein yesterday, almost keeps me from continuing. Let¡¯s start slowly...


    ¡°Aaaaaa¡±


    ¡°Gods! Damn it!¡±


    My hand wont stop shaking. The little pebble is missing, I think it flew somewhere to the left of me. There¡¯s a little burn mark where the pebble was resting on my hand.


    When I tried injecting my mana into the magicite, the mana in the pebble backfired and ignited my own mana, causing a small explosion in my hand. Other than the damage where the magicite was sitting on my hand, the rest appears ok.


    Conclusion, don¡¯t fuck with pure mana!


    I¡¯m almost scared to try the last item now. Father said ¡°Blacksmiths¡± trees absorb more mana making them burn better and this is a tier 6 tree. Del said they¡¯re incredibly hard to light, so I should be fine.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Holding the small log like I did the twigs, I start injecting my mana. The concentration of starting mana is at least twelve times stronger than that of the branches I randomly grabbed from the ground. With my previous failure I try to inject my mana as slowly as possible.


    Nothing¡¯s happening?


    50, 75, 100¡­


    110, 120, 130


    This little log is sucking up all my mana!


    140, 150, and 160, that¡¯s it. I can¡¯t use any more mana right now.


    The silver shine of the bark is brighter, and the wood looks like it was just cut, but that¡¯s it. When I use Sense Mana, I notice that the mana that was already in the wood is forced around the surface of the log. The natural mana is wrapping around my mana, holding it inside, like a cocoon. Maybe this log can contain my mana till tomorrow, so I can try mixing my full mana pool with what I¡¯ve already injected into the log.


    I need to stash this log somewhere so Del doesn¡¯t accidentally burn it.


    Rising from the bench, I brush off some small flakes of ash. Maybe I can hide it behind some rocks?


    Looking around the clearing I¡­.


    Master Del is standing in his doorway, watching me with a blank expression.


    Why is he up already?


    How long has he been watching me?


    I don¡¯t know what to say. Why is he standing there?! Staring at me! ¡­Say something!


    ¡°Good morning Master Del, I didn¡¯t have to wake you up this morning.¡±


    ¡­


    That¡¯s the best I could come up with!!!


    He¡¯s not even blinking, this is bad!


    I drop my smile, as serious as I¡¯ve ever been; I ask my real question, ¡°How long have you been up?¡±


    We stare at each other for another minute. Without moving a muscle, Master Del finally starts to talk.


    ¡°I woke up 30 minutes ago, after you yelled.¡±


    So, after the magicite then.


    ¡°You picked today to wake up like a normal person?¡±


    I¡¯m trying to break some of the tension, but master isn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to drink as much last night.¡±


    ¡°Mining with you¡­ last night, I didn¡¯t feel as down as I usually do.¡±


    How do I respond to that?! Looking at my feet I can¡¯t look Master in the eyes right now, they¡¯re so empty. My hands hurt; I want to unclench them but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°Are you out of mana?¡± Why are you asking me that Del? Are you afraid to ask what you really want to?


    ¡°No, I still have 20% left.¡± I¡¯ve always frozen in situations like this, hoping to fade into the background.


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡±


    That¡¯s what you say! Screw this, one of us has to be the adult.


    ¡°If you''re going to stand there all day, I¡¯m going home. Let me know when you''re going to talk again!?¡±


    Turning around, I start to walk back home. I try to keep my pace steady, every part of me wants to run home and cry. Why does this hurt so much I sh¡­


    Death


    I stop mid stride.


    The pressure behind me¡­ I can¡¯t move. I want to turn around and look at Del but I can¡¯t! this pressure is the worst I¡¯ve ever felt, more than being crushed to death. Death was quick, this feels like my soul is being grabbed from my chest.


    The world is quiet. Every creature has stopped moving.


    Without realizing when, Del is in front of me.


    My senses couldn¡¯t pick up his movements, he simply appeared two feet ahead of me. His blank stare is gone, replaced with rage.


    ¡°You think you can walk away!¡±


    Meeting Del¡¯s eyes, draws the last strength from my body. I collapse to my knees, unable to look at Del anymore.


    ¡°You think you can mock me?! Pretending, like you understand me! Trying to get me to lower my guard! Wanting to steal Stone Kin secrets!¡±


    What secrets? I never wanted him to teach me magic. I just wanted someone to show me how to be a blacksmith.


    ¡°You deserve this, you and your whole family!¡±


    I want to try and argue with him, but I can¡¯t. If I could just, everything¡¯s going black.


    <hr>


    Bang, bang, bang


    ¡°Auggg¡±


    My head is killing me. My clouded ceiling has the last rays of sunlight illuminating my room. Was I unconscious the whole day?


    Bang, bang, bang


    Standing up I feel a little woozy. My head finally stops pounding. Looking over myself, I can¡¯t see anything wrong with me. But, how did I get home?


    Stumbling out of my room, I see a pot of stew with a single bowl next to it.


    Walking over to the table, I notice father sitting in a chair off to the side. Richard and mother are applying first aid to father, who looks like he got his ass kicked. Half of his face is bruised, his arms and legs are covered in small cuts, and his exposed chest has three black handprints. How do you get a bruise like that, it¡¯s like only the skin that was touched was injured leaving the surroundings ok?


    ¡°What¡­what happened?¡±


    My low voice echoes across our house.


    ¡°Thank the Gods you¡¯re ok!¡± Mother comes rushing over to hug me. The last thing I remember was Del about to kill me, now in mothers embrace I cry like I¡¯ve never cried before.


    Between sobs I manage to ask again; ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°The whole village felt the pressure from Del¡¯s clearing. Your father was the first to arrive. He saw you on the ground with Del standing over you, so he attacked.¡±


    Looking at dad, my eyes widen. ¡°You fought Master Del?¡±


    Coughing loudly, dad tries to talk without wheezing. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fight, I just wanted to get you away from him. He moved so fast; I could barely defend myself. Luckily, I held out till some of the other villagers came, and he stopped rampaging. The bastard threw me through a tree.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t call that man master again!¡±


    ¡°I was so worried, sweety. Your father brought you home unconscious, half dead himself. What happened? What caused him to go crazy?¡±


    I did this to myself. I¡¯ve been lying not just to Del but to my family for years. Are they going to freak out the same way?


    ¡°I lied to Del.¡± I lower my head in shame.


    ¡°Sweety, that doesn¡¯t justify what he did!¡± Hugging me tighter, mom only makes me feel worse.


    ¡°I lied to him, like I¡¯ve been lying to you guys.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Shrugging away from mom, I look at my family. I can¡¯t see straight with all my tears.


    ¡°Master Del told me some very personal things. Reasons why he¡¯s out here, and I never told him what I could do.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°He caught me practicing, and I don¡¯t know¡­. he freaked out, thought I was a spy or something. I don¡¯t know?!¡±


    Mother and father are too stunned to say anything. Richard, pauses treating dads¡¯ wounds, and asks the question they can¡¯t; ¡°What were you practicing?¡±


    Wiping my eyes, I walk over to our fire wood. Grabbing a piece of kindling, I push my mana into it.


    The three of them stare wide-eyed, as the wood regains its color and eventually disintegrates in my hands.


    Looking up, I finally tell my family. ¡°I was practicing magic.¡±


    <hr>


    The sun has set, and as if by some stereotypical coincidence it starts to pour outside. I¡¯m sitting at the table explaining my magic skills to my family, slowly finishing my dinner. They even broke out the candles we rarely use, expecting this to take a while.


    Mom looks skeptical; ¡°I don¡¯t see how you have been practicing for so long, and none of us have noticed it?¡±


    ¡°You walked in on me a week ago, mom. Remember when I was recovering from the karhu attack, I told you I was meditating.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were joking!¡±


    ¡°I mostly meditate before I go to bed. I stay up for a few hours practicing, and wake up late because using mana drains someone like stamina.¡±


    ¡°Since when could you use magic, sweety?¡± Dad finally asked me a question, I was worried he would be like Del, but he reassured me with his big smile.


    I won¡¯t tell them about my past life, but I need to get most of my secrets out. I love and trust my family the most in this world.


    ¡°I started practicing a little before I turned two.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    All three of them are stunned. Their faces bring a smile to me for the first time tonight.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but I¡¯ve always been able to sense mana. To me, mana is like the air we breathe, and as I got older, I could sense it better and better each year.¡±


    Richard suddenly had a look on his face; ¡°You said you practice every night, even when you were two?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I would wait for you to start snoring, then practice for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°So, nights I thought you were asleep, you were listening to me!?¡± Richard turns red, then the parents thought about what he said and turned red as well.


    ¡°While meditating, I try to block everything out. It got a lot easier after you left, though.¡±


    This is going better than I thought.


    ¡°If you have been practicing this much, what level are you Aaliyah?¡±


    Leave it to brother to ruin the mood.


    No this is important two, sharing your stats shows how much you trust someone.


    ¡°I¡¯m level 38, almost 39.¡±


    ¡°Gods!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason I didn¡¯t want to show you my stats when I had my Awakening. I know it¡¯s late but here is my status page:¡±


    LV: 38 Experience: 37,284/ 48,950


    Health: 1000/1000 Stamina: 632/666 Mana: 500/500


    Vitality: 100


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 50


    Clarity: 50


    Status Points: 106


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV46), Acting (LV25), Meditation (LV45), Expel mana (LV28), Charm (LV33), Running (LV31), Cleaning (LV17), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV12), Mana Manipulation (LV9), Wood Carving (LV8), Drawing (LV5), Axe Skills (LV11), Inject mana (LV3), Mining (LV4)


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡±


    With everyone focusing on me, this makes it a little harder.


    ¡°Inject Mana is a tier 4 skill.¡±


    Before anyone can say anything, mother demands everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°That information doesn¡¯t leave this room. Aaliyah never tell someone about tier 4 skills. It¡¯s dangerous for villagers to advertise skills like that, nobles have been known to ¡°collect¡± people with higher tier skills.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell Del about your skill?¡±


    ¡°No mother, he reacted before I could explain myself.¡±


    ¡°Good, you don¡¯t need to see him ever again.¡± Dad demands, I can see where he stands.


    ¡°Please stop, I know Master Del overreacted, but after the time I spent with him I know he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°A good person wouldn¡¯t have hurt you like that, or tried to kill your father.¡±


    ¡°Mother, I can¡¯t tell you secrets that aren¡¯t mine; but I can say, if Master Del wanted to kill dad, he could have done it with one blow.¡±


    Everyone looks shaken with that remark.


    Dad is the first one to recover and looks at me with serious eyes. ¡°Sweety, what are you planning to do?¡±


    Looking down, the sound of rain helps me to relax and think.


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to wait for spring, then I¡¯ll get my apprenticeship back!¡±


    ¡°You sure that is a good idea, sis? Waiting to apologize doesn¡¯t usually work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. If I tried to apologize tomorrow or even a week from now, he might do something stupid. He told me he only does work when someone asks for something, and with winter coming fast, he¡¯ll probably be inside the next few months, anyway. After he calms down, I¡¯ll sit and talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Till then, I¡¯ll take some time to practice magic. Maybe work with dad some more. And mom, you still want to teach me to cook, right?¡±


    <hr>


    The rest of the night passed with more hugs and a clearer conscience.


    Clearer, not cleared. I need to start planning what I should say to Master Del.


    I really am lucky, laying in bed listening to the softening rain. A second life, a great family, and a master that was excited to teach me. This was my first mistake in this life, but I refuse to believe I can¡¯t change it.


    Raising my hand towards the ceiling, I remember the promise I made to myself. I will become the strongest human I could be.


    I had the best head start I could ask for, so I can¡¯t complain on the first bump in the road.


    Trying to relax, I know I can plan better with my family, tomorrow.


    Falling asleep, I just hope these nervous stomach cramps go away soon.

 Ch: 16

    The snow has almost finished melting.


    The clear blue mana in the snow is mixing with the assortment of colors in the air, causing the snows mana to turn darker shades of blue, as it melts back into water.


    Deactivating my Sense Mana and Meditation skills, the world turns solid as I open my eyes.


    Seven months of training, have given all my skills a great boost. Status page:


    LV: 40 Experience: 42,337/ 62,504


    Health: 1100/1100 Stamina: 658/700 Mana: 530/530


    Vitality: 110


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 53


    Clarity: 51


    Status Points: 116


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV50), Acting (LV25), Meditation (LV50), Expel mana (LV31), Charm (LV35), Running (LV37), Cleaning (LV24), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV15), Mana Manipulation (LV14), Wood Carving (LV10), Drawing (LV13), Axe Skills (LV13), Inject mana (LV9), Mining (LV4), Cooking (LV12), Sewing (LV6)


    I can¡¯t help but think about how hard I¡¯ve worked these last few months. Being open with my family has given me so much more time to openly train all of my skills. Almost every one of my skills have leveled at least once, and most of them multiple times.


    I leveled twice over the winter. I trained my mana skills so hard; my Magic and Clarity stats went up naturally, just like when I was little. I decided to place another ten points into Vitality, on advice from my parents. Mother said we both have the same Vitality now.


    I¡¯ve spent the last seven months helping my mom around the house, going out once a week with dad, and the rest of the time practicing my mana skills.


    Mom taught me the Sewing and Cooking skills, before the snow even touched the ground. I thought I was a decent cook back in my old life; but now, deprived of internet access and modern appliances, I have a new respect for mom¡¯s culinary choices.


    The most important thing mother taught me about was my monthly visitor. That horrible day seven months ago turned even worse, with my first period starting the day after. Mother took the time to reassure me nothing was wrong, despite me thinking I had some sort of internal injuries because of Del. The best thing is, it doesn¡¯t happen as much as back on earth. The higher a woman¡¯s Vitality, the less her body needs to ¡°heal¡± itself. Since me and mother have the same Vitality, she told me she only gets hers once every two moons. I almost dumped all my points into Vitality right then and there.


    I made sure to exercise daily, even running laps in the snow. After the Del incident, no one calls me little rabbit anymore. In fact, most people ignore me now. Del has not said a word to anyone in the village since he beat up dad. Brother said there are rumors floating around the village, but I have chosen to ignore them.


    Also, alongside my daily exercises, I made sure to go to work with dad at least once a week. The forest was beautifully covered in a blanket of snow. Most of the animals were holed up in their dens, so I used my time with father to practice my Axe Skills, and gather materials to practice Inject Mana.


    Despite all those activities, I spent probably 70% of my time meditating and practicing my mana skills. It was funny the first few weeks, everyone couldn¡¯t believe how long I remained motionless. When I reminded them of my years of practice, they could only half smile at my abilities.


    Richard asked me to try and teach him some magic skills, but no matter what I tried, he couldn¡¯t properly feel any mana in or around himself. I even tried using Inject Mana on him a little bit. Richards Magic stats were low but because of his high physical stats his inner barrier was the strongest I¡¯ve seen. Even emptying most of my mana pool didn¡¯t damage his barrier at all. He described it as the same feelings I had down by the mana vein. He could feel his body fighting off the foreign mana but was never able to sense his own.


    I was worried he would resent me because I couldn¡¯t teach him. He reassured me, after it became apparent, he had no magic talent; that he expected this and was just happy I tried to teach him.


    Maybe if I can raise my skills even higher, I could try again.


    The problem is, I finally hit a barrier with my skills. Sense Mana reached level 50 over two months ago, and Meditation reached 50 three weeks ago. The two skills that I¡¯ve been able to continuously grow, haven¡¯t improved even a little after they reached level 50.


    Getting up to stretch, I¡¯m happy I don¡¯t have to train blindly anymore. I can just ask mom about my problems.


    Walking out of my room, towards mother sitting and sewing one of dad¡¯s pants, I want to kick myself for my previous paranoia. If I was honest with my family a few years ago, maybe my skills could¡¯ve been even higher now. I could have asked them for pointers leveling skills in general, even if they can¡¯t use magic.


    ¡°Hey mom!¡± I approach her smiling.


    ¡°Afternoon sweety! Finished laying around, doing nothing?¡±


    My smile becomes strained. Mother loves giving me a hard time about meditating most of my day away. She¡¯s supportive in her own way, but I think she worries about me practicing magic.


    ¡°Sort of. I¡¯m having some trouble with two of my magic skills. I was wondering if you could help me out?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about magic sweety. You might be able to ask Anastasia if you¡¯re having that hard of a time.¡±


    ¡°No-no, mother. Nothing like that!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about my skill levels. No matter how hard I try to raise them, they stopped leveling.¡±


    ¡°O, what level are they?¡±


    ¡°They both stopped at 50.¡±


    Mother''s frown turns into a smile. ¡°You always make me so proud Aaliyah, to think, you reached the first skill challenge at your age.¡± Seeing my confused face mother explains skill levels for me.


    ¡°You see sweety, the higher the tier of a skill, the harder they are to level. Every ten levels skills become generally harder to level. But skills have tests at certain levels that you need to pass to continue leveling. Tier one and two skills have the first test at level 50, then another at 75, and the master test at 99. Tier three and four have the first test at level 40, then at 60, 80, and the master test at 99. Lastly, tier 5 has the first test at 30; then every ten levels you need to pass another test.¡±


    ¡°What about tier six, mom?¡±


    ¡°Knowledge on tier six skills are all rumors. No one knows how to gain, level, or even classify tier six skills.¡±


    ¡°Ok, but what are these tests? How do I pass them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not actual tests, sweety. They¡¯re called tests because you have to test your skill to break through to the next level. You have to use your skills in a new way, or maybe realize a truth about your skill¡­ they¡¯re all different.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on the tests, even if they¡¯re only in the first two tiers. Many people never pass their tests, and simply move on to train another skill.¡±


    ¡°But mom, I¡¯ve never felt any real increase in difficulty till I hit level 50?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you are truly gifted Aaliyah. If a skill doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s getting any harder every ten levels, that means you have a talent in this skill. After you pass the first test, which I know you will; depending on how great your talent is, you could continue leveling like you are now until you hit the next test.¡±


    So, I need to use my skills in another way. I think I know how to break through, but it will take some time and luck.


    ¡°Thanks, mom! That really helped a lot.¡±


    Turning around, I start walking back to my room. Knowing is half the battle. I need to not only work on the two skills already at level 50, but prepare for Charm and Expel Mana to hit level 40 as well.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡±


    Turning back towards mother, she is moving her sewing supplies, and rising from her chair.


    ¡°Well¡­ you gave me some great ideas. I thought I would go test them out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy I was able to help. But you know; it¡¯s your turn to help me make dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­yeah¡­I forgot.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did. Go start the fire, while I get the ingredients ready.¡±


    I start piling the wood in to the fireplace as mother starts prepping our kitchen.


    Why can¡¯t magic be easier. If I could throw a fireball into our fireplace, getting this kindling started wouldn¡¯t be so hard. Staring at the embers, I hope I can convince Del tomorrow.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    No, I will convince him tomorrow. Positive thoughts.


    ¡°Aalyiah?¡±


    Stoking the fire, I don¡¯t hear any cutting from the kitchen. Glancing at mom, she¡¯s staring at me with a worried look on her face.


    ¡°Yes, mom? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Are you going back to that man tomorrow?¡±


    Replying without looking at mother is hard. ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you not have fun with your father and me?¡±


    Propping the tongs against the brick hearth, I calmly look at mother. ¡°Of course, I had fun with you¡­but I want to be a blacksmith.¡±


    ¡°But what about your talent with magic!? You could practice at home, with us, and go to the city to find a great mentor when you turn fifteen!¡±


    ¡°I enjoy magic, mom, but a good crafting job is what I need. You told me mages are scarce, and if I went down that path, I would probably end up in the kingdom¡¯s army. Any teaching they would give me, they would expect me to repay two-fold. The idea of using magic to hurt people; I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worrying about Del. He overreacted but I also made a big mistake. If he truly doesn¡¯t take me back, I¡¯ll reconsider my options. Regardless how tomorrow goes, I need to apologize for my mistake.¡±


    <hr>


    The rest of dinner prep passed silently between the two of us. As the food is almost finished, the door creeks open.


    ¡°Mother, Aaliyah; I¡¯m home.¡±


    Richard comes strolling in, unaware of the atmosphere between mother and me. He¡¯s carrying a chair?


    Before the door can close behind him, a lightly tanned hand grabs the door. Mother and I freeze as a girl around the same age as Richard walks through our door. As Richard changes his shoes, I get a good look at her.


    She has long black hair that shimmers in the sunset. Coupled with dark blue eyes and a slender face. Her smile looks forced, like she¡¯s nervous to be here. Unlike most villagers she¡¯s not skinny, she¡¯s not fat but she looks like she eats more than the average villager does. Her clothes are tailored, and she has two bracelets made of beads on her left arm and a simple necklace with a small polished gem on it. Her shoes look clean, with no stains from work at all.


    It looks like she brought a basket of bread with her. She looks familiar, but I can¡¯t place where I¡¯ve seen her.


    Placing the extra chair next to his own, Richard takes the girls hand and sits her at the table like a gentleman. Placing the bread basket on the table, the girl sits with perfect posture.


    Before mom can ask the obvious question, our door opens with dad caring a bundle of firewood. Taking off his shoes, and looking up, he freezes after noticing the extra person in the room.


    ¡°Perfect timing dad. Mother, father, Aaliyah; I want to introduce Sandra Downs. We¡¯ve been getting to know one another these last few moons, and she said she wanted to meet my family.¡±


    With his goofy grin, anyone could tell how much he likes her.


    For some reason, our parents look even more shocked after hearing her name. Wait, Downs, she has a last name? The only family with a last name in the village is the village headman¡¯s family!


    While Richard is still glowing and the parents are in shock, I walk over to Sandra.


    ¡°Hey. What are you doing with a guy like my brother? Something wrong with you?¡±


    Sandra starts laughing while brother realizes what I just said.


    ¡°What does that mean Aaliyah?!¡±


    ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m curious how you managed to ¡°befriend¡± the headman¡¯s daughter.¡±


    With our parents nodding along with my remark, brother turns a scarlet red.


    Unable to answer, Sandra answers for him.


    ¡°I met Richard a few moons ago, when a part of our ceiling broke because of the snow fall. While he was on his break, he noticed me practicing magic with Healer Anastasia. He gave me some hints to better harness my magic, and we¡¯ve been talking ever since.¡±


    ¡°Richard gave you magic advice? He can¡¯t even use magic.¡± What did Richard do? If he sold me out to a pretty face!


    ¡°I know he can¡¯t use magic. But he told me he practiced for a while. He gave me several different exercises that helped me gain a few levels. Plus, he¡¯s fun to be around.¡±


    O, gods. She likes him too!


    <hr>


    The rest of dinner last night was spent talking about Sandra¡¯s family and her practicing to be a mage. I used Sense Mana when she was distracted with our parent¡¯s questions, to get a look at her capabilities. Her mana pool was almost twice as big as mine, but seemingly lacked the control I¡¯ve practiced.


    Thanks to our uninvited guest, other than me stating I¡¯ll go back to Del¡¯s place today, the conversation never really turned to me.


    Though, this morning dad was waiting with mom, as I tried to leave the house. Dad said he would stay in the area if anything went wrong, and mother almost smothered me before I could make it out the door.


    Walking through the small strip of forest, I have to stop and calm myself. My heartbeat keeps speeding up, challenging my resolve.


    Stepping into the clearing, the memories from last time I was here, make it seem like it was just yesterday. The slush from the snow, has the ground just as wet as the day I was kicked out. Looking at all the sheds and tools, it¡¯s not that everything looks the same, it is the same! The cart from our mining trip is still sitting exactly where we left it. Other than some snow caught inside, the forge is as clean as the day I left. Has Del not done anything for 7 months?!


    Richard told me Del was ignoring everybody including Salus. Poor Salus, he had to buy nails from the traveling merchant.


    Del¡¯s door looks so much more menacing right now. Pushing on it slowly, I hear pots being pushed around.


    The room isn¡¯t as dirty as when I first cleaned it. All the piles of ore¡¯s and metal products are still neatly separated. That doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a mess. The floor is covered in dirty pots, and the fireplace has a pile of soot next to it. And¡­


    Oh, Gods!


    There¡¯s a pile of bones in the corner!


    Walking over to the pile, I can finally make out three farkas skulls. Is he keeping the bones for crafting or is this another sign of depression?


    The hut stinks so bad it¡¯s covering the stench of alcohol wafting up from the bundle atop the stone bed.


    Checking the small keg, he keeps his drink in, it¡¯s mostly empty.


    I can¡¯t wake him up with water, if I want to try to apologize.


    I might as well clean as usual, everyone would be happier waking up to a cleaned room.


    <hr>


    Sitting on the stone bench facing the house, I wait for the sleeping Stone Kin to rise. Even while I straightened out his house, he didn¡¯t move a muscle.


    Imagining all of the different ways this could have gone, I didn¡¯t expect to be sitting here waiting for Master Del to wake up.


    Now that I don¡¯t have anything to do, I¡¯ve started shaking again from the anticipation. This isn¡¯t good, I need to be calm before I try talking to Del. If I¡¯m anxious I won¡¯t be able to calmly defend myself. If I act too weak, he¡¯ll toss me away immediately, and if I rush my apology and come off rude, it could be worse.


    I know what I have to do. Relaxing, I try to enter a meditative state.


    This time I don¡¯t close my eyes. I need to reach the next level in Meditation. I think I can pass the test if I can stay aware of my surroundings even while meditating. Next, I try to see the mana around me, not by closing my eyes and feeling it during Meditation. I think my eyes are the key to passing both of my tests together.


    In, out


    In, out


    In, out


    Regulating my breathing, relaxing, and focusing; all at the same time.


    Time means nothing right now.


    Slowly I start to see threads floating trough the air. Wisps of color, moving in and out of my vision. I want to look at each individually, but every time I start to focus, they fade away. I can¡¯t move, it will break my meditation.


    If I can keep this up¡­


    Everything falls away as the door I¡¯ve been staring at finally opens.


    Standing in the doorway is Del. He looks horrible.


    He still has no hair on his face or head; however, he looks tired. His face has the kind of tiredness that someone gets when they have nothing to look forward to.


    As we make eye contact, a little life seeps back into his face.


    Last time I was overcome by his presence, this time I won¡¯t be scared away. Standing up from the bench, I walk in front of Master Del.


    I decided earlier that I needed to show my remorse and sincerely as much as possible. I don¡¯t know any of the customs of Stone Kin or even human etiquette for something like this.


    Over the last seven months I tried to think of the best way I could express my emotions. Even my parents couldn¡¯t think of anything off the top of their heads, so I used my previous life memories. There was a great way to apologize in Japanese culture, the dogeza.


    With only two feet between us, I assume the dogeza position. I remember from my past life, this position represents acknowledging someone of higher status, or showing someone a deep apology, and even asking for a favor from the person. All three of these reasons are exactly what I¡¯m looking for.


    With my forehead on the cold ground, I give my apology.


    ¡°I am truly sorry for lying to you Master Del-Razen! You gave me your trust, when you told me your history. I dishonored you, my Master, by withholding such important information. If I can have one request, please continue to work with my father. My family was unaware of my talents. I only told them after you terminated my apprenticeship. I can only dream of your forgiveness. I promise never to lie to you again!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°How long did you practice that speech?¡± Dang, and I just said I wouldn¡¯t lie again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing every night since our separation.¡±


    ¡°This type of apology may be favored amongst elves and other noble races, but you have to talk to a Stone Kin while looking them in the eye. Stand up!¡±


    Climbing to my feet, I meet Del¡¯s eyes. His face looks like it¡¯s carved from stone, but I can see the anger bubbling underneath. Taking another breath to calm myself, I brace for any question he might ask.


    ¡°Who does your family serve!?¡±


    What!?


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Crap, I dropped my calm face. How was I supposed to expect a question like that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me! Your parents move here from nowhere, your father spends years befriending me, and their child is capable of stealing Stone Kin secrets! So, I¡¯ll say it again. Who are you working for?!¡±


    I can¡¯t keep the shock from my face.


    I can¡¯t help but feel angry, right now. Is he trying to blame my parents or something?


    ¡°First, my parents moved here to escape my mother¡¯s family, who were merchants by the way. Second, my dad is the nicest man ever, of course he wanted to befriend an angry Stone Kin on the outskirts of our village. And Last, I never asked you to teach me any secrets, magic or otherwise!¡±


    ¡°But what about all those questions in the cave? Asking more and more about magic?¡±


    ¡°I already told you, I ¡­!¡± Stopping, I take another deep breath. I was really close to yelling; I know yelling never solves an argument. ¡°I asked you those questions because you were the only one, I trusted. I kept all of my talent hidden from my family. They didn¡¯t even know my level, but you did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always kept my training secret, so I could only ask questions like that to someone I trusted.¡±


    Del¡¯s scowl finally slips. This is progress but I have to air my problems too, or I could never work under him again.


    ¡°I trusted you¡­and you hurt my father.¡±


    He finally looks like he¡¯s understanding me.


    ¡°You hurt my father, and you hurt me.¡±


    ¡°You scared my family, and you scared the whole village.¡±


    ¡°I came to apologize, and I hope I can work with you again, someday.¡±


    ¡°But, before that can happen, my family deserves an apology from you; especially my father, he always considered you a friend.¡±


    I said my part, and Del looks like he is thinking things over.


    ¡°Good Day, Del-Razen.¡±


    Turning away, I head for the village, feeling much better about myself. No matter what happens, my conscience feels a lot better.


    Stopping right before the edge of the clearing, I turn around one last time. Del is watching we with thoughtful eyes.


    ¡°If you want to apologize, I suggest you do it in your real voice. Just a thought!¡±


    With my last remark I disappear from Del¡¯s sight.


    Walking home, with the weight lifted off my shoulders, I wonder how mom will react when I come home. Maybe she¡¯ll be so happy, that she won¡¯t complain about me meditating again.


    With my lighter heart, I know I can advance further.


    There¡¯s always something to improve on.

 Ch: 17

    It¡¯s hard to find people to talk to about your interests.


    If I still had the internet, I could join a chat group, look up videos, or just read articles about anything I found interesting.


    Finding someone who has the same interests as me, in a small village, is impossible.


    Or should have been.


    Sitting across from me, Sandra came over again with Richard. It¡¯s Richard¡¯s turn to help make dinner, and mother firmly refused to let Sandra help him. At least with her here, he might finally make a decent meal.


    With her waiting for Richard, and me waiting at home for Del¡¯s decision; we both needed someone to talk to.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re waiting for Del-Razen to take you back as an apprentice?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no. I messed up pretty bad during my training and he misread the situation making everything worse. Luckily, after I apologized yesterday, he looked a lot less angry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, father was worried he might leave the village. He¡¯s hard to talk to, but he¡¯s an incredible smith.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. A part of me was hoping he would stop by today, but I knew that was wishful thinking.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry too much. If you¡¯re half the hard worker Richard has told me about, Del-Razen will definitely take you back. Just continue to work as hard as you can and you¡¯ll succeed. That¡¯s what my father always says when I¡¯m having trouble with my training.¡±


    ¡°You talked about that a little last night, you¡¯re training to be a mage, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, I¡¯m the only other person in the village that can use magic. Father pays Anastasia to teach me as much as she can, so when I go to the city for proper training soon, I¡¯ll find a better teacher.¡±


    ¡°Does brother know you¡¯re planning on leaving soon?¡±


    ¡°We''re discussing it¡­ he knows how passionate I am about magic. I need to leave eventually to find a real teacher, someone who can use real magic not¡­¡±


    ¡°Magic items. You want to cast your own spells, not using gloves for everything, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Did you talk to Anastasia too?¡±


    ¡°I tried after my awakening. She wanted a ridiculous amount of money, just to try and teach me how to use some magic gloves.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean. Father has her teach me, because he wants a mage in the family. She¡¯s been teaching me since before my Awakening, and her lessons have barely changed. If she wasn¡¯t so important, I¡¯d tell dad to stop paying her. I heard she¡¯s the daughter of a large caravan company, that¡¯s why a traveling merchant regularly comes to our village, to check up on her.¡±


    ¡°Why is she out here, if she comes from money?¡±


    ¡°Father told me she tried joining the Healer branch of the kingdoms army. She was probably supposed to earn a ranking position and help her family gain military shipping contracts. Unfortunately for her, she had only the most basic of magic talent. She was told, she could only be placed in the Healer¡¯s Reserve garrison.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°The Healer¡¯s Reserve garrison is a fancy name for the Healer¡¯s maids. They do all the dirty work the healers don¡¯t want to do. Knowing she couldn¡¯t provide the contact with the military for her family, she quit. For failing her duty to her family, she was cut off financially. With the last of her money, she bought some minor healing gloves and came to our village.¡±


    ¡°How does your dad know all of this?


    ¡°He was contacted by Anastasias family. Our village gets a merchant to regularly stop by, in return for keeping an eye on her.¡±


    ¡°So, has she been able to teach you any real magic?¡±


    ¡°No, only theory.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound¡­ too bad?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your understanding, Aaliyah.¡± She doesn¡¯t look very happy. I should have been less condescending with my remark.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sandra, I¡¯m just a little jealous that you have a teacher. Magic sounds really cool, what have you learned so far?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard about the three methods to cast magic?¡±


    ¡°A little, Anastasia went over them really quick, but she didn¡¯t sound super enthusiastic about what she told me.¡±


    ¡°Well casting magic falls into three different categories: runic, chanting, or pure manipulation. Runic magic is the channeling of mana into runic symbols to trigger a magic affect. There are two main methods to cast runic magic. The first is with magic circles that contain many runes. The more complicated the circle is, the harder it is to channel your mana into it. The larger and more complicated the magic circle, the more mana you need to successfully activate it. The best thing about runic magic is the ability to create the magic circles ahead of time and then leave them till you have a need to activate them.¡±


    ¡°Because Runic magic can be carved into things like metal, runic magic is used to make magic items. Magic items can be created with as little as four runes, to make a simple fire box, or hundreds of runes can be carved into a sword, turning it into something capable of slaying a dragon. Unfortunately, like all magic, different runes are kept secret by their owners.¡±


    ¡°How can you own a rune, Sandra?¡±


    ¡°Runic knowledge is passed from master to apprentice, and no mage wants to give up their personal magic knowledge, unless it¡¯s to someone they trust. Kingdoms have their own runic library, but the Stone Kin are considered to be the masters of Runic Magic. Supposedly, Stone Kin make thousands of magic items every day. Dad tried to get Del to teach me some runic magic but he always refused. Maybe if you''re lucky, you can learn some magic from Del!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Hearing how much people think of Stone Kin magic, I can only imagine what Master Del had to deal with after he left his home. It¡¯s nice being able to hear so much about magic, and Sandra said that this is all basic knowledge. What else can I learn? ¡°What¡¯s the next type of magic?¡±


    ¡°The next type of magic is spoken magic, or commonly called ¡°Chanting¡± magic. Using your will, you can shape magic with your voice¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! You can make fireballs by yelling ¡°Fireball¡± hard enough?¡±


    ¡°He-He, technically yes. If you had the will of a god that might work. Spoken magic has to be extremely specific to trigger any real magical effects, here watch.¡±


    Holding out her palm, Sandra starts speaking in an even pace. ¡°I summon a candle flame in the center of my palm, two inches off of my skin. The flame will burn for one minute, and flicker out. I guard my hand with mana so the heat doesn¡¯t affect me. IGNITE!¡±


    Before my eyes, a tiny flame flickers atop Sandra¡¯s outstretched hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s all it takes?¡± Sandra doesn¡¯t answer me, she¡¯s staring at her little flame concentrating.


    I can cast magic with this! As I¡¯m about to run outside and try to conjure a fireball, the flame winks out of existence, leaving Sandra winded.


    ¡°As you can see, using magic like that is almost impossible.¡± Confused, I tilt my head. What¡¯s impossible, she successfully triggered magic?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your spell?¡±


    ¡°Other than being too long? Magic like that uses more mana the more complicated you get. And worse, if you chant is not complicated enough, you can¡¯t summon anything. Even balancing a small flame like that cost me 380 mana.¡±


    ¡°380, how is that fair?¡± That would be most of my mana for a single candle flame, lasting only a minute.


    ¡°The reason it costs so much is because our language can¡¯t convey the magic we want to cast. Mages who practice spoken magic use the Celestial language, but just like runic magic, all Celestial spells are kept secret by their owners. The Celestial language was recovered hundreds of years ago and people believe it came from the gods. In the Celestial language, that spell I chanted could probably be uttered in less than seven words.¡±


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    So, no matter what you want to learn about magic, you need to acquire the knowledge from someone who¡¯s willing to teach you.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you want to go to the city, so you can find someone willing to teach you Celestial or runic magic? What about the last type of magic?¡±


    ¡°The last type of magic is almost impossible to use, period. Pure manipulation of magic is forcing your mana into a magical effect with just your mana control. The idea came from watching magic beasts. Say, you have a magic beast that covers its body in flames. That magic beast is converting its mana directly into fire. Only the best magicians in the world are able to try something like that, let alone succeed.¡±


    ¡°So, the only way for someone to become a decent mage is to find a great teacher?


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and magic teachers are extremely picky. That¡¯s why my dad still pays Anastasia to come to our house and try to help me improve. If I can prove myself better, I might be able to be an apprentice under a two-star mage.¡±


    ¡°Stars?¡±


    ¡°All mages deserving of credit, showcase their skills at the royal capital. Depending on their magic abilities, they are awarded one to five stars. It¡¯s said 87% of mages only obtain one star, with 12% of mages gaining a second star, .9% for a third star, .09% can manage to get a fourth star, and only .01% of mages will ever manage to claim all five stars. Cities usually have one or two, two-star mages. I¡¯m hoping my basic skills are high enough to convince one of them to take me as an apprentice.¡±


    ¡°What are your basic magic skills?¡± let¡¯s see how I compare to other aspiring mages.


    ¡°The four basic skills masters look at are Meditation, Chanting, Sense Mana, and Expel Mana.¡±


    I¡¯m missing one of those. Doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll probably get chanting tonight, after I try reciting my own spells.


    ¡°What levels are Masters looking for?¡±


    ¡°Masters look for someone with a Meditation skill over level 30, and the other skills in the high twenties. I can¡¯t give you my exact levels but I¡¯ll tell you I¡¯m close to reaching all of the requirements.¡±


    I probably have four or five years of practice on her, but my skills are a lot higher. That must be what mom was saying about me being gifted with my skills.


    ¡°What about other magic skills? Anastasia told me something about Mana Manipulation, when I stopped by after my awakening.¡±


    ¡°Most other magic related skills are tier three and above. Mana Manipulation is said to be one of the hardest tier three skills to level. Mana Manipulation can be as hard to level as a tier four or even tier five skill, depending on who you ask. That said, it¡¯s believed that the higher a person¡¯s Mana Manipulation level is, the easier it is for them to gain tier four skills.¡±


    ¡°What are the chances I have magical aptitude?¡± I¡¯m trying not to smile. ¡°Mom said it¡¯s really rare, but now we have two people in the village that can use magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually false information, usually one out of every eighty people can sense their magic. As long as a person can sense their magic, they could technically be called a mage. Just because someone can use a little bit of magic that doesn¡¯t make them a true mage though. A person isn¡¯t qualified to be called a mage unless they have a star. Everybody who doesn¡¯t have a star is still considered a normal person. Anastasia is considered one of these people, if she didn¡¯t study anatomy with the kingdom¡¯s army, she wouldn¡¯t be able to even use her gloves properly. Real healers, with her amount of magic, can easily heal much bigger groups of people or even larger injuries.¡±


    ¡°She does help people though. She saved my dad after the karhu attack.¡±


    ¡°You''re right. She works hard to heal anyone who comes to her door. And, despite her repeating lectures, she honestly tries to answer any question I ask her.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any more questions, Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering, how do you cast magic with Expel Mana?¡± If I¡¯m going to try Chanting, I need to know how Expel Mana works when I¡¯m talking.


    ¡°Expel Mana is the basis for most magic skills. When using runic magic, you need to use Expel mana into special tools that carve the patterns onto different surfaces. The same applies to spoken magic. You need to expel a small amount of magic through your mouth when chanting, then expel your mana according to your chant. You noticed how I designated where the flame was going to appear, knowing where the mana needs to be, you have to expel your mana as the spell is forming in its designated place.¡±


    ¡°When you say special tools, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia only told me a little about magic enhancing tools. Anything that helps you perform magic stronger, faster, or more easily; can be considered one of those tools. Mages can use staves, wands, swords, shields, anything that is made from magic compatible materials. Materials that compliment magic are expensive, most people can only be lucky to find them where¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright girls, dinner is done. Aaliyah, help your brother set the table.¡±


    But they just started making dinner?


    Looking outside, the sun is falling over the horizon. Sandra and I have been talking for hours? As I leave the table to grab the utensils, Sandra looks just as surprised as me. We both lost track of time. It was worth it though; I learned a lot about magic in one sitting.


    Tonight should be fun. When Sandra and Richard leave, I can try chanting a spell before I go to bed.


    <hr>


    ¡°How am I going to do this?¡±


    Saying it out loud isn¡¯t helping.


    After Richard and Sandra left, we cleaned the kitchen, and each of us went to our rooms for the night. I got comfortable, but planning my chant out has been difficult. I know it needs to reflect my desires; in the shortest, most precise way I can imagine. The problem is the language, itself. The reason I had such a hard time learning the local language, was due to the extra words they use to convey additional emotion in their words. Saying the same sentence in English is almost 60% shorter.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    Sandra said, any language could be used!


    Why am I limiting myself to the longer language? I wouldn¡¯t want people to recognize what I was chanting anyway. Anyone listening to my spells would know exactly what was going to happen.


    Let¡¯s try doing this in English.


    ¡°Summoning light, in a 1cm diameter ball, on the tip of my index finger. It will be 100 lumens, and will take 100 mana. Go!¡±


    It¡¯s weird speaking in English again. The mana I expelled during my chant cost me fifteen points, and following Sandra¡¯s advice I channeled my mana to my index finger.


    I can feel the mana gathering into a small ball, on the tip of my finger. Suddenly, my room lights up. I almost want to cry; I can finally cast magic spells!


    I look like a Spielberg alien right now, he-he.


    Continuing to channel the spell, I can feel how much mana I¡¯m burning.


    The light only lasts another twenty seconds, before it flickers out of existence. Checking my mana levels, I burned 116 points of mana. Instead of giving a time like Sandra did, I specified how much mana I wanted to spend. Next time I see her, I¡¯ll recommend she try it.


    I wonder how English compares to the Celestial language with mana costs?


    Riding the high of a successful spell, I try once again to break into level 51 with my two skills. I¡¯ve been practicing every chance I get these last two days, and I¡¯m positive, I¡¯m almost there. Each time I try, my open-eyed meditation becomes a little closer towards real meditation. The wisps of mana are becoming clearer and I can even move my head slightly without breaking my concentration.


    Laying comfortably on my bed, I feel like I¡¯m being swallowed by my bed. Trying to enter the mental state I¡¯m used to; the wisps start to appear in my eyes. I can pick out small strands of my mana, the remains of my spell, fusing with the ambient mana around me. I keep trying, but the feeling just won¡¯t come. I need to try harder!


    Try Harder!


    Wait!


    This is just like my spell earlier. I¡¯m trying to force the magic, when I should be taking a step back!


    Let¡¯s try something different.


    This time I close my eyes and enter my normal Meditation and Sense Mana skills. Sinking into the deepest meditation I can, I slowly open my eyes. All the flows of mana I¡¯m used to sensing overlap with my room. The joy I feel almost pulls me out of my meditative state. Taking a slow breath, I calm myself.


    After I sink back into my calm state, I feel everything settle. I did it! I can tell I passed the test!


    This new sensation was worth it. I can now see how the ambient mana is interacting with my surroundings. I can see mana flowing both around and through items. The mana in everyday materials slightly changes the color of the passing mana. I can still see the mana flow beyond the walls of my house. Unfortunately it doesn¡¯t allow me to see through objects.


    I can feel the mental fatigue building behind my eyes. This should be enough for tonight.


    With the training done, I try and get some sleep. I don¡¯t like to empty my mana pool at nights anymore. I need to have mana to practice the next day.


    As my eyes close, I can¡¯t help but start thinking about my breakthroughs tonight, and of course the thought of trying to throw a fireball tomorrow.


    <hr>


    I really love waking up during spring time. The birds singing, almost makes up for my inability to sleep in, almost.


    I can hear father getting ready in the next room as I sink into my morning meditation. Keeping my eyes open, I have no problems reaching the meditative state from last night.


    This is the best use of skills I¡¯ve come across so far. Once you reach the next level in a skill, everything feels more natural. Even though I only achieved the next level once, recreating that same effect is almost second nature now.


    Now that I don¡¯t need to shut myself off from the world while meditating, I can hear the door open and close as father leaves for work.


    ¡°Aaliyah, come out here, please!¡±


    Why is mom calling me so early?


    She always gives me a few hours in the morning for practice.


    Donning my usual clothes, and brushing my hair, I run my tongue over my teeth. Brushing regularly has been hard. I fastened a toothbrush out of a small strip of wood, and attached a small piece of pelt from a farkas. The tail of a farkas is made of extremely bristly hair, and with some thread I can floss properly. I surprised my parents with the idea of dental hygiene, but dad ended up making one for each of them, after seeing mine.


    Wait, I have magic now!


    I can¡¯t think of a better use for magic, than good dental hygiene. Let¡¯s think of a good spell really quick.


    ¡°I summon water magic to clean my mouth, removing tartar and plaque. Clean around my teeth gently, till 100 mana is spent. Clean!¡±


    After I finish reciting my new spell, I continue to channel my mana to my mouth. This should be great; I won¡¯t have to worry about my teeth anymore.


    Oh, no!


    Once the mana congeals into water, it starts forcing itself around my mouth. I said gently!


    I can feel the water twisting in and out of my teeth, and every breath I take I inhale water.


    Collapsing to the ground the magic finally stops.


    Taking deep breaths, I cough up slightly yellow saliva. Running my tongue against my teeth again, it feels like I just got out of the most detailed dentist visit ever.


    Still coughing a little, I wonder if it¡¯s worth almost drowning myself. I have to be really careful with what I chant from now on.


    Straitening my hair again, I leave my room to see what mom wants.


    Walking down the short hall, I stop once I see Del standing by our door. Father is standing in front of mother protectively, staring with a straight face at Master Del.


    Master Del notices me, and asks the question I¡¯ve been waiting for.


    ¡°Can we Talk?¡±

 Ch: 18

    ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    Master Del looks nervous. Gone is the image of the murderous Stone Kin, or the wounded angry man. The man before me is slouched over, scanning the room, looking for anything that can raise his confidence in what¡¯s to come.


    Mother and father look confused at the man standing in our doorway. The last time father confronted Del, he was beaten severely. My always confident mother looks worried about our guest, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen her so feeble.


    We can¡¯t all stand here all day, waiting for someone to talk.


    Taking a few steps further into the room, the staring match between Del and my parents ends. The three of them look to me as I move in front of the table, and I pull out one of our chairs.


    ¡°We really should talk. We should all take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Del,¡± As I gesture to the seat, Del finally straightens his back and starts walking over to the table.


    Before he can take his second step; ¡°Del, your shoes.¡± I remind him of his footwear.


    His newly gained confidence falters as he stares down at his filthy shoes.


    Mother and father take the distraction and pull the other three chairs towards the opposite end of the table.


    Del sits on our bench by the door and slowly pries off his first boot. Before he can finish removing his first boot, the three of us are sitting and waiting at the table. As Del starts taking off his second boot, the smell of fertilizer starts wafting around us. The air smells of rotting earth mixed with charcoal. Looking at his boots, I¡¯m reminded of the few times I woke Del up. Del would always be dressed, including his shoes, every time I woke him up.


    Watching father and mother both frown at the smell, I think mom won¡¯t mind a change this one time.


    ¡°On second thought, Del. You can keep those on.¡± With a hint of red crossing his dark features, Del slips his shoes back on.


    Sulking, Del walks over to the chair I pulled out for him.


    With the four of us sitting, silence once again blankets our house. With the passing of time, mother¡¯s nerviness slowly fades away. Her confident smile creeps back across her face, making me feel a lot better. Being sandwiched between my confident mother and my sturdy father, alleviates most of my stress.


    As the three of us are starting to relax, Del only looks more worried. Finally, after what seems like an eternity of silence, Del finally starts to speak.


    ¡°I came to apologize.¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I attacked you, Darrius.¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°I hurt your family, and I didn¡¯t stop to consider my actions.¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°You have always been nice to me and...


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°Why are you laughing! I¡¯m trying to apologize here!¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    ¡°He-he.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop laughing! Del was talking to his hands so he couldn¡¯t see their faces! He still hasn¡¯t noticed because he¡¯s looking angrily at me. With my head in my hands, I can barely tell him what¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°He-he! It¡¯s the look on their faces! He-he, they¡¯re too stunned by your accent now! He-he!¡±


    Looking from me to my parents, Del finally notices their open-mouthed expressions. Mother has interacted with Del only a few times so her expression is one of only slightly troubled. Father on the other hand, has been talking to Del for years and this new side has caused the biggest look of disbelief on his face I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Coughing into his hand Del tries to restart his apology.


    ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m sorry about faking my accent all these years. I started talking like that to keep people away from me. I should have told you a while ago, Darrius.¡±


    With his speechcraft explained, mother and father harden their expressions.


    ¡°Do you think you can just come and apologize for what you did to Darrius and Aaliyah! Just because Aaliyah can use magic, you attack her and almost killed my husband!¡±


    Shocked at mothers¡¯ explosive comments, Del once again turns to me with a complicated look.


    ¡°Did you not tell them about me?¡±


    Looking into his eyes, I explain myself.


    ¡°I told them it was because of me lying about my magic abilities. I didn¡¯t tell them about your childhood or why you moved here. Those are your secrets to tell, not mine.¡±


    Del looks like he¡¯s both happy and sad at the same time, while my parents are trying to keep their curiosity from their serious expressions.


    ¡°I¡­ felt betrayed by Aaliyah. I was ostracized in Truset, my birthplace, because I was born without any talent with magic. I moved here so I could forget about my troubles, and to escape the demands of humans that I could never fulfill. When I caught Aaliyah practicing magic, I lost myself to my anger and self-loathing. I convinced myself that your family had been targeting me since you arrived years ago.¡±


    The strongest man I¡¯ve met can¡¯t stop shivering. We both share regrets from that day.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Darrius. I attacked you for no reason. And I¡¯m sorry to you too Aaliyah. I almost did something unspeakable in my blind rage, I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    ¡°We both need to forgive each other. Got to say though, I didn¡¯t think you would take this long to reach out.¡±


    My little joke stops Del¡¯s trembling, and his frown lessens slightly.


    ¡°I came by last night. I heard you talking to your new magic teacher, and thought I should come back later. Even if you don¡¯t want to be my apprentice anymore, I still felt I needed to apologize to your family.¡±


    ¡°Sandra¡¯s not my new teacher, she¡¯s my brother¡¯s sweetheart. She¡¯s leaving for the city soon, and the only people I can tell about my magic skills are my family¡­ and you. I don¡¯t want to brag but I¡¯m pretty talented. If someone of even Sandra¡¯s dad¡¯s status learns about my skills it could cause a lot of problems for my family.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want that? I can only teach you blacksmithing, if your talent in magic is as high as you say, you¡¯re giving up a great future.¡±


    Looking at Del and my parents, I can tell they¡¯re both thinking the same thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine by myself. I never wanted you to teach me magic, maybe answer a few questions I might have, but I never wanted to make my whole life about magic. Sandra told me about starred mages in the cities, it sounds like they expect total devotion to themselves before they teach you any useful knowledge, and even then, it¡¯s the kingdom which holds the real knowledge. I would have to join the kingdom¡¯s military if I wanted to pursue a major career in magic. Even without a teacher, I¡¯ve already managed to cast two spells I made myself. They may be small and take up most of my mana, but basic lifestyle magic is mostly what I¡¯m looking for anyway.¡±


    ¡°You managed a spell already!¡± Mom looks shocked, maybe she was listening to us last night.


    ¡°Yep, all by myself.¡± Grinning broadly, I show mother my newly scrubbed teeth. ¡°I made a spell to clean my teeth better than I ever could with my toothbrush.¡±


    Before mother or father can congratulate me, Del exclaims angrily: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that!¡±


    The tone of his voice causes both mother and father to scowl at him again.


    ¡°Why are you saying that! Aaliyah should be congratulated!¡±


    Ignoring mother¡¯s furious look, Del fixes his gaze on me. ¡°Did you hurt yourself?¡±


    His question causes both of my parents to look worriedly at me. I lower my face trying to avoid their gazes.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought! We Stone Kin only use maybe ten different spoken spells. I may not be able to cast my own magic, but like all younglings the dangers have been drilled into me. Just because you can make any basic spell you want, doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no danger. There is a reason celestial spells are considered the only true form of spoken magic! It¡¯s because those words are the only way to precisely cast spells. No matter how well you word your spells, you can never achieve the image in your head. The larger the difference between your chanted words and your mental image, the larger the chance your spell will go wrong. Not only could you seriously hurt yourself by draining too much of your magic, but you should never test a new spell on yourself. The only way to customize magic precisely is to master pure manipulation. You could have killed yourself even with only trying out a basic spell for the first time!¡±


    I can feel the life drain from my face. I know my spell this morning caused me a lot of discomfort but I didn¡¯t know it could have been a lot worse.


    Seeing Del berate and educate me, mother looks at Del with a whole new look of understanding.


    ¡°If Aaliyah resumes her apprenticeship with you, will you teach her the dangers of magic as well?


    ¡°If she wants to return to learning blacksmithing with me, of course I would answer any questions I could, be they blacksmithing or otherwise.¡±


    With mother nodding to Del, everyone looks at father. Dad hasn¡¯t said much of anything like usual. His straight face would unnerve anybody. I can¡¯t in good conscience return to working with Del unless both my parents agree.


    Straightening his shoulders, dad finally speaks his mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you, Del.¡± Fathers even voice pierces Del¡¯s heart. Mother and I can feel the pain in fathers¡¯ words. ¡°I could forgive our fight if that was it, but seeing you standing over my daughter with that look in your eye. I could never feel comfortable knowing she¡¯s with you again.¡±


    Del and I both lower our heads. I thought I was going to have to convince mother to let me rejoin Del, not father.


    ¡°However!¡±


    My head pops up, wide-eyed, as I listen to father continue.


    ¡°I know how much Aaliyah wants to learn blacksmithing. I don¡¯t want to stand in the way of her dreams, but I can¡¯t trust you. I¡¯ll be dropping her off in the mornings, picking her up before dinner, and checking on her randomly. If you can agree to that, I¡¯ll consent to her restarting her apprenticeship. But I¡¯ll warn you, if anything happens again no matter how small, I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I¡¯m truly sorry for the pain I¡¯ve caused each of you. I¡¯ll ask one last time, Aaliyah would you like to be my apprentice?¡±


    This isn¡¯t the happy ending to a Disney film that I was hoping for. I can tell mother is still wary of Del, and father, who is usually the nicest person in the room, openly said he could never reconcile with him. I still think Master Del deserves another chance. He needs an apprentice as much as I need a teacher, maybe even more than that.


    ¡°I would appreciate my apprenticeship back. I want to learn how to be a successful blacksmith. I¡¯ll try my hardest to learn everything you can teach me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for giving me a second chance, Aaliyah.¡±


    ¡°And thank you, Master Del. I¡¯m sorry for keeping my magic a secret from you.¡±


    With my touching reunion over, I turn to look at mother with her reluctant smile greeting me, paired with dad¡¯s worried gaze. They both don¡¯t want me to return to Del, yet they support me the best they can. I really lucked out with this family.


    Rising from my chair, I give both of my parents the hugs they deserve. Each of their arms wrap around me pulling me closer, as we assure each other that we will always support one another.


    Separating from my parents, I walk around our table and stand in front of Del.


    ¡°Are you ready to learn how to be a blacksmith?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ but tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What? We still have the rest of the day. Do you need to take care of something?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ we do.¡±


    ¡°We need to take care of your clothes and shoes first, also maybe burn those hides you use as sheets.¡±


    ¡°Very funny. I guess we could take care of that first.¡±


    ¡°Still not joking with you, grandpa. I really want to try and make a fire spell, and I¡¯m sure your sheets would make a great target.¡±


    As we¡¯re leaving and the door closes behind us, I sneak one last look inside our house. Mom and dad still have their worried looks. I was hoping some banter might settle them. I try to erase my frown before Del sees it. I¡¯m happy I can finally learn about blacksmithing, but I need to make sure I take some time off for my family.


    ¡°Master Del, every few days I¡¯ll need some time off for my family. Is that ok?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    With us both in agreement, we walk back silently to Del''s hut for hopefully the last day of cleaning. Tomorrow the real fun begins.


    <hr>


    Walking through the forest with dad, I no longer see any more slush. The soil is still damp but with the weather heating up the spring sun should take care of that real quick.


    Today I resume my smithing training with Del. Yesterday we finished our cleaning, and I made it clear to Del that he needs to put effort into himself.


    Depression is a scary thing, and after realizing how much he shut himself inside when things went wrong, I need to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen again. Even if he¡¯s a high-leveled person he needs to establish a cleaning schedule for his house and more importantly himself. I¡¯ll make sure to give him the kick in the pants he needs.


    All it takes sometimes is for someone to care and listen to your problems.


    We also talked about my training schedule. We decided on four days of work and then a day off. Del wanted to jump right to teaching me how to make a knife, before I reminded him, that I still needed to learn how to turn ore into metal.


    We have a whole cart full of iron ore to work with, so we decide to start with that today.


    Almost at Del''s house, I wonder if I will have to wake him up again?


    As I enter the clearing, I¡¯m shocked to see Del moving equipment around. With tools, ore, and wood scattered about, I can tell he must have woken up before the sun even rose. Turning to dad, I give him a hug as goodbye, and watch him continue into the forest looking back at me till he completely vanishes from view.


    As I enter the clearing, I shout ¡°Good morning Master Del!¡± There, I see my master drop the wood he has been carrying into a large pile.


    Looking up at me, I¡¯m greeted with a half-smile. It must be still awkward after yesterday. Walking to the pile of wood he¡¯s been stacking, I notice the pile is next to the weird metal furnace thing and while wondering what it¡¯s used for, I feel excited. The idea of turning rocks into metal, gets me excited to forge my first real dagger. I need an iron ingot and some leather strips.


    ¡°Good morning, Aaliyah. Are you ready to get messy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t wait to forge some metal!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your excitement doesn¡¯t fade by the end of the day. Grab that rock crusher and we can get started.¡±


    Looking at the different tools thrown about, I can pick out some of the differences between the tongs and hammers. He didn¡¯t want a hammer or he would have said so. I think it¡¯s this, I grab a five foot long wooden handle that has a metal cylinder at the bottom. Dang, this thing weighs at least 30 pounds. I bring it over to the cart, where Del is waiting for me.


    ¡°Good, I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out what I meant, but don¡¯t forget the base.¡±


    Running back to the tools, I find the only thing that looks like you could crush rocks in it. The stone bowl is two square feet, with a divot in the middle where the rocks are supposed to go. Thinking about the previous tool, it¡¯s just a big mortar and pestle. There appear to be handles on the side of this square pestle. Bending my legs, I try and lift the square piece of stone.


    Hugggggg¡­..


    Hhhuuuuugggggggg


    This thing has to weigh over 400 pounds, how does he want me to bring this to him?


    The sound of laughter rings in my ears. Master Del is standing next to the cart of ore clearly laughing at me.


    Still laughing, Del comes over and picks up the block with the ease of someone picking up a cardboard box.


    ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help myself. I had to make most of these tools myself and I never had to worry about the weight.¡±


    Setting the block next to the cart, Master Del grabs a chunk of ¡°Lovers¡± iron.


    ¡°Ok, listen carefully. Take the ore and place it in the base. Grab the rock crusher and pound it to a paste. The ¡°Lovers¡± iron sand will stick to the bottom of the crusher. Scrape off the iron dust into bucket. Take out the waste material as you go. Got all that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sounds real difficult.¡± I hope my sarcasm cracks his hard skull.


    Grabbing some ore and the rock crusher I start pounding away.


    5 minutes later.


    I¡¯m sweating up a storm! Waving this crusher around is hard!


    25 minutes later.


    I can¡¯t go on. Looking at the small amounts of iron sand I¡¯ve gathered hurts my pride. Even with my stats, this is too hard!


    ¡°You lasted longer than I thought. Sit and take a rest, let me know when you want to try again.¡±


    Moving out of the way, Del takes over. He starts by pre-crushing the iron ore in his hands, that¡¯s cheating!


    After he places the smaller chunks in the mortar, with only a single hand, he strikes with the pestle in three quick motions. Pulling the pestle up he scrapes the iron sand off with his bare hands and pours it into the bucket.


    Watching Del, I can imagine a machine would be only slightly faster. He¡¯s not even sweating!


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. In a few years, when you reach fifteen you can place your points into strength and be able to do the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Why should I wait? I already decided this is what I want to do.¡±


    Continuing to crush the ore, Del explains why it¡¯s better to wait.


    ¡°You hold off, not because you might decide on another job, but because it¡¯s good to have a better understanding of your work. Right now, you might think Strength is all you need, but later you¡¯ll need Dexterity, Endurance, Senses. You need to have a firm understanding of what exactly a blacksmith needs. Also, humans don¡¯t usually talk about it, but the harder you work to make something, the more experience you get.¡±


    ¡°My mom already explained that to me.¡±


    ¡°I bet she did. Do you think someone crafting a good dagger with 100 Dexterity will get the same experience as someone doing the same with only 50? When you know what you''re doing, speed is important, however you need to challenge yourself more when you¡¯re learning the basics. That¡¯s why I want you to wait till you reach fifteen before you distribute your points.¡±


    He makes a great point. I never thought about my status like that.


    ¡°Master, can I tell you my full Status page?¡±


    Pausing his rhythmic crushing, Del looks seriously at me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I want to, Status Page:¡±


    LV: 41 Experience: 9,216/ 69,380


    Health: 1100/1100 Stamina: 154/700 Mana: 409/530


    Vitality: 110


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 53


    Clarity: 51


    Status Points: 126


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV51), Acting (LV26), Meditation (LV52), Expel mana (LV32), Charm (LV35), Running (LV38), Cleaning (LV25), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV15), Mana Manipulation (LV15), Wood Carving (LV10), Drawing (LV13), Axe Skills (LV15), Inject mana (LV10), Mining (LV4), Cooking (LV14), Sewing (LV6), Chanting (LV3)


    ¡°You passed two tests already.¡±


    ¡°Last night I finally broke through.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the most impressive thing I¡¯ve heard in a long time. You sure you want to continue down this path?¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to get rid of me and crush those rocks, master grandpa!¡±


    <hr>


    On the next day, while dad escorts me to Del''s clearing, I can''t help but go over everything I learned yesterday.


    I underestimated how hard it is to smelt metals.


    Games disillusioned me to the hard work blacksmithing requires. Del told me it would be dirty, but he didn¡¯t tell me it would take more than a day.


    After hours of us taking turns crushing the ore, our cart of iron turned into only seven buckets of iron sand.


    Just because we crushed the rocks didn¡¯t mean we completely separated the waste material. Once we had our buckets of sand ready, we put the sand in a ceramic container and lit a fire under it. That was done to remove the moisture from the rock to let us better process it.


    Once the sand was dried, we moved over to Del¡¯s bloomery. The bloomery is the weird metal furnace thing Del stacked the wood up against.


    But before using the bloomery we had to turn the pile of wood into charcoal. Well, magic charcoal at least. In my old-world charcoal was made from burning wood and other materials in an airless furnace. I tried asking Del how the green charcoal was made from just burning some logs out in the open, but his answer was that this type of wood turns into charcoal with heat naturally. The reddish wood looked familiar, I think it was from one of the trees father showed me during our forest trips.


    When we lit the wood on fire it burned for an hour before it started to crumble into green chunks. Once the wood had crumbled to a decent size Del covered the burning embers with dirt.


    After sifting through the pile, we had barrels of charcoal ready for the bloomery.


    Del explained to me the bloomery is used to remove the air magic from the ore. I think he meant it¡¯s used to strip the oxygen from the ore turning it into concentrated iron.


    After igniting a base layer of charcoal in the bloomery, Del showed me how to layer the iron sand with alternating levels of charcoal. We spent most of the day pumping the bellows supplying the air into the bloomery. Del spent the whole time explaining to me how to watch the fire to see if it¡¯s too hot or too cold. Apparently, you also need to watch to make sure everything is burning evenly, I didn¡¯t know that was a thing.


    After we spent most of the day watching the bloomery, we finally got the chance to open the bottom and collect some blooms. Blooms are chunks of metallic iron left from the burning process. Because of the charcoal Del said it¡¯s considered a low-grade steel. I remember from my talks with Stanley that charcoal leaves a little carbon while smelting to make steel. Depending on the carbon content, you could get cast iron or many other forms of iron. Del told me he works with Steel mostly and only uses cast iron for pots and pans.


    We took all day to harvest the blooms we needed, and I walked home with dad, sore all over.


    When we reach the clearing, I see Del already preparing for our second day of smithing.


    Walking over to his forge, I don¡¯t have the energy to greet him today.


    ¡°Glad you decided to come back! I was worried you might have wanted to quit after yesterday.¡±


    Master Del doesn¡¯t look tired one bit.


    ¡°What are we doing now?¡±


    ¡°Next were going to turn these blooms into steel.¡±


    That makes me wake up a little. I see master already has a fire going in his forge. He¡¯s using the leftover charcoal from yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pump the bellows every so often so I can keep the coals hot. I¡¯m going to walk you through exactly how we turn the blooms into proper steel.¡±


    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯m ready!¡±


    <hr>


    I¡¯m on my ass again, sweating from the heat coming out of the forge. Watching how Del manipulates the fire, I could almost fall asleep right now. Doing this for so long is really hypnotic!


    The first thing Del had me do was crush the blooms we made yesterday into smaller chunks of iron. With the chunks of iron poured into a crucible, a ceramic container that can handle extremely high temperatures, Del had me gather something I wasn¡¯t expecting, fresh leaves. The green leaves he had me gather from a low hanging tree were placed on top of the crushed iron. Del explained to me that the leaves actually lower the melting point of the iron.


    That¡¯s the main point of this step. We¡¯re melting the iron into a liquid state. The blooms could have been forged into iron products by themselves, but you need to melt them fully to create a strong metal.


    Next, he had me grab some crushed crystal powder from his hut. He told me it¡¯s a cheap waste glass. Pouring the glass into the container, Del told me how it would melt around the iron first. Then, when the iron melts because it¡¯s heavier than the glass, the glass will float to the top, creating a seal so that the air mana can¡¯t ruin the metal.


    With a few pieces of charcoal placed on top to help deal with any air mana still in the container, he had me seal the crucible and help prepare the fire.


    With the crucible in place, we needed to heat the forge till the iron could melt properly.


    I finally got to see how ¡°Blacksmith¡± logs are used. The logs are supposed to be placed on the coals and you have to wait for them to catch, but Del informed me I could drastically shorten the time with my mana.


    According to Del, injecting my mana into the wood actually lowers the ignition point. The magical wood only produces the heat we need after it¡¯s been dried, and with fresh mana it ignites a lot easier.


    Because of this, I injected three logs with 100 mana each and watched Del place them in the forge. Like he promised, they ignited quickly into beautiful purple flames. The heat radiating from the logs required me to take a step back. With the first three logs ignited the others didn¡¯t take much longer to follow.


    By now, it has been over three hours since we first fired the crucible and Del promises we¡¯re close to finishing.


    ¡°Alright, I think it¡¯s about finished.¡±


    ¡°Really! Now we turn it into bars?¡±


    ¡°No, now we clean up the bloomery, and then you go home and come back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°How hot do you think that metal is right now? We have to let it cool overnight.¡±


    ¡°It takes three days to turn ore into an ingot?¡±


    ¡°Well you slowed me down quite a bit. I usually do the bloomery and crucible steps on the same day and finish the metal the next morning. Not what you were expecting, ha.¡±


    No wonder it was considered two jobs back in my old world. Just making ingots is a full-time job, and we still need to forge it into something else later.


    I¡¯ve gained a new respect for blacksmiths. Despite my grumbling, learning how to smelt metal has been just as fun as learning magic.


    Maybe I¡¯ll be able to eventually combine them one day.

 Ch: 19

    ¡°Master, please tell me this is almost over.¡±


    ¡°You know, back in Truset, we had forgers who just specialized in what we¡¯re doing now. It¡¯s these steps that define what a blacksmith can really create. No matter what you make, it¡¯s the metal you forge with that decides the potential of your work. If the metal is bad, the smith needs to work extra hard to create a masterpiece. Only by knowing these steps can you inspect metal properly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right master. I¡¯m just excited to see what the crucible did.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, but you need to be careful. Even letting the crucible cool overnight, someone with your stats will burn themselves when we remove it.¡±


    Master Del moves over to the forge and grabs the crucible with his hands. Standing next to him, I place my hand an inch above the jar. He¡¯s right, it feels like there¡¯s a fire still inside the crucible.


    With master¡¯s strong fingers, he peels off the black clay sealing the lid.


    With the lid removed, I can see the gleam of the glass on top. In one quick motion, master punches the inside of the crucible.


    ¡°If you¡¯re doing this by yourself, you should use a chisel to break the glass.¡±


    I can only nod my head as I stare, watching Master Del pour out the crucible¡¯s contents. Pieces of shattered glass tumble out first, followed by a solid chunk of steel.


    ¡°Are we going to forge something with that, now?¡±


    ¡°Almost, we treat the steel by heating it up, hammering it into an ingot, and letting it cool slightly. We need to repeat this about eight times. This helps reduce any structural flaws that can still be hidden in the metal.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just fold the metal? Wouldn''t that make it better?¡±


    ¡°Humans might need to do that, if they can¡¯t smelt good quality metal. You only fold metals if you have too many impurities mixed in with the ore. Folding steel once or twice is ok, but why would you need to improve your steel if you smelted it correctly? Sometimes folding metal too much can do more harm than good. Strike the forge, and get the coals burning.¡±


    Grabbing some dried brush, I start a small fire in the forge. As the fire grows, I add the charcoal to the mix. While watching the fire grow, Del moves his anvil closer to the forge. Once the anvil is set up exactly where he wants it, Del starts collecting different hammers and tools he has scattered about. The hammers have different sizes of heads, ranging from ones that look like mini pickaxes, to something that looks like Thor¡¯s hammer.


    ¡°That¡¯s good Aaliyah, but watch how I spread the coals. I want the coals spread even for only part of the forge, while another section needs to be hotter, so I usually place one of my blacksmithing logs. Different techniques require you to change the temperature of the metal.¡±


    After Master Del has the fire structured the way he wants it, he places the puck of steel into the forge. Even Master Del is using some short tongs, so he doesn¡¯t need to stick his hand directly in the fire.


    ¡°Stand next to me.¡± I move closer to Del so I can see directly into the forge.


    ¡°Yeah, right there.¡±


    ¡°You can use these longer tongs, but I want you to control the metal as I tell you. Watch the color and when I say, PULL! I want you to grab the chunk and hold it on the anvil.¡±


    Giving me some tongs and switching spots with me, I¡¯m now directly in front of the forge. I can¡¯t help but meekly say; ¡®You want me to hold it?!¡±


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s how you will learn better control. I want you to pay attention to the color of the metal as it heats up, as I hammer it outside the forge, and when it¡¯s cooled to the point it has to be reheated.¡±


    Watching the metal turn different shades of red and yellow, Master Del points out all the little details to look for. With over 100 years of experience, I don¡¯t think I could find a better teacher anywhere.


    ¡°PULL!¡±


    With the signal, I grab the metal out of the forge, using the tongs to position it over the anvil. Del picks up the Thor hammer and his hand seems to start swinging in slow motion. Four hammers continuously strike the metal one blow after another. The force from his swing travels through the metal, and up the tongs, sending a shocking sensation throughout my body. Before he can swing again, the hot metal tumbles to the ground. I can¡¯t even grip the tongs anymore.


    ¡°You ok?¡± Del asks me.


    ¡°My arms won¡¯t stop shaking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will stop soon. Let me get the steel.¡±


    Grabbing the cooling metal with his bare hands, Del cleans the dirt off with a wire brush. Once the metal is cleaned properly, Master Del leaves the cooling steel on the anvil and turns to check on me.


    ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have used Multi-Strike without warning you.¡±


    As Del places the cooled metal back in the forge I have to ask. ¡°Was that one of your skills?! Can you teach me that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a physical tier 4 skill, so you probably won¡¯t be able to learn it till you level more. Are your arms doing better?¡±


    Flexing my hands, most of the pain is gone. ¡°I think I¡¯m good now. But I¡¯m curious, how heavy is your huge hammer? The force I felt was incredible and I don¡¯t think it was just from the multiple strikes?¡±


    ¡°This hammer? It¡¯s 50 pounds.¡± Del takes his place by the anvil again.


    ¡°Amazing! Wait, why is it only 50 pounds when you could easily lift more?¡±


    ¡°Even with incredibly high physical stats, people have a hard time wielding anything more than half their body weight. I can lift and carry extremely heavy objects, but swinging a heavy tool or weapon will drag the user with it, no matter how strong they are. Of course, there¡¯s workarounds, I knew some Stone Kin that would wear weighted shoes so they could wield heavier hammers.¡±


    ¡°PULL!¡±


    I almost forgot about the metal! Picking my tongs off of the ground, I move the hot steel back over to the anvil. This time, master only uses plain strikes. Well, plain as in using the same force as a hydraulic press. With each blow from Del, the metal moves from a circle to a shape more resembling a square.


    ¡°FLIP!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± What does he want me to do? Looking at him, he only chuckles at me.


    ¡°Too late now. Let it cool for a little longer then put it back in the forge. When I say ¡°FLIP¡±, that means I need you to turn the metal over so I can work on the other side. When it becomes more of a square, I¡¯ll say ¡°SIDE.¡± So I can hammer it into a rectangle shape. Watch carefully with each of my strikes. When two blacksmiths work together, they should be able to read each other''s intentions without talking.¡±


    He wants me to read his mind!


    ¡°Close your mouth. I don¡¯t expect you to know everything after I only showed you once, I just want you to pay attention. In the future, we will be able to tell what the other needs us to do by the strikes of our hammers.¡±


    ¡°By hammers, do you mean the 50 pound one? I don¡¯t think I could use that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll work your way up to it. I have plenty of hammers for different occasions. This big one, I only use when I¡¯m making ingots. My detailing hammers are around 20 pounds and after some practice, even you could swing them with your stats.¡±


    ¡°BACK IN!¡±


    The metal still looks a little hot but it¡¯s no longer red. Carefully I maneuver it back into the forge, trying to place it exactly where I pulled it out from.


    ¡°So, how many more times do we need to do this?¡±


    ¡°Probably another 15 times. I realized how much I need to hold back, so I can teach you properly.¡±


    I should have known. With each new thing I learn, I¡¯m reminded how labor and time intensive blacksmithing is.


    <hr>


    Two hours later, my arms feel like jelly again. After the treating and shaping process, I think I can finally tell fairly accurately when the steel needs to be taken out of the forge. Del even switched with me once and let me try wielding one of the 20-pound hammers. I missed half my strikes, and burned most of my Stamina in only a minute of hammering.


    After all our work, we have a two-foot rectangle ingot. One day of mining, three days of smelting, and we got roughly 70 pounds of workable metal for our hard work. Well, my hard work, I don¡¯t think Del is that tired. Stanley told me a large steel mill produces over a 1000 tons of steel a day. That being said, looking at this ingot I feel really proud of myself.


    ¡°Looks good. Put it back in again.¡±


    ¡°I thought this is how it¡¯s supposed to look?¡±


    ¡°It is. Now we need to cut off a portion so we can forge something with it. We don¡¯t need the whole ingot to make smaller items.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re actually crafting something today?!¡±


    ¡°Yep! I was worried you might quit if I don¡¯t show you some real forging today. Make sure the metal is a little hotter than usual.¡±


    Pumping the bellows, I watch as Master Del grabs a one-sided axe in one hand and his Thor hammer in the other.


    Waiting till the metal is good and hot, I pulled it out of the forge when I thought it was ready.


    ¡°Good timing.¡± Del¡¯s compliment, makes my work over the last couple of days feel worth it. ¡°Pay attention, hold it tight.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Steeling myself, I hold on to the red ingot as Del places his axe 5 inches from the end and swings his hammer down. He¡¯s still not using any major skills, but he slices the chunk of steel off in only five swings. The ingot was roughly three inches thick by three inches wide.


    ¡°Leave the big piece out and heat up the metal again.¡±


    ¡°Ok, but are you turning it into something now!?¡±


    ¡°Almost, I have to separate the metal a few more times. First, I¡¯ll make you a dagger, then the rest of the metal I¡¯ll save and let you practice with making nails tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I get a dagger, really!?¡±


    ¡°Pay attention to the metal!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you need something to defend yourself with if you¡¯re going to be working out here with me.¡±


    ¡°PULL!¡±


    Dang-it, I was paying too much attention to Del that time. Pulling the smaller chunk out, I place it on the anvil. This time Del uses that Multi-Strike again, but before I drop my tongs again the chunk of steel is cut into four parts. 2/5ths is left as one chunk and the three other pieces are evenly sized as well.


    ¡°How did you cut them so evenly, Master Del?¡±


    ¡°Tier two skill Measuring, getting it over 50 lets you measure things accurately with your eyes. I want you to switch spots with me. We only have a few hours left before your father comes, so I¡¯ll forge these last few things by myself. Watch carefully.¡±


    Master Del takes one of the three smaller chunks of steel first. He places it in the hottest part of the forge.


    Once he knows it¡¯s ready, he removes the glowing steel. Master¡¯s hands move in a way I can only describe as a conductor beautifully orchestrating a piece of music. With his left hand, he uses the tongs to shift the metal every second. With master¡¯s right hand he hammers the steel in to a thin steel rod. He has such control of his hands; he switches hammers without looking.


    Master Del only has to reheat the metal once before he¡¯s finished shaping it. I hardly blink as he manipulates the other two remaining chunks of metal into identically long steel rods.


    Neither of us say a word, as Del picks up the final piece of steel. Examining every inch of its surface, an idea seems to pop into his head. With a look of inspiration, Master Del places the last chunk into the fire. I can¡¯t help but mumble a question, breaking the rhythm he¡¯s created with the flames hissing throughout the forge.


    ¡°What did you decide on master?¡±


    After I start talking, realization dawns on master¡¯s face. Looking at me, I can tell he forgot I was there. He was completely engrossed with his work, like a true artist.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m used to focusing everything on my work. If you see me like that again, just call out my name to remind me to explain what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Master Del, I was marveling at your work too. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but what you just did was magical. The way the metals moved so precisely as you hammered them, it looked impossible to me. You are amazing Master Del.¡±


    ¡°Oh-stop, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet. I¡¯ll take my time with the dagger, and I¡¯ll try to do my best at explaining what¡¯s going on with the metal.¡±


    With his tongs he places the metal back on the anvil. ¡°The first thing you need to do is have a solid shape in your mind. You need to hold the image of the final product so strongly; you can overlap your progress with the metal with the image in your mind.¡±


    Without any skills, Master Del starts banging away with one of his 20-pound hammers. ¡°With the image in your mind set, you have to know your metal. You can always shape metal in any direction if you work hard enough. But truly great tools and blades follow the metal, not working against it. You need to be able to read the grain of your metal, as well as be able to identify the patterns that naturally form during the smelting process.¡±


    As master Del explains his techniques, I watch as the metal methodically turns into a dagger. ¡°Knowing how the metal needs to move and while knowing how it wants to move, only then can you craft with the best of your ability.¡±


    ¡°See this metal I¡¯m drawing out, that¡¯s going to be the tang. The tang is used to attach a handle or make one. I was thinking we could make you a handle out of the farkas bones in my hut.¡±


    As master moves on to the blade, my excitement bubbles over. ¡°Next we make the blade. This dagger will be slightly curved and will have a cutting edge on both sides.¡±


    With each strike of Master Del¡¯s hammer, the dagger moves closer to perfection. Watching the perfect shaping of metal, I can¡¯t wait to try making something like this myself.


    When the blade looks completed, master tosses it back into the forge. ¡°Is your mana full right now?¡±


    Master¡¯s question catches me off guard. ¡°Not completely, I used some of my mana on one of the logs when we first started the forge. I think I could use another 300 mana if I need to.¡±


    ¡°That should be enough. I¡¯ve watched how you pour your mana into objects, and I¡¯m going to have you do that to your knife. We Stone Kin call it mana quenching. Fire mana is the most volatile, but it is also the easiest mana to influence. If you inject your mana into the blade it will rapidly force the fire mana out, making the blade stronger, and making it more responsive to your own mana. Remember to force the fire mana out! Don¡¯t try to mix your mana as it will make it even hotter. We had techniques to mana quench back in Truset, but I haven¡¯t seen it performed since I left. When I pull the dagger out, pump as much mana as you can into the metal.¡±


    Waiting for master to pull the dagger out, I sink into my Meditation and Sense Mana skills. While meditating, I use Mana Manipulation to speed up my mana flow. Usually I practice by slowly injecting my mana into items, but this time I think the faster I fill the metal the better.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Pulling the dagger out of the forge and holding it in front of me, I start pouring my mana out of my hands as fast as I can. The only reason I can do this properly is because I reached the next levels in Meditation and Sense Mana. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to use all my mana skills like this a week ago.


    Master Del said fire mana is easily pushed aside. So, I take a risk, and while expelling my mana through my hands I grab the hot metal. For a split second I think I feel my flesh melt, but after a moment, I realize my hand is fine. With both my hands I inject my mana quicker than I ever have into the steel.


    100, 150, 200, 250, 300


    I can feel the heat being forced out of the dagger into the surrounding air. I can hear a sizzling sound, coming from the metal. Watching the mana inside the dagger, I notice a current my mana is taking through the metal.


    In only six seconds, I empty my mana pool to 15%. I was nervous about how much I needed so I went under my usual 20% safety limit.


    Luckily the blade stopped hissing after four seconds, and with my mana sense I can tell all the fire mana was properly forced out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked.¡± Del smiles down at me.


    Bent over breathing a little deeper than usual, I quickly look up at Del.


    ¡°What do you mean, I can¡¯t believe that worked! Were you not confident I could do it!?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ maybe 70/30.¡±


    ¡°70, that it would work!¡± I exclaim.


    ¡°No¡­ 70, that it would fail. Don¡¯t worry so much there was only a 10% chance you would really hurt yourself.¡±


    Staring at each other, the silence only lasts a minute before we both break into laughter.


    Holding the tang of the dagger in my hand, I marvel at the blade. This is one of the coolest things I¡¯ve ever done, in either of my lives.


    <hr>


    While being escorted back home by father, I hold my new dagger up explaining how awesome it is.


    ¡°After it cooled, Master Del taught me how to cut up some farkas bones and pin them to make a handle.¡±


    Waving my new dagger around, I try and show the handle off to dad.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice sweety, it¡¯s a beautiful knife.¡±


    Dad doesn¡¯t look excited yet. ¡°Then Master Del showed me how to sharpen the blade and polish the handle. You have to take different stones and slowly sharpen the edges. Master Del had to finish mine, but after I practice some more, I could sharpen your axe for you!¡±


    With that dad finally smiles down at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you, sweety. I¡¯m happy that man is doing his job.¡±


    Watching dad¡¯s face go from smiling and congratulating me, to one of pure distaste at the mention of my master, I¡¯m reminded how much father hates Del now.


    I was bragging about Del since father picked me up. I forgot to think about dad¡¯s feelings in all of my excitement.


    Moving alongside dad, I hug him with my left arm and hold my dagger away with my right. I need to have mom help me make a sheath later. I have a new reason to level my Sewing skill.


    ¡°Thanks for coming and picking me up Dad. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Always sweety, love you too.¡±


    Walking close together, feeling the joy of the day, I look at the beautiful trees and shrubs alongside the path home.


    Did that bush just shake?


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaggggggggg!¡±


    ¡°Aaaagggggghhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Hhhaaaaaaaa!¡±


    With screams filling the surrounding forest, goblins come flooding out of the underbrush.


    Before I can react, father swings his axe in a quick horizontal motion. Four goblins that were running straight at us are cut in half at the waist.


    Faced with such brutality, the other charging goblins falter.


    In the distance, I hear the horn the village uses to signal an attack. This must only be some of the goblins if the village is already signaling an attack.


    The horn further freezes me and the goblins. Father looks calmly around us, like he¡¯s mentally mapping the surrounding enemies.


    Looking around, there¡¯s over 20 goblins surrounding us. With eight behind us, separated with five on the right side of the path and three on the left side. I think there¡¯s almost double covering the path ahead of us.


    The short creatures are brandishing stone knives and basic spears while snarling, showing us their misshapen yellowed teeth.


    ¡°Aaliyah, stay close to me.¡± Dad has the same serious face he had back during the karhu attack.


    I refuse to be a burden again. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll distract the ones behind us while you take care of the ones in the front.¡±


    ¡°No! Just stay close to me and I can¡­¡±


    No time to waste. I take a deep breath and scream, charging the three behind us on the left.


    The three goblins look terrified at my reckless charge, and only the closest one reacts to my approach. The naked goblin starts flailing his spear in my direction. With his panicked movements, he over extends his arms trying to skewer me before I can reach him.


    Moving to the right, I grab the wooden shaft with my left hand. I can feel the goblin trying to pull it back but I¡¯m bigger than him and probably have higher physical stats.


    With the spear secured in my left hand, I take another step forward and drive my new dagger into the goblins left side. I¡¯m close enough to smell the horrible stench of the creature. I can feel my hand being drenched as the goblin''s blood gushes from the stab wound.


    As I start to relax the goblin looks me in the face and starts screaming like I¡¯ve never heard before. The sound is echoing in my mind. The screams sound of pain, anger, and a fear of death! They tear at my soul.


    Stop screaming!


    Stop screaming!


    Please stop screaming!


    Before I know what I¡¯m doing, I use the curved part of my dagger to slit the goblins throat. As the dead goblin hits the ground, I can still hear the screaming in my head. I look up at the two still shocked goblins.


    Their faces of fear tuns to rage, so they charge me together. I can vaguely hear screams behind me, but I focus on the charging monsters.


    With my left hand, I swing the back end of the spear, striking the left one across its head. With one dazed, I step in towards the third one who is rushing me with a knife. Getting in close so he can¡¯t stab me, I push him towards his dazed friend, with my knuckles still gripping my dagger.


    As they tumble to the ground together, I twist the spear in my left hand bringing the spearhead forward. Running towards the grounded enemies, I slam the crude spear tip into the goblin on top. I feel a resistance as I drive the spear through the goblins flesh and feel the snapping of the spear inside its body, or maybe I drove through some bone.


    With the spear stuck in the goblin, I throw myself on top of the pile of goblins and stab the bottom goblin with my knife repeatedly.


    Time seems to slow down as three of the creatures tackle me while I¡¯m stabbing recklessly. As I tumble with the new goblin group, I think I stabbed them once or twice but I can¡¯t pay attention anymore. My adrenaline is through the roof. I manage to free my left hand when the grip of one goblin falters. Prying off the goblin holding my right side, I stab its chest a few times before another three goblins have me pinned again.


    The last goblin is readying a spear to stab me, as the others hold me down. I won¡¯t die again!


    I continue to thrash, refusing to give him an angle to stab me. The screaming in my head is gone and the whole world sounds quiet.


    As he the goblin standing over me lines up his thrust¡­


    An axe severs the goblin in two.


    With a quick blur two of the goblins fly off of me. I can¡¯t tell what struck the bodies, I only heard their bones crackle inside them. The two goblins fly through the air, one hitting a tree and the other landing on the ground.


    Neither are moving a muscle.


    With only one left holding me, I roll on top of the goblin. Its claws are trying to scratch my face, my arms, anything it can get a hold of. I¡¯m surprised I¡¯m still holding my new knife, as I keep stabbing the flailing goblin in the chest.


    It won¡¯t stop moving!


    Seven stabs, eight. Its eyes won''t stop blinking, as its arms continue to reach for me.


    With a shadow covering me, a hand grabs my right arm. I have to free myself! I won¡¯t be caught again!


    With a quick motion, my body is wrapped by a strong arm. I have to escape!


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Aaliyah, they''re all dead.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s still moving. It needs to die!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dead already, sweety. Calm down, it¡¯s ok.¡±


    I suddenly realize it''s dad holding me. Looking down at the last goblin I was on top of, I can see the body twitching. Dad¡¯s right, it¡¯s dead, the chest area looks like carved beef.


    As my adrenaline drops, my body becomes harder to move. I refuse to drop my knife, but dad releases my arm, letting my clutched fist fall to the side.


    Still holding me in his arms, dad turns around towards the village. Two men are running towards us shouting something I can¡¯t seem to understand.


    The last thing I see before I pass out, is all of the bodies dad hacked apart, before he came to my rescue again.

 Ch: 20.5

    The eyes are everywhere!


    I can¡¯t find the trail I was on!


    All around me I see the forest closing in. The deeper I run into the woods, the larger everything becomes. Every shrub I pass I can see more eyes staring at me, following my every movement.


    How did I get separated from dad?


    I can see too many shifting shapes around me to count, I¡¯m being hunted!


    I continue to weave in and out of the trees, trying to shake my pursuers. I¡¯ve trained for this! After the karhu attack, I made sure to practice running through the forest around our village every morning.


    My footing remains stable as I run through a patch of mud. I can feel the sludge splash across my pants, and up my legs. My clothes are ripped everywhere, but that doesn¡¯t stop me.


    As I advance deeper into the forest the trees cover the sky and an ominous darkness is cast over me. All the shadows elongate around me.


    Grinding to a stop, hundreds of eyes dot my surroundings. There¡¯s nowhere left to run.


    Searching my surroundings, I can¡¯t even find a stick to protect myself. I can¡¯t remember where I dropped my dagger. Doesn¡¯t matter, I refuse to give up without a fight. I¡¯ll take as many as I can with me.


    Sensing my resolve, the shadows condense into dozens of goblins. Each one has an expressionless face, and is thankfully unarmed.


    Steadying myself, I wait for the inevitable attack. Slowly turning in place, I try to guess which one will charge first.


    Their empty expressions and silence, give nothing away.


    With no signal between them given, they all rush at me as a silent horde.


    As the first one reaches me, I grab its face, and inject 100 mana directly into its brain. With my increased mana control, the mana is injected quickly and the creature''s face starts to melt. It looks like I poured acid on its face.


    The melting goblin distracts me. One goblin grabs my left hand and another the right. Remembering my first forest expedition, I twirl my arms and grab the two new goblins and inject another 100 mana each. The two goblins start rolling on the ground, cradling their arms, but there are no screams.


    Turning around, I shove my hand into the face of one of the bigger goblins. He stops rushing me, as I pour the last of my mana that I can spare, directly into his eyeballs. The eyes pop and the juices run down my arm.


    I feel amazing! I was able to use all my skills single-handedly, just like the first time I used Inject Mana!


    My joy is short lived. With my mana almost completely exhausted, everything becomes fuzzy. In my moment of weakness, the horde tackles me and brings me down.


    Countless hands are holding me down, as a fat goblin sits on top of my chest. Before I can scream at him to get his naked ass off of me, his hands close around my throat.


    Every breath hurts, as I stare up into the goblin''s emotionless face.


    How dare these filthy creatures do this to me!


    Mentally pulling up my status page, I dump all my stats into Strength, almost quadrupling it to 200.


    The rage builds inside me, as my body radiates a new heat. The puny hands can¡¯t hold me anymore. Shaking the goblins off my arms, I reach up and squeeze the throat of the goblin sitting on top of me with all my might.


    The fat goblin¡¯s neck shatters in my hands. That felt amazing!


    Before the goblins recover, I roll over with my new strength and grab the necks of two more goblins, one in each hand.


    They¡¯re so flimsy now!


    I continue to grab the goblins around me, ripping off limbs and flesh with every movement of my arms. The horde of goblins never seems to end though.


    While using two dead goblins as clubs, I mental pull my status up again. Two more levels gained! I distribute the points giving me more Strength!


    The fire in my body burns brighter, as my murder spree becomes even easier.


    The forest floor is soaked in blood, and covered with the dead and dying goblins that I don¡¯t care about finishing off.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you screaming Goblins!¡± The empty faces around me continue to stare. No matter how many I slaughter, they refuse to make a sound.


    Time feels meaningless here, as they continue to charge me.


    It¡¯s great for me, more experience!


    Distributing my status points as I level, I smile as my slaughter continues.


    Ripping a goblin¡¯s head off, I twirl around looking for my next prey. The sea of bodies around me is unmoving, there are no more goblins left to kill. Thousands litter the ground, that was fun!


    With the sound of a stick cracking behind me, I turn looking for my next challenger.


    Instead of more goblins, mother and father walk out of the forest, stepping on the field of corpses.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you guys! I survived dad, just like I said I would! No more goblins to worry about!¡± my pride is overflowing, maybe I¡¯ll be called a hero in the village! Isn¡¯t this what reincarnated people are supposed to do, become heroes?


    But mother and father don¡¯t respond. They stand there expressionless like the goblins.


    Walking in front of mother, father draws his beautiful axe.


    ¡°What are you doing dad!?¡±


    Without stopping or changing his expression at all, his words freeze me solid. ¡°I¡¯m killing a monster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a monster! I¡¯m your daughter!¡± Waving my hands in front of me, trying to proclaim my innocence, I notice my arms and stop.


    Looking down, every part of me is covered in blood.


    Now that I see it, I become aware of the liquid dripping from every inch of my body. Staring from my bloodied hands to the bodies surrounding me, I can¡¯t help but think of myself as a monster.


    When father''s shadow covers me, I look back up.


    His straight face, is completely devoid of any love for me.


    I can¡¯t even think of a reason to try and defend myself.


    The screams of the goblins fill my head, only for me to realize that it¡¯s me who is screaming instead.


    As the axe closes in, everything turns black as I sink into nothingness, with the void screaming at me.


    Suddenly I¡¯m being embraced. ¡°It¡¯s ok sweety! You¡¯re back home!¡±


    Mother is rocking me like she did when I was little. Looking across the room, I see the bright lights of a sunrise. ¡°I¡¯m back home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re home. It was a bad dream. You¡¯ve been asleep since the goblin attack yesterday.¡±


    Before I can relax in mothers¡¯ embrace, I see the field of bodies around me, and the empty look of father before he killed me flashes before my mind. Trembling, I cry in mother¡¯s arms.


    <hr>


    Mother sat with me for over an hour before I started to calm down. After asking several times if I¡¯m ok, she left me to rest a while longer. The goblins scraped me up pretty good and I¡¯m sore all over from overexerting myself. I was lucky dad saved me before the goblin with the spear could run me through.


    I can¡¯t close my eyes, not only do I vividly remember my nightmare, but the attack from yesterday constantly plays through my head alongside it.


    Before mother left, I asked where father was. She said he¡¯s helping remove the goblin corpses from around the village. Apparently, this was the biggest attack the village has seen in over twenty years.


    I want dad to come back and give me one of his encompassing hugs, but he will likely be helping the rest of the day. I know I won¡¯t be able to get over my dream till I see his smiling face again.


    Rolling over in my bed, I see my new dagger placed on top of my clothes chest. Sweeping my legs out of bed, I don¡¯t bother putting my slippers on. The floor is slightly chilly despite the spring air.


    My legs feel stiff as I make my way towards my dagger. Grabbing the weapon carefully, I shuffle back to bed in a lifeless daze.


    Back in the security of my blanket, I stare at the blade in my hands.


    There¡¯s no blood on it, someone must have washed it off. The blade doesn¡¯t have the same shine to it as it did yesterday. I can spot four small nicks in the edge, three up near the tip of the curved blade and one more towards the middle. Did my knife hold up like it should have?


    I used it a lot yesterday.


    There it is again, the memories of the goblin attack. With my right hand holding the handle the same as I did yesterday, the sensations return to haunt me. I remember the feeling of plunging my knife into the flesh of those goblins. Feeling something drip down my arm, I panic. Is there still blood on me?


    Sitting up too rapidly, I feel dizzy. Ignoring the sudden vertigo, I check my arm for blood.


    It¡¯s only sweat. My arm is clean, mother must have wiped me down while I was passed out.


    The relief of knowing the blood is no longer on my hands doesn''t help. Falling backwards, I lay flat on my bed once again. Looking over to my right hand, I¡¯m still holding my dagger. The feeling of disgust overwhelms me, so I drop it on the floor. The clanging noise as it drops is the last reminder that it¡¯s still there, even though it¡¯s out of my sight.


    What did I do yesterday?


    I threw myself at those goblins. Why would I do that? I¡¯ve never attacked an animal let alone something humanoid before. With the first two goblins I ever encountered; I was simply trying to get away.


    But this time! This time, I charged at them looking for blood. With how quickly dad killed all the other goblins, he probably didn¡¯t want my help in the first place. I think I knew that on some level. So why did I fight, knowing it was pointless?


    I didn¡¯t want to join the kingdoms army because I told myself I didn¡¯t want to hurt people. Was that a lie?


    Do I want to fight?


    Staring at my hands, I imagine them covered in blood again, with me surrounded by the thousands of goblin corpses from my dream.


    ¡°Maybe I am a monster?¡± I quietly mumble to myself. Staring up at my crudely drawn clouds, I remember drawing when I was little.


    Was everything meant to be like this?


    Knock-Knock


    The sounds from my door keep me from falling into another abyss.


    Why would mother knock on my door?


    ¡°I¡¯m coming in! Are you decent?¡± Master Del gives me no time to answer as he pushes my door open.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Can he not read the mood of the room!


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t leave your work laying on the ground. Didn¡¯t you complain about that the first time you saw my house?¡± Bending over, Master Del picks up my dagger and starts examining it.


    Can¡¯t he leave me alone! I twist my body around, so I¡¯m no longer facing him. Grabbing my covers, I try to compress myself into a ball, and ignore the annoying Stone Kin in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for a tool to see such use, straight from the forge. Only a few nicks, I¡¯ll show you how to take care of your nicked blades later.¡±


    ¡°What do¡­ Aaaagggg!¡± Before I can ask what Del means, he rips my blanket off and hoists me one handed over his shoulder. As he makes his way through our house, it takes me a minute to realize what¡¯s happening before I start struggling.


    ¡°Put me down you stupid dwarf!¡±


    Ignoring my racial slur, Del makes his way to our front door. Stopping in the doorway, he turns to my sitting mother. Noticing her myself, she doesn¡¯t look surprised about the situation in front of her in the least.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her to work. Tell Darrius, he can pick her up as usual.¡±


    That¡¯s all you¡¯re going to say, while kidnapping me! What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll let him know when he gets back. Study hard sweety!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± How is she letting this happen?!


    Without giving me a chance to demand an explanation from mother, we¡¯re outside, walking towards Del¡¯s house.


    ¡°Put me down Del, I mean it! I¡¯m too tired for this!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t do that lass. You¡¯ll run, and I don¡¯t feel like chasing you right now. Relax and enjoy the ride. Your Stamina is incredibly high for someone your age, you¡¯ll bounce back quickly. You got plenty of rest, and your mother said you didn¡¯t suffer any real injuries.¡±


    If he thinks I¡¯m going to let him carry me like a sack of pommels again, he¡¯s sorely mistaken.


    As we move through the village, I try to increase my struggling, but nothing works. His arm that¡¯s pinning me to his shoulder never moves a centimeter. After a few minutes of my last ditched struggling, I give up. Del was right though, after struggling so much, the soreness I felt vanished the more I moved. I only hope no one saw me like this.


    Looking around, no one is paying attention to us, they¡¯re¡­


    They¡¯re moving bodies!


    Paying attention to my surroundings more, I notice the blood all over the ground. Villagers are dragging corpses to the bonfires scattered around the village. Some of the younger villagers are helping by collecting severed goblin limbs that are scattered about.


    No one is talking.


    ¡°Del, did anybody get hurt during the attack?¡± I try to whisper my question, I wonder if he can even hear me while I¡¯m in this position.


    ¡°Prome yous wnt run?¡± (You promise you won¡¯t run?) Del asks me over his shoulder. Being so close to other villagers, he reverted back to his jumbled speech.


    ¡°I promise.¡± I can¡¯t start running about, with the village like this.


    Pulling me off of his shoulder, Del gently places me on the ground. He doesn¡¯t answer my question till we start entering the path to his house.


    Whispering in case a villager is close by, Del answers my earlier question. ¡°Two died yesterday, and seven others received major injuries. They carted the injured to the city of Drey. Before you ask, that¡¯s the closest city to our village, and Anastasia went with them to keep them stable till they reach a proper healer.¡±


    ¡°That bad, huh. So why aren¡¯t we helping the rest of the village?¡±


    ¡°Because we have our own mess to clean up.¡±


    I freeze in the middle of the trail. I¡¯m back at the attack site from yesterday. This is where I¡­


    ¡°Keep going, we have to grab the cart first.¡± With a gentle push on my back, Del keeps me from breaking down, and continues on towards his house.


    Entering Del¡¯s clearing, I¡¯m treated to another war zone. I can¡¯t tell how many dead goblins there are because most are smashed into paste.


    Seemingly unaware of the carnage around him, Del walks over and starts dragging his cart back towards the way we came. I can only silently follow him, till we reach the bodies again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to clear this up.¡± Unaware of the images floating in my head, Del prompts me to help him throw the bodies inside his cart.


    Watching Del grab chunks of goblins in each of his hands, I turn and face the pile of goblins I killed. Their bodies are still laying exactly like I remember. The blood looks dried except for the puddle that formed underneath their corpses. I can smell the rot that¡¯s already started to eat away at the decomposing flesh.


    Unlike the bodies inside the village, we¡¯re surrounded by forest here, and the bugs have already started to gorge themselves on the feast I created. Large bugs, some that look aggressive, are tearing small chunks of flesh away with every bite.


    ¡°These the one¡¯s you killed? Good job.¡±


    Turning around, Del is right behind me. ¡°GOOD JOB! How is this a good job?! I mutilated these poor creatures, I savagely tried to tear them apart. I¡¯m worse than any of them!¡±


    Hanging my head after my outburst, I try to not cry in front of Del.


    ¡°What did I say about looking a Stone Kin in the eyes, stop hanging your head.¡±


    Looking up again, the normally strong features of Del¡¯s face are replaced with a softer look of concern.


    ¡°I could tell this was your problem the moment I talked to your mother. This isn¡¯t your fault. You were only defending yourself and your father.¡±


    ¡°But dad could have handled it all on his own. I wanted to make the goblins suffer, so I charged them without thinking. I attacked them like an animal, like a monster! I almost died a monster!¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°And I¡¯m sure a monster would be standing here crying over some goblins that tried to kill her.¡±


    What is he talking about?


    ¡°Goblins are one of the most common monsters in the world. They breed like rats, and have been known to attack and eat one another. The fact that you are crying over creatures like these, shows how kind you are. You can feel sad for the lives you have to end, but never feel sorry for defending yourself and those you love. Whenever we see our loved ones threatened, it brings out parts of ourselves we never think about. Are you feeling an overwhelming need to go into the woods and kill everything you see?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I can barely respond.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re not a monster. Our world is filled with danger, and though you don¡¯t have to go looking for it, you need to face it when it comes for you. Living in a village like this, we have to deal with the dangers of the forest, but even if you moved to a city like Drey, you would still have to face the human monsters of this world. Continue to respect life, but respect your own life the most.¡±


    Finishing his speech, Del grabs two of the goblins in front of me and throws them in the cart.


    Thinking over Del¡¯s words, I help him load the rest of the remains in the cart.


    We walk back to Del¡¯s house. As we enter the clearing, Del takes his cart over to the large ash pile he keeps towards the edge of the clearing.


    ¡°Start a fire, I¡¯ll scoop up the ones left around the forge.¡±


    Building a small fire is easy, building a bonfire is work. Del finishes collecting the bodies before I have the fire big enough to burn a single goblin.


    Working together, we build a pyre that is 10 foot squared. We even topped it with ¡°blacksmith¡± logs to burn extra hot. Before we start tossing the bodies in, Master Del says a quick prayer.


    ¡°We give these bodies back to you, great Tarrow. May they become one with the earth again.¡±


    Bending over, Master Del grabs a handful of dirt and throws it over the fire.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± With master giving the go-ahead, we start tossing the bodies on top of the fire.


    ¡°Master, who¡¯s Tarrow? I¡¯ve heard you say his name a few times before but I can¡¯t remember who that is?¡±


    Scoffing at my remark, Del educates me. ¡°You humans, always praying to the gods, but never taking the time to memorize them. Tarrow is the god of earth and nature. Tarrow is the god all Stone Kin worship.¡±


    ¡°What about the others? My parents never talked about the specific gods, they said we could bring danger upon us if we show favoritism to any one god.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only because no god has ever blessed humans with their boon before. That¡¯s why humans are a low magical race. We Stone Kin are taught that in the beginning of life, the God Tarrow blessed the Stone Kin with unparalleled earthen magic. That¡¯s why we¡¯re the best at crafting. But just because we worship Tarrow the most doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t respect the other gods. You have Goddess Sepia, master of water and the cold. God Aptis, who rules over fire and heat. God Vitis controls the air and seasons. Goddess Ebeon is the harbinger of death and space. And finally, Goddess Ilia, the goddess of all life and time. It¡¯s said the six gods and Goddesses came together to create the world as we see it.¡±


    ¡°Have the gods blessed other races?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I didn¡¯t spend much time being social after I left Truset. I know I said I¡¯d answer any question but let¡¯s finish this so we can get on to some forging.¡±


    As we dump the last of the bodies, the smell has become almost unbearable. The air smells of rotten smoked meat. Staring at the pyre, I feel so dirty right now. At least Del¡¯s pep talk did the trick. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll still have nightmares, but I don¡¯t hate myself anymore.


    ¡°See you tomorrow Del.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying! You¡¯re learning to forge nails today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds interesting and all, but I feel really dirty right now. I¡¯m going home to wash all the goblin blood off. We can forge nails tomorrow, promise.¡±


    Del looks at me with a complicated expression.


    ¡°How about I teach you a celestial spell, as long as you promise to work extra hard afterwards?¡±


    Turning around, I don¡¯t care about the blood covering my clothes and skin anymore.


    ¡°Wait! How are you going to teach me? You can¡¯t even use magic yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the words and the proper way to recite the spell, controlling and expelling your mana correctly will depend on your skills. It¡¯s a simple spell that all Stone Kin learn as children, it¡¯s a personal cleaning spell. Every Stone Kin learns it so water isn¡¯t wasted on personal hygiene. Pay attention, I¡¯ll say it slowly the first time, then again with the proper enunciation.¡±


    ¡°A-H-Y-T L-S W-E-E-M A-P-P-I-S-S!¡±


    ¡°Got that? Here it is a few more times.¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    ¡°Knowing the words is only the first step. You need to have at least a picture in your head about what the spell does. This spell creates a mana fog around you that removes dirt and grime from your body and clothes if they¡¯re close to you. If you wear thicker clothing it might not clean it all the way. Once you know the chant, and have an image in your head, that leaves the final and hardest part. You need to expel your mana in a way that resonates with the words you''re chanting.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to explain. I¡¯ve never been able to use magic, so all I can tell you is what I remember from the people who tried to teach me as a child. The celestial language resonates with mana itself, so you need to expel your mana in different intervals with each part of the chant. You need to match each tone to the next to properly cast the spell.¡±


    ¡°Want me to say it again?¡±


    ¡°No, I think I have the chant itself memorized. Give me a second.¡±


    Centering myself, I activate my usual skills. Meditation, Sense Mana, Mana Manipulation, Expel Mana, and Chanting all come together as I recite these weird magical words.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I manage to recite the spell exactly as Del did, but as I say each consecutive word in the chant, the mana fractures and ultimately breaks as I continue the chant. Del said the mana needs to change with each word so it connects into a proper spell.


    Sitting on one of Del¡¯s benches, I run through chanting the spell multiple times. My first breakthrough happens when I decrease the mana, that I am expelling between the third and fourth word. I thought the larger the word the more mana I would have to expend, but I was wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you 30 more minutes to try and cast the spell, then we move on to blacksmithing.¡±


    Del must think I can¡¯t cast the spell that easily. Though, I think I can do it!


    The letters ending a word decide the change that the mana needs to take before it can link with the next word. Using my hypothesis, I test the chant a few more times.¡±


    ¡°Ahyt¡­ ls¡­ weem. appiss!¡±


    ¡°Ahyt. ls. Weem¡­. appiss!¡±


    If a word ends in consonant and a consonant is used at the beginning of the next word, I need to increase the mana in the next word. And when a word ends in a consonant and the next word starts with a vowel, I need to reduce the mana in the next word. With this discovery I try one more time.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Other than expelling the mana through my words in the order I discovered, I can¡¯t sense anything different. It¡¯s hard adjusting the mana I¡¯m expelling, but at least I can feel the words no longer clashing with each other. Unfortunately, when I finish my casting nothing happens immediately. Maybe I said it wr¡­


    ¡°Gods!¡±


    Before I can properly track my mana, it evaporates inside my body! The mist of mana seeps out of every pore and combines with all the blood and dirt on my clothes and body.


    The mist fuses with the grime and falls of like a dirty snow from the sky. As the last of the mist fades, I feel naked. I feel like everything covering my skin is gone. Even my rough clothes look cleaner than the day mom sewed them for me. Checking my mana levels, I¡¯m astounded that the spell only cost me 97 mana, and that¡¯s including the mana I expelled during the chant!


    No wonder mages fight for these spells. Four short words and I¡¯m cleaner than the day I was born!


    ¡°Ya-ya, stop staring at yourself. I¡¯m happy you managed to figure it out so quick. It¡¯s only a common spell, any proper mage should know it. Now you have to work extra hard like you promised me.¡± Master Del looks a little jealous, probably because I figured it out in less than an hour.


    ¡°Of course, Master Del, I¡¯ll do anything you say! It¡¯s thanks to you I could learn my first spell ever!¡± I have to keep the big guy happy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±


    ¡°But before we start, I¡¯m curious master Del. I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t teach me Stone Kin secrets?¡±


    ¡°That spell can¡¯t be called a secret. Mages pride themselves on their cleanliness, and that¡¯s because that spell has been spread across the continent for hundreds of years. Remember I said every Stone Kin child learns that spell. You picked it up quick, but how much mana did you use?¡±


    ¡°I used 97 points of mana.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok for your first time, I guess. Normally it should only cost around 60 mana, and people who master the spell have been know to drop the cost down to only 40 mana. When I said it was a basic spell, I meant it.¡±


    ¡°Then how are celestial spells considered a secret? After you hear four or five spells you could just mix and match the words to create new ones, right?¡±


    ¡°Never mess with celestial spells! The consequences are even worse than casting magic in the common language. Misspronouncing the words of a celestial spell will only waste your mana, but if you combine words in different patterns, you have no idea what could happen. Adding a word to the beginning of the cleaning spell could make it stronger, or it could clean all the blood from your body!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the problem with celestial magic, and the reason why mages keep their successful spells hidden. Most mages cast their magic with no more than a whisper, and many buy artifacts that either create or destroy sound to drown out their voices. And every mage is careful about spells they hear on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean Master Del?¡±


    ¡°During the great wars hundreds of years ago magic played a big part in every battle. Strong spells became pivotal to each nation, so thieves were dispatched to try and steal research from enemy mages. Most strong mages realized this quickly and swapped out their spells with more sinister spells. Many mages thought they were learning grand magic, but after wasting months just learning to cast the spell, it would turn out to be a self-detonation spell.¡±


    ¡°Oh Gods!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and because of the war, the losses were considered justifiable. Some countries that knew they were going to be defeated, sent their mages to the battlefield just to detonate and take as many lives as they could with them. After the continent settled down most of the faulty spells were sold to unsuspecting merchants, even to this day, they say some of those dangerous spells are found and used accidentally. That¡¯s why people seek a master to teach them magic, instead of written records. With a master they can show you the spell first so you know exactly what it does. Only Stone Kin weren¡¯t affected by the false celestial spells, because we focus on runic magic which is safer but much more complicated. That being said Stone Kin are taught three basic celestial spells as children. If you listen to what I say I might even teach you the other two.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why mages hoard their knowledge! Master, is it ok for me to talk about this with Sandra?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Sandra?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the headman¡¯s daughter, who I consider a friend. She¡¯s leaving to study magic some time in the future, and I¡¯m not sure Anastasia covered this in her lessons.¡±


    ¡°As I said, the spell is common knowledge. I have no problem with you teaching her if you want to. But I thought you were keeping your talents a secret?¡±


    ¡°I am, but I can still discuss magic theory with Sandra. She thinks I¡¯m trying to unlock my mana right now. I might even tell her I succeeded with feeling my magic, but I¡¯ll downplay my abilities to the level of someone like Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°You would make a great mage, you know, that right? With all your secrets, you would fit right in.¡±


    ¡°Stop making fun of me Del, I thought you wanted to teach me how to make nails.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, no more magic! Let¡¯s get smithing!¡±


    <hr>


    Walking on the path back home with dad, I¡¯m covered in sweat and soot again.


    Master Del taught me how to properly make nails. It was interesting to work with metal for the first time.


    After I started the fire in the forge and got it hot enough, Del had me grab the small rods of metal he made yesterday. When they were hot enough, Master Del showed me how to draw the metal down into a point while twisting the metal on its sides to make each side flat.


    After the nail was ready, a quick chop from the axe and a nail was formed.


    I wish I could brag that I aced it on my first try, or second, or tenth. Luckily, I made my first real nail before I ran out of metal on the first rod.


    I spent the rest of my time making dozens of nails, but I would be happier if Master Del didn¡¯t tell me why he wanted to teach me so badly.


    ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to make nails for the village anymore. I have more time to relax, I mean, teach my new apprentice.¡±


    Kicking a rock on the path, I grumble a little.


    ¡°You ok, sweety? I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there for you when you woke up. I was told you asked for me first, right after you woke up.¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine dad, Del helped me think about what I did right and what I did wrong yesterday. I¡¯m sorry for not listening to you. I didn¡¯t want to feel helpless as I watched you fight again. But I realized, I don¡¯t like fighting. Next time I promise I won¡¯t be in your way and I promise I won¡¯t act crazy again.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t that bad.¡±


    I make sure to give dad the look, so he knows that I can tell when he¡¯s lying.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t great, but you did better than most kids would¡¯ve done in your situation. On your days off I can teach you a few things if you want?¡±


    ¡°I would like that a lot, dad¡±


    Noticing the village ahead I stop for a moment.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, I just want to clean up before we walk through the village. I want to see mom¡¯s face when I come home clean for once.¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    This time I can watch my mana a little better.


    The mana inside my body actually resonates with the spell as I chant it. This must be why celestial spells work so much cheaper, they command the mana extremely precisely before it¡¯s even expelled. Master Del told me in two days he would teach me the only other spell he memorized as a child. It¡¯s only a ball of light that follows above you, but it will make our mining trips a lot easier.


    As the mist fades off of me, I see that dad leapt back nearly 10 feet from me.


    ¡°Cool huh!¡± Dad does not look happy at the surprise.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s an interesting spell. I thought Del warned you about casting your own magic?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t one of my spells. This is an official spell that Del had to memorize as a kid. Now mom can¡¯t get mad at me for coming home dirty anymore. The only sad thing is I can¡¯t cast it on other people, it¡¯s meant to only work in a single way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure your mother will be thrilled.¡±


    I spent the rest of the walk home talking to dad about the village clean up. The bodies were removed quick enough but the village is on the lookout for more goblins and other creatures attracted by all the blood that was spilt.


    Eventually the smell will fade, but for the next couple of days the watch will be doubled.


    Opening the door to our house the smell of stew, hits my nose, and I¡¯m reminded how hungry I am. Brother is finishing up dinner with mom and it looks like he brought Sandra with him today.


    ¡°Go wash before dinner is ready.¡± Mother doesn¡¯t even turn around to greet us. Let¡¯s see how she reacts.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, I already cleaned up.¡±


    Mother and the other two finally turn and notice me. Mother and Richard look stunned, but Sandra looks curious.


    ¡°How did you get so clean Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°Master Del taught me some magic knowledge to cheer me up. He even cast some magic on me when I asked if he could try and teach me a spell, so he showed me a basic cleaning spell.¡±


    Sandra¡¯s face lights up brighter than Del¡¯s forge. Even if it¡¯s a basic spell, it should give her a better chance at gaining a good teacher in the city.


    ¡°Was it, Ah yt ls wee m ap piss?¡± Sandra awkwardly says the spell.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one he told me about, but his sounded different. It sounded more like this:¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡± I make sure to say the spell correctly, but I don¡¯t use any mana. Maybe I can nudge her towards the proper form. Once she has that down she can probably figure out the rest by herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s how Master Del casted the spell. If you want, I can say it again slower after dinner?¡±


    ¡°Of course, if it¡¯s not too much to ask. Thanks, Aaliyah.¡± Her smile looks like she just figured something out, she¡¯s probably happy we can have another magic discussion.


    ¡°Just remember this when you come back from your super-mage training in a few years.¡±


    ¡°I will!¡± With a light hearted smile our promise is struck.


    With plans made, we all take our seats and have dinner together as a family. However, our conversation tonight feels a little rocky for some reason.


    Though everyone shares stories about their help in the cleanup and attack, Richard and Sandra appear to have something else on their minds. No matter how hard mother or I try to pry, they refuse to talk about what they¡¯re hiding from us.


    Once dinner is finished, we put the awkward conversation behind us, as I try to help Sandra finish her cleaning spell.


    ¡°A-H-Y-T L-S W-E-E-M A-P-P-I-S-S!¡±


    ¡°You have to say it like this though¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I can tell how concentrated Sandra is as she tries repeating the chant perfectly. It only takes her four tries before she chants the proper spell.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    We spend the next 30 minutes talking about the history I learned from Del. Sandra knew a little about why spells were kept secret, but Anastasia never mentioned anything about the war hundreds of years ago. Anastasia only received a little bit of training with the cleaning spell, before the army deemed her not talented enough to receive further training. We went back and forth talking about the complex celestial language, till Sandra had a sudden strike of inspiration.


    As Sandra sinks into her own closed eyed meditation, I notice everyone in the family is looking at me with a smile. When they notice my cheeks turning red, they all start chuckling.


    I¡¯m about to yell at them for laughing at me, when Sandra chants the spell perfectly.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Sandra opens her eyes as she is wrapped in her own fog of mana, I notice everyone is watching her. A surprising amount of dirt falls from her, and her clothes look even more incredible.


    ¡°I did it! Did you see that Richard! I did it!¡±


    Sandra gets up and immediately tackles Richard.


    ¡°No hug for the person who helped you finish your spell?¡±


    I wish I didn¡¯t say that. Sandra lets go of Richard and moves to me, smothering me for five minutes. The joyful mood is cut short by Richards coughing, he¡¯s trying to get everyone¡¯s attention. Sandra seems to know what¡¯s happening because she lets go of me and moves to Richards side, taking one of his hands into hers.


    ¡°Mother, father, Aaliyah; we have something to say!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re moving to the city tomorrow.¡±


    The three of us scream ¡°what¡± at the same time. Where is this coming from?


    ¡°I¡¯m moving with Sandra to Drey. She¡¯s going to be looking for a teacher and Salus gave me a recommendation for someone I can work under in the city. We plan to move back eventually but it could be years before we return.¡±


    The three of us are silent. It might not seem that far away, in the scheme of things, but travel in this world is long and dangerous. Drey is four days away from us if you¡¯re walking the whole way, and carts move even slower and could take you six days or even longer if something happens.


    While mother and I are stunned, father stands up from his chair.


    ¡°Is this what you really want?¡± His look could probably scare another horde of goblins away.


    Brother doesn¡¯t flinch; ¡°Yes, I want to go with Sandra and support her. Her family is escorting us tomorrow morning.¡± His resolve leaves no room for negotiation.


    The atmosphere turns awkward, and they leave to finish their packing. They promised to wait for us to see them off tomorrow at least.


    Because of the big revelation, we decide to go to bed early.


    For the second time today I¡¯m staring up at the ceiling, there¡¯s something I have to do before I go to bed. Status Page:


    LV: 41 Experience: 29,419/ 69,380


    Health: 1100/1100 Stamina: 154/700 Mana: 317/530


    Vitality: 110


    Endurance: 50


    Strength: 50


    Dexterity: 50


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 53


    Clarity: 51


    Status Points: 126


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV52), Acting (LV27), Meditation (LV52), Expel mana (LV32), Charm (LV35), Running (LV38), Cleaning (LV25), Mathematics (LV26), Writing (LV15), Mana Manipulation (LV17), Wood Carving (LV10), Drawing (LV13), Axe Skills (LV15), Inject mana (LV11), Mining (LV4), Cooking (LV14), Sewing (LV6), Chanting (LV9), Blacksmithing (LV7), Hammer Skills (LV3), Intimidating Shout (LV1), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV4)


    I gained over 30 thousand experience points in the last week, crafting is an experience gold mine. I gained four new tier 1 skills and Intimidating Shout which is another tier2 skill. It¡¯s scary how I gained so many weapon skill levels during that attack. Master said the more you challenge yourself the easier it is to level, but I don¡¯t think I could do that again.


    I should practice my Dagger Skills though. I have tomorrow off, and Sandra and brother are leaving in the morning. I should have plenty of time to practice my skills after they leave.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe brother is leaving.¡±


    I don¡¯t receive a response from the night as I fall asleep.


    <hr>


    Waking up to the first rays of morning light, signals the start of a new day, the sunrise might even fill a certain kind of person with joy.


    I curse mother who won¡¯t let me hang curtains in my room. It¡¯s a waste of materials she says, you won¡¯t get up she says. She¡¯s probably right about that second one.


    Rolling out of bed, I change my clothes.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    The mana fog clears away the oils my body produced while I was sleeping. With my hair completely clean, it becomes much easier to brush and tie up. Why couldn¡¯t Del teach me this spell a week ago!


    Refreshed and ready to go, I see mother and father waiting by the door.


    ¡°Morning mom, morning dad.¡±


    Father responds, with his trademarked smile. While mom looks a little jealous.


    ¡°Sweety, are you able to cast that spell on me too? You shouldn¡¯t be the only one who shines.¡±


    ¡°Sorry mom, I can¡¯t change this spell. It¡¯s designed to only work on the caster.¡±


    ¡°Oh well, had to try. Let¡¯s go meet your brother. He stopped by while you were getting ready and told us to meet at the road leading out of the village.¡±


    We walk in silence towards the village entrance. There is a cart loaded with supplies waiting to leave. Instead of a bivol pulling the cart as usual, the largest jelen from the coral is being used to draw the cart. They probably want to use the deer-horse instead of the mini-buffalo so they can reach the city faster.


    As we approach, the headman¡¯s family looks like they already said their goodbyes. Sandra and three armed guards are waiting next to the cart while Sandra¡¯s father is whispering something in brothers¡¯ ear.


    Once we get closer, brother separates from Sandra¡¯s father and greets us with a smile.


    ¡°Took you long enough to wake up little rabbit.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was a reason for me to get up so early. A horrible carpenter is just leaving the village, and taking my friend with him. I came to say goodbye to Sandra.¡±


    Trying to play it cool, I walk past brother trying not to let him see my tears. I can already hear some sobbing coming from behind me. I should leave my parents alone so they can send off their first child.


    Noticing me walking to her, Sandra meets me half way, leaving the guards by the cart.


    ¡°You came to see me off? What about Richard?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being smothered by our parents. If he¡¯s still alive I¡¯ll say goodbye after that. I hope you watch out for him when you reach Drey.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will!¡± Sandra leans in to give me a big hug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you might not have the time, learning to throw spells everywhere.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, if he gets out of hand, he could help me with my aim.¡± Still hugging, we share a laugh.


    ¡°Looks like Richard is finished with your parents.¡± After Sandra warns me about Richard, she tightens her hug and whispers in my ear.


    ¡°Thank you for helping me finish that spell. Thanks to you and Del I¡¯ll have a much easier time finding a good teacher.¡±


    ¡°You would have convinced a two-starred mage to take you as an apprentice without Master Del¡¯s help.¡± I mumble, as she continues to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°Yes, Del did help me a lot. It¡¯s funny, he told my father he left his home because he couldn¡¯t use any magic. He seemed pretty mad he had to tell my father that so I would stop bothering him.¡±


    She knew, about Del! And I said  all of those pointers came from Del!


    ¡°I hope you continue to practice your mana skills. If you continue to practice, I¡¯ll teach you one of the spells I learn from my new master when I get back. We can have a proper magic discussion when I return.¡±


    Letting go of me, Sandra turns and walks back to cart and her guards. Turning quickly, I make eye contact with Richard and hiss silently at him.


    ¡°Did she tell you she knew about my magic abilities?


    ¡°What? No! Don¡¯t look at me I didn¡¯t tell her; she must have figured it out on her own, she¡¯s really smart you know. You don¡¯t have to worry I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°She is smart, and I hope you''re right. She¡¯s trustworthy, so it¡¯s a good thing I asked her to look out for you in the city.¡±


    ¡°I bet she will. Are you going to miss me?¡±


    Taking a step forward I embrace my brother.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you every day. You better come back when you¡¯re ready to marry the villages first mage.¡±


    ¡°I already promised her father I would do just that. I¡¯ll level my skills and build her a mage''s tower that we can get married on top of. We should be back in four or five years; you¡¯ll have grown up by then. I can¡¯t wait to see how ridiculously strong you are by the time I return.¡±


    ¡°Safe travels brother.¡±


    ¡°See you soon little rabbit.¡±


    Watching him walk to the cart, I can¡¯t help but smile and cry at the same time.


    Mother and father appear beside me as Sandra and Richard board the cart. We wave at the cart as it continues to disappear into the distance. I¡¯m saddened that I won¡¯t be able to talk to Sandra for a while, but she and Richard will be back in no time.


    As they disappear, the image of Richard and the perfectly clean Sandra glowing in the sunrise is etched into my mind.


    Wait, perfectly clean!


    I look down at myself, and realize I¡¯m perfectly clean too. I couldn¡¯t still be in perfect condition after sleeping all night and changing my clothes. I would have had to have Del recast the magic or do it myself.


    Have Del recast it. That¡¯s another flaw. If she learned the basics from Anastasia then she already knew the spell only works on the caster! The way she smiled after I confirmed the spell! If that didn¡¯t confirm her suspicions, my cleanliness this morning sealed my fate.


    Sandra must have noticed my appearance immediately. I blew my secret the day after I learned my first spell. Who knows maybe she¡¯s known even longer than that?


    Oh well.


    All that matters is we¡¯re going to have fun together when she comes back.

 Notice

    Please read!


    I want to say thank you to everyone who has been supporting my writing. My followers almost doubled in two days, and I¡¯m near the top of the trending page. I never imagined my first-time writing, that people would enjoy my work this much. Thank you again.


    I¡¯m trying to read all the comments that people left me, whether they¡¯re grammar related or not. With the surge of followers, I quickly became overwhelmed. With all these new eyes, people spotted things I missed. It was pointed out to me that I messed up on the XP requirements to level. It works at its current level, but after plotting out the math, Aaliyah or anybody else would need 2,422,513,549,835 experience just to reach LV100. Though longer-lived races might be able to level higher, I don¡¯t think even they could handle a challenge like that. I want to be able to introduce high leveled people when necessary, so I decided to rework the experience requirements. Everything will stay the same with skills, stats, and the experience granted from raising your skills, but a person¡¯s base level requirement will be lowered.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I decided to lower the percentage of XP increase. Every ten levels the percentage drops. LV1-10 is 25%, LV11-20 is 20%, LV21-30 is 15%, LV31-40 is 13%, LV41-50 is 11%, then 9%, then 7%, and finally stops lowering at 5% at LV70. With this new method it takes 68,483,845 experience to reach LV100. I think this is more plausible, so I¡¯m switching to this method. In case you¡¯re wondering I plotted this all out in Excel, I don¡¯t randomly generate experience values.


    So where does this leave us? I decided to go back to chapter one and fix any mistakes that were pointed out to me. I¡¯ll work my way through the chapters fixing mistakes and updating both Aaliyah¡¯s and her parents Status pages. I wish I paid attention earlier and noticed this problem sooner, but at least I have you guys to steer me right. I¡¯ll try to balance my editing and writing, so it doesn¡¯t take a week before you get another chapter. I don¡¯t think you have to reread everything, I mostly plan to raise Aaliyah¡¯s parents skills to make it more accurate, that¡¯s the only big change I have planed.


    When I finish editing the 20 previous chapters, I¡¯ll remove this notice. The first chapter I¡¯ll fix experience wise will be Ch: 20.5. So, if you¡¯re wondering what her new status page will look like before the time skip, you could just go back a chapter. I also decided to reduce Acting to a tier 1 skill, and Charm to tier 2.


    I hope you can forgive me, but I can¡¯t in good conscience leave mistakes in my work, when they¡¯re pointed out to me. Thank you again for all your support.


    As always, stay safe.

 Ch: 21

    ¡°Almost there!¡±


    ¡°Just a few more feet!¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡±


    I finally finished dragging the cart out of the forest, and to the front of the village. Pushing down the desire to stop and relax, I scan the surroundings for Kervin.


    It doesn¡¯t take me long to notice the campsite I¡¯m looking for. He¡¯s set up in the small clearing next to the road that leads outside our village.


    Wiping the sweat from my brow, I continue to pull the cart towards the merchant, who¡¯s patiently waiting for me. As I reach Kervin, I can better make out the campsite. Two large silver bivol are tied to the largest trees outlining the clearing. The firepit is lit, with Kervin standing next to flames, waiting for me to get closer. His two guards are sitting on a couple of fallen logs that are outlining the center of their campsite. The two men wear full-body hide armor that shines brown in the morning sunlight. You can only see their eyes, scanning the surroundings, behind their helmets. I¡¯m sure they noticed me before I even rounded the bend to their campsite. I learned to ignore them years ago, quickly realizing they offer little conversation.


    Pulling Del¡¯s cart next to Kervin¡¯s, I greet the trader who comes to our village regularly.


    ¡°After noon, Kev. Did you finish selling your stock?¡±


    ¡°Afternoon, miss Aaliyah. I sold a little less than I was expecting, but you don¡¯t have to worry. I have plenty of room in my cart for your goods. What do you have for me this month?¡±


    ¡°I have 10 pots, 10 pans, 12 daggers, 8 cooking knifes, 1000 nails, 250 arrow heads, an axe, 3 swords, 4 spears, and a full set of steel armor.¡± Even winded, I stand proud, telling Kervin about my goods.


    ¡°No magic weapons? Maybe a magic tool somewhere in there?¡±


    ¡°You know Master Del doesn¡¯t sell his work, you¡¯re stuck with me.¡± I try to sound hurt, but I¡¯m used to him asking me the same question every month.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong Aaliyah, I¡¯m happy to purchase your work. It¡¯s thanks to you, I now pull a decent profit from traveling here. That said, a piece of true dwarven craftsmanship would sell for a hundred times higher than anything you¡¯ve ever brought me.¡±


    ¡°I know that Kervin. But if Master Del ever did decide to make something, and choose to sell it, he wouldn¡¯t make anything magical. If he tried selling anything like that, people would trace it back here and annoy the both of us till we had to leave the village.¡±


    ¡°I could only dream of being so lucky! I would be instantly promoted. Maybe I¡¯d get to run a caravan route between cities, the Silver Heard Trading Company would finally realize how great I am.¡±


    ¡°Kervin! The greatest trader in Masora, has a nice ring to it.¡± I try to keep my face serious. Picturing Kervin managing a larger wagon train, and spending even longer outside is difficult.


    I introduced myself to Kervin three and a half years ago. Once my training with Del took off, I realized how much of a packrat Master Del was. Del likes to do a lot of forging at once, leaving his extra work laying around. If someone comes to ask him for anything, he can give them one of his works that he already has finished.


    It took me a while, but I managed to convince Del to keep the pieces he already had and let me sell everything that I make. After teaching me to forge the most common items the villagers needed, I took over 99% of the forging. I make sure Master Del continues to watch me work and point out where I can improve, but now he lazes around a lot.


    Needless to say, I wanted to earn as many experience points as I could, so I accepted all the work I was given. I made sure to balance mining, smelting, and forging, so I could earn experience in the quickest way possible.


    With all the items I was forging, I figured earning some money would be easy. I introduced myself to Kervin and now we meet up every month, after he sells most of his stock to the villagers the day before. Kervin works for the Silver Head Trading Company, which is the trading company that Anastasia¡¯s family owns. They got their name from the silver bivol, they use to draw their carts.


    I don¡¯t know why he ever wanted to be a merchant? Kervin is a slightly chubby man, with a round face and short black hair. He has the glow of someone who invested heavily in Vitality, but lacks the muscle tone of someone who spends so much of his time outside. I think he wanted to work indoors at one of company¡¯s city branches. Kervin is only 5¡¯ 10¡¯¡¯, which is forcing him to look up to meet my eyes.


    We¡¯re close to my fifteenth birthday and I¡¯ve finally stopped growing. I inherited some of dad¡¯s height, making me 6¡¯ 1¡¯¡¯. I continued my exercise routines daily and managed to keep my slim build. The main difference are my arms, swinging a 20-pound hammer repeatedly has helped define my arm muscles. I can¡¯t say they¡¯re as big as Del¡¯s or father¡¯s, but anyone could see the physical work I do on a daily basis. I thought my hair would darken as I got older, only to watch it turn a reddish-orange like the flame of a forge. I worked with mom to sew some sleeveless tops, which showcases my arms and front assets. I ended up a little smaller than mother in the front department, but I¡¯m happy with my figure.


    ¡°Ready to talk business Kervin? Did you bring me any more metal?¡±


    ¡°I managed to bring some more bronze, copper, and some raw Fire-iron ore this time.¡±


    ¡°Really, that much? Don¡¯t tease, let me see it!¡±


    ¡°Of course, one second.¡±


    Kervin waves his hand and one of his silent bodyguards walks over to his carriage. After a minute, the masked man walks over and places a wooden box at my feet.


    Bending down, peering inside, I look at the treasures placed before me. I see four ingots of bronze, six ingots of pure copper, and three chunks of bright red rock. Checking the mana inside the materials, I can see the fire mana swirling inside the stone. Placing a finger on the red surface, I can better feel the warmth radiating from the ore.


    ¡°Good stuff, right!? The branch in Drey thought I was crazy, bringing magic ore to a small village.¡±


    Putting on my game face, I respond in a half-hearted manner.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. The heat coming off of the stones is only lukewarm, the magic inside can¡¯t be that strong. Master probably won¡¯t even want to work with it.¡±


    Kervin¡¯s smile hardens, and I feel his skills activate. Mother taught me that this is how all merchants operate. Their skills help them get the best deal that they can. After trading with Kervin for so long, I¡¯ve gained a few merchant skills myself. Activating my skills, Kervin¡¯s pressure recedes a little. I can feel his skills overwhelm mine, but my skills act like a thin jacket in a snowstorm. I¡¯m used to this oppressive feeling by now.


    I only use my merchant skills a few times a month, so they¡¯re not that high. Most of their use comes from my trades with Kervin, and whenever a villager comes to negotiate for something they need.


    ¡°You should be happy. A villager like yourself getting their hands on any magic material is lucky. So lucky, I might have to charge you just for looking at it.¡±


    For a second, I feel like I am lucky just to see the ore, before my skills reduce Kervin¡¯s hypnotizing words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it. I¡¯m thankful for you bringing me this, but the quality of the ore stands. Two silver for the ore!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t compare this to the small samples I¡¯ve brought you in the past. This ore is worth six silvers, I dare say even seven!¡±


    ¡°I remember paying a lot for those small samples. I wanted them for my collection, not to forge, you owe me one. Even if master doesn¡¯t work with this metal, I¡¯ll still make something decent with it and sell it back to you. Three silver!¡±


    ¡°Now your saying you¡¯re going to forge with it. That drops the price of the final product, five silver!¡±


    ¡°You know my work, three and a half silver!¡±


    ¡°I think four is a more reasonable price. Do we have a deal?¡±


    We stand, staring at each other, letting our skills settle this quiet war. When his skills finally beat mine, I¡¯m faced with the choice to leave the ore behind or take the deal.


    ¡°Deal!¡± I reluctantly say.


    ¡°Always a pleasure.¡±


    Shaking each other¡¯s hands, the rest of our trading is much easier. We already have prices set aside for the other metals and my goods. We try and renegotiate every few months, but we usually settle around the same prices we¡¯re used to. A basic bronze ingot runs me 25 bronze coins, and copper is only worth 15 bronze. With my quick Mathematics skill, I know the metals and ore will cost me five silver and nine large bronze coins.


    Pots= 1 bronze coin X10


    Pans= 1 bronze coin X10


    Daggers= 4 bronze coins X12


    Kitchen knife= 5 bronze coins X8


    Nails= 10 iron coins X1000


    Arrow heads= 25 iron coins X250


    Axe = 20 bronze coins X1


    Swords= 17 bronze coins X3


    Spears= 25 bronze coins X4


    Full armor set= 2 silver coins


    All my goods add up to 6.415 silver, leaving me only 51.5 bronze coins for a profit.


    Grabbing his money from a small safe built into the cart, Kervin hands me 5 large bronze coins, 1 small bronze coin, and 5 large iron coins. Normally I make a lot more, but when he brings me anything unique like the Fire-iron, I have to buy it.


    I managed to grow a small collection of minerals, and even if I rarely get enough to forge with, Master Del could still teach me the properties of the rocks themselves.


    With the money exchanged, both our skills fade away, and our normal smiles return.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky your skills are higher than mine, Kervin. One of these days, I¡¯ll get you to give me a proper deal.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. Watching your progress over the last three years, I¡¯m inclined to believe it.¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Yeah-yeah. Any news from brother in Drey?¡±


    ¡°He gave me the usual parcel for headman Downs, and wanted me to let you know, it should still be another eight months before they could return to the village.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s disappointing. Any interesting news about the outside world?¡±


    ¡°The neighboring kingdom of Scholl sent more troops to their fort in the Scarred Divide. The cities near the end of the company¡¯s route are preparing for a possible attack.¡±


    ¡°Wait! So, I should have charged more!¡±


    ¡°Next time you will. The attack hasn¡¯t happened yet, and I only told you because we¡¯re friends.¡±


    I look down at Kervin, with a suspicious look.


    ¡°Alright-alright, you got me. I want you to make me more spears, and swords. If I can get more quality weapons for the company, I might get a promotion.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like the Kervin I know. I¡¯ll see what I can do. Thanks for the compliment about my work. See you next month. Gentlemen!¡±


    I always make sure to say farewell to his guards. Del told me you should always show respect to people who choose combat professions. Even if a crafter obtains a high level, they will never be as deadly as a person who dedicates themselves to combat.


    Throwing my box of goodies into the cart I make my way back to Del¡¯s hut.


    <hr>


    Entering the clearing again, a quick scan reveals everything is still in its place. The tools are organized on a rack, the barrels of materials are covered, and Master Del is still napping on one of his benches.


    Parking the cart, I grab a bucket of water and start creeping towards master. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    He doesn¡¯t open his eyes, but calls out to me when I get within three feet of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s no fun waking you up anymore, master.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I gained the Danger Sense skill from you always attacking me in my sleep. I can¡¯t nap properly anymore.¡±


    ¡°Stop whining, master. You should be happy, gaining such a useful skill from your talented apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel the joy radiating off of me? How did your trading go?¡±


    ¡°I made 51 bronze today.¡± I set the bucket down, sad that I won¡¯t be using it.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! What did that bloodsucking merchant sell you now?¡±


    ¡°He got me three decent sized chunks of Fire-iron; you know how long it¡¯s been since I got a chance to forge with this much magic metal. I had to buy it! Besides, what¡¯s the point of money if you¡¯re not going to spend it.¡±


    ¡°If you saved your money and took a trip to Drey, you could buy much better samples than what that man brings you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate merchants so much master?¡±


    ¡°Does it not anger you, knowing he¡¯s underpricing your goods? Craftsman are always subjected to the whims of merchants. Whether it¡¯s buying materials, or selling our hard-crafted goods, merchants are always there to take their pound of flesh. Damn buzzards!¡±


    ¡°Craftsmen could just sell their own goods, why do we need merchants to sell our products?¡±


    ¡°Because anybody buying something, over a silver in value, will hire a broker to help them purchase the item at the best price they can get. Brokers are merchants that bleed craftsmen, who sell their own goods. So, craftsmen need to hire a merchant for their store, or enter a deal with an outside merchant to sell their works for them. When you actually leave the village, you¡¯ll understand quickly why merchants are all dragons seeking gold.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I think it¡¯s fun haggling over prices. It¡¯s just one more skill I can exercise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a monster yourself. No one your age has the levels or skills, that you do.¡±


    I try to look offended at master¡¯s remark, but he still has his eyes closed, laying on the bench. Walking over to the next closest bench I pull up my status page.


    LV: 58 Experience: 214,915/ 353,634


    Health: 1100/1100


    Stamina: 317/720


    Mana: 473/640


    Vitality: 110


    Endurance: 54


    Strength: 52


    Dexterity: 56


    Senses: 50


    Mind: 50


    Magic: 64


    Clarity: 59


    Status Points: 296


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV75), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV75), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV40), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29)


    I wonder how much Sandra and Richard have grown? Since they left, I¡¯ve made sure to exercise every morning and practice wielding three different types weapons. I focused on Axe skills, because I would most likely need to defend myself while looking for materials. Whether I¡¯m in the forest with an axe meant for chopping wood, or down in a cave with a pick axe, I figured those would be my closest weapons. Hammer Skills and Arts rose naturally from all the blacksmithing I was doing, so I only needed to practice a little to use a hammer in a fight while sparring with dad. Finally, I made sure to always carry a dagger with me, making training with it a must.


    After my drills would finish, I would either go learn from Del or spend my day¡¯s off with father and mother. If I still had any mana left over from the day, I would practice before I would fall asleep.


    Looking back, my schedule looked too busy, but I¡¯ve had an amazing time over these last five years. I can forge decently enough now, according to Del, and I managed to spend my free time with my parents.


    Thanks to all my hard work, I¡¯ve gained ten new skills, and leveled my old ones quite a bit. I gained the three art skills while training with dad. Trading with Kervin helped me unlock the Trading skill, Lower Price, and Increase Price, the opposite of mother¡¯s skill. Blacksmithing with Del unlocked Double Strike and Precise Strike, both of which I can utilize when fighting after I practiced enough.


    Those eight skills where effective for my everyday life, but the other two are my favorites. After I broke past the level 50 test in Running, I managed to unlock Double Step before I hit level 51. It allows me to take two steps rapidly, increasing my speed for a moment. And best of all, the cooldown is quick so I only need to wait five seconds before I can use it again.


    The skill I¡¯m most proud of, is Mana Skin. Working off of the properties I learned about fire mana from Del, I developed a method to insulate my skin. Using Mana Manipulation and Expel Mana, I cover myself in a thin veil of mana reducing the effect of outside temperature. When I¡¯m working by the forge, I can use it if I get too hot, or I can use it while running in the winter, so I stay warmer in the snow. Mana skin is my second tier 4 skill, while Precise Strike is tier 3, with the rest being at tier 2, except for Trading being at tier 1.


    I managed to raise my base stats a little higher, but only my Magic and Clarity saw any significant growth. A close second though was dexterity, between my running, stretching, and forging all day, I managed to raise it naturally by six points.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m ready to distribute my status points.¡± Talking to myself, I psyche myself up for what¡¯s to come.


    ¡°What!¡±


    Dismissing my status page, I turn to Del, who¡¯s finally sitting up.


    ¡°Now you sit up. What¡¯s wrong with distributing my points?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to wait longer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost 15, Del. I don¡¯t think it matters if I distribute my points a week early. Pulling your cart to the front of the village and back was tiring. I¡¯m ready to take the next step. Is there anything wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°No, if that¡¯s what you really want. I forgot that you¡¯ re a human for a second. We Stone Kin don¡¯t unlock our status page till we¡¯re 20, and don¡¯t place our accumulative points till we reach 70. Thinking back, has It only been 5 years? It feels like I¡¯ve been teaching you for decades.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I make you teach me, and I won¡¯t let you sleep all day.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°In all seriousness, Del. Any advice for me?¡±


    ¡°I think you know what you want. I never thought someone could work so hard as you do, with such low stats points. I won¡¯t tell you to become a mage again, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to place some of your points in things other than your physical stats. I do have one question though, what level did you make it to?¡±


    Smiling like a demon, I look Del in the face and answer, ¡°58.¡±


    ¡°Monster. Be careful of the forge after you distribute your points, I don¡¯t feel like having to fix anything today.¡±


    Del closes his eyes and lays back down, but I know he¡¯s secretly paying attention to me. With 15 years of hard work, I¡¯ve already reached the level of senior villagers.


    Pulling up my status page again, I distribute the 275 points I¡¯ve saved up since I was 10.


    LV: 58 Experience: 214,915/ 353,634


    Health: 2000/2000


    Stamina: 847/1250


    Mana: 836/1000


    Vitality: 200


    Endurance: 75


    Strength: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Senses: 60


    Mind: 60


    Magic: 100


    Clarity: 75


    Status Points: 21


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV75), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV75), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV40), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29)


    I save a few of my points, and close my eyes, sinking into my deepest meditative state that I could achieve.


    It¡¯s been a long time since I used any of my points, and my Mana Sense has grown by many levels since then. Scanning my body with Mana Sense, I try to notice the changes within my body.


    Suddenly there is an explosion of translucent color inside my body. It doesn¡¯t feel like mana, but the colorful mass appears inside my body, seemingly out of nowhere. I watch, as the colors merge into the different areas of my body. As the colors fuse into my bones, muscles, and tendons, my body feels lighter, stronger, and more flexible. Watching the fusing continue, I see a smaller amount fuse into my skin, ears, eyes, and nose. Smells become stronger, my ears hear Del breathing louder, and I can feel the texture of my clothes better. I resist the urge to open my eyes, and continue to watch the fusions in my body.


    Once the colors enter my mana stream, my Mana Sense turns fuzzy for a moment. My mana stream becomes brighter as it assimilates the colors, and I feel my empowered mana stream pushing my new wealth of mana throughout my body.The translucent mist fuses with my brain, making my mind feel clearer, as the mist settles.


    When the colors finish fading into my body, I search the area the colors erupted from. Though the colors appeared throughout my body, most came from the center of my chest. Even now small amounts are materializing around a single spot that has nothing important. There¡¯s no organ there, and only a few of my smaller mana streams run through the area.


    Using my new wellspring of mana, I try and send my mana towards the center of my body. As I increase the mana towards the spot, I slow down the excited mana, trying to pool my mana in the center of my chest. While manipulating my mana, I try to notice any differences in my mana around the area the colors erupted from.


    It¡¯s faint, but a small point within the mana seems to be pushing the mana flow around it. I try forcing my mana directly towards the small point, till I notice a clear fire the size of a pin head. Is my mana burning for some reason? I can¡¯t feel any heat from the flame.


    Trying to focus on the deepest point I¡¯ve ever tried with my mana, I notice a small ball that the flame is surrounding.


    All at once I feel sensory overload. I can feel three of my skills breaking barriers and reaching the next level, but I ignore those feelings immediately. While looking at this tiny ball, smaller than a pin head, I feel like every part of me becomes exposed. Something bigger than me is watching my body, my mana, even my thoughts! Who is it?!


    Breaking away from my meditation, I fall to the ground and curl into a ball. I can¡¯t stop shivering.


    My stronger eyes are useless, as they fill with water.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?! Aaliyah! Aaliyah, tell me what¡¯s wrong!?¡±


    Looking up at Del, through my tearful eyes, I see the worry on his face. I want to try explaining myself, but I can only mumble a few sounds that make no sense. My voice refuses to work properly. Something must be wrong with me!


    Pulling up my Status page again, I¡¯m shocked at what I find.


    LV: 58 Experience: 226,815/ 353,634


    Health: 2000/2000


    Stamina: 847/1250


    Mana: 362/1000


    Vitality: 200


    Endurance: 75


    Strength: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Senses: 60


    Mind: 60


    Magic: 100


    Clarity: 75


    Status Points: 21


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV76), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV76), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29), Sense Soul (LV1)


    Meditation and Sense Mana, finally broke through after two years of being stuck at level 75. I never stopped practicing with the skills, even with them stuck at the 75-level test, but they broke through so easily now. My Mana Manipulation also broke through, even though I only got it to level 40 five months ago.


    However, none of that matters right now. The newest skill causes my shivering to intensify.


    Sense Soul!


    I was looking at my soul! The most intimate place inside a person. The translucent colors that erupted throughout my body, must have been from my soul.


    Doing some quick math in my head, I realize sense Soul is a tier 5 skill! The type of skill that kingdoms covet.


    My head is killing me!


    As I start to pass out, I¡¯m reminded of my parents.


    They¡¯re going to be pissed when I wake up.

 Ch: 22.5

    Emily Pitz point of view.


    ¡°Why does there have to be so much fog every morning?¡± Scanning the opposite canyon walls, my eyes cut through the haze, spotting movement in a rocky outcropping two miles away. Between two boulders, crawls out a Bark Thrasher. The grey and brown spotted lizard is three-feet long and must be searching for an early morning meal.


    ¡°You think we can hold the fort?¡± Looking over my right shoulder, I spot one of the morning patrols approaching me. ¡°They grabbed a bunch of random squads and had us race out here. Of course, we won¡¯t be able to hold the fort.¡± His friend complains.


    As they near me, I make eye contact with the first soldier. It takes a minute for him to realize who I am. With his face paling of all color, he elbows his friend before he can say anything else. Straightening his back, he brings his fist to his heart and salutes me. ¡°Good morning general! Northern perimeter clear!¡±


    His friend was too slow in noticing me, he could only stand to the side awkwardly as his friend offers me a morning greeting. Realizing who I am, he fumbles into a halfhearted salute alongside his buddy.


    Both standing at attention, they hold their breath, looking worst by the second as the silence between us grows.


    Before one of them passes out from the burden of my gaze, I dismiss them both. ¡°Carry on.¡±


    ¡°General!¡± With my blessing to leave, they lower their arms and almost trip over themselves trying run away from me without looking disrespectful.


    Focusing my hearing on them, I listen in on their fleeing arguments. ¡°Gods, do you think she heard us?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and move you moron! That was General Emily Pitz, the strongest woman in Olebert. We¡¯re lucky she didn¡¯t throw us off the ramparts!¡±


    I wish I could afford to throw them over the ledge. I¡¯m sure their comments mirror the feelings of the rest of the soldiers.


    Why did I have to get assigned to this fort!? That stupid mist mage Algate, would love this place. He may be ranked as the 7th strongest in Olebert, compared to me as the 6th, but his magic would have excelled in this environment.


    Scanning the misty horizon again, my strong senses allow me to cut through the weather, checking on the watch towers being hastily constructed at different strategic points around the Scarred Divide. The divide is the only entrance between Scholl and Olebert. The Razor Back mountain range acts as a natural barrier between our lands, and the peaks are infested with high leveled magic beasts, many of which can fly.


    I spent many years hunting across those peaks in my youth, making me the best archer in all of Olebert.


    Making sure the watchtowers construction is moving peacefully, I turn my attention to the fort. In the three days since I arrived, the patchwork to the walls and keep are finally showing some semblance of progress. This fort has only been used as a trading outpost between Olebert and Scholl, and hasn¡¯t seen a fight in over 80 years. I was barely born, when this fort was last used in battle and subsequently given any resources for maintenance.


    Stepping over a loose brick in the fortification, I mentally mark its location, and move my sight to the swarm of people camping outside the walls. The sun may be obscured by the thick fog, but the light is strong enough to push through the covering and wake the camp below. Once the first person leaves their tent, the people swarm like ants, as each rouses the attention of the person next to them.


    Thousands of local villagers and merchants have flocked here for work with the news of Scholl¡¯s imminent attack. Builders, with arms bulging with muscle, move to their designated work areas. Merchants are selling daily necessities and any recreational items soldiers are willing to pay for. The camp even has tailors and miners trying to make a profit. We need stone blocks from the surrounding mountains, and with so much work happening tailors are stitching everything from clothes to tents.


    It always amazes me how much war can spur a local economy. When there¡¯s work and money to be had, commoners could care less about a possible war. More than half of these people would turn around and work for Scholl if we fail in defending the fort.


    With my sweep of the outside surroundings covered, I turn my attention towards the courtyard. 200 new recruits have already started their morning training. Divided into three sections, the first thing we¡¯re teaching them is archery. Defending our walls requires good archers. The recruits are lined up and told to hit a target at a hundred paces. A few are former hunters, so we merely have to teach them the signals to listen for in a battle. Most however are destitute men looking for food and shelter and have no prior skills with a bow. Only once they can shoot an arrow properly, we will teach basic swordsmanship and how to handle a spear. It¡¯s up to a handful of my most talented warriors to prepare these solders for the coming battle. It will be their ultimate test to ready this sorry lot in less than a week.


    The outpost had 120 guards stationed here, when our spymasters sent word that Scholl would attack within the month. His highness immediately sent myself and 700 troops that were ready to move out at a moments notice. I managed to recruit some trainees as we rapidly traveled to the fort, but that only gives us roughly 1,100 soldiers, 18% of which aren¡¯t even trained yet.


    ¡°How¡¯s the progress going, Cristopher?¡± Turning around I make eye contact with a dark corner of the battlements.


    ¡°Progress is slowing again. After three days of you pushing them so hard, most workers and trainees are exhausted.¡± Following the voice, my steward Cristopher emerges from the shadows. Covered in black robes, his smile annoys me as usual. He constantly tries to sneak up on me, despite the situation we¡¯re in. He looks slightly younger than me, appearing to be in his middle thirties. Judging by his vitality glow, he¡¯s in his fifties, probably 30 years my junior. He was assigned to me by the intelligence division and approved by the king, so I couldn¡¯t officially complain about his character. That said, if I wasn¡¯t starving for more solders, I would have put an arrow in his smug face days ago. Blaming his death on Scholl would be easy.


    ¡°Tell the workers they can take a break, but those who keep working will receive a bonus. These walls are still falling apart, and Scholl could be upon us any day now.¡± I keep my back straight, and make sure my eyes convey the seriousness of my request.


    Still smiling, he takes a step back, trying to hide once again in the shadows. ¡°We don¡¯t have the budget to give any bonuses. The new recruits require the most of our free coin, the budget we were given by his majesty is almost completely accounted for.¡±


    ¡°Then tell the soldiers they¡¯ll be paid after the first battle. Depending on our losses, we should have enough coin to keep the builders motivated. This strategy was employed 500 years ago, during the warring periods of the continent. It allowed armies to hire more soldiers and laborers after each battle.¡±


    ¡°To think, the great General Pitz would count on the death of her soldiers, and consider it as a good thing.¡±


    With that remark, I release my many pressure skills on the disrespectful cur. ¡°Say that again, and I¡¯ll kill you no matter where you try to hide from me!¡± I hate men like this! Even being assaulted by my skills and threats, he can still stand there and smile at me.


    ¡°I meant no disrespect, general. I was merely shocked with your callousness.¡±


    ¡°Funny, you look neither offended nor surprised. In case I need to spell it out for you, we are the only defense against Scholl, till a proper army can be mustered for a proper defense. Depending on who¡¯s leading Scholl¡¯s forces, the surrounding lands could be spared or ransacked at a moment¡¯s notice. If this fort falls, Scholl will have easy access to three cities, 27 villages, and almost 20 thousand lives. The kingdom hasn¡¯t seen a large-scale attack like this in 50 years, we¡¯ve grown soft in these peaceful times. I will have this fort ready to receive Scholl, if I have to make you help the builders move each stone into place! Make sure that it¡¯s done!¡±


    Turning around, I continue to check the work on the battlements. Cristopher¡¯s presence fades into the shadows, but my senses easily pick him moving rapidly towards the barracks. I debate shooting an arrow at his feet, maybe then he¡¯ll understand my feelings.


    Taking a step, I push off slightly with my right foot, launching myself into the air. Keeping my balance, I soar through the sky for only a moment, before I land on top of the nearest observation tower.


    Landing silently, I look at the three men surveying the canyon.¡°Anything to report?¡± Each jump at my question, and draws their bow as they turn to face me. I watch their expressions turn from anxious fear to a more respectfully fearful look. Lowering their bows, all three sound off as one. ¡°No General! Everything¡¯s quiet.¡±


    ¡°Good response, men. Just remember to check your whole surroundings, including your back. You never know what could be sneaking around you. You are the most important part of the watch, if something happens to you, we¡¯re all in trouble. Carry on!¡±


    ¡°General.¡± The three salute me as I take another step, propelling myself over the towers edge, dropping twenty feet to the battlements below.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we just saw the general up close.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear her approach at all, and I have the Sensitive Ears skill.¡±


    ¡°I heard she likes scaring new recruits like that.¡±


    Why must rumors always paint me in the same light as Cristopher? I don¡¯t enjoy startling my warriors! It¡¯s a general¡¯s job to test their forces. I just use one of the ways my mentor taught me, proper situational awareness is key in any situation.


    Maybe I did pick the wrong time to test them? Maybe I¡¯m starting to become too tired to properly judge situations accordingly. I haven¡¯t slept for three days and could only rest sporadically on the long march out here.


    Everything seems quiet, so I should take this time to properly rest. My stamina has been taxed constantly these days, and I need be ready for another night of spotting Scholl spies.


    Vaulting along the ramparts, and using exposed bricks as footings, I quickly scale the southern side of the keep, entering my room through the window. I chose a small room in a section of the keep that hasn¡¯t been renovated yet. The door leading from my room is barricaded on the other side by a pile of bricks that have fallen from the ceiling above. Only a handful of people know I¡¯m using this room and I intend to keep it that way.


    Knowing I¡¯m in a secluded room, I can finally release some of the tension in my body. Walking over to my mirror, I clean myself with magic. ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    My greyish hide armor is enchanted to repel dirt, but even Deep Dragon hide can¡¯t protect my skin and hair from all the moisture in the air mixed with the dirt the construction produces.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    My light brown hair, regains its rich color, and in one quick motion I pull out two greying hairs and toss them on the floor. I don¡¯t like what this stress is doing to my hair. I¡¯m still young at 87, with my Vitality I shouldn¡¯t start getting grey hairs till I¡¯m 100. Maybe some sleep will help?


    Content with my appearance, I place my bow and quiver on my night stand. Keeping my armor on, I crawl on top of the creaking bed. I¡¯m not sure how old this bed is, I hope it can handle me for a few hours.


    Laying down, I miss the days I could fall asleep like a normal person. People who reach a level like mine, can never truly sleep again. The higher a person¡¯s status rises the less they need to sleep, further complicated by the extra energy in the body, falling asleep is a challenge upon itself.


    Different people have their own solutions to the problem. I once met a dwarf who would drink a gallon of his strongest brew, just to take a nap. I like many other high leveled people turn to alchemy. Reaching inside my pocket I pull out a small vial of sleeping tonic.


    The thick purple liquid inside hardly moves as I gently shake the vial. With one finger, I pour a little bit of mana into the vial''s stopper, allowing me to open the small container. A light fishy smell emanates from the opened vial and my Danger Sense lightly pings in my head.


    A normal person would die from even a drop of my tonic but with my Resist Poison skill and high status, this is the only alchemical concoction that can help me sleep.


    Placing my tongue against the vials rim, I let only a few drops touch my tongue before I reseal the bottle. Closing my eyes, I feel my body forcefully shutting down. My muscles enter a state of rest for the first time in 17 days. Even the naps I took on the road here would never allow me to experience the peace I feel now. Ever so slowly my consciousness fades, and I can fall asleep, albeit lightly.


    <hr>


    Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!


    Throwing myself out of bed, I grab my weapon and move to the windowsill. I reach the window as my bed splinters behind me from my quick movement. Following the sound into the distance, my eyes search through the sunset and locate the sound. Our farthest observation tower is signaling an approaching army.


    The sound travels to the next tower and they take over the signal. Leaping back out my window, in midair I watch the farthest tower start to evacuate. The protocol is once the next tower takes over the signal the previous tower evacuates and rushes back towards the fortress. The towers were only constructed as a quick solution to spotting the enemy, their defenses wouldn¡¯t last ten seconds against any type of attack.


    The closest tower starts signaling, as I land in the courtyard and start striking our signaling bell with my bare hands. The two men standing next to the bell flinch at my appearance, and start yelling at me for signaling a false alarm before they recognize who I am.


    With my first few strikes, the keep freezes as all heads turn towards me. ¡°Keep signaling!¡± I stop striking the bell, and leave the two men to continue signaling the fortress about the approaching army.


    Inhaling deeply, I activate my Loud Voice, Defense Formation, and Valor skills. ¡°Everyone to your stations! Scholl is approaching! Prepare yourselves!¡± My voice echoes across the battlements, and my skills spur the solders back into action.


    I leap towards the closest wall, and then jump again landing on the nearest watchtower. The camp of workers below is a frenzied mess of activity. People are tossing their supplies in wagons and some are already fleeing for the closest city. Only a handful of merchants and builders retreat inside the fort, with the soldiers returning from the watchtowers, they¡¯re the ones betting on us defending against the approaching army. Having the only extra supplies, they¡¯ll make quite a bit of coin¡­ if we all survive.


    Looking away from the fleeing commoners, I see Cristopher talking with one of the tower runners. Each watch tower has a soldier with movement skills, who has the job of reporting the formation and numbers of the approaching forces.


    There¡¯s too much noise for me to single out their conversation, but after a few quick words, Cristopher dashes up the battlements heading straight for me. Not 15 seconds later, Cristopher appears by my side, for once with a worried look on his face. I thought I would be happy with the smirk gone from his face, but the victory seems hollow in the moment.


    ¡°How bad Cristopher?¡± My even voice gives him a little courage, easing the stress on his face. I stare at the remaining watch towers, watching our men sprint back to the safety of the keep.


    ¡°General! The towers report the enemy reaching approximately ten thousand strong. With four mage battalions, and fifteen siege weapons. The back of the forces also appears to be transporting ladders and plenty of supplies.¡± Cristopher¡¯s frown worsens after repeating our dire situation out loud.


    ¡°Did the towers get a good look at the commander of their forces before retreating? Anyone dressed like they¡¯re going to a weird ball, and not a battle?¡± I let the numbers settle in my head. Even if the enemy outnumbers us, as long as Scholl didn¡¯t send one of their five guardians, we have a small chance.


    ¡°The towers didn¡¯t report anyone matching that description, but they did spot a man stationed near the back with a hat sporting blue feathers.¡±


    ¡°Blue feathers you say!?¡± A small smile crosses my lips. ¡°That means their commander is above level 80. Depending on his skill set we could have problems, but they must not have heard that I arrived three days ago.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ll be seeing a Scholl commander. I¡¯ve heard about their feathered hats, and the costumes of the guardian five, but I didn¡¯t realize they would give away their levels like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Scholl¡¯s culture to show off their might before their enemies. We stopped their spies from returning through the pass after we arrived, and I easily hunted those trying to signal with magic. A level 80 commander would normally be overkill to crush whatever forces we could have sent here in time. Usually I or any other high leveled person needs a lot of time to prepare for any sort of battle. I just happened to be preparing to hunt a strong monster in the woods close to my territory. That said I only have four of my special arrows. His majesty said he would place an order with the dwarves for ten more, but they will only arrive with our backup.¡±


    ¡°Can you hold the Scholl forces back with only four of your special arrows commander?¡± Not only Cristopher but the other archers on the tower are looking at me with hope in their eyes.


    ¡°Humph.¡± Looking over the tower¡¯s ledge, I watch as the last of the merchants flee, and notice most of our soldiers from the watchtowers are nearing the keeps gate. Checking one last time for enemy spies, I turn to address my subordinates. ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m General Pitz, the sixth strongest warrior in all of Olebert, the strongest woman in the kingdom, and the best archer around. Four arrows?! I could make this army retreat even if I didn¡¯t have a single one of my special arrows!¡±


    Matching Cristopher¡¯s gaze, my proclamation of strength restores his former smile. The other four archers are brimming with new found confidence as well. ¡°You four go reinforce the surrounding towers; this one is mine.¡±


    ¡°Yes General!¡± The four shout and barrel down the stone steps, their firm resolve kindling hope in every solider they pass.


    ¡°Cristopher!¡± I tun to my steward. ¡°Yes General!¡± He responds with a wry smile at my dismissal of the surrounding archers, it seems my pep talk rekindled his snarky attitude.


    ¡°Get me a communications mage up here, and go help organize the new recruits. We have one hour of light left, and I can see Scholl¡¯s forces appearing in the distance. I¡¯m not sure if they plan to attack straight away, or if their commander will decide to set camp for the night, either way I want our forces ready in the hour. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Clearly General!¡± turning back towards the canyon, I feel his presence moving away rapidly.


    Reaching over my head, I grab one of the four arrows in my quiver. The magic radiating off the arrow can be seen by the naked eye without any skills. The magic pressure coming off of my arrow would kill a level twenty person if they ever tried to pick one up.


    These four special arrows are strong enough to withstand my tier 5 skills, each one is a single chance for me to turn a battle in my favor. Too bad only the stone kin know how to make them, and each cost me 5 large gold coins.


    Sliding my arrow back into its quiver, I focus on the steadily approaching army.


    I hope I don¡¯t disappoint Cristopher or my men, they needed to see my confidence, so I told them what they wanted to hear. The truth is I can¡¯t remember the last time I was at such a disadvantage. We¡¯ll be lucky to hold the fort for a month, let alone last the winter before our reinforcements arrive. I¡¯m not sure if even I have the skill to protect this dilapidated fort against their siege.


    Watching our enemies inch across the distant horizon, a vicious smile crosses my face. There is one thing I¡¯m sure of.


    I will bleed Scholl for every inch of this land. I might not be able to stop them here, but with my men¡¯s help, we¡¯ll litter the landscape with as many of their bodies as we can.


    I stand ready as the world shifts around me. Time becomes meaningless as I watch the foreign army set up camp outside our range.


    One of our three communication mages is standing behind me but I ignore her and in turn watch every movement of Scholl¡¯s army. She knows her place and hardly makes a sound, afraid she might ruin my concentration.


    I watch as their mages set up ward spells and how they organize their camp. As my eyes travel from tent to tent, I continue to count.


    5,713


    7,192


    9,438


    A little under ten thousand people. Subtracting their noncombative forces, we¡¯re looking at roughly 8,500 soldiers.


    With the sun finally receding, campfires dot the landscape making their forces look twice as big.


    In the darkness, I watch a small entourage escort an elderly man to the front of their camp. His blue feathered hat, sways in the nights breeze. He has six bodyguards that I estimate to be close to level 80 as well and three mages weaving defensive spells around their little group. We haven¡¯t had time or resources to set up our own warding spells, so I can only imagine the info they¡¯re gathering on us.


    They¡¯re most likely scanning the fort trying to determine our numbers because I can see a little shock on their faces. They were probably expecting no more than 400 defenders instead of our almost 1,200. They still outnumber us seven to one but that means less in a defensive battle.


    ¡°Cristopher, call our best mages over here. Quickly!¡± the communications mage looks startled as Cristopher materializes off to my left side from the shadows. ¡°Right away general!¡±


    While waiting for our mages to arrive, I continue to focus on the Scholl commander. I can tell he¡¯s a support class. He¡¯s most likely focused on Vitality and Endurance, and his best skills probably affect others as a whole. He¡¯s probably twice my age and has led many battles for the glory of Scholl.


    He knows how far away he has to be, and still keeps other high leveled bodyguards just in case.


    After a few minutes of observation, Cristopher returns. ¡°The best mages we have, general.¡±


    Turning around, I face the seven mages before me. Level 40, 35, 50, 50, 65, 60, 40, I don¡¯t even have a quality mage to help me defend the keep. Not one of them is over level 70.


    ¡°You, you, and you two.¡± I pick out the four above level 50. ¡°Yes general!?¡± They all respond with curiosity and fear.


    ¡°I want the four of you to chant different enhancement spells. I need you each to cast the best you can do in three seconds.¡± Only the level 65 mage has the guts to ask me why. ¡°Why the time limit general?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill their general, and they¡¯ll notice the magic quickly, giving us a small window to act.¡± My words stun the surrounding mages and Cristopher. I can¡¯t waste anymore time so I continue with my directions. ¡°As soon as I fully nock my arrow, you have exactly three seconds to cast your magic. Prepare yourselves, we only have a single chance.¡±


    Turning back to the enemy¡¯s camp, I can still see them casting their scrying spells. Reaching behind my back I draw one of my special arrows. Cristopher takes a step back and the mages freeze sensing the might of the arrow in my hand.


    I give them a few breaths to calm their selves, before I take my stance. The world becomes solid beneath my feet as Sure Footing and Archers Stance take hold. Leveling my bow, I marvel at its simple design. There are no inscriptions on the surface of the white wood, or is it metal? The man my family bought it from refused to tell us the material it¡¯s made from. It holds no enchantments but is strong enough to handle my stats combined with my skill levels.


    Long Shot, Exceptional Aim, Silent Strike, Enhanced Perception, Strong Bow, Perfect Draw, my skills activate one after another as I pull the drawstring back with my arrow in place. Even with everything I have it still takes four seconds to fully draw my bow.


    Once the arrow is fully nocked, I hear the mumbling of the four mages surrounding me. One second, my hand is trembling. Two seconds, I slightly adjust my aim. Three seconds, I empty my mind and drop all my fears as magic reinforces my body.


    The Scholl elite forces have noticed something is wrong. The bodyguards tighten their formation, and the mages are preparing a stronger defensive spell.


    I release my fingers and fire my arrow.


    ¡°Instantaneous Strike.¡± I tell the darkness surrounding me the name of my tier 5 skill. My mana halves itself and I lose a tenth of my stamina. My body becomes weak as the arrow disappears into nothingness. I hold myself up as I watch my arrow reappear a foot in front of the Scholl¡¯s commanders head. Without any of the force being lost, the arrow obliterates the upper half of his body and creates a crater behind his still standing lower half.


    The arrow, still standing in the middle of the crater, turns into ash with the nights breeze.


    Stumbling to my knees, I can¡¯t help but pronounce my success to my surroundings. ¡°Got him!¡±


    As the mages and Cristopher celebrate, I try not to show the pain I¡¯m in. 5 large gold coins, 500 mana, damage to my stamina that only rest can solve, and a cooldown of five days; but it was worth it.


    I was given a single opening, and in their lax opinion of our forces, I might have just evened the field.


    Reaching behind my shoulder again, I feel the three remaining arrows. Three hopes that we have at winning this siege. We still have a major fight coming to us but this should delay their attack for a few days.


    Then the war begins.

 Ch: 23

    Why am I back here again? I thought I was over these goblin dreams. Stretching my arms out, I look around the familiar goblin infested clearing.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I just raised my stats, but the realization that this is all dream comes naturally. The nightmare that¡¯s been plaguing me for over four years, loses all of its terror with the understanding that this is all in my head.


    Meeting the eyes of the goblins, as they gaze back at me, I wonder how to proceed? Over the years this dream has reappeared less and less, with it only popping up once a month here and there. This usually goes one of two ways. I either go berserk and murder all the goblins or they swarm me till I die.


    But this is a lucid dream, I don¡¯t need to do the same things over and over again. Looking at the expressionless goblins, I smile. These are my younger self fears. Fathers taken me back into the woods, and I¡¯ve had to kill more goblins from time to time. I¡¯m no longer helpless or inexperienced. The blank faces actually look funny when I imagine their real-life counterparts.


    This is a blessing; my mind is giving me a chance to overcome my fears once and for all. Taking a deep breath, I exhale my last remaining fears and insecurities. With every breath, my mind clears, and my breath pushes the goblins back into the surrounding woods.


    As the last pair of eyes disappear into the distance, I take a seat on the forest floor, enjoying a new sense of peace. Without being attacked, I can look at all the small details around me. The woods surrounding me seem to release their constrictive hold on me. Where was once a wall of dark jungle, I can now see the woods I¡¯m familiar with. I¡¯m no longer sitting in a place of fear, the moons overhead drive away the darkness and light up the surroundings with a beautiful silver glow.


    This is the best dream I¡¯ve ever had. I wonder if I can manipulate reality here? Picking up a leaf, I try to imagine it made out of solid gold. When nothing happens, I can¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed. People say, if you¡¯re in a lucid dream, you can control anything around you. But no matter what I imagine, nothing changes. I can¡¯t make myself ten feet tall, I can¡¯t cast a world altering spell, and I can¡¯t even increase my bust size. I was just curious what they would feel like if they were slightly larger.


    With no reason to stay, I think it¡¯s time I wake up.


    ¡­


    Time to wake up!


    ¡­


    ¡°Exit!¡±


    ¡°End simulation!¡±


    ¡°Wake up!¡±


    When the shouting fails, I turn to the oldest method in the book, pinching myself. It hurts for a second, and I¡¯m still left standing in the clearing, and now I have an angry red mark on my arm.


    This dream isn¡¯t fun anymore. I still feel safe and secure, so nothings coming out of the woods again. If I can¡¯t leave, maybe there¡¯s something I need to find? Looking up at the moons, the biggest calls to me, I decide to use it as a guide and follow it through the woods.


    With the forest mirroring the one around our village, I use the skills father taught me, to proceed in a straight line. Step after step, I follow my guide in the night sky. The farther I walk, the thinner the trees become and the scenery becomes something new. Instead of a forest of trees, I¡¯m looking across a barren landscape of grey rocks and hills.


    Looking up, the moon is no longer partially covered by the canopy, giving the appearance that¡¯s grown in the sky. It still calls to me, so I continue my journey.


    I know this is still a dream, but it feels like I¡¯ve been walking for days. Without the need for food, water, or rest, I easily march into the distance.


    Weaving in and out of boulders, hiking up hills, and even crawling through small caves, I¡¯m led deeper into the dream. It feels like I¡¯m getting closer to something important.


    Walking around a large boulder, a wave of accomplishment washes over me. In front of me is the most beautiful scene I¡¯ve come across in either life. At the foot of a cliff, I marvel at the black sea sprawling out into the distance. I marvel at the stillness of the water, not one ripple marks the surface. The light of the moon and stars reflects across the water, giving the impression of a second sky below me. Looking into the dark beyond, I watch as the two moons almost touch each other in the distance.


    Wait!


    Why is one moon hovering over the water, while its mirror image emerges from the sea, taking position next to it?


    As one, the twin moons ascend back up the sky, only stopping when they''re right above me.


    Their combined light washes over me, turning my surroundings bright silver. Before the light becomes unbearable, they erupt in silver flames. No, the flames are translucent, they just look silver from the light.


    I fall to my knees, when the feeling of being watched overpowers me. I can¡¯t look away, and to my horror the twin moons blink at me. They¡¯re no longer moons, it¡¯s a pair of eyes!


    Whose eyes are those!?


    I try to take a breath, but my lungs refuse to work. The overpowering feeling from my Sense Soul skill burns throughout my chest.


    I can¡¯t tear my eyes away!


    I need to move!


    Move Damn It!


    The pain of running into a stone wall rips my consciousness back to reality. Looking around, I¡¯m tangled in my blanket, lying on my bedrooms stone floor.


    Pulling my legs up to my chest, I try to stop shivering. I beat one nightmare, only to have a worst one come and take its place.


    Why can¡¯t I ever just wake up like a normal person?


    The early rays of light through my window tell me I slept through yesterday afternoon till at least the next day.


    ¡°Can this get any worse?¡± No sooner than uttering those cursed words I¡¯m proven right.


    ¡°Aaliyah? Are you awake sweety? Are you feeling better?¡± Still laying on the floor, I can only roll over and look at mother staring down at me. Mothers look of worry changes to one of confusion. ¡°Aaliyah, why are you on the floor?¡±


    I¡¯m about to explain my tier 5 skill, when I¡¯m reminded of my earlier conversation with my parents. They warned me I should never tell anyone about tier 5 skills even if its them. Without a decent explanation, the worst lie I can think of tumbles out of my mouth.


    ¡°I fell out of bed and decide to try laying here for a bit¡­¡± Mothers eyes narrow like she¡¯s trying to solve a mystery inside her head. I can only maintain eye contact for a few measly seconds before I¡¯m forced to turn away. After our staring contest abruptly finishes, mother has a look of realization.


    ¡°Aaliyah stand up for me.¡± Her request confuses me. ¡°Uh ok.¡± Why does she want me to stand up?


    I try and force my body up, only to launch my whole body four feet into the air. I land on my knees and palms of my hands, as a look of horror crosses my face. ¡°Did I just hop like a rabbit?¡±


    ¡°I knew it! Del told us you were trying to distribute your status points when you collapsed. You¡¯re not used to your new body.¡± I¡¯m happy she¡¯s not suspecting another reason for me being on the floor but this is a whole other problem.


    Before I can ask mother for help, she turns to leave my room. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to check on you in a hour, try not to break any of your furniture.¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± I try to turn and address her before she leaves, only to tumble over my arms and roll across my floor. I can¡¯t believe she left me here! I still have questions! What about Del? How long have I been out? What¡¯s for dinner¡­?


    <hr>


    ¡°Mom! Can I come out of my room now!¡± I shout through my open door. I wait for the warden to finally come and release me from jail. Listening to the approaching footsteps, I watch as mother appears in my doorway for the eighth time today.


    She analyzes my room before she bends down and picks up the cast iron pot that she served my dinner in. Picking out the metal spoon from within, she holds the metal utensil up to her eye and scrutinizes the utensil. It¡¯s easy to see the wavy pattern in the handle that shouldn¡¯t be there. I tried straightening it back out with my bare hands, but without my proper tools, the spoon will forever look like a bad piece of modern art.


    ¡°Aaliyah, if you can¡¯t even eat without breaking a spoon, how can I let you out into the house?¡± I wonder if I will ever be able to pull off that perfect mom look, the one where you can¡¯t even argue your side of the story.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re keeping me trapped in here how long? I didn¡¯t break the spoon, I only bent it.¡± I don¡¯t know why, but my second status distributing is much harder to control. Even meditating all day and practicing some minor exercises, I still have flashes of uncontrollable strength. The worst part is my new Dexterity. My limbs move so much smoother, I often over shoot whatever I¡¯m trying to do. Each step I took earlier this morning felt like I was constantly using my Double step skill, making me fall on my face multiple times.


    ¡°How about I let you out, when you can walk down the hallway without tripping.¡± Ugg that mom smile! I can only turn my head away and reluctantly agree with her. ¡°Ok mom.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost bed time, sweety. You should crawl into bed and try again tomorrow.¡± Bending down she kisses my forehead. I make sure not to move, in case I accidentally hurt her.


    Of course, she stays behind to make sure I get tucked in safely. Or maybe she just wanted to see my impression of a caterpillar. With her covering her mouth with her hands, trying to keep her laughter barely muffled, I¡¯d bet on the second choice.


    ¡°Good night mom, love you.¡± I try to show my displeasure, but it only makes mother laugh harder. ¡°See you tomorrow, Aaliyah.¡± As mother leaves to clean the kitchen, I¡¯m left alone in my bed. Surprisingly I¡¯m more tired than usual, despite all the extra sleep I got the night before.


    My body wants me to try and sleep, but every time I close my eyes, the feeling from my dream reemerges. Every time I tried to meditate in my deeper state, I would be assaulted with the feeling of being watched, even if I wasn¡¯t looking around my soul.


    I didn¡¯t know a tier 5 skill would be this much trouble. I wonder if all tier 5 skills affect people in negative ways?


    What an annoying day.


    <hr>


    Now I¡¯m stuck watching the sun rise.


    I woke up three times last night when I was forced to face those moon eyes again. Much like the goblin dream there are multiple things that can happen. First thing I noticed was no matter which direction I walk in; I always end up at the dark sea and experience the two eyes. The second thing that bothers me is the time compression. After I fell asleep the second time last night, I tried to just stay in the clearing till morning arrived.


    It was hard to tell time when its perpetual night time in my dream, but it felt like I sat for months and nothing happened, time only seemed to flow as I walked towards the dark sea. It would be cool if I could train in a situation like that, like my own hyperbolic time chamber, but I couldn¡¯t strain myself with any physical exercise, and though I could use my magic skills there seemed to be a barrier keeping me from gaining any insights.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    After waking up the third time, I decided to just wait for morning to come.


    Now that the sun is up, I can continue practicing with my new body with the added benefit of a horrible night¡¯s rest. I try to start off slowly by inching my legs around so I¡¯m sitting on the edge of my bed.


    The only thing I¡¯ve noticed about my dreams is that my new skill is leveling after I exit the dream world.


    Status Page:


    LV: 58 Experience: 229,571/ 353,634


    Health: 2,000/2,000


    Stamina: 1,248/1250


    Mana: 782/1,000


    Vitality: 200


    Endurance: 75


    Strength: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Senses: 60


    Mind: 60


    Magic: 100


    Clarity: 75


    Status Points: 21


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV76), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV76), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29), Sense Soul (LV3)


    The skill has jumped up two levels since the nightmares. I wish I could be happy about its quick growth but so far, I¡¯ve only been harmed by the skill. I¡¯ll have to take some time after I regain control over my body and analyze the skill in greater depth.


    Moving slowly, like I¡¯m practicing Tai Chi, I stand and walk to the center of my room. Focusing on my limbs, I slowly increase my speed. Maybe I only needed to rest.


    ¡°Hey Aaliyah! Want to go with your old man into the forest!?¡± As my door is flung open, I launch myself across my room, slamming my back against the far wall. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to knock dad!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡± Father raises his hands to cover his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not naked, dad. You scared me; I think I almost broke my wall.¡±


    Lowering one of his hands, he peeks to make sure everything is ok. Realizing I¡¯m decent, he walks over to me and hoists me onto my feet just like when I was a baby. ¡°Your mother told me you were having trouble with your new status but I didn¡¯t know it was this bad.¡±


    With his strong arms on my shoulders holding me straight, he looks around my room. ¡°This isn¡¯t a good place for you to practice. I know a good spot, hold on.¡±


    ¡°What?!!!¡± I have little time to question father as he scoops me up in a princess carry. I¡¯m about to fight back when I remember about my Strength stat. My body tenses up and I try not to move a muscle fearing I might hurt dad.


    Carrying me to our front door, father sets me down on the bench, and places my shoes on. After my footwear is secure, he moves to don his own work boots as mother walks out of our hallway. ¡°Darrius, what are you doing with Aaliyah?¡±


    Looking up at mother, father grins and explains himself. ¡°I¡¯m taking her outside, so she can practice. She¡¯s too afraid that she¡¯ll hurt someone, so I¡¯ll help her get over her fear.¡±


    ¡°Be safe!¡± Their eyes convey so much emotion between each other. With only a few smiles and reassuring words, they trust each other and support what the other is doing.


    With our shoes on, father picks me back up and grabs his axe as we leave our home.


    Once outside, father carefully sets me down. ¡°We¡¯re going to our training spot, hold my hand.¡± Staring at his outstretched hand, I¡¯m nervous to accept it. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, remember I have high physical stats too.¡±


    Carefully, I take father''s hand and brace myself so we can start walking towards our training area. Everything¡¯s fine till we reach the forest behind our house. The forest floor is uneven and I over compensate. Tightening my grip, I manage to keep myself from falling over.


    ¡°Aaaaggg!¡± Father starts screaming, ¡°My hand!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry dad! I can¡¯t let go!¡± I start panicking, but no matter what I try, I can¡¯t separate our hands.


    ¡°Aaaaggggg!.......Hah-ha, haaaahhh- haaaaa.¡± I freeze as dad¡¯s screams of pain turn into his deep laughter. Feeling him squeeze my hand back, it finally dawns on me that he was faking his injury.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny, Dad! I thought I hurt you!¡± Seeing my eyes start to tear up, father stops laughing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweety. You needed to see that you aren¡¯t going to hurt me, I¡¯m still stronger than you.¡±


    The rest of the trip was uneventful, and we spent the next few hours exercising together. Dad was right about needing his help. We practiced arm wrestling, swinging his axe, and even practiced giving hugs. He was able to tell me when I was using too much strength, and assured me everything would become easier over the next couple of days.


    <hr>


    ¡°What are your plans for the rest of the day Aaliyah?¡± Father and I are almost to the front of our house and I made the trek without tripping once. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go for a run. I want to see how fast I can go with my boosted stats.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to run through the forest?¡± Father looks a little worried about my idea. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to run on the path to Drey. It¡¯s mostly flat, and I can run my hardest without getting lost. What are you going to do dad? You spent your morning helping me.¡±


    ¡°It was worth it. I¡¯ll go chop some firewood close to the village. Fall is starting and it¡¯ll be snowing soon enough.¡± Hoisting his axe upon his shoulder, father starts walking back towards the woods. ¡°Dad!¡± Running after him, I jump into his arms and give him a 100 Strength hug. ¡°Thanks for helping me, I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too sweety. Be safe on your run.¡± Parting from dad, I run inside our house and grab the dagger Del made for me years ago.


    Walking to the villages entrance, I look at the path through the trees leading to Drey. The ground is covered in grasses and small weeds, but after years of merchants traveling to our village, I only have to worry about pot holes made by the wandering wildlife.


    I start by walking down the path. Slowly, I increase my speed to a light run, maybe 4 miles an hour. Even before I increased my stats; this pace was as easy as walking for me. Pushing harder, I increase my speed to 25mph; this was my max with my old status.


    25mph was considered around the fastest top athletes could run back on earth. Usain bolt was clocked around 24mph in a race in 2009, and now I can match that speed with minimal effort. My stamina is barely decreasing, so I think it¡¯s time to see what I can really do.


    I stop holding myself back, and I instantly shoot off into the distance. The trees are whirling past me, as my Measurement skill and Mathematics skill help me calculate my new speed.


    42, 45, 46, 47mph! I feel the strain of reaching my new top speed, but I can still go faster. ¡°Double Step!¡±


    I jump to 54mph and hold the pace for about a minute by using Double Step as soon as its cooldown finishes. I can feel my Stamina burning at an incredible rate, so I slow down to a nice 30mph. The runners high I¡¯m experiencing can¡¯t be described with words.


    I was moving faster than a car in a city. Right now, I¡¯m running faster than a bicycle. Each time I push with one of my legs, my stride hits nearly nine feet.


    My max speed was the same as a horse at 55 mph. Del told me it was 714 miles to reach Drey. If I maintained this speed and stopped for the night, I could make it to Drey in a day and a half, say two days factoring in breaks.


    I wonder how Sandra and Richard would react if I visited them in Drey?


    I decide to run for another hour before I turn back towards the village. The wind on my face intensifies as I increase my pace to 40mph so I make it home quicker.


    I make it back to the village as my Stamina dips below 200. I¡¯m about to walk home, when I notice the path to Del¡¯s place on my left. Mother told me Del stopped by twice yesterday and she informed him I was ok, but I should probably stop by and let him hear the good news from myself.


    I have to restrain myself, as I walk towards Del¡¯s clearing. Father and Del must be constantly controlling their strength. The image of Del appearing in front of me when he was mad, replays in my head. What is his strength and dexterity to allow him to almost teleport in front of me?


    I hope he isn¡¯t beating himself up over my accident two days ago.


    ¡­


    Or maybe he¡¯s sleeping like a baby on his bench like nothing happened at all! The lazy stone kin is still in the same position I last saw him in.


    Maybe I can use this chance to further test my new strength. Walking up to master, I take a stance and try and push him off the bench. Right before my hands make contact, his hand facing me grips the stone bench and his opposite foot falls to the ground, bracing himself before the impact.


    With my hands striking Del¡¯s side, the force travels through Del and rebounds pushing me back. Landing on my butt, I stare angrily at the smiling face of master.


    ¡°You got some kick now. I¡¯d say about a 100 in strength?¡± His smug face can read me like a book.


    ¡°Yeah, I decided to spread my points out, because I use most of my skills instead of just three like you and father.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re already a great smith and increasing your stats will only add to your skill. Even without you dumping your points into Strength, you¡¯re still a monster.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I get up off of the ground and dust myself off. ¡°You know exactly what to say to make a lady feel special.¡±


    ¡°Hate to spoil your moment kid, but I¡¯ll see you as a child till you hit 50 years old. Besides, only kids knock themselves out when they distribute status points.¡±


    ¡°For your information, I distributed 275 points. And it wasn¡¯t my points that knocked me out, it was my new skill that caused me problems.¡±


    Sitting up, Del looks thoughtful for a moment. ¡°That will do it. Sometimes people need a boost in status to unlock a skill, and unlocking a skill while your body adjusts to your new status can cause problems.¡± I try not to frown at Del. ¡°Yeah, problems.¡±


    Noticing my pained face, Master Del tries to make me feel better. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it kid, once you get a handle on the skill, you¡¯ll be happy you got it."


    That depends¡­ can a skill can harm its user? With a serious expression I ask Del. ¡°Master, can skills be harmful to their user?¡±


    A grave expression crosses Del¡¯s face. ¡°There are skills that harm the user or even can kill someone unprepared. Generally, skills cost either stamina or magic and have different cooldown times. But sometimes a person will unlock a blood skill. A blood skill permanently reduces a stat for explosive effects. You didn¡¯t get one of those did you?¡±


    Master Dels gaze is intense, as he searches my expression before I can even answer. ¡°No, my new skill doesn¡¯t sacrifice any of my stats. I¡¯ve just been having nightmares and losing sleep.¡±


    Masters expression softens and he looks relived. ¡°It¡¯s probably a mental skill, they¡¯re rarer and harder to control, but once you get the hang of it they can be the strongest skills you¡¯ll ever learn.¡±


    That¡¯s a little helpful but unless I tell him the whole problem it could take me months to figure out my Sense Soul skill. I know it¡¯s risky to tell people about tier 5 skills, but dad showed me today sometimes you need someone to hold your hand in difficult times. And more importantly, master Del could probably answer more of my questions about high tier skills than my parents ever could.


    ¡°What about tier 5 skills, do they ever hurt their owners?¡±


    ¡°It takes a lot more to use a ¡­¡± Master Del stops his lesson and I¡¯m afraid his eyes are going to pop out of his head. ¡°You unlocked a ¡­ really?!?¡± now he¡¯s speaking in horrible sentences again. Did I break him?


    ¡°Yes master, I unlocked¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say another word!¡± Wow he¡¯s on his feet now. ¡°You should know about never discussing something this important!¡± Master appears almost afraid of me.


    ¡°My parents told me about tier 5 skills, but I need help and I trust you.¡± It looks like master¡¯s face is trying to decide whether it should be happy or angry at me.


    Taking a deep breath, master settles on a subdued happy face. ¡°You never know what can happen in life. I¡¯ll do my best to keep your secret, but I don¡¯t want you to hate me if something happens.¡±


    I make sure he sees me rolling my eyes. ¡°Yeah, so much happens in Spotted Creek Village, I¡¯m sure we¡¯re in danger of spies, assassins, and angry nobles. Can you please just help me make sense of my skill?!¡±


    ¡°Well when you put it that way. I¡¯ll try my best but I only know rumors from Truset.¡± Del takes his usual seat again, but this time leans forward and has a look of concentration.


    ¡°When I distributed my status points, I was able to sense a bunch of translucent colors spreading through my body. When I focused on their origin, I found a small flame with a sphere inside. looking at the sphere felt like I was incredibly small, with a giant being staring down at me. When I woke up, I had the tier 5 skill Sense soul. Now every time I go to sleep or deeply meditate the same feeling returns and two giant eyes stare at me, forcing me awake. What do I do?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡°I got nothing.¡± After all that silence, Del¡¯s answer makes me want to hit him. ¡°What do you mean nothing!?¡± I shout back at him.


    ¡°I told you I only know rumors of tier 5 skills and anything related to the soul is guesswork. My people believe our souls contain our true selves and everything we are or will be is contained within. I can guess you felt like you were being watched because you were looking at the purest form of yourself. Feeling that exposed would scare anyone. If you don¡¯t look at your soul again the feeling should fade, but subjecting yourself to it could also provide benefits. Again, I¡¯m guessing. It doesn¡¯t sound like your skill is harming you, I can only congratulate you.¡±


    ¡°Why congratulate me, I can¡¯t even use the skill properly?¡±


    ¡°Many spend their lives trying to obtain a tier 5 skill. It may take work, but having that skill puts you in a select group of people. You should be very proud.¡±


    ¡°So, you think I just need to practice?


    ¡°Yes, go practice. If you need some extra time off, its fine. I can handle any requests over the next few days.¡± Master lays down again and closes his eyes again, maybe master suffers from insomnia too! That could explain why he¡¯s always trying to sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably take tomorrow off too master, but the day after I¡¯ll be back. I got a great idea I want to try out with the fire iron. Thanks for the help, see you soon.¡±


    Turning around, I head home, I can at least eat dinner at the table tonight.


    <hr>


    We spent all of dinner discussing my funny moments when I was adapting to my new stats. Looking back over these last two days, it was pretty funny how I couldn¡¯t move properly. Mother thought my first hop was the funniest, while father laughed his way through the entire retelling of his broken hand joke.


    When everyone was laughing, I tried to convince mother and father that I could run to Drey to see Richard and Sandra. They did not like the idea. They insisted that I would be a distraction and that I would be keeping them from returning sooner. I think they were just nervous about me leaving the village, they must think I attract trouble or something.


    With so much accomplished today, I only have one more thing to take care of. Once I¡¯m lying in bed, I enter my meditative state and try to look at my soul again.


    If Master Del was right, I only need to get used to looking at the most vulnerable part of myself. Maybe if I focus on the flames, I can build up a tolerance.


    This time, without focusing my mana, I search for my soul. I remember where I first saw my soul, so I focus on the center of my being. Without my mana, the small flame is almost invisible. Maybe if don¡¯t focus anymore closer I could level my skill.


    Maybe with this tier 5 skill, I can level even quicker. I could become all powerful!


    It all starts with this first step.


    Watching the small flame flicker, everything goes black.


    Sitting up, I¡¯m back in the goblin clearing.


    So, not an all-powerful skill.


    Gods Damn it!

 Ch: 24

    Looking up at the night sky, I¡¯m awed at the beauty of the heavens. There is no light pollution in this world, and the moons are just bright enough for my eyes to work in the middle of the night.


    Rubbing my hand across the boulder I¡¯m sitting on; I remember the first time I distributed my status points. It was on this rock I overcame my first challenge with my stats. Well, next to it, I also remember falling off the boulder and Richard laughing at me.


    I came out here to regain a sense of focus. I decided to embrace my new skill, and already entered my weird dream five times tonight. I figured I could condition myself to the sensation of having my soul observed, only to wake up each time trembling in my sheets.


    With each consecutive look at my soul, I would technically pass out and sleep, but I would never feel rested when I was forced awake. So, now I¡¯m stuck in a weird sleepy/awake limbo.


    I¡¯ve never come outside this late at night. The moons are almost finished changing to blue, signaling fall approaching. The night sky is only partially cloudy, a rarity this time of year. The thousands of stars create a truly magical picture. Raising my hand up, I imagine plucking the beautiful jewels from the sky.


    ¡°Creeekkkk.¡±


    Looking over my left shoulder, I watch father slowly stride over to my impromptu seat. ¡°Everything ok sweety?¡± He¡¯s trying not to show how worried he is about finding me out here.


    Gripping the rock with my hands, I easily pick myself up and shift positions so I¡¯m facing father. ¡°Not really, dad. I keep having the same dream. It¡¯s not a nightmare anymore, but it¡¯s tied to a new skill I got and it won¡¯t let me sleep properly. I thought I could sneak out here and clear my head. I¡¯m sorry for waking you up.¡±


    My sudden confession startles him so much he can only stand and rub his arm trying to think of a response.


    ¡­


    ¡°We should talk inside; you¡¯ll catch a cold dressed like that.¡± Looking down, father reminded me I¡¯m still in my nightgown. The gown can¡¯t be considered risqu¨¦, it¡¯s just thinner than my usual clothes and was meant to be worn under my blankets.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry dad, I¡¯ll come back in a moment. I¡¯m using one of my magic skills, so I don¡¯t feel cold.¡± I¡¯m channeling Mana Skin, making sure the early fall breeze doesn¡¯t affect me.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit out here with you, till you¡¯re ready to come back inside then.¡± Before I can object, father is already sitting with his back to the boulder. He¡¯s close enough that we can talk in a whisper, but still far enough away to give me my space.


    I try to ignore him, but I can¡¯t help but turn away from the night sky every few seconds to check on him.


    ¡°Haaa,¡± this is going nowhere. Before dad can ask what¡¯s wrong, I slide down the side of the boulder, and snuggle up against his side. His huge arm drapes around me, allowing me to continue viewing the stars with a new sense of peace.


    After looking at the stars together, I feel confident enough to ask for father¡¯s help. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing wrong, daddy? No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t figure out how to use my skill. If I can¡¯t figure out how to utilize it properly, I¡¯ll probably never be able to sleep soundly again.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that does sound like a problem. You¡¯re a handful when you¡¯re rested, I don¡¯t want to see you when you¡¯re sleep deprived.¡±


    Elbowing father, I complain about his joke. ¡°I¡¯m serious! No matter how many times I use my skill, the same thing just keeps happening.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like your problem to me.¡±


    My eyes go wide, as I try to shift my position so I can look at dad¡¯s face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re trying to force it to do something, when it might just be a support skill.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good theory dad, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a support skill. I can feel when it activates.¡±


    ¡°Maybe at higher levels, your skill is supposed to work on its own, but remember you just obtained it. You should think about what your skill affects and try pairing it with other skills or physical activities. Start small and see if that helps.¡±


    I can only stare dumbfounded up at father. ¡°Are you secretly a genius, dad?¡±


    ¡°You should tell your mother that, she doesn¡¯t believe I have good ideas.¡± Chuckling at dad¡¯s joke, I move onto his lap and give him a hug.


    ¡°Thanks for helping me again,¡± I whisper in his ear.


    Father responds with a soft tone that conveys all the love in the world. ¡°Anytime sweety. Let¡¯s go back inside. I won¡¯t tell you to go back to bed, but you can¡¯t stay outside till dawn.¡±


    Still in a bear hug, father picks me up and carries me back inside. Kicking off our work boots, neither of us bother with our indoor shoes. Back on the ground, we walk down the hallway, and father tells me one last thing before we go back to our rooms. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mother that you might be tired tomorrow and she shouldn¡¯t disturb you. Take your time with your skill. I know you¡¯ll master it soon.¡±


    With a final kiss on my forehead, I watch dad silently slip into his room and close the door silently behind himself.


    Climbing back into bed, I¡¯m anxious to try out my skill again. However, this time I take father¡¯s advice and think about what my Sense Soul skill affects.


    ¡­Well my soul for one.


    But what else does it do?


    Master Del said stone kin believe everything comes from the soul. So, should I try to use it to change my emotions? Maybe I can use it to increase my magic abilities, no I already tried that. I need something that comes from my soul, that¡¯s easy to feel¡­


    ¡­why can¡¯t I just unlock a skill for this!


    Skills!


    My Status Page!


    Master Del said that skills might originate from the soul, so the status pages everyone pulls up must come from the soul too.


    I decide to try something new. I enter my meditative state, and focus on the general area of my soul. I stop once I sense the smallest flicker of translucent flames. I know from previous attempts, that if I delve any deeper, I¡¯ll pass out and end up in that annoying dream again.


    Let¡¯s see if my hunch is correct. I mentally pull up my status page, looking for anything coming out of my soul.


    LV: 58 Experience: 231,571/ 353,634


    Health: 2,000/2,000


    Stamina: 1,248/1,250


    Mana: 782/1,000


    Vitality: 200


    Endurance: 75


    Strength: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Senses: 60


    Mind: 60


    Magic: 100


    Clarity: 75


    Status Points: 21


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV76), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV76), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29), Sense Soul (LV4)


    The only thing that¡¯s changed is the Sense soul skill leveled again but that doesn¡¯t matter right now.


    I dismiss the page and wait 30 seconds before I pull it up again.


    I quickly lose track of time, as I continue to summon and dismiss my status page, until I get a firm sense of the sensation that summoning my status page generates.


    I never noticed till now, that the status page is formed from a different energy. I always thought my status page was conjured with a tiny bit of mana because everyone has at least a little mana in their bodies. Once I have the feeling down, I try and trace its origin.


    My hypothesis was correct. As I trace the appearance of my status page back to my soul. I can¡¯t tell if my status page is coming from the circle inside the flames or the translucent flames themselves.


    What would happen if I pull my status page up at the exact time, I activate Sense Soul?


    I make sure I¡¯m comfortable, just in case I pass out again.


    I don¡¯t know if chanting your skills really helps, but it couldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Status Page, Sense Soul!¡±


    With my skill activated at the same time as I pull up my status page, I watch as the tinniest bit of the flames peel off and move up to my brain. Once the flames reach the back of my brain, my status page materializes in front of me.


    Dismissing my page, the flames move back towards my soul, following the same route they took to my brain.


    Del would freak if I told him I could prove that status pages come from the soul. Now that I think about it, if it¡¯s in their lore, a stone kin must have gained a similar skill once and figured it out. Maybe even some humans are aware of the fact and they just keep the knowledge classified like everything else.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Back to my skill, I shouldn¡¯t distract myself now that I¡¯ve finally made some progress. Next, I should try manipulating the flames as they travel to my brain.


    <hr>


    After two hours of trying to stop, slowdown, or even speed up the small flames, I¡¯ve come to the conclusion I can¡¯t alter their path in any way right now


    Maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself again. My skill is Sense Soul, not Manipulate Soul. Activating my status page for the hundredth time tonight, I watch the flames once again settle in my brain. Now that these flames are separated from the whole, maybe I can use my skill on the small bit of flames without knocking myself out.


    I ignore my status page floating in my vision, this time using my Sense Soul skill on the flames in my brain. These small bits of flame should be information about my status points and skill, so I should already know what the flames represent.


    Focusing my Sense Soul skill on the¡­.


    I immediately fall on my back, clutching the sides of my head. My eyes feel like they¡¯re going to pop out of my head as the worst migraine assaults me. The headache is so bad I can¡¯t focus on anything around me. The status page in front of me has warped into something illegible.


    !^)^$@73* )^7$(%^@^


    %*(% %$@%^^ &^5*&(#


    @^#& &$$&**44 $$*


    %$*%$$!!^*)


    Clenching my teeth, I try not to whimper too loud. If I wake my parents right now, there¡¯ll be no end to my problems.


    In my pain, I dismiss my status page. Once the flames leave my head, the pain slowly fades away. Once the pain reduces by half, I try to meditate, hoping it will help in removing the pain faster.


    I spend what feels like an eternity suppressing and clearing the pain in my head. I¡¯m wide awake now. The pain was so great, I now have a rush of adrenaline.


    Is my status page broken now? The fear of the possible pain is suppressed by my rush of adrenaline, so I re-summon my status page, praying I won¡¯t be assaulted by the headache again.


    LV: 58 Experience: 241,171/ 353,634


    Health: 2,000/2,000


    Stamina: 1,248/1,250


    Mana: 782/1,000


    Vitality: 200


    Endurance: 75


    Strength: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Senses: 60


    Mind: 60


    Magic: 100


    Clarity: 75


    Status Points: 21


    Skills: Sense Mana (LV76), Acting (LV30), Meditation (LV77), Expel mana (LV53), Charm (LV50), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Mathematics (LV30), Writing (LV32), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Wood Carving (LV19), Drawing (LV37), Axe Skills (LV50), Inject mana (LV40), Mining (LV37), Cooking (LV29), Sewing (LV24), Chanting (LV41), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Measurement (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Spear Skills (LV2), Dagger Skills (LV31), Trading (LV26), Hammer Arts (LV34), Axe Arts (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Double Step (LV39), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18), Mana Skin (LV29), Sense Soul (LV6), Mental Resistance (LV1)


    Oh gods! Two levels in Sense Soul, a level in Meditation, and a new Tier 4 skill. I finally got a resistance skill; they¡¯re considered the hardest tier 4 skills. Was the headache that bad? I¡¯ve always had a strong Mind Stat, so maybe this experience was a tipping point. Mental Resistance might be the solution to my problems, being a tier 4 skill, it should level quicker than Sense soul. Maybe once Mental Resistance Is high enough, I can sleep properly again.


    There¡¯s only one way to level my skills quickly¡­ this is going to hurt.


    Why can¡¯t I have a training montage skill.


    <hr>


    ¡°I did it!¡± Unfurling my legs, I jump off of my bed and start hopping around my room. Opening my bedroom door, I run into our kitchen shouting for mother. ¡°Mom! I did it, I finally managed to find a use for my new skill!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you, sweety.¡± Mother¡¯s expression can barely be counted as a smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong mom? Something bad happen?¡± I innocently move closer to mother.


    Now she looks angry, what did I say? ¡°What¡¯s wrong, she says. What¡¯s wrong is my daughter hasn¡¯t left her room for five days except for eating and using the bathroom! Every time I came to check up on you, you looked like you were trying not to cry! We¡¯ve been worried sick! Even Del has been stopping by each day wondering when you¡¯ll come back to work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been five days?¡± It felt like three max. Mother does not like my response, her expression turns savage. ¡°Yes¡­ five days. You avoided everyone for five days after telling your father you couldn¡¯t control a skill.¡±


    Oh gods, her voice went quiet! ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you mom, need help with dinner?¡±


    Take the bait! Take the bait! Her eyes are only narrowing!


    ¡°Sure, you can help. Peel the pomme for me.¡± Why did her expression suddenly turn to joy? Taking slow steps into the kitchen, I pick up a pomme.


    Mother is sitting off to the side watching my every movement. Grabbing a knife, I slowly try to peel the pomme. When I have the pomme a third of the way pealed I lose control of my strength. My grip pulverizes the¡­ Vegetable? Is a pomme considered a Vegetable or a fruit? It looks like a potato but grows on a tree.


    Dismissing my botany question, I turn to mother, who is still watching me. ¡°Mom, can you help me with the peeling?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Sounds like someone was asking for help. Couldn¡¯t be my daughter, she secludes herself without warning anybody. I¡¯m sure she can handle dinner on her own.¡± I see what she did there. She must have been really worried about me. If my punishment is to make dinner by myself, I can see how that¡¯s reasonable.


    Four crushed pomme later, I¡¯m starting to rethink how difficult my punishment is.


    I wonder if father or Del will try something similar? I¡¯m the one who makes Del clean his house, so I don¡¯t think he has anything to punish me with. Now dad on the other hand, I work with dad once a week. He could make my life hell in the forest.


    Tonight, is going to be a long night.


    <hr>


    Back in bed, I rub my eyes, trying to work the stress out. Mother did not go easy on me. She had me moving back and forth between cleaning and cooking, she made sure I had the house spotless before father came home. Luckily dad wasn¡¯t mad at me, but he realized what mother was doing, and smartly stepped back while she distributed the punishments.


    I spent all dinner listening to mother throwing in jabs at my secluded training. The only thing I said all night was, ¡°yes mother¡± and telling mother and father that I¡¯m going to Del¡¯s tomorrow.


    Despite the chores and verbal berating, mother gave me a kiss and a hug goodnight while whispering that she was happy I¡¯m all right. Father likewise gave me an encouraging hug and asked I not seclude myself again. I shouldn¡¯t be amazed by their love anymore.


    Relaxing, I want to feel bad but the gains from the last five days were huge. I vastly leveled my two new skills while subjecting myself to what amounts to mental torture.


    When my Sense Soul skill reached level 15 and Mental Resistance was able to hit level 20, I was finally able to look at the flame that is my status page. Once I was able to look at the smaller flame, I continued to train my skills even higher. The best part was figuring out the flame contained much more information than what is normally shown. After sifting through, essentially a mass of constantly moving data, I could reorganize my status page.


    LV: 59 Experience: 28,287/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 1,083.71/1,250


    Mana: 892.67/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 75.00


    Strength: 100.00


    Dexterity: 100.03


    Senses: 60.11


    Mind: 61.92


    Magic: 100.08


    Clarity: 75.04


    Status Points: 31


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Axe Skills (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV41), Mining (LV37), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31),  Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36), Writing (LV32), Hammer Arts (LV34), Mathematics (LV30), Axe Arts (LV29), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV29), Mental Resistance (LV24)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV17)


    Tier 5 skills are strong. Leveling Sense Soul and Mental Resistance earned me enough experience to reach level 59, and that¡¯s only the smallest bonus.  Using Sense Soul, I can organize my skills not only into the different tiers but also by their overall level, and that¡¯s not even the best part. The most amazing part of my new status page is the increased details of my stats.


    I can track the use of Health, Stamina, and Mana to a much finer degree. But it¡¯s not just my three main stats, the most eye opening is the improved details of my Vitality and other stats.


    I can now see how close I am to naturally earning a status point. If I¡¯m close to gaining a status point in a particular stat, I won¡¯t waste a free point raising it higher. I wish my status page was this detailed from the start. Who knows how many points I was close to earning during both of my status distributions?


    Pulling up this extra information still generates a small headache, even with my Mental resistance at level 24. While my page is still up, I dig through the information in the flames and isolate a specific skill.


    Tier 1, Blacksmithing (LV50, 84%)


    It is much more difficult, but if I focus on a skill, I can see how close it is to leveling. Dismissing all the information, I sit back waiting for my small headache to disappear.


    Looking down at myself, I¡¯m reminded about how dirty I am. Spending five days in your room doesn¡¯t leave you smelling great, especially in a world where deodorant is an alchemical concoction that sells for 2 silver coins.


    Standing up from my bed, I use the greatest spell ever. ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    The blood, sweat, and tears fall away from my body, as the magic mist removes any traces of my secluded training. I shake out my clothes and watch a few nodes of dust fall to the floor. Finally, clean!


    Hopping back in bed, I can¡¯t wait to try sleeping now that I have Mental Resistance. Hopefully the skill will keep the annoying dream away. This is the first time I¡¯ll be trying to sleep normally without purposely knocking myself out with Sense Soul.


    Pulling my blanket over my head, I try to sleep. But¡­.


    My bed smells!


    When was the last time I washed my sheets? I think it was a few days before my training started, maybe longer? I usually use my cleaning magic before I go to bed, but constantly passing out during my training rendered that a moot point.


    Now that I¡¯m clean, my sense of smell can pick out the body odor emanating from my bed. I¡¯m sure mother would yell at me if I tried doing laundry so late at night.


    If only my cleaning spell had a wider range.


    Well it does clean my clothes too.


    Maybe I can be creative about this! Removing my nightwear, I wrap my blanket around myself as tight as I can get it. The material sticks out farther than my clothes, but let¡¯s see what happens.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Once the mist fades, I notice the outer layers of blanket don¡¯t look any different. There¡¯s only a little dirt under my feet, maybe my blanket wasn¡¯t as dirty as I thought?


    Unfurling my brown wool blanket, made from bivol fur, a cloud of dirt explodes from the folded blanket. Looking at my blanket, a little more than half is a light brownish color, while the other part is still the blackish brown I¡¯m used to. My plan worked!


    Rewrapping myself, with other side of the blanket first, I cast the spell again. ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    This time when I unwrap my blanket, I¡¯m holding a beautifully clean blanket. Magic can be such a cheat.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    After switching between my sheet and pillow, I even clean the hides that make up the base of my bed. Eight uses of the cleaning spell have left me close to my 20% limit.


    Fighting off the new sense of tiredness that comes with low mana, I reassemble my bed. My bed is the cleanest I¡¯ve ever seen it. With everything magically scrubbed, the materials are brighter, and even shoving my nose into my blanket, I can only smell wool.


    Slipping my nightgown back on, I snuggle tightly into a ball and let sleep take me. Even with mom¡¯s disciplinary measures, today was a good day.


    <hr>


    Without opening my eyes, I feel the morning sun¡¯s rays wash over me. For the first time in forever, I had a peaceful sleep. Like a battery recharged fully, I feel amazing. I think I¡¯ll lie here for a moment, enjoying the best morning I ever had.


    My peace is interrupted as I hear the patter of footsteps down the hall. Father should have already left for the woods, leaving mother and myself as the only people in the house. There is only one reason she would be walking this way right now.


    Turning away from the door, I try and pretend to be asleep.


    ¡°Knock-knock,¡± mother taps the door a few times before I hear it swing open.


    ¡°Aaliyah, are you up? You said you wanted to¡­... AALIYAH, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ROOM!!¡±


    The hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up hearing my mother¡¯s shout. Nervously, I turn over and open my eyes for the first time this morning.


    Mother¡¯s wrathful gaze isn¡¯t pointed at me; no, it¡¯s pointed at the floor.


    Looking at the floor, I tremble at the sight. My bedroom floor is covered in black flakes of filth. In the light, you can see how dirty my bed was.


    I completely forgot to clean up the mess I made last night. ¡°Oh Crap!¡±


    Realizing I said that out loud, my eyes travel from the floor up to mother¡¯s face. Is that fire in her eyes?


    It¡¯s official, I¡¯ll never have a good morning.

 Ch: 25

    Why did mother insist that I scrub the floor? Our floors are made of stone, just because there was a little grime from the night before doesn¡¯t mean I should have had to get on my hands and knees to scrub my bedroom floor.


    Using Double Step combined with my status points, I¡¯ll reach Del¡¯s clearing in only a few minutes. The day I¡¯m most excited to work and I get held up cleaning by mother. I shouldn¡¯t complain. I didn¡¯t realize how much filth was trapped in my bed. I heard the rumors, back on Earth, about how a mattress gains weight as you sleep on it. Mother makes sure I wash my sheet once a week, but magic cleaning was much more effective than I thought it would be.


    Speeding down the small forest path, I can¡¯t wait to test myself today. I put off working with Del so I could take care of my mental problems. Now that I can sleep properly again, I want to try forging with my new stats.


    Breaking into Del¡¯s clearing, I almost slip on the forests underbrush as I try to stop myself too quickly. Catching myself while waving my arms around, I look around for Del¡¯s stocky form. Good, he didn¡¯t see me almost eat it. He must still be asleep.


    Making my way towards the hut¡¯s door, I knock as hard as I can. I feel the strong wood vibrate with each of my strikes. Giving it a few seconds, I open the door when there is no response. Sleeping like a baby, Master Del looks like he didn¡¯t even flinch at the loud banging on his door.


    Glancing around his hut, I¡¯m happy that there are only a few dishes laying around. He¡¯s gotten used to straightening up every morning, or in his case every afternoon. He probably wasn¡¯t even aware I would be coming today. I¡¯ll properly apologize when he wakes up later.


    Moving to the corner he keeps his mining supplies in, I ruffle through the gear, picking out what I need. Pushing aside the light-hats, I grab a normal hard hat I forged years ago. Grabbing my normal pickaxe, I almost tumble again due to overcompensating my stance. The pickaxe doesn¡¯t feel as strong in my arms as it used to. Placing my pickaxe down again, I grab its neighbor. The pickaxe next to mine is normally used by Del.


    Heaving the axe into my arms, I marvel at the weight. Del¡¯s pickaxe is only ten percent bigger than mine, but while mine weighs twentyish pounds, the one in my arms has to weigh almost 80 pounds. The pickaxe appears to be one solid piece of metal, and looking closely, I can¡¯t find any seams that indicate welding.


    The finish looks the same as steel and has a wavy pattern that adds a greenish tint to the metal. Wonder what would happen if I poured some mana into it? Injecting the smallest stream of mana I could manage, I watch as the pickaxe devours my mana. Once I nearly channeled fifty mana, the pickaxe erupts in copper colored lines. I can see the mana circulating an extremely detailed network across the surface of the axe.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Trying to study every line I can see; I marvel at the beauty in my hands.


    ¡°It is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Flinching from the voice, I turn to see Del over my shoulder. He¡¯s looking at the pickaxe like he¡¯s remembering a distant memory.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for touching your pickaxe Del. Mine feels too light now. The metal looked interesting, so I wanted to see how my mana would interact with it. I didn¡¯t know it was a magic item.¡± Del just looks at me with a distant smile. If I knew it was a magic item I would have asked for permission before I touched it.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. You¡¯re fine holding it.¡± Del¡¯s reassurance calms my nerves. I¡¯m happy he¡¯s not mad about me holding his pickaxe. ¡°It¡¯s made from an alloy we Stone Kin call Miner¡¯s Steel. It¡¯s heavy and very durable, but doesn¡¯t hold an edge well. We use it in our pickaxes and mining equipment.¡±


    Looking down at the pickaxe again, I get sucked into the copper lines adorning the surface of the pick. I want to ask Del about the enchantment but I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll get mad at me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t activate it myself. It has been a while since I¡¯ve seen the enchantment activated. You curious what it does?¡± Meeting Del¡¯s eyes, I can¡¯t keep the confusion from my face. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a piece of legendary equipment. The pickaxe is covered in a basic strengthening enchantment. You pour mana in and it pierces tougher rock.¡±


    ¡°Master, should you be telling me this? I thought you weren¡¯t going to teach me Stone Kin secrets?¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, you think that¡¯s a secret?¡± Master points one of his thick digits at the pickaxe in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing as the three spells I taught you. The runic lines you see are some of the most basic enchantments Stone kin use. This runic structure has long been spread across the continent.¡±


    ¡°Then why is everything not enchanted like this pickaxe? I would think farm tools could benefit from this enchantment at the very least.¡± Del just laughs harder at my question.


    ¡°In Stone Kin cities, almost every basic tool is enchanted like my pickaxe. The reason that humans don¡¯t copy us is that you need to be able to use basic magic before you can activate the enchantments. Your average human farmer couldn¡¯t use a magic plow even if he could afford one. Also, don¡¯t think enchantments are always a good thing. Different woods, bones, and metals can¡¯t handle enchantments. The magic inscribed on the wrong material could weaken or outright break whatever you¡¯re trying to inscribe.  Even if you know a few runes, enchanting takes years of practice to inscribe a tier 1 enchantment like that.¡±


    ¡°Tier 1? You classify enchantments like skills? Is that how everybody classifies magic? What tier are the spells you taught me in?¡±


    Rubbing the back of his bald head, ¡°I forgot to explain the magic tiers¡­ Sorry. I¡¯m not your magic teacher, if you don¡¯t ask me questions, I¡¯m not sure what to tell you. Listen, all magic, whether it¡¯s a celestial spell or runic magic can be organized into tiers like skills. Mages decided to follow the example of skills and divide spells into six tiers. You have basic celestial spells like the ones I taught you in tier 1 alongside basic runes like you see on my pickaxe. Then as the magic becomes grander and more complicated as it increases to tier 2 and 3.¡±


    ¡°What about tier 4, 5, and 6, master?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as skills. When you reach the higher tiers, everything becomes much more secretive. They say a tier 4 attack spell could kill a group of level 40 soldiers, while tier 5 magic is believed to be able to kill a whole platoon of soldiers. Over 500 years ago during the warring periods it was said tier 6 attack magic could kill hundreds of people in an instant.¡±


    ¡°And runic magic is classified the same way? Wouldn¡¯t people focus on runic magic if they could just trace over the higher tiered runes?¡±


    ¡°If only it was that easy. I¡¯m sure with your skills you can see that the runes on my pickaxe are only on the surface. Tier 1 and 2 runes are two dimensional while tier 3 and 4 runes are three dimensional. You can trace the most basic of runes, but the higher tiered runes are impossible to copy. All of that is just the challenge of the runes themselves. The inscribing process is an artform upon itself. I don¡¯t mind telling you the basics that I know but because I can¡¯t use mana, I only have knowledge of the most rudimentary steps to engraving runes.¡±


    I¡¯m torn between the excitement of learning crafting magic and the knowledge that I¡¯ll most likely fail. ¡°I would appreciate any knowledge of runes you can teach me Master Del, no matter how basic they are. Is there anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there is one more thing I forgot to mention. Money! Enchanting is considered the most expensive crafting profession ever. You need good materials to enchant, you need good materials to make the enchantments, and you¡¯ll destroy most of your materials upon your first try enchanting anything. I know you¡¯ve been saving your coin these last few years but we¡¯re talking silver coins for the most basic materials. And once you start asking for those kinds of materials people will take notice. You need to prepare yourself if you want to go down this path.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I want to learn enchanting, but I don¡¯t plan on wasting materials just yet. I plan on practicing smithing with my new stats first. That¡¯s the reason I was grabbing your pickaxe. I want to try mining with my increased stats and collect enough iron to try forging something new.¡±


    Master Del looks interested at the prospect of something new. ¡°That¡¯s very smart of you, I can teach you when the weather takes a turn for the worst. But I¡¯m more interested in this new design you have. You need a lot of steel?¡±


    ¡°I have a few ideas I¡¯ve been saving for when I turned fifteen and now that I have higher stats, I plan on forging a lot more. Can I use your pickaxe? I want to see what I can do with my new strength.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Strength, how did you distribute your points? You passed out and stayed home before you could tell me your new status values.¡±


    Grinning, I use his curiosity to my advantage. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you help me push the cart through the mine.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted to test your new strength? Shouldn¡¯t you be pushing your own cart?¡±


    ¡°I could push the cart, but then I would exhaust myself mining and pushing the cart out of the mine. I need to save my strength to work the bloomery later, so we have enough steel for tomorrow. All you have to do is push the cart out. With your strength it should be no problem.¡±


    Master Del¡¯s flat look doesn¡¯t leave much to the imagination. Our staring matches never last long. With my best smile across my face, coupled with my Charm skill, we both know how this staring match will end.


    <hr>


    ¡°This isn¡¯t how apprentices are supposed to work. The apprentice, that¡¯s you, should be doing all the menial labor while I sit back and take a nap.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I was planning to let you sleep. You were the one who woke up and gave me an impromptu magic lesson. Thanks for that by the way.¡± Walking next to Del, we pass the time by poking at each other. I may have longer legs and higher movement skills but master¡¯s ridiculous strength keeps pace with me even though he¡¯s pushing the metal car in front of us.


    ¡°We would have had this finished days ago if you came to work on time and didn¡¯t pass out so easily.¡± I¡¯m about to retort his remark when I remember I haven¡¯t apologized yet.


    Dropping my challenging look, I turn my head towards Del. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master.¡± My sorrowful tone causes Del to almost trip. We were joking just a minute ago and the sudden serious confession was too much even for his reflexes to handle.


    Watching him catch himself on the cart, I continue my apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I caused you trouble again. I caused you to worry again. Mother told me how often you came by to check up on me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. You stopped by after you got used to your new stats and let me know you might need some time off due to your new *Cough* skill. I understand why you took so long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing, master. I told you I would only need a day and I forgot to stop by later when it became apparent, I needed longer to overcome my new skill.¡±


    ¡°Once you told me the nature of your¡­ new skill. I had a feeling you would take longer than a day. I¡¯m honestly surprised it only took you five days to get a handle on your new skill. I was more worried that your parents would be mad at me for bringing you home unconscious again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I made sure to tell them this was all my fault. It took me years to convince dad he doesn¡¯t need to escort me to your house every day.¡±


    We both share a smile at our awkward memories of Del trying to greet father every morning. Father hasn¡¯t forgiven Del but he¡¯s become much more civil in their encounters. It was awkward being their go-between whenever they had business, and with dad supplying Del¡¯s lumber needs, interactions between the two were quite common.


    Reminiscing about our time together, the trip to Del¡¯s quarry passed by quickly.


    Stopping at the caves entrance, I chant the light spell Del taught me.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    After I chant the spell, a ball of light forms in the palm of my hand and floats up a foot over my head. Once the ball of light is floating in a small circle above my head, the two of us enter the mine.


    When I first learned the spell, it cost me 90 mana to cast the spell once. When my skills increased, I could cast the spell for only 37.4 mana. Each ball of light will last 30 minutes, so with my enlarged mana pool I can keep the spell going for hours.


    In fact, I always tried to conserve my mana when we were down here. Let¡¯s see what happens when I cast the spell multiple times.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    Each time I chant the spell again, another orb of light materializes and hovers with the others above my head. The light has definitely become brighter; with my stronger senses I can see the walls of the cave much clearer than the previous expeditions I took down here with Del.


    ¡°Why did you cast the spell three times?¡± Del is obviously confused.


    ¡°I wanted to see what would happen to the light when I cast the spell multiple times in a row. With my higher mana pool, I can afford to be a little wasteful. Doesn¡¯t the extra light make it easier for you too, Master Del?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I have a decent senses level and I have a skill for seeing in low light areas. Your magic makes little difference to me.¡±


    An awkward silence falls between the two of us, before Del looks like he remembered something. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how you distributed your points.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot let me pull up my status page.¡±


    LV: 59 Experience: 30,387/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 918.34/1,250


    Mana: 649.88/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 75.00


    Strength: 100.00


    Dexterity: 100.03


    Senses: 60.11


    Mind: 61.94


    Magic: 100.09


    Clarity: 75.04


    Status Points: 31


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Cleaning (LV50), Axe Skills (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV37), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31),  Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36) Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Axe Arts (LV29), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV29), Mental Resistance (LV24)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV17)


    A small headache accompanies my detailed status page, but thanks to the extra information I can tell Chanting went up a level without even reading my whole status page.


    I spend the next fifteen minutes explaining to Del why I had chosen a more spread out status page.


    ¡°You chose a hard path, you know that right?¡± Entering the branch of the tunnel that leads to the iron ore, I have to agree with Del.


    ¡°Yes, I know. I have a physical job but choose to practice magic. I plan on focusing on my physical stats here on out. My magic stats are growing slowly thanks to my hard training, so even if I don¡¯t invest any points into them in the future, they will slowly level.¡±


    I grab the smaller cart we keep in the mine and start pushing it towards the deposit.


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you want to do? It¡¯s hard to raise your status through training, you never know if you¡¯re making any progress.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s getting harder to level and my physical stats seem to grow slower than my mental ones. I¡¯ll see how hard it is to level after level 60 and go from there.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re already level 59. At the rate you gain levels, you¡¯ll pass me in only a few decades.¡±


    ¡°With my new status points, I plan on pushing myself even harder. I want to finally pass some of the skill tests that I¡¯ve been stuck on. You said Blacksmithing only truly begins once you pass the first test, so I want to try pushing my crafting limits tomorrow.¡±


    Turning the corner, we enter the first cavern of iron ore. ¡°Then we better get as much quality iron as we can. How do you want to do this?¡±


    I reach into the cart and carefully hoist up Del¡¯s pickaxe. ¡°If it¡¯s ok with you, I would like to do the mining. You usually handle most of it, but I want to level my skill higher. Can I use your pickaxe?¡±


    ¡°You can try. You¡¯ll be swinging an axe over three times heavier than you¡¯re used to. If you want you can swing till you get tired and then we¡¯ll switch.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± I walk over to the wall and take my stance. Imbuing the axe with some more of my magic, I wait for it to start to glow. Once the copper lines become visible again, I swing with everything I have. The pickaxe lands right where I want it and¡­ the pickaxe doesn¡¯t stop!


    The feeling of striking stone is nowhere to be found. The pickaxe continues its arc through the stone till it comes out below me. I put so much strength into my swing, and it went through the stone so easily. I start to panic as I see the axe head get dangerously close to my leg. Before the pickaxe penetrates my leg, Master Del moves beside me and stops my out of control swing.


    ¡°Thank you master, I didn¡¯t think I could swing that hard.¡± With my leg saved, I look back at the wall. A large gash is in the side of the cavern wall. Small chunks of pulverized iron litter the rocky floor.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that you used too much force. It was the pickaxe¡¯s enchantment. I told you it was for harder rock. This area has already been loosened due to our previous mining. The force of my swings travels deep into the walls. If you were starting a new tunnel by yourself the enchantment could be useful but here it¡¯s just overkill. Try again, but be careful while the enchantment is still activated. Once the pickaxe runs out of mana, you¡¯ll feel the difference.¡±


    With the enchantment still in effect, I take my stance again. This time I focus on controlling the pickaxe instead of raw power. Each blow easily cuts through the black stone, allowing me to clear three feet of stone in only ten minutes.


    I¡¯m about to swing again, as the copper lines fade from the pick. Channeling 50 mana only kept the enchantment active for ten minutes. Master thinks I should try without the enchantment but using it made excavating really easy.


    Debating whether or not to recharge the enchantment, darkness creeps around me. Looking up, the balls of lights above my head are slowly dying out.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    Recasting my light spell, a new orb of light floats above my head as my original three spells disappear. Checking my mana pool, I can feel it¡¯s only a little above halfway full now. Though using the pickaxe¡¯s enchantment is fun, it uses too much mana. I need to save the rest of my mana so I can continue to summon light, as well as use magic to light the bloomery when we return.


    With the light replenished, I try hitting the wall again. The pickaxe no longer travels straight through the stone, but now delivers the force directly into the wall. Larger chunks are ripped off the wall, as I change positions, giving Del room to gather the fallen stone.


    Now that my strength and dexterity are higher my finesse with the pickaxe has increased dramatically. Observing the wall, I can make out subtle differences in the stones structure and adjust my pickaxe to break apart the most stone with each strike.


    After my latest few swings, a large protrusion is left hanging on the wall. Determining the best place to strike, I swing hitting my intended mark the first time.


    As my pickaxe connects with the stone two things shatter. The part of the stone connected to the wall breaks apart and my Axe skills finally breaks through the barrier and increases to level 51.


    The pickaxe in my hands feels more natural. Swinging the pickaxe against the face of the wall, I can feel the qualitative change of each strike. After four strikes, with the last strike using my Double strike skill, I bend over breathing heavily.


    ¡°Congratulations on breaking past the first barrier in axe skills. Let¡¯s dump the ore into the big cart and then we¡¯ll switch places.¡±


    Still breathing deeply, I follow Del down the tunnel as he pushes the smaller cart back towards the main tunnel. Half way back, I can steady my breathing enough to talk to Del. ¡°You can tell that I passed the test in Axe Skills? How?¡±


    ¡°Your whole demeanor changed suddenly and you could see your improvement with each swing. You obviously had a breakthrough.¡±


    Reaching the main tunnel, we start shifting the ore into the large cart. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t we enlarge the side tunnel so we don¡¯t have to switch carts?¡±


    ¡°We could take the time to do that this winter if you want? I¡¯ll warn you though, moving that much stone could take weeks even if we¡¯re working together. We¡¯ll also need the help from your father, with larger tunnels we will need to shore the walls with larger beams. This winter is going to be busy for us.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have enough extra time to sleep, master. Hope you don¡¯t get too grouchy over the winter.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t actually sleep that much right? High level sleeping problems are something everybody has to deal with.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± I stop hauling a chunk of iron and stare at Del. ¡°What do you mean high leveled sleeping problems?¡±


    ¡°Huh, did your parents never tell you about the insomnia that plagues high leveled people?¡± I can only shake my head sideways at Del. I just managed to regain a proper sleeping schedule, is he saying that I won¡¯t be able to sleep as my level grows higher?


    ¡°Sorry, I forgot we¡¯re in a small village again. Your parents probably don¡¯t even know about level insomnia. You see, as people level, whether they place their stat points in physical or mental stats it becomes harder for people to sleep. The body and mind have so much energy they could go days without rest. You probably aren¡¯t feeling the effects yet because you distributed your points evenly and push yourself with your daily training. The alcoholic brew I drink is to help me relax and fall asleep. Usually by level 80 people need an external aid to help themselves get a proper night¡¯s rest. The reason I¡¯m always trying to nap is because I don¡¯t fall asleep till a few hours before sunrise. You shouldn¡¯t have to worry about it for another ten or so years. Let¡¯s get back to mining, as you said earlier, we have a lot to do.¡±


    Sulking back to the iron cavern with Del, I can¡¯t help but think about my status page again. I enjoy my sleep as much as I enjoy leveling. I had plans to try and power level myself this winter but having to drink myself asleep every night sounds horrible.


    My Sense Soul skill can make me pass out but that too provides horrible sleep. I might have to hold off placing my status points till I find a solution.


    ¡°You¡¯re falling behind Aaliyah, I thought you wanted to make some steel today?¡±


    I can¡¯t worry about something that hasn¡¯t happened yet. ¡°Coming Del!¡± Jogging up to Del, I do what I do best, and focus on the task at hand. I¡¯ll prepare enough steel to forge all day tomorrow.

 Ch: 26

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to push the cart back to my hut?¡± Shaking my head not only shows my reluctance to relinquish the cart to Del but has the bonus effect of removing the sweat dripping across my face. Master Del pushed the cart out of the mine and up the quarry¡¯s ramp, the least I can do is push it back to the forge.


    We usually only go mining twice a month. Leaving the rest of the time to the forest, allowing it time to reclaim the path between Del¡¯s hut and the quarry. The forest grasses and tree roots provide just enough friction to slow the cart to a crawl.


    Even with a 100 Strength, pushing a cart that has a literal ton of ore in it, is difficult.


    ¡°I¡­ can do it¡­ your hut¡­... isn¡¯t that far away.¡± Breathing heavily, I give a forceful push, helping the cart¡¯s wheel vault a tricky root.


    Seeing the clearing, some ten odd feet in front of me, renews my stamina just enough to rush the rest of the way. With the windfall of Stamina, I activate Double Step. Pushing such a weight causes the skill to burn much more stamina than usual but gives me enough speed that the cart pretty much drags me into the clearing.


    Guiding the cart close to our crushing station, I flop to the ground, waiting for my overtaxed Stamina to slowly recharge.


    Taking deep even breaths, I recover in time to watch Del approach my prone form. ¡°Want me to start crushing the rock?¡± Master knows I insist on starting every part of smelting process myself, yet he offers each time I¡¯m too tired to move.


    ¡°Give me a minute and I¡¯ll start crushing the rock.¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t lose that much experience with me helping.¡±


    Breath stabilizing, I sit up facing Del. ¡°I lose 2% if I don¡¯t start every step. I lose another 7% if you step in and help during the ore refining process. Then I lose another 4% when you guide my forging. Even if you barely help me, my experience drops around 19% to 27% depending on your contribution.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t want my help at all, is that it?¡± Del motions like he¡¯s about to leave me for his bench.


    ¡°Stop joking around. you know I meant I get more experience for starting everything. After I crush a few containers of Lovers Ore you can take over and I¡¯ll only lose 7% instead of 9% of my crafting experience.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird how you care so much for a few extra experience points. Usually when someone reaches your level, they focus more on the end product rather than the tedious steps like gathering materials.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should take an apprentice to do the dirty work for me. An apprentice to do the work you don¡¯t want to do; I wonder where I¡¯ve heard that before?¡±


    ¡°Funny. Did you know you get snippier when you¡¯re tired?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to waste experience. The overall experience varies depending on what I make. But even including your help crushing the ore, I gain roughly 24% more experience if I prep the metal myself. Without a proper supplier, we have to do this work anyways. Why would I give up extra experience, just to save a small amount of time by letting you crush some rocks?¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve been a scholar or a mage. Maybe you could have been a great merchant with your love of math.¡±


    ¡°Do they not teach you things like this in Truset? I can understand my parent¡¯s ignorance due to their commoner backgrounds, but I thought Stone Kin shared knowledge and I would consider experience knowledge something important to share.¡±


    Del just shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t already know what you¡¯re talking about. It¡¯s just not important in Truset or any Stone Kin cities. Knowing every step and being good at every step are two different challenges. I¡¯m teaching you mining, ore refining, blacksmithing, sharpening, and you stated you want to know the basics of enchanting. In a Stone Kin city each one of those jobs are separated. You may think knowing everything is a good thing right now, but to create something half as good as Truset, you need to work 5 times harder. Stone Kin separate each job, and though we have a choice in which field to enter, we only focus on one. This method produces Miners that can dig a tunnel the size of my quarry in weeks instead of years. You have people that can melt and mold metal with their bare hands, producing metal many times purer than anything we can make. With metal in hand, blacksmiths shape metals worth more than this whole village. Once an item is forged it is either sharpened or enchanted, sometimes both. Each person creates a masterpiece in their field, generating plenty of experience. I do everything myself because I have to, not by choice.¡±


    So Stone Kin have mastered assembly lines with levels instead of machines. No wonder they can create consistently good gear. From what I¡¯ve heard about human culture, it¡¯s everybody for themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re excited about improving all aspects of forging, but you can let me handle the tedious steps with my superior strength. Just start the fire for me, and let me finish the rock crushing so we have enough time to make the steel tomorrow. By the same logic you used, if you help me, you will still earn more experience when you forge tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right Master Del. I¡¯m wasting time, probably reducing my overall experience in the long run.¡± Standing up I start moving towards the bloomery. Stopping after a few steps, smiling I look over my shoulder at Del. ¡°Thanks for helping.¡±


    Continuing my short walk to the bloomery, I hear Del mumble behind me. ¡°Hope she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯ll be crushing rocks for her forever. My old teacher would be rolling on the ground laughing if she saw me now.¡±


    I really lucked out with my teacher.


    Grabbing a shovel, I start moving charcoal into the bloomery. I helped Del build a small wooden gazebo next to the bloomery. Instead of making charcoal each time we need to fire up the bloomery or forge, we spend a few days creating a huge pile of charcoal and keep it in the gazebo where the weather won¡¯t affect it.


    Once I have a good pile of charcoal ready in the bloomery, I turn and watch Del easily pulverize rocks like someone would crush ice.


    I have to wait for him to pause his strikes before I can get his attention. It¡¯s amazing watching him work. The magnetic rock crusher we use is wielded in one of his hands while he constantly adds more ore with his free hand. Once the magnetite is covered in iron flakes, the banging stops, as master removes the valuable iron with his bare hands. He can process the entire supply of ore we brought back in only two hours. If I tried to help it would take us at least three hours. With the small window of silence, I shout to Del. ¡°Master. Your flask.¡±


    Master looks over to me with a frown. ¡°Fine, but if you use all of it like last time, you¡¯re making my next batch.¡±


    Despite the threat, he tosses the flask hanging at his side over to me. Catching it as it arcs perfectly through the air, I uncork the stopper, recoiling at the smell that wafts out of the container. I know I joked about master drinking lighter fluid but after trying to use it once to start a fire, I think I¡¯m not far from the truth.


    Pouring a few splashes on the coals closest to the open side of the bloomery, I chant the third spell master taught me.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    The spell is longer than the other two and not as versatile, but watching the small ball of red fire shoot out of my index finger is extremely satisfying. I¡¯ve practiced using the spell to light the bloomery and forge many times, so the flame lands exactly where I wanted it, igniting master¡¯s alcohol. I have to watch the fire carefully. The spell is only tier 1 and even if I cast the spell at another person it would at most singe their hair.


    Before I started using master¡¯s drink to start the coals, I would have to cast the spell three or sometimes even four times before the fire would catch the coals properly.


    Maybe when Sandra gets back, she can teach me a tier 2 fire spell if she knows any.


    Looking up at the sky, we have maybe nine hours of daylight left. We will probably have to start the ingots tomorrow morning but I should have enough time to forge what I want by the end of the day tomorrow.


    <hr>


    A few hours later, fire roaring, we¡¯re ready to process the first step of the ore. I¡¯m used to this process by now and don¡¯t need Del to help me at all. Alternating levels of ore and coal I fill the bloomery and pump the bellows.


    ¡°Now that we have some time, can you explain enchanting with runes to me?¡± I¡¯m curious about what Del will teach me. If I ever ask something too personal relating to certain Stone Kin knowledge, master just says, ¡°Can¡¯t tell ya that.¡±


    He already said he could teach me the basics but that just means he¡¯s going to give me an overview of the subject with very little detailed information. I¡¯ll have to use my imagination to fill in the gaps and experiment myself.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s carving runes on top of and into items. Tier 1 and most of tier 2 runes only need to be carved on the surface of whatever you¡¯re enchanting. I¡¯ve heard Tier 3 and 4 have three dimensional runes, but without being able to sense magic, I could never study them.¡±


    ¡°Wait, does that mean you can teach me basic runes!?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like an enchanter? I can¡¯t even tell you how to carve the two runes on my pickaxe, let alone any others. As I told you, I only know the basic process. Stone Kin who show exceptional magical abilities are the only ones who take the time to learn runes. And carving the symbols is a lot harder than you think. You need special tools to carve the surfaces precisely Even knowing the rune and having the equipment to carve it, you still need to change the overall size of the rune to match the item you¡¯re enchanting. Assuming you can manage all that, you need to fill the lines with a magical alchemical solution that complements the enchantment.¡±


    Holly crap! How am I supposed to do any of that?


    ¡°Starting to realize the difficulty yet? Don¡¯t forget to work the bellows properly.¡±


    I forgot to work the bellows! Checking the fire, I¡¯m lucky Master Del reminded me. I got so absorbed in masters enchanting lesson I almost ruined the metal. The mixture inside the bloomery has settled so I can add more layers of charcoal and ore.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me to give up?¡± I can¡¯t help but look a little defeated, every blacksmith dreams of creating an enchanted blade at some point.


    ¡°Normally I would tell someone in your position to give up. If you were a normal child there would be no hope for you in learning enchanting. You however, are a monster in human form, if I¡¯ve ever seen one. The rate you pick up skills is heaven defying, and your magic skills are ridiculous for someone self-taught. Even if I found another person who had magic talent, they wouldn¡¯t be able to learn how to cast a celestial spell, even if I taught them the words.¡±


    Del¡¯s proud look is infectious and I can¡¯t help but cheer up at his praise.


    ¡°If you want to learn enchanting, I can help by forging you some tools if you can buy the materials from your merchant friend. How much money do you have saved up?¡±


    ¡°I usually buy ore from Cristopher, but I¡¯ve managed to save up almost 71 silver.¡± Puffing out my chest, I gloat at the small fortune I¡¯ve saved up these past few years.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± With two words, master crushes my pride. ¡°That boy must be robing you blind if you could only save that much coin. The materials I need for crafting basic enchanting tools cost 50 silver and that¡¯s if you manage to haggle the price down. If you want to try and copy some runes, you¡¯ll need to buy semi magical items or the cheapest magical items you can get, each will cost anywhere between a single silver and 4 large silver coins.¡±


    ¡°That much!¡± It¡¯ll cost everything I have saved just to try learning basic engraving.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying in Truset, ¡®You only need two things to master engraving, magic and a fortune you¡¯re willing to throw away.¡¯ Enchanters in Truset brag not about what they could enchant but how much money they wasted doing so. It¡¯s rumored the best enchanter in Truset managed to learn the basics of engraving in only two months. People thought that was amazing, until he drunkenly admitted he wasted 58 gold coins doing so.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a bag of gold stashed under you¡¯re your house, right?¡± Pumping the bellows a few times, I make sure the fire stays strong.


    ¡°Sorry, no gold under my house. You shouldn¡¯t worry about the money just yet. If you work hard and sell everything you make, you should be able to slowly practice enchanting. Speaking of your forging, I¡¯m curious, what were you so excited to make tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I was going to try making a style of sword I thought of, if you haven¡¯t seen anything like it before I was going to call it a katana.¡± In my past life I bought a cheap knockoff katana on the internet, and since then I always wanted a real one. I know the basic method to forge a Japanese sword but I can always ask for Del¡¯s help with the first one. Hopefully challenging myself with something new will let me break through the Blacksmithing test.


    ¡°I hate to criticize something you seem so passionate about, but unless it¡¯s something ridiculous and complicated, it¡¯s most likely been forged before. Anything else you wanted to try?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ there is one thing I really want to make. It should be relatively easy.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t keep me in suspense, what do you want to make tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I want to make a grill.¡± I look seriously at Del. The decades of eating only stew need to end.


    ¡°What¡¯s a grill?¡± My mouth opens a little at Del¡¯s comment.


    ¡°You¡¯re confident I can¡¯t make an original sword, but you don¡¯t know what a grill is?¡±


    ¡°Explain the design and I¡¯ll tell you what it¡¯s called.¡± Del probably thinks I¡¯m saying the name wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s basically an open box with a wall removed. You put charcoal in the bottom of the box and cook on top of a grate that you can adjust depending on how close you need to be to the fire. You usually cook meat on a grill but blood maize would probably gill nicely.¡±


    Master Del looks contemplative. ¡°That just sounds like a complicated campfire. Why are you so excited about making something so simple?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m tired of stew. Every day it¡¯s stewed meat and veggies. This ¡®grill¡¯, lets a person cook a meal over a controlled fire. Cleanup is easy and it shouldn¡¯t be that hard to make.¡± I¡¯m trying not to sound like an infomercial.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to make, we¡¯ll give it a try. Now that you mention it, I eat mostly stew as well. You¡¯re making me miss the food in Truset or even the food in human cities.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so different about the food in cities?¡±


    ¡°Magic tools and semi-magic tools in cities are much more common. Using magicite, humans can power magic stoves, letting people cook much more complicated dishes. Maybe your grill will be useful after all. If it turns out good, I¡¯ll have to make a second one for myself.¡±


    <hr>


    Del and I spent the next couple of hours discussing different foods and how they¡¯re made, leaving us both hungry. The sun is setting fast and I probably won¡¯t be able to see the metal until tomorrow.


    ¡°Are you going to open the bloomery later?¡± I organize my workspace before I leave the day.


    ¡°I¡¯ll open it in a few hours. We should have enough time tomorrow to forge your grill if we start early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Great, so the two of us need to get up early? What could go wrong with that?¡±


    Sharing a laugh, I¡¯m about to turn to leave the clearing when Del stopes me with a hand on my shoulder.


    Del whispers in my ear, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡±


    Scanning the tree line, I hope dad didn¡¯t come to pick me up again.


    I flinch as a different silhouette appears amongst the trees. Striding into the clearing, bow in hand, Ronald calmly walks up to us.


    Ronald is the best hunter in our village. He¡¯s 5¡¯ 10¡¯¡¯ and has a slender build. His dirty blond hair has a few tangled leaf¡¯s sticking in it. His light blue eyes look grey in the fading sunlight. His gaze is sharp and powerful. He might not be as powerful as one of Cristopher¡¯s guards but he spends his time hunting every day in the woods. Everyone knows his level is probably in the higher forties, maybe even over fifty. For someone who looks like they¡¯re in their early thirties like my parents, his level is considered impressive for our small village.


    He seems much more impressive than the time I saw him helping dad carry the farkus out of the woods, for Richards awakening celebration.


    ¡°Del, Aaliyah, village meeting. Attendance is mandatory.¡± His straight expression gives nothing away.


    I look to Del, expecting him to scowl and chase Ronald away using his fake voice. Instead, he simply nods at Ronald and starts walking towards the village with him. I¡¯m stunned and can only run after their disappearing backs, as they enter the tree line.


    Instead of taking the normal path to the village from Del¡¯s clearing, which would have us walk in a weird v path, we silently cut through the forest. Master doesn¡¯t say a word as we walk through the woods and Ronald doesn¡¯t appear to care about the silence either.


    I can only recall Sandra¡¯s father calling two village meetings in my lifetime and neither were mandatory. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to realize something bad has happened.


    Emerging from the woods, we walk past a few houses before we arrive at the headman¡¯s house. His house is the only one in the village with a second story and every villager is crowded around the front of the building looking up at the window where the man is standing.


    Sandra¡¯s father looks like an average middle-aged man you could find anywhere. Being neither thin nor fat, I focus on his combover He appears to be in his late thirties, maybe early forties. I¡¯ve noticed him around the village but I¡¯ve never had a reason to talk to the man. He keeps scanning the crowd from above, probably waiting for everyone to gather.


    I can see my parents standing together on the opposite side of the crowded villagers. We make eye contact briefly, exchanging smiles. Whatever has the headman spooked, at least it doesn¡¯t involve my family.


    I notice a few people join the edges of the crowd. They must have been the last to arrive because headman Camden looks ready to start.


    ¡°Please be quiet.¡± His words reverberate through the crowd. He must have used a few skills because his voice traveled to everyone¡¯s ears without him needing to shout. Once I heard his voice, it felt like I had the idea to close my mouth. Everyone around me stopped talking at once and now everyone has their eyes on Camden.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to use some skills. Now that everyone is here, I have an important matter everyone needs to hear.¡± If his skills didn¡¯t silence everyone his vague threats would have done the trick.


    ¡°It has come to my attention that the hunters have noticed an increase in the goblins roaming the surrounding forest.¡± A few people like myself have shaken off the skill trying to keep our silence. Slowly more people are murmuring back and forth between each other.


    ¡°Last week I asked Ronald to look into the goblins rising numbers¡­ unfortunately he found a hoard.¡± As soon as he said the word ¡°hoard¡±, his skill was broken by the crowd¡¯s fears.


    ¡°Has Drey been notified?¡± Granny Geller¡¯s voice rises out a part of the crowd and soon everyone is shouting the same question.


    Raising his hand, Camden waits for the crowd to silence naturally. ¡°The reason I¡¯ve gathered you all hear is because I contacted Drey almost five days ago. Sadly, they can¡¯t afford to send a platoon of soldiers to wipe out the hoard.¡±


    This is getting bad. Most of the villagers seem ready to riot. Each time the headman opens his mouth he seems to deliver worse news. It¡¯s hard to pay attention to any one person¡¯s shouting, but again the mob is almost in a consensus. Everyone wants to know why we aren¡¯t receiving aid.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± His skills must have finished their cooldown. He can only use them every seven and a half minutes and I can tell that the affect they have on the crowd this time is much weaker. Even weaker, he uses the pause in the crowds shouting to continue his explanation.


    ¡°I received a messenger bird from the city¡¯s lord. Last week Scholl attacked the Scarred Divide. All of the surrounding cities are preparing what warriors they can spare, to be sent to repel Scholl¡¯s forces. They told me if we can wait for winter to pass, they can send us a small group of soldiers in the spring.¡±


    ¡°So, we only have to wait for reinforcements, that¡¯s not too bad.¡± I can¡¯t tell who shouted that out but while everyone is agreeing with the idea, I notice key people shaking their heads, including my master.


    It¡¯s Ronald who finally dashes the crowds hopes. ¡°We can¡¯t wait that long! Goblins breed too fast. In two months, the group I saw could father dozens of baby goblins and they will be old enough to attack us by spring. And that¡¯s assuming the hoard can scavenge enough supplies through winter! We could be attacked anytime between now and whenever Drey can spare us the troops.¡± Many have gone pale at Ronald¡¯s warning.


    ¡°Thank you, Ronald.¡± Camden draws the crowds focus back towards himself before people start shouting at Ronald. ¡°This is why I called an emergency meeting. Once it became apparent, we wouldn¡¯t receive any aid from Drey, I realized we would have to take care of the hoard ourselves.¡±


    Everyone is losing their shit. I understand why people are scared. When we are attacked by goblins, excluding the large attack almost five years ago, the village hunters kill most of the goblins before stronger villagers like father would help with the stragglers. Even with us surrounded by woods, the average villager has never been in a combat situation let alone a life or death struggle.


    The situation is deteriorating fast, people might start hurting each other in their panic. ¡°Cover your ears.¡± Masters voice quietly warns me. As soon as my hands are on my ears, a thundering sound knocks the villagers surrounding us to the ground. Many are rubbing their ears, but everyone is staring at me. Not at me, through me, at my master. His hand clap was deafening.


    Pretending to be ignorant of the stares, master ignores the hostile looks and focuses on Camden. A few people take the hint and focus back up on the window. ¡°I know you are all afraid. I wouldn¡¯t ask this of you if the situation wasn¡¯t so dire. Tomorrow, those capable, need to prepare. Anyone strong enough or brave enough needs to help us fight against the hoard. Midday tomorrow, we will gather again and plan out our attack. We will leave for the hoard the day after tomorrow. I know everyone who is strong enough to participate, and you know who you are. If you don¡¯t contribute, we will drag you against the hoard whether you are prepared or not.¡±


    His gaze passes through me as he eyes everyone in the village. Ever so lightly I feel something inside my chest. Focusing inward, I watch the tiniest flakes of translucent fire slowly merge with my soul! As the flames meld into my own, I try and notice any difference in my body. I can¡¯t look directly at my soul, so I check every inch of my body. Mana, emotions, anything I can think of, I check for any abnormalities. Once half the flames are fully merged, I notice a peculiar thought. In contrast to focusing on my body, the thought of helping the village appears in my head. It¡¯s not an overwhelming urge to take up arms, more like a sense of patriotism. The scary thing is, though I love my village, the idea of defending my home shouldn¡¯t be in my head while I¡¯m focusing so hard on my body. As the last of the flames meld into my soul, the idea of defending the village hasn¡¯t become more pronounced, but the idea won¡¯t leave my head!


    Looking up, I notice the headman paling slightly as the villagers disperse.


    He¡¯s using a skill! A skill that manipulates the mind! He¡¯s making the villagers more likely to willingly volunteer tomorrow!


    While I¡¯m panicking at the loss of control over my mind, I see master slap the side of his head. I can barely hear him mumble, ¡°I hate noble skills.¡±


    I¡¯m about to ask him what¡¯s going on, before a younger Camden approaches us. Nicolas is Sandra¡¯s oldest brother and the villages future headman.


    ¡°Del-Razen and miss Aaliyah, my father wishes to speak with the two of you privately. Please follow me.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t even wait for us to voice our opinions before leading us into his house. We¡¯re taken to a side room, obviously meant to accommodate important people. The furniture is made from some of the best wood I¡¯ve seen and covered in Karhu fur.


    Nicolas stands by the door, without saying a word. Master takes a seat, seemingly without a care in the world. The rooms silence only lasts a few minutes before Camden Downs strolls through the door.


    I¡¯m about to get up and properly great him, only to be stopped with a wave of his hand.


    ¡°I hope the two of you are comfortable. I have a lot to discuss with the two highest leveled people in the village.¡±


    What did he say!

 Ch: 27

    ¡°Once you mentioned the horde, I figured you would call me in.¡± Del¡¯s response to Camden doesn¡¯t reach my ears.


    How does he know my level? Did Sandra say something to him? But she hasn¡¯t seen me in over four years.


    ¡°I still need to thank you. I know how much you loathe talking to people, it was surprising to me when I heard you took on an apprentice. Despite your quirkiness, you¡¯re the strongest person in the village. We need your help against the horde.¡±


    Does he know my status page!?


    ¡°That bad, huh. You said there¡¯s a horde, how many goblins did Ronald observe in the woods?¡±


    What else does he know about me!?


    ¡°He could only observe their camp a few minutes before he had to leave. Ronald thinks they number around 400.¡±


    Mother and father warned me about people like him discovering my abilities, I need to know what his intentions are! I don¡¯t even know when I stood up but I¡¯m staring down at Camden.


    ¡°Woah, don¡¯t panic at the numbers Aaliyah.¡± What is he talking about? Doesn¡¯t matter.


    As I continue to stare at him, his reassuring smile fades and he looks worried up at me. I take a step forward, only to pulled back by master¡¯s arm. Both Camden and Nicolas flinch as I¡¯m pulled back.


    ¡°Calm down there.¡± Masters words don¡¯t pull my gaze away from Camden.


    ¡°I apologize if I offended you in some way.¡± He¡¯s apologizing to me what did he do!? Did he threaten someone in my family!?


    Another hand restrains my other shoulder. ¡°How do you know about my level! Only Del and my family should know about it! Did you threaten my family!?¡± I practically growl the words to the man sitting before me.


    ¡°Oh that. I thought you were mad about me requesting your help with the goblins.¡± The headman takes a breath and adjusts himself. Finding a relaxed position in his chair again, Camden looks up at me with an understanding look in his eyes. ¡°I noticed your high level back when my daughter and your brother left for Drey.¡±


    His answer distracts me, causing me to stop struggling against Del¡¯s grasp. When I suddenly stop resisting Del, the force of his arms yanks me backwards into his chest.


    ¡°How?¡± I mumble.


    ¡°He has a noble skill.¡± Del¡¯s voice echoes behind me.


    Seeing the confusion on my face, Camden explains. ¡°Some skills are more likely to be unlocked when a person reaches a high enough social status. They¡¯re called noble skills because knights, nobles, and people that govern over others are the most likely to obtain them. I won¡¯t tell you which of my skills it is, but it allows me to estimate the levels of my villagers that I govern over. I noticed your high level when you were saying goodbye to my daughter.¡±


    He has noble skills that can approximate someone¡¯s level and one that can influence the mind. What a scary combo. ¡°Do all village leaders have skills like that?¡±


    ¡°No. As I said, the skills are MOST likely to be obtained by people in my position. Leaders of merchant groups have been known to unlock similar skills. But just like all skills, they are only unlocked through hard work. I thought I was talented, that is until you surpassed my level before you were even considered an adult.¡±


    Sensing that I¡¯ve calmed down, Del releases his grip and sits back down. Free from Del¡¯s grip I take my own seat as Camden continues to talk.


    ¡°Realizing your ridiculous leveling speed, I contacted my daughter a few years ago and you know what she wrote back?¡± Now that I¡¯m relaxed, it looks like he¡¯s more confident talking to me. ¡°She told me to leave you alone.¡± He starts laughing. ¡°She said not to poke a hibernating karhu. I of course agreed with her and have watched you surpass Ronald¡¯s and mine level over these last few years.¡±


    Sandra was looking out for me, even when she was off at Drey learning to be a mage. She¡¯s a good friend. ¡°You understand that I don¡¯t want to stand out, right?¡±


    ¡°I figured as much. You have nothing to worry about from me. Villages flourish whenever they produce a high leveled individual like yourself. If you need anything at all, please find myself or Nicolas.¡± I see Nicolas standing by the door, nodding his head.


    ¡°If you¡¯re being so accommodating, can you remove the skill that keeps the idea of defending the village from bouncing around inside my head." The accommodating smile falters on Camden¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t have that kind of control with that skill. It affects the whole village and I can¡¯t afford to remove it. I hope you understand?¡±


    Before I can say anything else, Master Del cuts in. ¡°I know this is the first official meeting between the two of you, but Aaliyah¡¯s parents will become worried if she doesn¡¯t return home soon. We should talk about the horde before they show up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we¡¯ve drifted off the trail for a moment there. You probably know the reason I called you here tonight, instead of waiting for tomorrow.¡±


    Master¡¯s eyes narrow at Mr. Downs. ¡°I can only assume Ronald confirmed that a horned hobgoblin was amongst the horde.¡±


    Nicolas shivers hearing Del¡¯s words and his father looks just as worried. ¡°That¡¯s right. He could only observe one, but when it comes to goblins there¡¯s usually more that you can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°Master, what¡¯s a horned Hobgoblin?¡± I can guess by their context that it¡¯s a stronger version of a goblin but how much stronger?


    ¡°Goblins are peculiar creatures. A goblins life cycle is one of the wonders of the world. Goblins are born and reach their first form of maturity in only five months. By eight months they can breed and they usually die before they can reach two years old. Goblins that reach one and a half years of age can be as strong as a level 15 villager. The goblins you¡¯ve met so far were mostly between six months and a year in age, making them even weaker.¡±


    ¡°So, what makes them so dangerous other than their numbers?¡±


    ¡°Once a goblin reaches two years of age, they enter another growth phase. In only a few months they go from three and a half feet tall to nearly five feet tall. At this point they¡¯re closer to say a level 30 person, still manageable to an adult hunter, but much more dangerous to your average villager. We call those goblins hobgoblins or hobs for short.¡±


    Master takes a deep breath and rubs the back of his head before he continues. ¡°Once a goblin turns into a hob, they slowly get stronger with time. Goblins are prey for most creatures, but if a hobgoblin survives and reaches five years of age, they enter another growth phase. Each goblin grows differently during their third growth phase, some barely pass five and a half feet, while I¡¯ve heard horror stories of goblins reaching seven feet tall. Disregarding the height difference, goblins that old can be identified by the horns that they grow on their heads.¡±


    ¡°How strong are these horned hobgoblins, master?¡± I¡¯m practically vibrating with nervousness.


    ¡°It varies, but the weaker ones are usually in the high forties. Mid-fifties are a safe bet whenever someone is gauging the strength of horned hobs.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Gods!¡± This is bad.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand the dilemma I face.¡± Master and I both turn to Camden. ¡°The worst part about goblins is their mob approach to fighting. The three of us and Ronald are the only ones that have the levels to match a horned hob. Del-Razen, I need to use your strength to reassure people that this isn¡¯t a hopeless battle.¡±


    Master slowly nods his head. ¡°I understand, but we need to be careful. I may have a little combat experience but I just make use of my high Strength stat. Aaliyah is not suited for this kind of combat and I doubt you¡¯ve fought anything recently. That leaves me and Ronald to handle the higher tier goblins. I¡¯ll say this now, if there¡¯s more than six horned hobs, we¡¯ll need to retreat.¡±


    ¡°Even you can¡¯t handle more than six horned hobs?!¡± Nicolas breaks his silence for the first time. I can¡¯t help but agree with him. When I first met master, he was level 87. He has to have leveled at least once or twice these last few years. Is he saying even someone at level 89 can¡¯t handle seven horned hobs?


    ¡°Boy, I may seem strong to you, but you have to remember I¡¯m a craftsman. Stone Kin have no reason to learn self-defense unless we decide to join our cities militia. I only learned how to utilize my strength in combat after I left Truset. Other than a pressure skill, I only have hammer arts and other crafting skills that I¡¯ve never needed to practice in combat. When I said if there was more than six, I was talking about Ronald and I working together against them.¡±


    Camden looks like he is squeezing his hands together quite hard, he was probably hoping for more of a reassurance from master. ¡°If we have to, we¡¯ll kill as many goblins as we can and retreat if there¡¯s too many hobs, horned or otherwise. I¡¯ve already been given Ronald¡¯s approval, I just had to make sure you were going to help the village.¡±


    ¡°Humf, I¡¯ve been living here long enough to consider this my home, of course I would help defend it.¡± If only a little, Camden and Ronald lose some of their tension.


    Wait. Why are they looking only at Del? ¡°Am I not expected to fight?¡±


    Turning towards me, Camden doesn¡¯t hide the look of unease on his face. ¡°I promised my daughter that I wouldn¡¯t force you to help the village. You may be the second highest leveled person in the village but you¡¯re also still too young for me to ask you to come along with us. I¡¯ll let you and the few others that are close to your age participate if they want to. I would be overjoyed if you¡¯d join us but that has to be your decision, not mine.¡±


    The last rays of light filter through the window. Standing up, Sandra¡¯s father bows his head. ¡°I want to thank the two of you again. If either of you have questions, you can find me here tomorrow. Nicolas, escort them out please.¡±


    Master Del and I are escorted out of the headman¡¯s house and Del escorts me home. Before we separate in front of my door, we decide to meet up tomorrow in his clearing.


    Opening the door to my house, I see father helping mother prepare dinner. Slipping off my shoes, I close the door behind me.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I clean myself before I slip my feet into my slippers. The magic draws my parent¡¯s attention for a moment, but they¡¯re used to me using the spell in the entryway when I come home late.


    Clean, and with my slippers donned, I move towards the kitchen and help make dinner. Everyone is silent, we have too much to talk about and if we start now, we won¡¯t be able to finish dinner until tomorrow morning.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    <hr>


    The sun has nearly set, as we eat our first spoonfuls of soup.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab the candles.¡± Father moves to pull out his chair.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, let me handle it.¡± I¡¯ve already shown off the spells I can use to my parent¡¯s, but it¡¯s rare for us to eat dinner this late.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    The ball of light illuminates our table. The playful jabs at my secluded training last night are missed in this awkward silence. The three of us share looks of unease, and as usual it¡¯s mother that ends the silence.


    ¡°What did the headman want with you, sweety?¡± Mother and father both stop eating and wait for me to answer mother¡¯s question.


    ¡°The headman wanted to talk to us about the horde.¡± I shovel two spoonsfuls of my soup into my mouth and try to avoid my parent¡¯s gazes.


    ¡°Us? You mean Del right? Why would the headman want to talk to you?¡± Mother interrogates me while looking worried. I turn away from her and look towards father. He has a flash of understanding and looks even more worried than mother.


    ¡°He called the two of us over because we¡¯re the two highest leveled people in the village.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Mother looks like she¡¯s about to explode with anger. Father hangs his head, trying to hide his own fury at the situation. ¡°How does he know your level!? Was it Del!?¡± I laugh at mother¡¯s absurdity.


    ¡°Why would Del tell the headman about my level, mother? Apparently, the headman has a skill that lets him approximate people¡¯s levels. He said he¡¯s been keeping an eye on me since I said goodbye to Sandra. And before you run over to his house, he didn¡¯t say I had to participate in the fight.¡± Quick glances at my parent¡¯s faces tell me they already know where I¡¯m going with this.


    ¡°You are not participating!¡± Mother¡¯s face tells me she¡¯s firm about not letting me go. ¡°The headman can be happy that your father is going. He doesn¡¯t need my daughter as well.¡±


    ¡°I need to go.¡± I can only stare at my soup. I know mother is about to yell at me. Bracing for the impending argument, I slowly look up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­¡± Mother¡¯s wrath abruptly stops when father places his hand against her arm.


    ¡°Why do you think you have to go with us?¡± Father is trying to be supportive, but his unwillingness to let me go is apparent.


    ¡°The horde has horned hobs. The headman wanted to warn Del that he would need to use his name as a reassurance, when he discusses the horde tomorrow with the village.¡± Mother appears too startled to speak, while father loses his mask of understanding and betrays his fear of the situation.


    ¡°Ronald and Del will handle the horned hobs, but even then, there will be regular hobgoblins to worry about. I¡¯m stronger than most of the villagers. If I don¡¯t go, dad and many others could die.¡±


    Mother still looks like she wants to argue. I know it¡¯s coming from a place of love but I¡¯ve already made up my mind. ¡°Mother!¡± Using Intimidating Shout, I stop her before she can yell again. ¡°I love the two of you so much, but I¡¯m 15 now, this is my decision to make.¡±


    I never thought I would have to use the rebellious teen excuse. I wish I could go to my room but I¡¯m the one providing the light.


    <hr>


    The rest of dinner passed silently between the three of us.


    Once the kitchen was clean, I lead us towards our rooms. I make sure I¡¯m in front so I don¡¯t need to make eye contact with mother or father. I wish Richard was back home right now.


    Opening my bedroom door, I can¡¯t think of a time that I¡¯ve been this at odds with my parents. I¡¯ve never openly disobeyed my parents¡¯ wishes like this before.


    Mother and Father shift to my left and go to open their bedroom door. As they start to disappear into their room, I¡¯m reminded of how quickly I died in my previous life. I never had a chance to tell my previous family how much I loved them. You never know what the future can bring and going to bed angry is never a good option.


    Before their door closes completely, I push it back open. Mother and Father look startled, but before they walk to their sides of the bed, I run up to them and give them a hug.


    We don¡¯t say anything.


    Breaking apart after a few minutes, I kiss their cheeks and walk back to my room.


    Closing my door softly, I change into my nightgown. Sitting on my bed, I hear the muffled sobbing of mother through the walls.


    Despite all my hard work today, I don¡¯t feel tired.


    I should check my status page.


    LV: 59 Experience: 46,072/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 412.91/1,250


    Mana: 357.46/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 75.01


    Strength: 100.00


    Dexterity: 100.04


    Senses: 60.11


    Mind: 61.94


    Magic: 100.09


    Clarity: 75.04


    Status Points: 31


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Axe Skills (LV51), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Axe Arts (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV41), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV29), Mental Resistance (LV24)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV17)


    My higher stats boosted my mining and axe related skills. I can¡¯t sleep and I only have a little bit of mana to train with. I need to be stronger.


    I need to level as many of my relevant skills as quickly as possible. I¡¯ll need to practice my physical skills tomorrow. If I can¡¯t sleep tonight I might as well work on the three skills that will help me gain the most experience. Mana Skin is the first thing I should work on. I have about 150 mana that I can spare tonight.


    Getting into my meditative position, I activate Mana Skin. If I let the skill activate by itself, it usually costs 51 mana to cover my body. After my body is covered, I can keep Mana Skin active with only a point of mana every 84 seconds.


    Unfortunately, skills only level when you push them. Usually I increase the mana expelled to form the barrier around my body. The thicker barrier makes a better insulator against the weather. With my higher stats I plan on trying something new.


    While the skill activates, I release 100 mana. It takes a few seconds but now my body is covered in a barrier half an inch thick. Del told me he can¡¯t see anything when I activate the skill, so it should be ok to use during the fight.


    Sinking into a deeper meditative state, I focus on the barrier my skill created with my heightened Clarity and Mind stat. The barrier only works with temperature because anything can pass through the barrier. If I can condense the barrier, maybe it could deflect physical things too.


    Forcing away stray thoughts, I use Mana Manipulation to exert pressure against the barrier and try to slowly compress it.


    It¡¯s working, I can feel the magic becoming denser against my body. If I can compress it another three times I can¡­ defend the village.


    Gods, lost my concentration. That stupid compulsion in the back of my mind makes it impossible to completely focus. The constant prod in the back of my mind feels like someone is poking the inside of my skull. In between pokes I can focus but each time the compulsion activates it ruins my concentration.


    Luckily my Mana Skin skill wasn¡¯t deactivated by my focusing blunder. Checking my remaining mana, I see I only have 17 mana left for experimentation. The mana surrounding me also lost 25% of its composition.


    This time I wait. Meditating, I try to sense the next ¡°poke¡± that¡¯s coming.


    16 mana left.


    15 mana left, when is it coming?


    14, how long¡­


    The faint desire to help the village momentarily flashes through my mind.


    Alright, now! Expelling another 10 mana, I use Mana Manipulation to try and compress the barrier around myself. I don¡¯t have enough time to experiment with different levels of compression so I burn my mana trying to compress it to half of its normal thickness.


    Focus! Almost there!


    I got it.


    Opening my eyes, the magic surrounding me is thinner, but I don¡¯t have time to analyze it deeper. Another ¡°poke¡± should be coming soon.


    Slowly lifting my right hand, I try to grasp my left forearm. I need to be fast but if I move too quickly, I might ruin the progress I made by accident.


    With my right hand above my forearm, I try and squeeze my arm.


    Pure joy lights up my face as I can feel a barrier separating my hand. Slowly increasing my grip strength, I try and feel what the barrier does under increasing force. The barrier only stops what I can say as about 30 strength worth of force before my hand sinks into the barrier, allowing me to grab my forearm.


    Let¡¯s see what happens when I remove my¡­ help the village.


    This is pissing me off now.


    My Mana Skin doesn¡¯t revert back to the thicker version this time, but trying to poke my arm reveals that the strength of the barrier has dropped to only a third of its previous capabilities.


    My mana is¡­ crap. Deactivating my skill, I¡¯m 27 mana under my reserve. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed so hard. The lower my mana drops the slower it regenerates. I would normally not care about a few points under my soft limit but I need to be able to regain all my mana by the time we leave for the forest.


    Camden¡¯s skill has opened my eyes to how much I focus when I use most of my skills. When walking, eating, and doing normal everyday activities Camden¡¯s skill is nothing but a thought in the back of my head. However, when I focus, his skill becomes a noticeable problem. I need to try and remove it.


    With my five days of soul training, I can look closer at the general area of my soul. Maybe I can pick the fragments of his skill out of my soul if I try hard enough.


    Focusing inwards, towards the center of my chest, I try scanning the outer reaches of my soul. If I look at too long, I¡¯ll get a headache, so I need to¡­ protect the village.


    ¡°Aggg.¡± I grit my teeth before I scream in the night.


    This will be harder than I thought.


    <hr>


    Four hours later and I couldn¡¯t remove a single shred of the headman¡¯s skill. There¡¯re only a few hours until the sun rises. I hate that I have to use my backup plan, but I need to at least sleep a little tonight.


    Before another ¡°poke¡± arrives, I try to look directly at my soul.


    Everything fades quickly and I¡¯m in the forest again. I wish I could take a nap, too bad I never feel tired here, and the passage of time is twisted.


    Standing up, I make my way towards the sea of stars. The quicker I get to the eyes the quicker I can wake up. If I¡¯m lucky it will be morning and I can talk to Del about the coming battle.


    The only good thing about this space is that I can constantly run without getting tired. I think of it as a game, and I need to dodge all the trees as I run towards the goal.


    Enjoying this one moment of happiness before the eyes shock me awake, I make my way through the dark forest.


    What¡¯s that?


    While running, I notice a small light casting shadows behind a root of a tall tree. I¡¯ve been here dozens of times and the only light comes from the moons and stars.


    I was running pretty quick, so I backtrack to find the tree and search for the light. Finally, I notice the soft glow of the light in the distance. Steadily making my way over, I stand before a tree. The tree looks like any other and has no distinguishing features. Circling the trunk of the tree, I find the light source.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Stuck near the bottom of the tree and a large root is a small translucent fireball. Are those flames from my soul!?


    The translucent fire isn¡¯t spreading, the flames just seem to stick to the tree. I channel my inner child and do something stupid¡­


    ¡­I try and poke the flames with one of my fingers.


    My finger slips through the flames without harming my hand. If the flame isn¡¯t dangerous, I try and scoop the ball of fire into my left hand. The flames seem to defy any sense of gravity and only move once I encase them in both my hands.


    Opening my hands, the flames are now stuck to the palm of my right hand. Raising the flames to eye level, I try to inspect the most detailed piece of soul I¡¯ve ever seen. Flipping my hand upside down, the flames now look like gravity has been reversed, making the flames look like they¡¯re dripping from my hand.


    What¡¯s weird is the flames contain very little information and the information that is there is fragmented. Maybe there¡¯s more of these flames scattered around.


    <hr>


    Playing hide and seek in a place that has no concept of time turned out to be a tedious endeavor. I made sure to avoid the sea of stars and combed every inch of the forest and the surrounding rocky landscape.


    I was right in believing there were other flames hidden. Turns out, I found 146 of the little balls of fire. Bringing any of the flames close together would cause them to fuse into a denser ball of translucent flames.


    Now that I found them all, I¡¯m back in my clearing. I can¡¯t leave now.


    The ball of fire in my hand is whispering in my ear now that I¡¯ve combined all the fragments.


    ¡°Save the village.¡±


    ¡°Save the village.¡±


    ¡°Save the village.¡±


    I started to realize what the flames were when I had most of them collected, they¡¯re the fragments of Camden¡¯s skill!


    I¡¯m sure his skill was absorbed by my soul.


    That would mean...


    I¡¯m in my soul right now!


    Looking around the clearing again, I can¡¯t help but reexamine every tree around me. Is the ground truly the ground?


    I always thought this was a place inside my head that I go to whenever I overtax my brain by looking at my soul directly.


    This changes everything. If this is my soul, examining every inch of this place might hold clues about how skills are stored in the soul.


    I have so many things to try, but one thing stands above the rest right now. Peering down at the ball of flames in my hand, I need to remove this skill. I need to be able to focus during the battle, but how can I destroy it? Nothing works here.


    Now that the flames aren¡¯t scattered anymore, maybe I could extract them when I leave.


    Or, they might just disperse again.


    I don¡¯t want to have to look for the flame fragments again.


    If the skill is mixed with my soul, I¡¯ve already helped by gathering the fragments together. Maybe when I leave, I can take them with me.


    This is the longest time I¡¯ve ever spent here. I need to check how much time has passed outside my soul.


    Holding the skill, I make my way towards the star sea. This time I don¡¯t rush.


    Every rock.


    Every leaf.


    Why does my soul look like the forest to me? Before I realize it, I¡¯m already entering the desert of rocks that surrounds the forest. What kind of metaphor is this place?


    Maybe I need to stop looking at everything like a Rorschach test. My skills obviously aren¡¯t strong enough to comprehend my surroundings, I should focus on removing this invasive skill.


    Finally, standing on the cliff, I look at the calm sea. Alright skill, let¡¯s see how well you do against the eyes.


    Holding the flame out in front of me, I watch the second moon rise from the sea and join its twin in the sky.


    My left hand goes to my chest, my heart is rapidly pounding against my ribs, trying to escape its prison. With my new understanding of this world, I¡¯m terrified of the rising moons. What are they?


    As they reach the pinnacle of the sky, the eyes open, and I brace for the coming sense of unease.


    But this time I don¡¯t feel like the eyes are focusing on me. Usually I can¡¯t look away but without the direct pressure of the eyes I can finally look around. looking at my right palm, I watch as the flames are slowly being snuffed out. The eyes are focusing on the invasive skill! Are the eye¡¯s guarding my soul?


    If they are, then they will probably boot me out of here next. But why do they wait for me to reach here of all places before they kick me out?


    Before the flame winks out of existence, I try and look around again. The surrounding cliff is the same and so is the night sky. The ocean is¡­


    The dark ocean is gone, replaced by sea of lights. One of the closest lights draws me in, and in the light, I see myself having dinner with my parents from last night. Everything¡¯s the same. Are these lights my memories!? What if I go deeper, I could¡­?!


    I can no longer look at the lights, the overbearing force once again descends upon me and I¡¯m forced to look up. Once I make eye contact with the twin orbs in the sky, I¡¯m waking up in my bed. The sun hasn¡¯t risen but the night is quickly receding.


    Sinking into a meditative state, I¡¯m happy to see that Camden¡¯s skill is gone from my mind. I need to check my status page.


    LV: 59 Experience: 178,372/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 1231.99/1,250


    Mana: 584.31/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 75.01


    Strength: 100.00


    Dexterity: 100.04


    Senses: 60.11


    Mind: 62.09


    Magic: 100.11


    Clarity: 75.07


    Status Points: 31


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Axe Skills (LV51), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Axe Arts (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV42), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV32), Mental Resistance (LV30)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV23)


    Wow! I gained a level in Mana Manipulation and three in Mana Skin with my magic practice last night. But the most levels are in Mental Resistance and Sense Soul. I gained six levels in mental resistance, most likely because I managed to remove Camden¡¯s skill.


    But I feel the biggest payoff came from Sense Soul. My tier 5 skill also leveled six times last night. I don¡¯t think I was supposed to see those memories. That has to be the next step I have to take to improve Sense Soul. I¡¯ll hit my first test once its hit¡¯s 30 and every ten levels I¡¯ll have to overcome another obstacle.


    All of the mental training finally pushed Mind to 62.


    If I have some time later, I might try and enter my soul again.


    I need to meet with Del and stop by the headman¡¯s house to tell him I¡¯ll be participating.


    Dressing in some clean clothes, I leave my room to finish my preparations for my part in the coming battle.

 Ch: 28

    ¡°Master?!¡±


    ¡°Master?!¡±


    ¡°Master Del?!¡± Entering Del¡¯s clearing, I¡¯m surprised that Del isn¡¯t on his favorite bench.


    ¡°Stop your hollering, I¡¯m coming out!¡± His voice echoes out of his hut.


    A few seconds later, Master Del appears in his doorway sporting some metal armor. I recognize the armor as the same pieces I saw when I first cleaned Del¡¯s house. I had no idea the armor was meant for his personal use.


    Looking at master from head to toe, I try not to laugh. ¡°Master, I think you might have to adjust the midsection.¡± I can see where his armor is constricting his gut. ¡°Puffff.¡± I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t needed to wear this, since I left Truset. The metal must have warped after I¡¯ve left it laying around for so long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the reason, master.¡± I bring my hand up to suppress another snicker.


    ¡°Cheeky, brat.¡± While Del walks over to his anvil, he carefully takes off his armor. When I first cleaned his house, I didn¡¯t know anything about blacksmithing. Now that I can craft my own, I can see the superb craftsmanship hidden amongst the plain looking armor. The straps are hidden and look to be reinforced by metal clips. The outside looks like plain steel, but the plates overlap perfectly giving the wearer an added protection against stray arrows or the lucky sword stroke. I hope that I can achieve something similar in my future works.


    Once his armor is removed, Del moves over to his anvil and grabs a smaller hammer that we use for more precise work. He inspects each piece of armor carefully, adjusting it if he spots some hidden imperfection.


    ¡°You coming with us tomorrow?¡± Master¡¯s question pulls me out of my peaceful hypnotic state. Watching Del work seriously, is beautiful. I can almost meditate to his hammer strikes.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going. You think I would let you and dad go alone?¡±


    Master stops his swings and looks up at me. ¡°You sure? We can handle the goblins. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to go.¡±


    Scrunching my face, I snap back at master. ¡°It sounds like you don¡¯t want me to go.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for five years now, I know you don¡¯t like conflict. You may be the second-highest leveled person in the village, but you¡¯ve distributed your Status Points over many attributes. Your strength stat is the same as a villager¡¯s strength when they¡¯re in the level thirties range. What I¡¯m trying to say is, you have to be sure that this is what you want to do. Don¡¯t force yourself to go, just because of your level.¡±


    I have to steady myself after that little speech. Del¡¯s usual passive antics sometimes make me forget how much older he is than me. Even if I include my past life, he¡¯s more than double my age. I¡¯m not sure if he does it on purpose, but when he has these random moments of wisdom, they leave a much more lasting effect on me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to go hunting for the goblins. I just can¡¯t stay here knowing you, father, and so many others are leaving to defend the village. I might not be able to fight a horned hob but I can at least help with the regular hobgoblins. If I go, it will lessen the danger to the village. Plus, if Richard and Sandra came back home and Dad or the village headman died during the fight, I could never face either of them ever again.¡± Maybe because I wasn¡¯t shouting at my mother, I was better able to articulate my desires. Saying my reasons out loud feels like I¡¯ve gained a much stronger sense of purpose.


    ¡°Wow, the headman¡¯s skill got you good.¡± And master goes back to his hammering and his annoying jokes.


    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s all me. His skill was ruining my concentration, so I dispersed his skill last night.¡±


    Master jerks his head up towards my direction and barely shifts his strike at the last minute to avoid his fingers. ¡°You were able to cancel his noble skill!?¡±


    I give master my best shit eating grin possible. ¡°Yep, gone. It wasn¡¯t even that hard once I figured it out.¡± I¡¯ll leave out the hours I spent failing at removing the skill and how I stumbled upon the solution.


    ¡°It was that skill, huh?¡± Master refuses to ever mention the words ¡°tier 5¡± or the name of my skill out loud.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I lightly reply. Master nods his head and goes back to adjusting his armor.


    After he finishes a piece, he puts it back on to test out the new dimensions. It only takes him thirty minutes to finish adjusting each piece of his armor. Without the armor looking too tight for him, Master Del looks incredible. He reaches over and grabs his heaviest hammer and does a few practice swings. Seeing the armored Stone Kin waving the heavy hammer like it¡¯s nothing gives me hope for the coming battle.


    ¡°Master, why aren¡¯t you using your pickaxe? Isn¡¯t it stronger than your hammer?¡± I¡¯m confused at master¡¯s weapon choice.


    ¡°My pickaxe may be stronger, but I have more levels related to my hammer skills. I¡¯m better with a hammer, so there¡¯s no point in bringing my pickaxe even if its enchanted.¡±


    Master continues his swings, but I have an idea we need to try. ¡°I think you should bring your pickaxe and keep your hammer as a side weapon.¡± Pausing his swing, master looks at me with an inquisitive look. ¡°Hear me out master. What if I fill your pickaxe with my mana before the big fight? The pickaxe went through the stone in the mine easily, and I only have a fraction of your Strength. It won¡¯t last long, but if you take care of the horned hobs quickly enough, bringing your magic pickaxe would be worth it.¡±


    I can¡¯t hide the excited look from my face. Del might not be able to utilize mana but he can use items that already have a mana supply like the light-hats.


    ¡°That might work.¡± Walking over towards one of his sheds he grabs his pickaxe.


    Twirling the pickaxe in his hands, he doesn¡¯t look as confident. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your plan will work. I don¡¯t know how the pickaxe will react when it¡¯s charged with your mana. It¡¯s dangerous to use a new weapon in a fight.¡±


    He¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t want to spend any of my mana today, but Del needs to practice with his axe fully charged. Maybe he can practice on some rocks? ¡°Master, why don¡¯t we go to the quarry and you can practice with your pickaxe on the stones there?¡±


    ¡°We could try that, but we need to hurry. We both need to pack for our trip into the forest.¡±


    We start walking towards the quarry. Without having to pull the cart, we¡¯ll reach there in record time.


    ¡°Why do we need to pack supplies? Aren¡¯t we just going to the goblin¡¯s camp?¡±


    I try to keep pace with Del as he chuckles at my question. ¡°Remember that Ronald reported that the goblin¡¯s camp is near the edge of the hunting grounds?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember.¡±


    ¡°How far do you think that is from our village?¡±


    ¡°Well if you¡¯re asking me, then it has to be farther than I think. Just tell me already.¡±


    ¡°The hunting grounds are the sections of forest surrounding our village where the nature magic isn¡¯t that dense. Because of the lower magic levels only lesser beasts reside here.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Farkas and karhu are considered lesser beasts!?¡±


    ¡°They may be big and strong but neither are magic beasts. As the magic density in the forest gets stronger the plants grow rapidly and the forest becomes much denser. If the plants become stronger it¡¯s obvious the animals will too. Though a karhu is big, many beasts that are half its size can kill it with their natural magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cool and all, but what does that have to do with us packing supplies?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there¡­ no patience I see. Our village was settled here because it¡¯s close enough to the denser magic region that rarer plants and animals have a small chance to show up, but on the opposite side we¡¯re far enough away from the denser forest that the village is out of range from the stronger magic beasts. Even Ronald, one of the faster hunters in the village, would need a day and a half to reach the denser part of the forest. We will need to travel as a group towards the goblin¡¯s camp. It will probably take us two days to get within range of the camp, and then people will need to rest for the battle. If everything goes our way, it will take us at least five days to get back to the village.¡±


    ¡°If the goblins are so far away, why is the headman so sure that they will attack our village?¡±


    ¡°Goblins are scavengers, for whatever reason these ones were forced out of the denser forest, they¡¯ll need a lot of food. Our part of the forest is safer but it doesn¡¯t have the abundance of materials to support a goblin tribe as big as this one. They will fan out and eventually find our village. Our food stores would be their only choice at survival. When winter comes, they will be exceedingly desperate. It may be dangerous to attack their camp, but many more would die if their tribe raided the village during the winter.¡±


    Leave it to talks about being attacked to ruin the mood. We spent the last few minutes of travel in silence. I need to make sure I¡¯m at my best when the fighting starts.


    When we reach the bottom of the quarry, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I quickly pull up my status page and distribute my status points.


    LV: 59 Experience: 178,372/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 1,084.62/1,320


    Mana: 584.31/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 80.00


    Strength: 116.00


    Dexterity: 110.00


    Senses: 60.11


    Mind: 62.09


    Magic: 100.11


    Clarity: 75.07


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Axe Skills (LV51), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Axe Arts (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV42), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV18)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV32), Mental Resistance (LV30)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV23)


    I don¡¯t like not having any spare status points, but I can¡¯t hold back during the fight. I raised my Strength to 116, endurance to 80, and dexterity to 110.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Master, if I pass out don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll wake up in a couple hours.¡± Ignoring his questions and protests, I focus inward and watch my soul the best I can. The colors that emerge from my soul aren¡¯t as diversified as last time.


    I already know that the translucent colors improve my body, so this time I focus on only my soul. I still can¡¯t look at the center of my soul, where the colors appear to originate from, but I can tell the flames surrounding my soul are much more active right now.


    The closest thing I can compare my soul to right now is a star. The flames are acting like solar flares, explosions casting the colors throughout my body.


    If my soul is acting like a sun, maybe the colors are my status points being converted into the energy that nourishes my body. What are the status points that we gain from leveling? Each time I think I learn something new; I¡¯m left with a dozen more questions.


    As the colors finish merging with my body, I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t pass out this time. Exhaling the breath I was holding during my soul observation, I straighten my back and try and feel the new state of my body.


    This time I don¡¯t trip over myself. I think because my stats were already high this time, boosting them isn¡¯t as hard to control.


    ¡°Did you just level or something?¡± I turn to Del who¡¯s patiently waiting for a response.


    ¡°I had some Status points that I had saved up, and I figured I should use and get used to them before we leave for the forest. While you practice with your pickaxe, I¡¯m going to practice with the axe I take with me when I go to work with father. You want me to charge your pickaxe now?¡±


    As he passes me the pickaxe, I reflect on my higher skills. When I distributed my points a second time, I was overwhelmed with the new sensations but with this time my mind is free enough to examine my new stats and I¡¯m reminded how amazing this world is. With a strength of 116, I can hold his pickaxe easily in one hand.


    Magic is cool to use, but seeing myself reach physical limits that wouldn¡¯t be possible back on earth is somehow more satisfying.


    Looking at Master Del, I tell him how many times I can charge his pickaxe. ¡°I need to let my mana fully recharge before we leave tomorrow, so I can only fill the pickaxe three times.¡± As I fill the pickaxe with mana, the beautiful copper lines once again appear across its surface.


    Handing the pickaxe back to master, I take a step back as he shifts his hands to a better position.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel any different to me.¡± The axe arcs through the air creating a sharp whistling sound with each of Del¡¯s swings. ¡°Let¡¯s see what she can do?¡±


    Master takes a strong stance, in front of the wall of the quarry. ¡°Haa,¡± with an explosive shout Del swings his pickaxe horizontally.


    It¡¯s hard to look at his swing when he moves so fast. Relaxing his stance, his strike is over in a blink of the eye. The wall of the quarry now has a clean scar that runs six feet across its face.


    ¡°Torrow¡¯s forge! I didn¡¯t even use any skills.¡± We both look at each other. If Del can do that much damage to stone, maybe the horned hobgoblins won¡¯t pose as much of a threat as we thought.


    **********


    After a few hours of practice, we decided to separate, and pack for the expedition. I don¡¯t want to stay and watch Del tear through his stuff looking for what he considered necessities. I don¡¯t think a flask twice as big as his usual one would be considered a necessity.


    On my way home I stop by the headman¡¯s house. I figured I should give him some good news and let him know I¡¯ll be participating tomorrow.


    ¡°Does my wife have to leave tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°What about my kids, who will watch over them?¡±


    ¡°What should I bring with me?¡±


    Poor Nicolas is being surrounded by villagers, each with their own questions. It looks like he¡¯s keeping people from intruding into their home. I squeeze myself against the building and slowly push my way up through the crowd towards Nicolas.


    Once I make my way to the front of the crowd, I try and get Nicolas¡¯s attention. ¡°Message from Del-Razen.¡± A few people around me quiet and Nicolas makes eye contact with me.


    With a head nod, he moves to the side, and motions for me to enter their house. Nicolas follows me through the door but turns towards the crowd before he shuts the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to answer your questions in a minute.¡± Some are shouting in disappointment while others appear to understand and quiet themselves waiting for his return.


    ¡°Follow me, Miss Aaliyah.¡± Nicolas leads me to a door that sits off to the side.


    I can¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Having a hard time with the villagers?¡±


    Without turning around, Nicolas answers my inquiry. ¡°This is just training for when I¡¯ll be the next headman. Father left me to answer people¡¯s questions while he prepares for tomorrow. Besides, they all ask the same questions, I just wish they all came together, so I wouldn¡¯t have to answer the same question twenty times.¡±


    ¡°At the risk of asking one of those same questions, are you participating tomorrow?¡±


    Pausing for only a second, he tells me ¡°no¡± as he opens the door. ¡°Father said if anything happens to him that it was my job to manage the village in his place. My younger brother is one of the village¡¯s hunters so he¡¯ll be participating tomorrow.¡±


    We descend stone stairs and enter a room filled with candle light. The room has swords, daggers, and other weapons hung up on the walls. Cadman and his second son are checking the condition of some sort of hide armor.


    I¡¯ve seen Braddon returning to the village from hunting in the woods on my way home from Del¡¯s. His tall willowy figure is hard to forget. His long dirty blond hair covers most of his eyes, not that you¡¯d want to look at them. His brown eyes have a sharpness to them that most hunters earn with experience.


    Attending to the two is Sarette Downs, Sandra¡¯s mother. The busty blond looks sweet on the outside but everyone knows she manages the village¡¯s taxes and other financial aspects with an iron fist. She¡¯s known to be nice to talk to unless you haven¡¯t contributed to the village¡¯s taxes. She¡¯s the first to notice me following Nicolas.


    ¡°You must be Aaliyah. Welcome to our home.¡±


    Making sure I don¡¯t miss a step walking down the stone stairs, I greet her back. ¡°Thank you for having me. This is¡­a nice armory you have.¡± I try not to sound too awkward. Thankfully she just laughs and continues to help her husband try on his armor.


    ¡°I think you can take it from here. Mother, father, the villagers still have questions. Excuse me.¡± Nicolas turns around and starts walking up the stairs before either of his parents could answer him.


    ¡°That boy, always being so formal. I miss the day¡¯s he would smile and give me a hug.¡± Sarette complains as she tightens one of Camden¡¯s armor straps.


    ¡°You know he takes his job seriously, honey.¡± Camdan sooths his wife, before he turns to me. ¡°What do I owe the privilege of your visit, Miss Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m bothering you during your preparations. I thought you might like to know that I decided to join the expedition.¡± I take my last few steps down the stairs.


    ¡°Are you sure sweety? It will be dangerous. Don¡¯t let my hubby pressure you.¡± Sarette¡¯s concern was unexpected.


    ¡°I¡¯m confident that I can...¡± As I¡¯m talking to Sarette and Camden, Braddon rushes me and throws a right punch at my stomach.


    He moves faster than father but slower than Del. I step back with my left foot, turning my body to avoid his strike. He wants to test me!!?


    I use my Precise Strike skill and uppercut the part of his armor covering his diaphragm. He overextended himself when I dodged his strike, so when my fist connects with his armor, he can¡¯t move to soften the blow.


    My strike sends him flying back seven feet before he collapses on the stone floor, breathing heavily. My fist hurts from striking his armor but it should be fine by tomorrow morning.


    I turn towards his parents. ¡°You teach your kids to sneak attack people?¡± It¡¯s a good thing I was keeping all three of them in my sights, I was trying to be respectful towards the family.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take my son¡¯s actions in the wrong way. I¡¯m sure he was merely trying to make sure you were ok to join us on the expedition. My family didn¡¯t believe me when I informed them that you were a higher level than myself and Ronald. Braddon, apologize to her.¡± The headman quickly tries to downplay what happened.


    As Braddon stands back up, I make sure to note that he was only down for a minute despite the place I stuck him. ¡°I apologize. I was concerned that your skill was exaggerated by father. I couldn¡¯t, in good faith, let someone so young accompany us without proper skills.¡± His apology looks sincere but that doesn¡¯t mean I will condone his actions.


    ¡°I accept your apology. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning, good day.¡± I turn around and start to climb the stairs.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t wish to stay? We can prepare some snacks if you would like?¡± Looking down at Camden, I can see him starting to sweat.


    ¡°Thank you for your offer, but I still need to prepare a bag for tomorrow. I¡¯ll see the two of you then.¡± I give one last long look at Braddon and watch him make an awkward face and rub the area where I struck him.


    I make my way up the stairs and walk back through the headman¡¯s house. I promise to myself that if Braddon tries that again, I¡¯ll aim for his face next time and use Double Strike instead.


    Squeezing out the door, I try to wish Nicolas good luck with the crowd but my voice is only one amongst the many villagers. I settle with a hand wave, as I start walking home.


    Everyone is running around the village. People arguing over supplies, and I¡¯ve passed at least four discussions about the goblins. The words ¡°Horned hob¡± are circulating through the villagers like fire in a dry field and the only water around is Del. Arguments about whether Del can handle the horned hobs or not are taking place everywhere.


    Moving in and out of people, I finally make it back home. Walking inside, I make sure to clean myself.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    That¡¯s the last bit of magic I¡¯ll use until we reach the goblins. I notice mother and father are packing supplies onto dad¡¯s harness that he uses to transport wood.


    Walking next to them, I¡¯m nervous. I gave them a hug and said goodbye this morning but I can still feel the tension from last night.


    ¡°Mom, dad.¡± They both turn to look at me with a half-smile, it¡¯s obvious they can also still feel the tension.


    ¡°What do you need, sweety?¡± Mother asks, while standing off to the side of father.


    ¡°Del told me how long the trip to the goblin camp will take. Can you help me pack, I¡¯m not sure what I should bring?¡±


    Father smiles the way all parents do when they¡¯ve already packed a bag for their children. ¡°Your mother and I are almost finished packing everything we need.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I need a bag?¡±


    ¡°It will be easier if I handle our luggage. I used to camp in the woods with my father, so I know everything we need.¡± Dad turns around and continues to pack our bag.


    With dad packing the bag, mother and I share the same confused look. We don¡¯t know what to say to each other. I¡¯m sure she hasn¡¯t changed her mind about me going with the expedition, and she has to know that I haven¡¯t changed my mind about participating either.


    ¡°Mom, I¡­¡± Mother takes a few steps forward and wraps me in a hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweety. You shouldn¡¯t apologize for your feelings and neither will I. I just want you to promise me that you¡¯ll be safe and if something goes wrong you run back to me, ok?¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± I sniffle in her ear.


    ***********


    The rest of the night was strangely similar to our regular nights. With feelings patched, not mended, we were able to sit and relax together. Mother roasted a large bird and we all enjoyed dinner together.


    Laying in my bed, I look up at the goofy clouds I painted when I was younger. I¡¯ve grown a lot since then. Maybe I should try and paint newer clouds when I get back. Crap that¡¯s a flag, I can¡¯t make any plans for when I return.


    This is the last night for me to try and cram some more levels in, and sticking to my no mana policy that leaves only one option. I wish I wasn¡¯t so eager to dive into my soul, but between not being tired yet and hearing my mother trying to quietly ¡°Make dad happy¡±, I¡¯m all too eager to knock myself out.


    Waking up in my soul, I plan on spending most of my time meditating. My skill won¡¯t rise but I can still use it to help me focus on the questions I have about this place.


    If this truly is my soul, how am I here? I already know where my memories are, so what is my current form made of?


    I don¡¯t think this body is made out of mana. I only started coming here after I unlocked Sense Soul. I thought leveling Sense Soul would be difficult but the more I learn to manipulate the skill in here and in the real world, the easier it seems to level, period. The stronger the skill becomes, the less my soul rejects me. How many levels until the eyes stop banishing me from my memories?


    Wait?! Levels!!!


    If I grow stronger here when my Sense Soul skill levels, then this body must be made from my skill! The skill must create this mirror image of my body and drag me here when the skill becomes overwhelmed when I look directly at my soul.


    If I want to level quicker, I just need to continue to shock the skill. I need to visit the eyes more.


    Standing up from the forest floor, I rush to my sea of memories.


    Coming to the familiar cliff, I watch the moon¡¯s start to rise. Maybe I can access my memories when my Sense Soul reaches level 30.


    When the moons are half way through the sky, a crazy idea pops into my head. Why am I waiting for the moons to come to me?


    Screw waiting for the moons to boot me out, I¡¯ll try to enter my memories myself. ¡°Cannonball!¡±


    Right before I hit the water, the world shifts around me. As the world settles, I¡¯m greeted by a giant Richard, a giant young Richard. Looking over myself, I realize I¡¯m a baby again. I¡¯m about to complain about the memory when I see Richard¡¯s smiling face above me. How long has it been since I¡¯ve seen his smile?


    This wouldn¡¯t have been my first choice for a memory but I¡¯ll take it. The only question I have is, how long do I have here?


    Unfortunately, I get my answer all too soon. The memory is shattered and I¡¯m looking up at the eyes again. Do they look madder than usual?


    Waking up in a sweat, I¡¯m convinced the eyes were madder at me than normal when they forced me out of the memory. I¡¯ll have to try again and see if I wake up feeling less terrible if I let the eyes boot me out earlier.


    I can try again before the sun¡­ rises! The first rays of the sunrise peek through my window. Usually I¡¯m kicked out of my soul and only a few hours would have passed. This time I spent my whole night in my soul. Getting up, I stretch my body.


    Despite being awoken like I would a nightmare, I only feel slightly tired this time. If I can get enough sleep using my Skill, I might have a way to deal with the high leveled sleeping problem. I¡¯ll have to run more tests when I¡­ oops, almost did it again.


    I must have gained some skill levels after all of that hard work. Pulling up my detailed status screen is easier than ever. Why don¡¯t I try and add something? It would be nice if I can see which skills are capped at their testing point.


    LV: 59 Experience: 242,522/ 385,461


    Health: 2,000.00/2,000


    Stamina: 1,084.62/1,320


    Mana: 871.69/1,000


    Vitality: 200.00


    Endurance: 80.00


    Strength: 116.00


    Dexterity: 110.00


    Senses: 60.12


    Mind: 62.12


    Magic: 100.12


    Clarity: 75.08


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV66), Axe Skills (LV52), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Charm (LV50), Double Step (LV39), Measurement (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Axe Arts (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV26), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV42), Double Strike (LV21), Precise Strike (LV21)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mental Resistance (LV33), Mana Skin (LV32),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV25)


    It worked!


    Axe Skills rose to level 52 along with Axe Arts passing level 31 and reaching level 32. My use of Precise Strike against Braddon pushed the skill past level 19 and broke into level 21 matching Double Strike in levels. Sense Soul rose another 2 levels and Mental Resistance gained 3. I only need 140 k more experience and I¡¯ll reach level 60. If I had two more days, I could probably reach level 60 but I can¡¯t risk training my soul skills during the expedition.


    I can hear my parent¡¯s bedroom door open; I can¡¯t waste anymore of my time laying here.


    I get dressed and brush my teeth. Once I¡¯m ready I leave my room and find my parents in a deep embrace. Seeing me walking over, mother tries to hide her tears by burying her head in father¡¯s chest. I pretend not to notice by adjusting the strap connected to my axe and making sure my dagger is secured.


    Once her eyes are clear, mother beckons me over and the three of us share another hug. Great, now I¡¯m going to tear up. We stay connected as the three of us move towards the meeting point with mother in-between the two of us.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for us to reach the rally point. Everyone in the village is either here already or walking over to join the crowd.


    ¡°Please come over and see me if you¡¯re participating!¡± The headman¡¯s voice drowns out the many conversations people are having around us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go inform the headman that we are ready to go.¡± Father places his pack beside me and moves from mothers embrace. I can see her reluctance to let go of him.


    ¡°You should go with dad, mom. I¡¯ll wait here for the two of you to return.¡± Mother smiles at me, and wraps herself against dad¡¯s arm again. I didn¡¯t tell her to do that because I was losing circulation in my own arm, definitely not.


    With my parents disappearing into the crowd, I try and spot Del. I hope I¡¯m not sent to wake him up, if he doesn¡¯t show up on time.


    ¡°You going too?¡± I hear a voice ask behind me.


    Turning around, I see the two junior hunters Andre and Lucas. Both are apprentices studying to be true hunters. Andre is 21, while Lucas is 19. They are around Richard in age but the two of them always ignored him and wouldn¡¯t let him play with them. Both have the slightly skinny dexterity build and are around 5¡¯ 10¡¯¡¯, making them shorter than me.


    As they glance at the bag beside me, I can see the ridicule in their eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going with my dad.¡± I try to give them a look that says ¡®piss off¡¯.


    They must take my expression as a challenge because they only get closer to me. ¡°Great, another useless villager we¡¯ll have to look out for. When we reach the goblins try not to cry too loud.¡±


    Their levels are probably in the high twenties. If I punched them, would I kill them? They can¡¯t be that good if they haven¡¯t noticed Braddon standing behind them.


    ¡°What are the two of you doing here!?¡± Lucas and Andre jump three feet in the air before they land and turn to face Braddon. ¡°The two of you should be double checking your supplies, not causing trouble for those who decide to help. Move it!¡± The two race off into the distance at Braddon¡¯s command.


    With only the two of us left facing each other, I watch Braddon rub his armor where I struck him yesterday. He decides to nod his head to me and runs off towards his father. Maybe he is sorry about yesterday?


    No one else bothers me while I¡¯m waiting but I can hear muffled conversations about me joining the expedition. Mother and father return and the people talking about me scatter. They must not have wanted to chance it that one of my parents could hear their conversations.


    We stand together, until the headman¡¯s skill infused voice rings throughout the crowd. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s going, gather up front!¡±


    Father and I hug either side of mother and give her a kiss before the two of us make our way up front. Thankfully I see Del standing next to the headman. Once we¡¯re at the designated rally point, I quickly count everyone around us. Including me there¡¯s 74 of us, maybe 20% of our village.


    Is this going to be enough?


    ¡°Everyone quiet!¡± The headman bellows again. Using the same skill as two days ago that causes everyone to close their mouths. This time I shake off his skill before he even starts talking.


    ¡°To the gods above, we ask that you watch over us as we move to defend our families. Please bless the path before us as we travel into the unknown. Please give strength to those we leave behind, as we ask for your guidance in our times of crises. We thank your eternal watch.¡± The headman claps once, and the rest of us follow with our own clap. I¡¯m glad dad warned me about the clap, I can see a few of the younger people who didn¡¯t know what to do.


    I see Nicolas pulling the largest Jelen from the stables over to the side of his father. Camden mounts the tall beast easily and raises his sword. ¡°To Glory!!!¡±


    As he spurs the beast into the woods, we follow behind him.


    ¡°To glory.¡± I mutter under my breath.

 Ch: 29

    ¡°We make camp here tonight!¡± Camden shouts from atop his Jelen.


    ¡°Why are we stopping so early?¡± I whisper to my left. Father doesn¡¯t look tired either and he¡¯s carrying both of our gear.


    ¡°Look around, sweety.¡± Father moves to a flat spot up against a large tree and sets our luggage down.


    Looking around, I can¡¯t spot a reason why we¡¯re stopping. The hunters around us are starting to prepare their own campsites.


    Wait! Where¡¯s everyone else? I turn around and try to spot the rest of our group through the trees. It takes a few minutes but the first man stumbles into sight looking ready to pass out. I¡¯m reminded of a zombie movie as the second half of our group emerges from the forest.


    ¡°Why are they so tired? We only walked for like eight hours. I can understand if they focused their stats for crafting but why are the farmers just as tired?¡± One of the hunters who was herding the zombies laughs as he walks by.


    ¡°Help me set up the tent while I tell you.¡± Father calls me over to the base of the large tree where he¡¯s started to unpack our tent. ¡°They¡¯re tired because they¡¯ve never walked through the forest this much. Farmers may put some of their status points into strength but even someone with 50 strength will still find eight hours of marching through the woods quite a challenge.¡±


    We bind the poles we brought together and tie one end of our canvas to the large tree. Using the poles, we rig the other side of the canvas to create a canopy over where we¡¯ll be sleeping tonight. Looking around at the other camps, I see most people are setting up full tents. We don¡¯t need to use a full tent because father¡¯s and mine stats are high enough that our blankets are more than enough to keep us warm tonight.


    Have I become disillusioned to the plights of normal villagers? The trek through the forest was easy and even the fall weather won¡¯t pose a problem for me. I haven¡¯t thought about it much but I¡¯ve already reached a level most never obtain in their lifetimes.


    ¡°You build a firepit and I¡¯ll get the wood?¡± I nod my head to father and go to check the surroundings for some stones while father disappears amongst the trees.


    Most of the villagers are gathering close to each other, choosing to camp back to back. They¡¯re forming a large campsite together probably feeling safer in higher numbers. The hunters are making their own camps like we did, spread out around the perimeter of the normal villagers. I walk around the surrounding campsites, picking up any stones I can find. I try not to laugh at some of the people trying to ask the hunters for help with setting up their campsites.


    I¡¯m surprised to see Camden and Braddon setting up their camp much further south than the rest of the hunters. The two of them are camped at least 30 feet in front of the group.  I would think the headman would be in the middle of camp, not at the spearhead of our little army.


    Once I have my arms filled to the brim with rocks, I make my way back to our campsite. I¡¯m not even surprised at who I see laying on the forest floor under our canopy. Master Del is lying on the floor in the same manner he sleeps on his favorite stone bench. If he can sleep on a stone slab, the forest floor must feel like a Tempur-Pedic bed.


    ¡°Is that everything you brought with you?¡± As usual, master doesn¡¯t even open his eyes when he responds to me.


    ¡°Yep, everything I need.¡±


    ¡°I hope it didn¡¯t take you too long to pack everything. God¡¯s forbid you accidentally forgot something.¡± Every word is dripping in sarcasm.


    Master looks comfortable laying in his armor. His hammer and pickaxe are resting beside him but it¡¯s his other gear that exasperates me. Clipped to his side is his normal flask alongside the bigger one he told me he would bring. The booze can be forgiven but the only other supplies I can see is his bag of jerky.


    ¡°You better not try and ask for any of our supplies.¡± I move to a space just outside our canopy and deposit the rocks.


    ¡°If I need anything, I¡¯ll ask Camden. He¡¯d let me use his campsite if I asked.¡± Del talks in a low tone. We¡¯re far enough away from the other villagers that as long as he talks quietly, they won¡¯t hear him without an accent.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I say over my shoulder. I start to pile the stones in the shape of a crescent wall. The wall will be used to block the wind and direct the heat towards us while we¡¯re sleeping.


    One stone after another, I quickly have my impromptu firepit ready. Leaving Del by himself, I search for some kindling. I saw plenty of twigs I could use to start a fire while I was collecting the stones earlier. I notice others are foraging for kindling but most are grabbing any wood they can find. I have to stop a few people who are gathering the wrong type of wood and warn them that the wood they¡¯re picking up produces toxic smoke when burnt.


    Shuffling around the camps, I gather some dried moss between some tree roots and find enough wood to start a fire.


    Once I¡¯m back at our campsite, I look through our supplies and find the fire starter. I take my time to carefully build my fire. I separate the different twigs into two piles. One pile is made up of the ones I know that will burn quickly and the others that I will use to build a lasting fire. I place the moss in the center of firepit, reaching over, I grab the flint and steel.


    Striking the steel against the flint, I watch as small embers land on the dry moss. I need to blow some air to make sure the embers catch. It sucks that I have to be frugal with my magic. Anything can happen in the forest and the closer we get to the goblins the more likely we will encounter their scouting parties.


    The embers catch in the moss and I can start building my fire. Glancing over at Del, who still has his eyes closed, I try and estimate how many fires I¡¯ve started since I started working for him. ¡°At least a thousand.¡± I mumble under my breath.


    *Crack*


    Hearing something moving behind me, I twist around, scanning my surroundings. I use my axe¡¯s strap to swing my weapon off of my back and into my arms.


    Before I can see anything ¡°Easy¡­ it¡¯s your dad.¡±


    I relax the grip on my axe when I hear Del. A few seconds later, I can see dad walking through the trees with a large load of wood on his back.


    ¡°Is that anyway to greet your father?¡± Chuckling to himself, dad enters our camp and notices master. Fathers smile fades to a neutral expression. ¡°Del.¡±


    Master finally opens his eyes. ¡°Just making sure my apprentice was doing fine.¡± Father and Del stare at each other until Del climbs to his feet and moves out from under the overhang, moving a few feet away before he finds a new spot to lay down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± Dad walks towards the center camp and dumps the wood he collected into a large pile. Before the villagers start grabbing logs, dad grabs enough wood to last us the night.


    As dad walks back to our campsite, I make sure the fire has grown enough to add one of his logs that he carried back.


    I can see almost every villager opening bags and pulling out some form of jerky. Me and dad have been snacking on any berries and fruits that we¡¯ve scavenged from the forest all day, so we¡¯re not that hungry.


    I sit and watch the fire in front of me. I¡¯m used to adjusting a fire for smithing but this is just boring. I know it¡¯s considered good that we didn¡¯t have any problems while traveling but other than a change of scenery the march today was too monotonous.


    ¡°Everyone! Gather around!¡± Camden¡¯s voice echoes throughout the trees.


    I place an extra log on our fire incase this takes too long. Followed by father and Del, I walk towards the headman.


    ¡°Hurry up! You don¡¯t want your fires to go out, so gather quickly!¡± Nobody wants their fire to go out so even the most tired villagers hustle to gather around the headman.


    ¡°I know most of you are tired but we need to be prepared for tonight. We most likely won¡¯t see any goblins until we get closer to their camp but that doesn¡¯t mean we can let our guards down. Ronald will visit everyone and divide you into one of three guard shifts. Ronald also observed our progress today and we decided that we will try to move in formation tomorrow. When we break for camp tomorrow the hunters will then help me evaluate everyone¡¯s fighting skills and we will form ranks. If we work together, we can overcome the goblins. Try to get some rest.¡±


    Not the most inspirational speech I¡¯ve ever heard.


    The three of us make our way back to our camp. I need to pass the time without wasting my mana. I find a spot under the canopy and spread my blanket. Laying down, I pretend that I¡¯ve fallen asleep and enter my meditative state.


    I pull up my status page but ignore the information that appears in my head. The small translucent flame that has moved into my head is what I¡¯m after. If I don¡¯t look at my complete soul in my chest there¡¯s no chance that I might accidentally knock myself out. Focusing on the representation of my status page can still help me raise Mental Resistance and Sense Soul.


    First, I check how close I am to passing the tests I¡¯m stuck on.


    Cleaning (LV50)(50%)


    Blacksmithing (LV50)(90%)


    Charm (LV50)(70%)


    Inject Mana (LV40)(90%)


    I¡¯ve felt that Inject Mana and Blacksmithing have been close to passing for a while. Master said I just need to push myself really hard to pass the first Blacksmithing test. That¡¯s why I want to try and make a katana when I get¡­ when I make my next sword. A Japanese katana has a soft core and is then covered in stronger metals, and treated with differential hardening. Forging a sword that looks like a katana would be easy but trying to authentically replicate the iconic weapon should be enough to finally push Blacksmithing into level 51.


    I also need to talk to Kervin when he comes back to the village. I promised him some more weapons but depending on how long this expedition will last, I might not be able to supply him with half the amount I usually make.


    Stuck in my thoughts, I feel a hand gently shaking my shoulder. I make sure to slowly open my eyes. Pretending to wake up is harder than it sounds. Slowly cracking open my eyes, I see father bent over me.


    ¡°Wake up sweety. Ronald is here.¡± Dad explains to me as he sees my eyes fully open.


    Sitting up, I notice Ronald scanning the forest behind our campsite. We make eye contact and I try to not turn away from his gaze.


    ¡°Darrius, Aalyiah, first watch. Del-Razen, you have the third watch. First shift starts at sundown. Report to the headman¡¯s camp for the first shift.¡± It¡¯s rare to hear Ronald speak this much. His soothing voice has an even tone that¡¯s a sharp contrast to his piercing looks.


    He must assume we understand because he turns around and starts walking towards the closest hunter¡¯s camp. I look over at the center most camp and can see Camden talking to the regular villagers. The villagers have unsure looks on their faces. The idea of standing watch must be terrifying for them.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I must have been meditating longer than I thought because the sun is already disappearing behind the trees.


    ¡°We should make our way over to the headman¡¯s camp.¡± Father leans over and offers me his hand. He easily pulls me to my feet in one smooth motion.


    Double checking my axe and knife, I follow father over to the headman¡¯s camp. When we reach the headman¡¯s southernmost camp, I can see Braddon and two of the other hunters standing ready. I can see eighteen other villagers standing around holding their impromptu weapons. Wait, some are holding spears and swords. The headman must have passed out his weapons to those he thought worthy.


    One of which I can see holding a spear is Ezekiel. The man is holding the weapon like it¡¯s a snake. Most of the villagers are wielding the same farm tools that I usually see them using in the fields.


    ¡°Listen up!¡± I stop examining everyone when I hear Braddon¡¯s shout and turn to face him. ¡°We will be taking the first watch. Myself, Arash, Hayk, and Darrius will patrol the woods surrounding the camps. The rest of you will fan out and stand guard just outside the perimeter camps. If anyone sees anything make sure you whistle. Only shout if the threat is great enough that we have to alert the whole camp. If you hear a whistle only the closest to the disturbance should respond. Everyone else needs to remain alert even when we¡¯re dealing with a threat.¡± It sounds like he¡¯s thought a lot about this.


    ¡°How do we see anything? It will be too dark for us to spot our feet let alone a hungry farkas.¡± Ezekiel asks nervously.


    ¡°Did you not bring a torch?¡± Braddon motions to the villager standing next to Ezekiel. The man is holding an unlit torch in his left hand. Ezekiel and a few other men look troubled realizing they forgot something important. Braddon reassures the men who forgot torches before they can complain.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be that far from a hunter¡¯s campsite which will have a fire going. You are only our backup if something decides to attack our camp. It will be the four of us who will have the job of scouting the area. Go and spread out, we only have a few more minutes of sunlight.¡±


    With that we disperse and take positions in the surrounding area. I take my position close to our campsite so I can keep an eye on our fire.


    The last rays of sunlight disappear over the horizon and night swallows the forest. The night sky is partially cloudy, obscuring the moons rays and the distant starlight. The lack of light doesn¡¯t affect me, the mine is darker than this. The multiple campfires cast enough light that I can still see twenty feet into the forest.


    The silence is another thing. I can tell most of the villagers haven¡¯t been able to fall asleep out here and they¡¯re too scared to make a sound. The gentle thumps of people adding wood to their fires resonates throughout the camp reminding me of public restrooms and the silence that always seems to happen when you need to go number two.


    It takes a few hours but the forest adapts to our presence. Bugs and other small critters start chirping and I swear half the people trying to sleep stood up when the distant call of a farkas pierced the night. If they¡¯re like wolves from Earth then they wouldn¡¯t be howling if they¡¯re hunting.


    *Whistle*


    Or maybe I¡¯m wrong. Activating Double Step, I shoot through the dark forest, stopping when I stand next to Braddon.


    One, four, six, six pairs of glowing yellow eyes are staring at the two of us. I¡¯m deep enough in the woods that the campfires are no longer helping me see. The moon and stars are barely bright enough for me to see the outlines of the farkas pack.


    Braddon whistles again causing me to flinch, surprisingly I¡¯m not the only one. The whistle causes the pack of farkas to retreat a few steps.


    I check over my shoulder as I hear two people approach from behind me. The two villagers that were stationed the closest to me have shown up. One is carrying a torch, lighting up the surrounding trees. The farkas look scarier now that I can see them clearly. The light starts to tremble and I can see that the villager holding the torch is preparing to run.


    The wolves face to my left and start growling at a distant tree. Father walks out of the night with his usual confident look. The pack takes another couple of steps back and closes their ranks.


    We need to hurry. If one of the villagers turns to run it will probably signal the farkas to attack.


    ¡°Aaliyah.¡± I ignore Braddon¡¯s hushed warning and step in front of our small group.


    My right hand tightly grips my axe handle. If this goes wrong, I¡¯ll be the first one they attack. Straightening my back, I suck in as much air as I can.


    With my lungs bursting with air, I howl as loud as I can while activating Intimidating Shout.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!¡±


    Two of the farkas respond with their own howls while the other four whimper submissively. The two biggest farkas bare their fangs and I prepare for their attack. They hunch their shoulder ready to launch themselves at me¡­ then they abruptly turn and run into the forest.


    As the back of the last farkas disappears my legs turn to jelly. Before I topple over, father is standing beside me, lending me his arm.


    The two villagers are pale and Braddon is standing there with his mouth open.


    ¡°Is our shift almost over?¡± I weakly smile at Braddon.


    *Crack* *Crack* *Crack*


    *Crack* *Crack* *Crack*


    The four of us turn to see everyone from the expedition rushing towards our position.


    Maybe the Intimidating shout was too much?


    <hr>


    ¡°Stay in formation! Match your neighbor¡¯s pace!¡± God¡¯s, I want to throw a rock at Camden¡¯s face.


    I thought yesterday was bad.


    It took a while to settle everybody back in after the farkas left last night but the rest of the night was rather quiet. I managed to fall asleep for four whole hours before the camp was ordered to pack up before the sun had even risen.


    After everybody had their supplies packed, we were herded together into what could be counted as a formation. Frontlines like father and I were at the forefront of the formation while the villagers tried to stay in organized lines behind us. Anyone who had a bow was stationed in the far back. We marched like that for half a day before the hunters moved from the backlines and started scouting our surroundings again. Though the hunters were allowed to leave their post the rest of us were required to maintain the formation till we broke for camp again.


    The path we¡¯re marching on has slowly started to incline. Most people are grouchy from the lack of sleep and everyone is probably thinking of ways to knock Camden off his high jelen. The man is obviously not a commander and can only shout at people to form up. He¡¯s been shouting about how our formation will crush the goblins but I think he¡¯s trying to convince himself that his plan will work.


    ¡°Come on! We¡¯ll make camp just up ahead. I¡¯ve been told there¡¯s a clearing we can use.¡±


    Those behind me yell for the front to speed up. They can¡¯t see where the headman is pointing. His ¡°camp site¡± is at least another mile up this incline. The donkeys see a carrot, so they take off running not caring about what lies ahead.


    I swear, if another person pushes me from behind, I¡¯ll toss them back down the hill with my bare hands.


    I try to distract myself by listening to people gossiping about their skills.


    ¡°I unlocked the Marching skill.¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    ¡°I unlocked it too. You just need to try harder.¡±


    They¡¯re so happy over a single tier 2 skill? I could feel that I got the skill after an hour of marching. If they thought about it, they would realize it¡¯s all about pacing yourself to someone¡¯s command. If everyone wasn¡¯t shuffling around all the time and properly stayed in line everyone would have unlocked the skill by now.


    I started off being annoyed by the constant chatter behind me but as the day dragged on, I welcomed the distraction. It¡¯s pretty funny how quickly the villagers would shift conversational topics. The best was when they were talking about food and someone brought up his aching feet. The conversation switched from everyone¡¯s hunger to everybody¡¯s aching feet so fast people were complaining how hungry their feet were.


    I almost started to yell at everyone when they started raising flags about what they would do when they got home.


    ¡°Almost there!¡± Camden shouts again.


    The group must have been slowing again. I can see the slope tapering off up ahead. Those of us in front have the most strength, so we have to hold back our strength to stay in formation. I don¡¯t know if the others also saw that we¡¯re getting close but we all move just a little bit faster.


    Finally, after six hours of marching together, we reach our second campsite. While the backlines collapse in a tired heap, I look for the clearing Camden mentioned.


    Father walks next to me, not tired at all from the march. As we move closer to the end of the hunting grounds the forest has slowly become denser and the trees themselves thicker. I don¡¯t doubt the headman¡¯s words but why would there be a clearing this deep in the woods?


    My breath catches in my throat when we walk past a large tree and see the promised clearing. Small vines cover the clearing¡¯s floor but that¡¯s not what catches my eye. Growing out of the top of the vines are beautiful purple sunflowers. The vines only cover the ground by six inches but their flower stalks reach two feet off the ground.


    I wonder if I can pick one of these for mother?


    ¡°A clearing full of dung weed¡­ that¡¯s his idea of a clearing.¡± Glancing over at father, he complains with a cheated look on his face.


    What¡¯s wrong with the clearing? The vines don¡¯t appear to have thorns. We could probably sleep right on top of them.


    I want to ask what¡¯s wrong with the clearing, but the breeze that¡¯s been following us up the mountain stops for a moment.


    When the wind stops, the worst smell ever invades my nose. I try to cover my face with my hand but the smell is already stuck in the deepest parts of my nostrils. It smells like someone combined a pile of fresh manure with hundreds of rotten eggs!


    ¡°What is that smell!?¡± I yell at father from behind my hand.


    With a scrunched up look on his face, father points at the clearing. ¡°Dung weed; it grows in clusters like this, though this is the largest patch I¡¯ve ever seen. The flowers attract insects with their horrible smell. The bugs come thinking there¡¯s food, only to die when they bite into any part of the plant. The dead bugs act as a fertilizer. Parts of the plant are used in alchemy but no one wants to harvest them. The plant secretes a white substance that smells even worse than the flowers. The sap will cling to your body for days, no matter how hard you wash yourself.¡±


    ¡°The headman wants us to practice sparing here?¡± Just because the space is open doesn¡¯t make this a good training spot.


    A few of the more adventurous villagers walk up beside us and look at the smelly clearing.


    ¡°I know it smells bad! But make no mistake, the stench of battle will be worse. Make your camps around the clearing. The dung weed will help keep the wildlife at bay. I want everyone back here in an hour, we¡¯ll assess your combat potential then!¡±


    Everyone disperses around the clearing but father, Del, and I start setting up camp where we are. The hunters gather and start to play arrow-magic-sword, it¡¯s this worlds form of rock-paper-scissors. An arrow beats a sword, sword beats magic, and magic beats arrow. The hunters need to spread their camps out and they all know the wind blowing against us will push the smell south. No one wants to camp south of the clearing.  Unlike earth, arrow-magic-sword is played with skill more than luck. The hand signals look close enough to each other that you can change your throw at the last second.


    High stats make the game even more challenging. Strength, Dexterity, and Senses make the game extremely fast for high leveled people. Kids play games of three, adults do games of nine, and high leveled people¡­


    I turn my head and watch Ronald¡¯s hand blur forming a sword at the last possible moment. I couldn¡¯t watch his throw. I heard that high leveled people play games of 99 matches, with each round lasting only half a second.


    In a few minutes the winners are decided. Ronald makes camp a few feet from us while the others spread out to the sides and opposite end of the clearing.


    Just like everything else, the highest leveled person usually wins.


    <hr>


    ¡°Enough!¡± Camden¡¯s voice booms through the clearing.


    Ronald, Arash, and Hayk distance themselves from the three villagers. The three men would probably drop to their knees if they weren¡¯t afraid to land on the dung weed. Others have already paid the price during the previous sparring. Sticks were substituted for our weapons and only light blows were allowed.


    ¡°That should be everybody. I¡¯ll discuss with Ronald on how we will position everyone during our assault on the goblins.¡±


    ¡°How come they don¡¯t need to be tested?!¡±


    ¡°Yaa, I understand Del and Darrius but why does she not need to spar with us?!¡±


    Lucas and Andre have been eyeballing me since the sparring has started. Even when they were helping the hunters test the villagers, they would send me challenging looks whenever they could.


    ¡°Stop your whining! She¡¯s already shown her abilities to me.¡± Surprisingly it¡¯s Braddon who steps forward in my defense.


    ¡°Sounds to me like you¡¯re playing favorites. She shouldn¡¯t get a free pass because she¡¯s friends with your sister.¡± Lucas doesn¡¯t give up his challenging look.


    Surprisingly, Andre doesn¡¯t immediately agree with Lucas¡¯s statement. It takes an angry look from Lucas before Andre agrees with him. ¡°T-h-a-t-s ri-ght.¡± His stammering portrays his confidence against Braddon.


    Braddon challenges their resolve with a look that could shatter glass. Both of them deflate at his gaze but neither take a step back. At least they have courage.


    Braddon casts his gaze towards me and gives me a single wink. What¡¯s he planning to do?


    Turning back to the troublemakers, they flinch at his voice. ¡°Alright, fine. You want to test her? Go ahead.¡±


    The two just look at each other, unsure which of them should step forward. So, this is Braddon¡¯s game. Does he think this is repaying me for his attack? He must have seen that the two of them have been targeting me. He looks happy with himself, what a pain.


    I take a few steps into the clearing, facing down Lucas and Andre. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    My nonchalant attitude angers Lucas the most, causing him to step forward. ¡°I¡¯m going to wipe that¡­¡±


    ¡°Both of you please. I don¡¯t want to waste my time.¡± The two share the same expression as many of the villagers, pure disbelief. It dawns on them that I just insulted the both of them in front of everybody. Andre steps up next to Lucas and they both draw their sticks. Their sticks are the same length as daggers. The two of them have a handicap without their bows but every hunter practice¡¯s their knife skills in case a beast gets to close.


    ¡°Pick up a stick!¡± Andre shouts at me. Lucas looks ready to charge me regardless of the rules. Andre hasn¡¯t put as much effort in annoying me so I¡¯ll go easy on him, mostly.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Come at me.¡± I raise my fists, guarding my face while bring my right foot back, taking a fighting position.


    They run together, straight at me in their rage. The goblins will probably charge us the same way.


    ¡°AAAAaaaaa!¡±


    I use Intimidating Shout and Double Step at the same time. The two freeze in place, just like the farkas did last night. Only this time I intend to attack, not bluff.


    I move in front of Andre first and deliver a punch with my right fist using Precise Strike to his left cheek. It¡¯s almost like watching a slow-motion movie. While Andre is falling backward, I see his eyes roll over, one down. Lucas is shocked at my sudden arrival but he still has his training as a hunter.


    Brandishing his wooden dagger, he shakes off the lingering effect of Intimidating Shout and thrusts his imitation knife at my neck.


    I bring my right foot back shifting my stance towards Lucas, helping me avoid his thrust. He doesn¡¯t overextend and takes three steps forward, slashing at my face with each advancing step.


    I see a small opening when he goes to take his fourth step. He stays just out of my reach, avoiding the same fate as Andre.


    Unarmed combat is considered a last resort to most warriors in this world. With skills aiding the production of weapons and the skills boosting weapon use, everyone can buy and use a cheap dagger.


    To some degree I have to agree with those ideas. Most of my training with dad has focused on my axe skills, so without an axe in hand I¡¯m just as handicapped as Lucas.


    The strike with my fist against Braddon in his family¡¯s cellar was the usual result of using unarmed combat against a high leveled person.


    However¡­


    Lucas could not even be level 30 yet. His training may have given him the skill required to judge a weapons distance. And without a weapon in hand, he has the utmost confidence in his victory now that I can¡¯t sneak attack him like Andre.


    Too bad unarmed combat is looked down on so much. In between his third and fourth step, I can¡¯t reach him with my fists¡­


    ¡­So, I kick the shit out him with my back-left leg. Pivoting on my front-right leg, I twist my body increasing the striking force. He only considered the range of my fists not my legs. I land a clean hit right where his gut should be. I thought about using Double Strike but that would have been overkill.


    I held back quite a bit when I struck Andre in the face, using only a half of my strength to knock him out. I used 100% of my strength when I struck Braddon and he was able to get up quickly enough.


    Just to be safe I used 70% on Lucas.


    The sound of my boots impacting his hide armor sounds like a low-caliber gunshot. Unlike Andre who fell straight back, the force of my kick sends Lucas tumbling across the dung weed clearing. Once he finally stops rolling, he empties what little contents of his stomach on the forest floor.


    Unlike Braddon, Lucas doesn¡¯t get back up. He¡¯s supporting himself with one arm while on his knees and the other arm is tightly holding his stomach.


    ¡°Was that necessary, Aaliyah?¡± Why is Braddon questioning me now? He knew what was going to happen when he let them fight me.


    ¡°Sorry, I thought I held back enough.¡± I try to make myself sound innocent for the audience¡¯s sake. Everyone is already whispering to each other about the fight.


    ¡°You hear that Lucas! She went easy on you. People are quick to forget she¡¯s Del-Razen¡¯s apprentice. Her Strength stat probably rivals the senior hunters. Multiple high leveled people vouched for her before she even agreed to join this expedition. I allowed this fight to try and beat some Senses points into your big head.¡±


    Braddon takes a step back and his father walks to the front. ¡°I didn¡¯t order you all to spar just to watch the hunters throw you around. We need to work together in the coming battle and knowing what each of us can handle will be paramount to our formation. We will adjust the formation tomorrow based on what we observed today. We still have another half day of marching before we reach the spot that we¡¯ll use for our assault. The front lines will soften the goblins and the middle guard will provide backup for the front as well as providing protection for the archers. We¡¯ll use the same watch system as last night. The rest of the time is yours, make it count.¡±


    Bruised and smelly, people hobble off to their individual camps. A senior hunter caries Andre out of the clearing and another supports Lucas, allowing him to limp into the tree line.


    I nod to father and Del, letting them know I¡¯m staying for a minute.


    When only Camden, Ronald, Braddon, and myself remain in the clearing I walk up the men.


    Braddon greets my approaching figure first. ¡°You sure showed them. That blow was pretty strong.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think his defenses were that weak. Thanks for ruining my day by making me kick two snarling puppies.¡± I never wanted to fight them. They had a right to complain and challenge someone they thought was getting special treatment. My ego isn¡¯t large enough that I need to show my superiority.


    Braddon looks utterly confused by my statement. ¡°I thought you would want to put them in their place? When I got on your bad side you dealt with it the same way.¡±


    ¡°As I said, they were barking. You tried to bite me.¡± Braddon winces at my words.


    ¡°No need to bring up the past, you two. What can I help you with, Aaliyah?¡± Camden interjects in case we start to argue.


    ¡°I had some ideas about our formation. I would like your opinion if it¡¯s not too presumptuous of me.¡±


    The three of them raise their eyebrows together.

 Ch: 30

    Through the trees we march, trying to maintain a tight formation in the dark forest.


    In our silence, the wind conducts a foreboding tune with the trees acting as the grandest of symphonies.


    My hands are too clammy. Wiping my sweaty palms against my shirt proves a fruitless effort. The tight grip I have on my axe insures they¡¯ll just become sweaty again in a few moments.


    For a fleeting instant, I miss our time marching here.


    Today is the day we attack the goblin camp. We adjusted the formation yesterday and reached our final campsite without running into a single goblin patrol. The lack of goblins in the area is unnerving. The size of the horde was reported to be massive, it¡¯s unlikely that we just happened to avoid every one of their patrols.


    We divided the watch into two shifts last night thinking we might have been spotted during our approach but nothing ever came in the night.


    We left our camp three hours before dawn, after we stashed our supplies in the trees. We would regroup here after the fight was over whether we won or had to retreat.


    Ronald, followed by master and Camden, lead our group towards the goblins¡¯ clearing. The headman¡¯s jelen was left back in our camp, he sadly has had no practice fighting while riding an animal. Our pace is slow but steady. We want to reach the camp as soon as the sun rises. We want to catch them together so we aren¡¯t attacked from our rear.


    Looking forward, I refuse to glance at the people marching beside me. If I look at the terrified faces of my companions again my will to advance might shatter. I thought I no longer feared goblins.


    I¡¯ve come across goblins plenty of times when I was working with dad. I¡¯ve killed many goblins when they attack us during our work in the woods. My victories seem shallow now that I know I basically killed the goblin equivalent of children. This time we¡¯re attacking them and this time they might have the strength to win.


    We approach a tree at least eight feet in diameter. I hold up my left hand and the man to my right raises his right hand. Silently, our group splits between the two of us as we circle the tree and reform on the other side.


    For a split second I run my hands across the bark on the base of the tree. Cut marks line the entire base of the tree and it¡¯s not only this one. The night is slowly receding allowing me to see the other trees surrounding us. It doesn¡¯t matter the size of the tree; every trunk is scarred at the base with deep cuts.


    Were they testing the wood for something?


    As we advance, we see more and more stumps of trees. We¡¯re almost there, I can see the first rays of the morning sun through the tree line.


    Ronald is peering around a tree, observing the goblin camp. This is the last chance for the headman to call off the attack.


    We have no time for a passionate speech and we would be just giving our position away. Camden simply walks to the front of our formation and takes his place amongst us. Del follows him, breaking off towards me at the last minute. We share a long hug that disguises my attempt to fill his pickaxe with my mana.


    With glowing pickaxe in hand, Del takes his spot to my left among the frontline. We all watch Ronald with bated breath. The man steps out of the trees¡¯ shadow and raises his bow. In a beautiful motion, Ronald pulls an arrow from his quiver and draws the string on his bow. The sound his bow makes as he releases his first arrow pierces our hearts.


    We advance once we hear the screams. Not the screams of people but the animalistic sounds of a dying creature and its raging brethren.


    Ronald releases another two arrows before we exit the tree line.


    My heart is about to explode. The adrenalin is charging through every part of my body. No good, I can¡¯t think straight. Taking the biggest breath I can, I slowly exhale and use Meditation. I can¡¯t fully utilize the skill with everything going on but it clears my head enough to analyze the situation.


    The goblin clearing is huge, it¡¯s at least a mile in diameter maybe two. The floor of the clearing has tree stumps scattered everywhere. They must have felled tens of thousands of trees to create this clearing.


    The morning sun shines upon the goblin camp. Maybe a dozen structures are grouped together in the center of the clearing. The goblins built their large huts from the tree limbs they harvested and an abundance of mud to scrape together their primitive dwellings.


    I can only spare a few seconds to map out the terrain in my head. Ronald warned everyone about the village and the stumps before we started marching this morning.


    I freeze in the face of the coming horde. The goblins are charging us en mass. Most are the normal goblins I¡¯ve seen before, of course never in this number. I can see the towering figures of the hobs amongst the approaching swarm.


    With each second that passes more goblins crawl from the holes littering their huts. Like bees, the goblins swarm around their homes until they spot us on the horizon.


    Soon a wave of goblins is charging our location.


    ¡°Move out of the trees!¡± Camden¡¯s voice almost goes unnoticed.


    ¡°Forward!¡± He shouts again. We aren¡¯t close enough?


    A quick side glance allows me to see that half of our formation is still stuck amongst the trees. Oh, we still need to march forward.


    My legs don¡¯t want to move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t falter! Together we will be victorious! Forward!!!!!¡± Thanks to the headman my paralysis fades enough for me to take a few steps forward. Each step I take with the other high leveled people gives hope to those still cowering in fear behind us.


    The formation finally fully exits the forest proper. The closest goblins are only 500 feet away from us and closing fast. Those in front ready their weapons. Thanks to my suggestions we spread out the few of us who wielded spears in the frontline. It¡¯s too bad the headman only had seven spears to distribute amongst the men. If only this threat was spotted sooner. I wouldn¡¯t have sold my last batch of weapons. Fate can be cruel sometimes.


    In between the spear wielders, the strongest people are positioned to attack the ones who survive the first spear strikes. We leave gaps in between us, so that we can intentionally let the weaker goblins through to the mid guard. The frontline is supposed to take a few steps forward after the first wave. We are the ones most likely to survive against a hob so it¡¯s our job to stall or injure them best we can.


    200 feet and closing. I expel the most magical energy I¡¯ve ever used at once. I use 500 mana to activate my Mana Skin skill. The large amount of mana covers my body and I shrink it down to the size it naturally manifests at. Hopefully my skill will be strong enough to withstand a goblin¡¯s attack.


    100 feet left. I don¡¯t know if there are truly any gods. I never experienced any divine revelations in either of my worlds. Not through death or rebirth has a higher power made its presence known to me. I know I¡¯m not that spiritual. I doubt the short prayer at dinner time counts towards anything.


    50 feet, I can see their crazed faces approaching. I offer this humble prayer to anything listening. Please spare the lives of my father and master. Please protect Camden and Braddon, so Sandra doesn¡¯t come back home to a broken family. Please protect these brave souls as they defend their homes and families. I don¡¯t know how to finish a prayer in this world so forgive me if I use something from another. Amen.


    Barrier raised, weapon ready, prayer sent¡­


    ¡­Here they come!


    The sea of goblins throws its first wave at us. 30 odd goblins of different sizes rush us with reckless abandon armed with stone, bone, and wood weapons.


    Seven spears thrust in front of us, five strike true, ripping large gashes into the charging masses. A large goblin, not yet a hob, heads straight towards me. One swing of my axe and the goblin¡¯s head lies at my feet. Before the goblin¡¯s body falls to the ground three more run at me screaming.


    I shuffle my feet and activate Double Strike. My first strike rips a goblin¡¯s chest apart while my second opens another¡¯s stomach, spilling its insides at my feet. The third goblin runs past me only to be slashed by two villagers wielding their sickles.


    I can¡¯t look behind right now. A hobgoblin six inches shorter than me, wielding a stone-tipped spear, kicks the ground with his feet and launches himself at me. ¡°Crap!¡± I bring my axe above my head and move closer to him. I barely make it in time for the wooden parts of our weapons to clash. Blocking his overhead strike, I can feel the force behind his spear, the hob¡¯s strength must be close to 100.


    A savage grin crosses the hob¡¯s face as he takes a step back, drawing his spear shaft against my hands. He¡¯s trying to cut my fingers off!


    Before he can take another step back, I activate Double Step, closing the distance between us more. I swing my axe in an over-head manner just like he tried to do but I use Precise Strike, my axe splits his spear in two and lands on his collarbone. I can feel my axe shear against his bones. The toughness of the hob was leagues above the others.


    Another step forward and another dead goblin falls in my path, that¡¯s five kills.


    The air whistles as arrows sail through the sky.


    300 feet away from our position the hunters appear out of the trees guarded by my father and a dozen other villagers. They took a section of high ground that was better suited for their archery skills.


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    The headman was skeptical when I told him we should split our forces yesterday. Our archers are used to taking precise shots at wild game, they probably would have found little success in having to shoot from behind a wall of villagers.


    My plan seems to be a success. Most of the horde is still focused on us and the archers are picking off the goblins one by one. The few goblins moving towards the archers are ripped in half by father¡¯s axe.


    ¡°! Horned Hob!¡± Someone shouts in the chaos.


    Many of us stop and desperately look around for the approaching calamity.


    It¡¯s not hard for us to spot. Taller than me, the shape of the horned hob sends a shiver down my spine. The creature must be 6¡¯ 5¡¯¡¯ at least and its three pointy horns stand straight up giving it the appearance of being taller. Its body is thin and gangly in opposition to the sense of danger that is radiating off of the hob. Worst of all this goblin has armor, it¡¯s wearing what looks like pieces of grey crab shell around its chest, legs, and forearms, with a helmet that accents its horns. The skin of the hob is covered in scars, giving a scary look into how many fights it must have survived.


    Unlike the other goblins it scans our ranks. Its eyes immediately fall on Master Del whose magic pickaxe mows through four goblins without any resistance. Their eyes meet across the field and both radiate a strength that causes the other goblins around them to scatter.


    I twist around and slash another goblin almost completely through horizontally. Making sure the goblin falls lifelessly to the ground, I turn back to where my master was standing.


    Where did he go?


    ¡°Eeeerrrrrrr!¡±


    The screech of metal scrapes my ears and muffles the surrounding conflict. Tracing the sound, I see Del clashing with the horned hob. His pickaxe that can cut through stone like butter is stopped by two fangs. The horned hob is wielding a pair of black fangs that resemble a snake¡¯s fangs only they¡¯re three feet long.


    The hob managed to stop master¡¯s strike by holding his daggers in an x formation. Of course, the goblin can¡¯t compare with master¡¯s strength and is pushed back by the force of his strike. Master rushes the goblin again and this time his arms blur forming three simultaneous strikes. I¡¯ve seen master use Multi-Strike before and he can usually swing his hammer five or six times with his skill. Using the pickaxe must be throwing him off.


    Whatever the fangs are, they allow the goblin to parry master¡¯s first two strikes. The goblins footwork make it look like it¡¯s dancing. The goblin already learned it can¡¯t match master¡¯s speed and strength, so each parry only glances master¡¯s weapon enough to redirect the blow. Luckily, master¡¯s third strike isn¡¯t redirected enough for the goblin to dodge.


    The spike of master¡¯s pickaxe lands against the goblin¡¯s armored chest. Master won; the creature will be skewered.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± My breath catches in my throat. Instead of the pickaxe piercing the goblins armor, the monster leapt back at the last second, reducing the force from master¡¯s attack. The goblin is still blasted back but this time it curls into itself and rolls until its momentum is gone. The creature springs to its feet and I can see its armor.


    A spot on the goblins right chest area is deeply cracked with smaller fractures spreading throughout the rest of the chest guard. What the hell is that armor made of!? It might not have been a full strike from master but his pickaxe is still enchanted right now, he should have ripped that hob in half!


    Did we underestimate the horned hobs!? I try and not to panic, only to see the copper lines covering master¡¯s pickaxe fade away. The goblin eyes master as he moves the drained pickaxe to his back and draws his hammer from his side. I thought my magic would last longer.


    They both look ready to clash again. Master takes his stance as the goblin steadily approaches him, knowing not to recklessly charge anymore.


    I expect them to start exchanging blows once the goblin reaches four feet in front of master. Their bodies tense, preparing for the coming clash.


    But another person dares to interfere with the fight.


    Before the goblin moves to attack Del an arrow strikes the weakened part of its armor. The arrow digs into the already weakened armor and lightly pierces the hob¡¯s flesh. The goblin is only caught off guard once, even when wounded, it twists its body avoiding another shot to the chest.


    I spot Ronald a distance away surrounded by dead goblins aiming his bow at the hob. The two of them can surely bring the beast down together!


    I can feel a chunk of my mana surrounding me be ripped away from my back. I jump forward and twist my body around when I touch the ground. A goblin with a stone knife is chasing after me. A quick flick of my axe sends it off to the afterlife. Why did a goblin attack me from behind?


    Scanning my surroundings reveals that our formation is almost completely shattered. The number of goblins pressing the charge has overwhelmed everyone and spread our formation out to the point people aren¡¯t close enough to help each other.


    First Del and now us. Is father ok still!?


    I¡¯m relieved to see that a smaller group of goblins is assailing our archers which they have no problem handling. In fact, they¡¯re trying to reduce the numbers charging towards us with their arrows but the flood of goblins is already mostly upon us.


    Focus.


    I stabilize my Mana Skin skill and charge a hob attacking a villager wielding a sharpened hoe.


    My axe rips through the goblins exposed back. I feel the resistance as my axe bisects the creature¡¯s spine. The creature¡¯s body collapses to the ground followed soon by the villager¡¯s still form. A bone spear is lodged up through the villager¡¯s jaw and into his skull.


    The adrenalin pumping through my veins is the only thing that keeps me from retching at the sight. I need to keep going.


    A swing of my axe and another goblin dies.


    Another goblin.


    Another goblin.


    Another goblin body falls on a still villager. I remember him, he asked me to make his wife a new pan as a spring gift for her last year.


    So much blood.


    ¡°Horned, AAAAGGGG!¡± I quickly face a screaming villager to my left. His screaming stops as two familiar black fangs pierce his chest and side. The villager¡¯s body falls and I¡¯m faced with another horned hob. I don¡¯t take my eyes off of it, as I check the side of my vision.


    Master appears to be winning but he¡¯s still facing the first horned hob. This isn¡¯t how we planned it!


    The smile the new horned hob gives me is revolting. It¡¯s a few inches shorter than me and still has a willowy frame, same as the other one. This horned hob however has much smaller horns. You might be correct in calling them more lumps than horns. I was told that the horns differ between goblins, is this his style of horns or is it a newly grown horned hob? Even worse he¡¯s wearing the same type of armor as the other horned hob only without a helmet.


    I haven¡¯t been this scared since the Karhu attack.


    Run! Run, you fool! This is too much! The goblins weren¡¯t supposed to be this strong! No one would blame me for running away.


    But what then? This goblin starts tearing through the rest of the villagers. Maybe he attacks father, or helps the other hob fight Del.


    I can¡¯t run away.


    I won¡¯t!


    Straightening my back, I take my stance. The goblin must think my resistance is amusing, his dry cackle almost breaks my resolve.


    Is this monster looking down on me! I¡¯ll show him I¡¯ll¡­!


    I pause after I take a step closer to the goblin. Was I about to charge? My sudden urge to attack the goblin fades the more I ponder my spontaneous rage.


    Did this goblin use a skill on me?!


    The goblin¡¯s smile slightly falters when I don¡¯t continue my charge. That¡¯s it! The weaker goblins probably only have tier 1 and 2 skills but anything that can survive as long as my opponent must have at least a single tier 3 skill.


    That must have been a taunt skill and my Mental Resistance must have saved me. If I blindly charged the hob I probably would¡¯ve been cut down in seconds.


    My time to ponder dwindles as the confident goblin takes a few measured steps in my direction.


    He¡¯s too close now¡­


    If I turned to run, he would stab me in the back.


    I take a deep steadying breath, and discard any ideas of fleeing and try to bury my fear as deep as I can in my head. This is happening, Aaliyah.


    Are you going to roll over and die again!?


    ¡°No!!¡± I take another step forward. We¡¯re six feet apart now. Either of us could close the distance in a second. My axe versus his fangs. We both wait for the other to start.


    The stare down lasts for an eternity. I can feel my skills¡¯ cooldown times finishing. If he wants to give me the first move, then fine, I¡¯ll make the first move.


    I activate Double Step and Double Strike while screaming with Intimidating Shout. I ignore the toll of using three skills simultaneously. I close the distance and send my first strike to his armored chest and aim my second strike at his face. Let¡¯s see if you can smile after this!


    Crap, he¡¯s still smiling!


    With ease, the hob stops my first strike with his fang in his left hand. My Intimidating Shout failed to make him pause. I can¡¯t stop now. My skill is already helping me send another strike to the creature¡¯s face. The goblin raises his right fang and guards his face from my strike. If he can easily stop my swings with one arm he has to be as strong as father, with a strength closer to 200.


    Oh no! The goblin capitalizes on my failed strikes. His left fang is horizontally swung at my midsection. I try to leap back but he takes a step forward keeping me within his range. The black fang halts against my strengthened Mana Skin for a split second before it cleaves a right through my skill.


    I leap back again and thankfully the hob doesn¡¯t follow me this time. I can¡¯t afford to look down. The sting across my abs is all I need to feel to know that he got me. Luckily it only stings, I would know if it was more than a deep scratch.


    Those black fangs he¡¯s using as daggers are stronger than they look. They¡¯re able to take a blow from my axe, pierced my Mana Skin, went through my weighted vest, and cut my skin which boasts a fair 80 in Endurance.


    The hob brings his left fang up to his face and observes the tip. He¡¯s probably wondering why it was so hard to cut me. while he¡¯s checking his weapon, I loosen my stance. I can¡¯t match his strength or weapons, so my only chance at victory is if I can find an opening while avoiding his strikes. I make sure to patch up my Mana Skin skill before he tries for another attack.


    Finished inspecting his weapon, the goblin rushes me with his fangs raised in both hands. Damn, he¡¯s fast. I try to continue backing up but the many stumps are making it difficult.


    He¡¯s too close again. A lightning fast strike comes at my right shoulder from his left fang. I immediately raise my axe and try to stop his swift attack. I can feel the strength behind his blow, my arms almost buckle under the force. I need to move, so I use the force behind his strike to twist my body backwards. I feel my Mana Skin rip again, only this time he didn¡¯t reach my clothes.


    All I can do is dodge as the hob advances on me relentlessly.


    I block one strike only to have him clip me with his other fang. With every other combo he cuts me a little bit more.


    He¡¯ll bleed me to death if I don¡¯t figure something out! I need to strike back!


    I block right and dodge the strike coming from my left. That¡¯s the eighth time he¡¯s led with his left hand. This could be my chance.


    As he moves in for another volley of strikes, I step to my left. I narrowly miss his left-handed strike and now I have an opening. Raising my axe overhead, I bring it down with everything I have.


    The hob blocks my blow by raising his fangs in the same x formation the other goblin used against master. I need more force!


    Gritting my teeth, I try and push against the hob¡¯s iron defense, until I feel it!


    A new skill activates!


    My axe feels heavier in my hands and helps me push the goblin back. The sudden shift in weight caught the goblin off guard and my axe moves across his armored chest. The weird grey crab armor now has a line running across it.


    I¡¯ll take whatever I can get.


    Pausing a few feet away, the goblin looks pissed now. He obviously thought I would never hit him. Take that, you smug bastard.


    His charge signals the continuation of our fight but now we settle into a new rhythm. I¡¯m no longer unable to touch him. The skill has a horrible 64 second cooldown, so I¡¯m still stuck dodging most of the time unfortunately. I¡¯m still getting cut but now his armor is scarred with my successful counter attacks.


    We both separate and take some deep breaths after a particularly hard fray. I¡¯m happy to see the goblin no longer looking down on me but that doesn¡¯t change my situation. Cuts litter my body and I¡¯ve yet to make him bleed. Even with my new weighted strikes his ability to block me drastically reduces any damage I can inflict.


    I need to try something new.


    I need to attack him from his side.


    This time I¡¯m the one signaling the continuation of our fight with my advance. The hob quickly takes his stance and readies to receive my new skill. He¡¯s gotten used to my cooldown times.


    I charge forward but activate Double Step to try rushing diagonally to his right side. If I can attack from his weaker side than maybe I can get a clean hit.


    But I can¡¯t catch him off guard. He only needs to shift his stance to face me when I move too far to his right. I need to move faster!


    Double Step!


    Double Step!


    Can¡¯t he at least get dizzy tracking me as I run circles around him!


    Double Step has the lowest cooldown of any of my skills. I only need to wait three seconds before¡­ wait is it two seconds? I¡¯ve always practiced with Double Step while I ran every morning but I¡¯ve never pushed it this hard before. With the added pressure I can feel the skill becoming stronger.


    A little bit more!


    I can feel it! The cooldown is recharging as soon as the skill activates! Continuous Double Step!


    I feel my stamina draining away but I¡¯m circling so fast the goblin can barely keep up. For the first time it looks nervous.


    This is my one and only chance. I can feel my Stamina and Mana reaching their limits and my body is warning me my Health is suffering as well.


    I still need a little more speed.


    If I can use Double Step continuously then what happens if I activate it multiple times at once? I ready my axe. If this works, I¡¯ll only have one chance to win. I won¡¯t have the strength to continue afterwards, so even if I break myself, I¡¯ll take this goblin down!


    Double Step, Double Step, Double Step!


    The world becomes stagnant around me as I essentially take six empowered steps in less than a second. I can barely control myself as I appear behind the goblin. Not off to his side but directly behind him!


    Precise Strike, Double Strike, and my new skill all combine as I swing my axe at the back of his exposed head.


    I¡¯m waiting for him to dodge at the last second. Doubt plagues my mind even as my axe sinks into his skull. My second strike is overkill as the hobs head explodes with the first strike.


    I tumble with my enemies¡¯ body to the ground. Green blood washes over me. I try to roll off of the headless corpse but my body isn¡¯t responding.


    I can hardly turn my head when I hear the shrieks surrounding me. The surrounding goblins stayed out of our way during the fight either out of respect or possibly fear but seeing their dead leader has forced them into a frenzy.


    It¡¯s almost funny. I manage to kill the demon lord only to die at the hands of the first mobs you meet.


    The screaming intensifies but the smaller goblins never reach me. Finally, a goblin enters my view but it¡¯s too busy fighting a villager.


    ¡°We got you!¡± The villager stabs the goblin in its chest with a long dagger. His eyes meet mine as the goblin collapses. ¡°We¡¯ll protect you!¡±


    The man¡¯s words strike a chord in my heart.


    I¡¯m saved!


    My vision becomes blurry, I can¡¯t help but release all my feelings I¡¯ve been suppressing during my fight.


    My worries, my doubt, sadness, and fears, all cascade out of my eyes upon hearing the villagers protecting my weakened state.


    In between my tears the outer edges of my vision slowly fade away. No matter how hard I try to stay awake I slip into oblivion.


    The last thing I think I hear is master calling my name.


    <hr>


    Opening my eyes, I¡¯m in a familiar place.


    My soul.


    I stumble to my feet. Going from, so tired you can¡¯t move, to feeling your best is disorienting.


    I look up at the stars and I feel an overwhelming sense of relief. This world is mine. Nothing will harm me here, though it is a little disconcerting I entered here without using my skill or looking at my soul.


    Should I try to return as quickly as possible?


    ¡­


    A silent minute passes before I take a seat in the center of the clearing. Even if I return, my body has already reached its limits. Anyways, if I¡¯m going to die again this seems like the best place to do it.


    It¡¯s not just my body that¡¯s physically tired. Even in this place my mind still hurts thinking about the last few days.


    I¡¯ll clear my head and try to rejoin the outside world later. Hopefully I wasn¡¯t hallucinating about master¡¯s voice. If he won his fight, he and Ronald should be able to clean up the rest of the goblins, easily.


    The bigger question is what happens next? Can this be considered a win for us?


    I¡¯d like to think we simply broke even.


    Slipping into a deep meditative state, I prepare mentally for the challenges ahead.

 Ch: 31

    ¡°It¡¯s just a soda can, Stanley. Waiving it around like a lunatic only makes everyone think you shouldn¡¯t drink anymore soda.¡± This was just another day after school in the science club.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the soda can that maters! It¡¯s the metal that it¡¯s made of that¡¯s the cool part.¡± Stanley practically radiates excitement.


    I wish I can change the expression on my past-self¡¯s face but this is only a memory. If only I could talk to Stanley one more time. I could tell him about my new life¡­ no, that wouldn¡¯t excite him too much. We¡¯d probably spend all our time talking about blacksmithing or magic metals.


    ¡°You see, aluminum has only been around for about 200 years but it¡¯s one of the most common elements in the earth¡¯s crust! It is the most revolutionary metal humans have ever discovered!¡± I miss listening to Stanley¡¯s rants.


    ¡°What about steel?¡± The old me deadpans. Oh yeah, this was around the time I first joined the science club. Now that I think about it, I was deliberately trying to piss Stanley off so he would stop dragging me here.


    I wish I could slap my old self for deliberately trying to destroy his only true friend he would ever have.


    I smile as I remember what happens next. I was stupid to think I could ever throw Stanley off his game when he talked about metals.


    ¡°We can talk about steel next but I have to tell you about aluminum first! I was watching a video about how they make engine blocks for high performance cars out of aluminum! You know, this stuff!¡± I have to hold my sides; I¡¯m laughing so hard. The look of shock on my previous self¡¯s face as Stanley shoves the empty soda can in his face is priceless.


    I watch as the former me sits back in his chair, crossing his arms in defeat while Stanley continues his rant. ¡°The video was amazing! I¡¯ll have to show you later! Aluminum is the metal we used to conquered the skies and beyond. Almost everything around us uses aluminum in some way. It¡¯s only through chemistry that we discovered how to use it.¡±


    I miss having aluminum in my life. It¡¯s just one of the things I took for granted.


    ¡°First they harvest it from tropical regions with red soil. Then it¡¯s shipped to special plants to turn it into powdered alumina.¡±


    Oh Gods! I never remembered this! Where¡¯s a notebook when you need one!


    I need to focus. If I can somehow duplicate the process and produce aluminum, I could make so many things.


    ¡°It¡¯s mixed with water, lime, and soda ash, and grounded together.¡± Ok, I think I can manage that.


    ¡°Then they¡­¡±


    ¡°Noooo!!! Not yet!¡± I scream out when I feel the eyes¡¯ gaze drill through the memory and focus on me.


    I¡¯m immediately ejected from my soul. My eyes snap open only for me to wince and close them again. The sun is directly over me and when I opened my eyes my vision went white for a second there.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± I cover my eyes with my right hand and smash my left against the forest floor.


    ¡°Take it easy, sweety.¡± Fathers voice grows louder with each word. I feel the ground lightly tremble as he rushes to my side.


    Using my hand to block the sun¡¯s blinding rays, I open my eyes and focus on father who¡¯s now sitting next to me. I¡¯m about to ask how long I¡¯ve been out but I stop when I see his angry face.


    ¡°How could you do something so stupid! Taking on a horned hob! You promised your mother you would run away from danger not run towards it! What do you have to say for yourself!¡± I can¡¯t meet father¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t run. I made you worry again.¡± I keep my eyes down, waiting for another tongue lashing.


    ¡°I thought I lost you!¡± Instead of him yelling he scoops me up into his chest and holds me tightly. My body still aches quite a bit, so I mustn¡¯t have been asleep that long. I relax my muscles and slowly move my arms to return the loving embrace of father.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s no excuse but I couldn¡¯t leave everybody to face that monster by themselves. It could have helped the other hob fight Del or even worse went to attack you. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my promise.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. You¡¯re alive and that¡¯s the only thing that matters.¡± I shift in his embrace until my head is resting against his shoulder.


    Now that I¡¯m upright I can better see my surroundings. We¡¯re a hundred feet from the goblin village. Villagers are walking around, tearing apart the goblin¡¯s wooden structures, turning the crude huts into bonfires. The smell of burnt goblin flesh is already wafting around the clearing. I see four fires already consuming the dead.


    A few villagers walking by make eye contact with me. They all have confused looks on their faces like they don¡¯t know what emotions they should be having right now. Regardless of their looks, each villager who meets my eyes bows their head to me and moves on with their work. ¡°Dad, why are they¡­?¡±


    ¡°I heard you were awake. We weren¡¯t sure you would wake up this soon. Ronald said you had extensive wounds but nothing life threatening. Regardless, we expected you to sleep till at least tomorrow morning.¡± My question is cutoff by the approaching headman.


    I slowly turn around and try to sit on my knees but dad has other plans. He helps me turn around but he makes sure I remain sitting in his lap. I can¡¯t remember the last time I was in this position.


    Facing forward, I see the big four approaching father and me. Master and the headman both look worse for wear. They both were in the frontlines like me, and just like me they both have bandages covering their limbs. Ronald and Braddon were our two best archers, so I think we must have done our job correctly because they¡¯re only sporting a few cuts and bruises.


    I look over at Ronald. ¡°You bandaged me up?¡± I don¡¯t know how I feel about that. He slowly nods his head at my question. It¡¯s not only my limbs but also my chest that is bandaged. Being the best hunter in our village I¡¯ve heard about his first aid skills and how extensive they are but I¡¯m still slightly bothered by the fact he must have seen me partially naked. It¡¯s too bad Anastasia was too important to the village so we couldn¡¯t bring her along with us.


    Another villager walks by our group hauling the body of another goblin. His eyes sweep across all of us but he stops when he meets my gaze. He nods his head to me and continues carrying the corpse towards the closest bonfire.


    ¡°Why does everyone keep doing that?¡± I watch the back of the man as he walks away. Fathers hands slightly tighten around me.


    ¡°It¡¯s only right that they acknowledge their hero.¡± My head snaps in Camden¡¯s direction. I suck in a short breath of air when I feel a spike of pain because of the quick movement.


    The headman can obviously see the confused look on my face. ¡°You stood up against a monster that had already killed two people. Many more would have died if you ran like the others did.¡±


    I never saw the first person the hob killed, let alone the people running away from our fight. I was so focused on my fight with the hob that I tuned out my surroundings.


    ¡°Everyone recognized your heroism. Many more would have died if you didn¡¯t step forward.¡± The other three nod their heads, agreeing with Camden.


    I know I did the right thing but it didn¡¯t feel like I saved everyone.


    ¡°How many died?¡± My question causes the four men to frown.


    Again, it¡¯s the headman who decides to answer my question. ¡°We lost thirteen people during the battle. Seven more were critically injured. We sent half the hunters and a handful of villagers that still had some strength left to try and help the injured reach the village in time. Sadly, I don¡¯t think half will survive the night.¡±


    Damn, 27% of our expedition is dead or close to dying. I shiver thinking about our loses.


    ¡°What went wrong?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°We¡­¡± For once the headman has nothing to say. Technically our leader, the losses must hurt him the most.


    Master takes a step forward. ¡°These goblins¡­ these goblins were abnormal.¡± Master rubs the back of his head.


    ¡°What does that mean, master?¡±


    ¡°The size of this horde was misleading. We were expecting a few horned hobs but the one that rushed me was an old hob. Goblins stop changing once they grow their horns, so I couldn¡¯t say how old he was. I¡¯d say the hob I fought was around level 65, maybe higher. Hobs like that only ever appear in colonies exceeding a thousand strong. And the only other horned hob in this horde was the newly grown horned hob you faced. We discussed it and we think this horde was once over a thousand strong in the deeper parts of the forest.¡±


    The rest of them look more worried as master continues. ¡°Something must have attacked them and drastically reduced their numbers causing them to flee. The hob I faced was most likely the last remnants of a truly strong goblin horde. We weren¡¯t prepared to face a monster like that.¡±


    ¡°So, what do we do about it?¡± I question everyone.


    ¡°Right now, you should rest up. We¡¯ll discuss it tonight back at camp.¡± Camden answers me.


    Ronald, Camden, and Braddon nod their heads and walk off to help everyone cleanup the clearing. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you¡­ but don¡¯t do anything like that again. Darrius.¡± I smile as master berates and congratulates me all in one. Master nods his head to father and joins everyone else.


    I tease dad once everyone is gone. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be helping out to, dad?¡±


    Instead of answering right away dad pinches my side.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Flinching, I feel the different sore spots all over my body react.


    ¡°I was given the most important job. I¡¯m supposed to make sure you don¡¯t do anything reckless and that you rest up properly.¡± I want to make a joke but the sad truth is that I¡¯d probably panic if I was left alone in this clearing while feeling so weak.


    Another villager walks by us smiling, why is he smiling? He notices my questioning gaze and his smile vanishes into a look of horror. He nods and continues across the clearing dragging the body of a small goblin behind him.


    ¡°Dad, why is everyone looking like they¡¯re happy and sad at the same time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a combination of survivors joy and guilt all mixed together. People naturally feel joy when they survive a battle like this, everyone probably leveled at least once some more so than others. Then people are reminded about how many of their friends and neighbors were injured or perished during the fight. Have you checked your status page yet?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t checked my status page since we left the village.¡±


    ¡°If you leveled, which knowing you, you probably did, make sure you invest in Vitality. Investing in your vitality while injured will reduce the time you would normally take to recover.¡±


    ¡°Alright dad, let me down.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to meditate after I check my status page and I don¡¯t think you want to remain still for the next couple of hours, do you?¡±


    I shuffle out of father¡¯s lap and get into a comfortable position.


    I could tell that my stats rose considerably while we were marching here and even more so during the fight with that horned hob. Let¡¯s see if I can try and pull up a section summarizing my skill levels this time.


    LV: 60 Experience: 63,587/ 420,152


    Health: 1,012.68/2,030


    Stamina: 519.41/1,343


    Mana: 231.51/1,000


    Vitality: 203.00


    Endurance: 80.03


    Strength: 120.00


    Dexterity: 113.00


    Senses: 60.14


    Mind: 62.20


    Magic: 100.17


    Clarity: 75.13


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV68), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV42), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Cooking (LV29), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Double Step (LV51), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV37), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Marching (LV5), Lower Price (LV4)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV42), Precise Strike (LV24), Double Strike (LV23), Flash Step (LV3), Weighted Strike (LV2)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV35), Mental Resistance (LV34),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV25)


    Increased skills Levels


    Pugilist Skills (LV1-4) 500exp


    Running (LV67-68) 6,750exp


    Axe Skills (LV53-55) 8,100exp


    Marching (LV1-5) 1,500exp


    Intimidating shout (LV27-29) 8,400exp


    Double Step (LV40-51) 54,600exp


    Measurement (LV37) 3,700exp


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Axe Arts (LV33-36) 13,800exp


    Precise Strike (LV22-24) 10,350exp


    Weighted Strike (LV1-2) 450exp


    Double Strike (LV22-23) 6,750exp


    Flash Step (LV1-3) 900exp


    Mana Skin (LV33-35) 25,500exp


    Mental Resistance (LV34) 17,000exp


    I reached level 60; another milestone met. I immediately distributed my free points into Vitality, Strength, and Dexterity. As the pulse of translucent colors appears out of my soul, I feel the pain throughout my body slightly dissipate.


    My skills shot through the roof during the battle. I can¡¯t believe Double Step gained twelve levels and I passed its test during that critical moment.


    My skills played a huge part in me surviving the horned hob but one skill calls out to me, Flash Step. I¡¯ve kept challenging myself to run faster and faster and now I¡¯ve reached the next level. Flash Step was the culmination of every bit of my Strength and Dexterity. If my body wasn¡¯t screaming at me to rest, I¡¯d probably be running through the forest right now.


    I look around, trying to picture what direction I would go. All I see is death surrounding me and the trees leading into the distance are scarred at their bases, painting a terrifying picture. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t go running around here.


    All my skill leveling earned me over 150 thousand experience. Doing some quick math that leaves around 48 thousand experience from the goblins. I doubt the weaker ones gave me that much experience judging by how quick I killed them. No, most of that experience must have come from the horned hob.


    I saw death¡¯s doors and watched as they started to open for me. Looking back, I can¡¯t believe I survived. My attacks did nothing and I was almost out of mana and stamina. If my skills didn¡¯t break through in that moment it would have ended again. But I survived and thanks to this worlds laws I was handsomely rewarded for it.


    It¡¯s scary how much this world seems to promote violence. No that¡¯s not true, this world is more balanced than my old one. Hard work is rewarded to anyone who seeks to improve and nature has its own ways to defend itself. We may be able to expand our village but whatever attacked the goblins in the deep forest could probably wipe out our village if we ever were stupid enough to relocate there.


    I thought this assault would solve all our problems but instead we¡¯re left with an executioner¡¯s axe above our heads. No, I can¡¯t think about that right now. I slowly enter a deep meditation.


    We¡¯ll discuss the issue later. For now, I need to rest and regain my strength.


    <hr>


    The sun is falling fast and everyone is scrambling to light their campfires. All of the goblin corpses were disposed of. Those of our group who died were cremated in separate fires and had their ashes gathered for their families to scatter when we return.


    I¡¯ve managed to regain most of my stamina and my Health has bounced back at an incredible rate. My mana was slightly overtaxed so it should take me another full day for it to recharge completely.


    Father stuck to me like glue the whole day and is even now following me over to the headman¡¯s campsite. With me and father joining the campsite most of the strongest people in the expedition are gathered. The remaining hunters were tasked by the headman to patrol while we discuss the future.


    ¡°We need to discuss our options.¡± The headman straightens his back and look around the campsite to meet all our gazes.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your decision?¡± I point out the obvious chain of command.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what we should do. We lost far too many people already but we have no idea what¡¯s out here.¡± Camden looks defeated.


    ¡°Father, why don¡¯t we return to the village? We annihilated the goblins before winter could start to take hold. We were promised reinforcements during spring. As long as the threat is not another goblin tribe, we should be fine.¡± Braddon makes a good point.


    ¡°I agree with Braddon, everyone¡¯s seen too much death already. If you try and tell the villagers we need to search the area for something just as dangerous as the goblins, with a little more than half the people we started with, the villagers might just leave for the village on their own.¡± Dad looks seriously at Camden.


    ¡°That might happen, but what if you¡¯re wrong?¡± Ronald leaves his question ambiguous leaving father and Braddon tilting their heads to the side.


    ¡°I think he means that, what if whatever was attacking the goblins is just as mobile or even more mobile than the goblins? Does anyone have any idea what inhabits the deeper parts of the forest?¡± I try and explain Ronald¡¯s reasoning.


    ¡°Death lies in those trees.¡± Come on Ronald, you need to articulate better.


    ¡°Like what?¡± I try to press the hunter, only to have Camden answer instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say what lies in the deep forest. Magic beasts and other powerful creatures rarely stay in one place long. My father taught me that no monster is common in the higher magic regions of the forest. Since our village was founded, there have been plenty of expeditions made into the deeper parts of the forest and each time hunters have brought back different magic birds, beasts, and even giant insects. But even the weaker inhabitants of the deep forest are said to be stronger than a level 40 man.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it could be a giant fly or a dragon? There¡¯s no way to know?¡± I can¡¯t help but use some sarcasm. The headman¡¯s family has been leading this village for generations and he has no idea what creatures live close enough that are capable at exterminating 500 goblins.


    ¡°Aaliyah, that¡¯s no way to talk to Camden. Apologize.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dad. I apologize for my remark, Headman Downs.¡± Dad narrows his eyes at me. I guess he didn¡¯t miss the slight sarcasm at the end there.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine Darrius. Aaliyah has more than earned her right to criticize my leadership. I apologize that I can¡¯t better answer your questions, Aaliyah. High leveled traveling hunters come sparsely to our village and they rarely share their secrets. Members of my family rarely have the levels to demand knowledge from such people.¡± Another case of people treating knowledge as something to be hoarded.


    ¡°Do you have any suggestions then?¡± Braddon asks me.


    I look at father off to my side. His face drops when he sees my sorrowful expression. ¡°I do actually have an idea.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Father has the same angry look on his face as when I woke up after the battle.


    ¡°Let me explain first then you can yell at me, father.¡± Dad grits his teeth but doesn¡¯t say anything else so I continue. ¡°Father, Camden, and Braddon should escort everyone back home. Ronald, master, and I will stay here for a day and recuperate until we are back to our full strength. Then we will scout the surrounding areas without entering the deeper parts of the forest. If we find anything dangerous outside the denser magic areas of the forest then we ¡®test¡¯ its strength before retreating to warn the village. Hopefully whatever attacked the goblins stayed in deeper parts of the woods.¡±


    Everyone but father looks like they¡¯re contemplating my idea. He of course tries to refute my idea. ¡°You have already done your part. Besides, there¡¯s probably nothing we need to worry about.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case dad, then we¡¯ll just be camping for a few more days, sightseeing. The three of us are strong enough we might meetup with the rest of you before you even reach the village.¡± I try and undersell the danger.


    ¡°I said no.¡± Father crosses his arms expressing his final decision.


    I glance around the campsite and see the others have uncomfortable looks. Do their looks mean they disagree with me or father?


    ¡°What do you guys think?¡± I try asking everybody.


    If we were playing poker, I could read everyone¡¯s hand right now. No one wants to look at father. So, they agree with my plan.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they say. You already almost died once! I won¡¯t let you risk your life like that again!¡± I can see the headman frown at his words.


    ¡°No one is denying Aaliyah¡¯s contribution, Darrius. Make no mistake, I¡¯m not happy sending someone younger than my daughter to scout the edges of the magic forest. That said, it¡¯s her plan and she deserves our trust. And I¡¯ll remind you I¡¯m the leader of our village.¡± Camden¡¯s stern gaze leaves no room for rebuttal.


    I can¡¯t let everyone just stare at each other for the rest of the night. ¡°Dad, do you think anyone other than me would have survived against that hob, could you have done it?¡± Dad looks angry at my question but slowly his face warps into a rare look of sorrow. ¡°We won¡¯t be looking for a fight. The three of us need to go because we are the most likely to survive anything hiding out there. Master is the strongest, Ronald will help us spot anything wrong, and I¡­¡± I chocked on my next words.


    ¡°¡­I reached level 60.¡± Everyone, except Del, looks like I just slapped each of them across the face. ¡°I love you dad but this is my decision.¡± My father looks even more hurt by my words now.


    ¡°Does that mean we are all in agreement?¡± Camden receives a head nod from all of us, except father, who continues to look a giant puppy that was just kicked. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll start marching everybody back to the village tomorrow. We¡¯ll leave some extra supplies for the three of you before we set off. The village can¡¯t afford to lose any of you, so if you encounter anything dangerous, I want you to rush back to the village immediately. Is that understood?¡± All three of us agree with Camden.


    I scoot over to dad and placer my hand on his shoulder. ¡°I promise to return quickly and without a single hair missing.¡±


    Father looks up with a stern expression. ¡°You better, because I¡¯ll have to explain to your mother what happened during the expedition and why you aren¡¯t back home already.¡± The hairs on my neck and arms stand on end. ¡°If you come back with anymore injuries then she¡¯ll kill you herself.¡± I don¡¯t think even my level will save me from what¡¯s to come when I return.


    Why do I always have to put myself in these situations?


    <hr>


    ¡°You guy¡¯s ready to move out?¡± I call out as I walk over to our small firepit and kick some soil over the flames.


    ¡°Are you ready, you were the one with the most injuries?¡± Master leans over and grabs his pickaxe.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had almost two days to rest. Other than the last bit of my Health that¡¯s slowly recovering, I¡¯m back to 100%.¡± I walk outside our hut and breath some of the fresh morning air.


    I stretch my limbs, making sure the pain from the battle two days ago is fully gone. Stretching my neck muscles, I admire the hut we made. The three of us might not be carpenters but each of us can move heavy logs when we need to. Master cut down enough trees to build us a small cabin which had the bonus effect of making a clearing for us too. We aren¡¯t planning to stay here long but having a defensible structure makes keeping watch much easier.


    We¡¯re in the same spot the expedition used as our last campsite. I look in the direction everybody left in, I hope they¡¯re doing ok.


    I hate to admit it but I was struck by the adventuring bug. I¡¯m not looking forward to see any crazy beasts but the idea of exploring the edges of the magic forest is making my blood pump faster.


    Del and Ronald walk out of our hut, adjusting the gear they¡¯re carrying.


    ¡°You want to lead us, Ronald?¡± Master looks over at our hunter.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ronald turns and starts walking into the forest. Del and I have to dash after him before his silhouette disappears amongst the trees.


    The three of us move at an incredible pace. Weaving in and out of trees, vaulting over rocks or fallen logs, it takes us only twenty minutes to reach the clearing we attacked two days ago.


    Master and I step back as to let Ronald observe any tracks that might be new. We silently follow him for over an hour before master becomes inpatient. ¡°Any new tracks?¡± I can tell he¡¯s trying not to show his displeasure.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ronald¡¯s answer hangs in the air.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    I can see master ready to burst. I was worried master would talk in his weird voice around Ronald but Camden warned master before the expedition that Ronald has known about Del¡¯s particular speech habbits for years now. It¡¯s just that neither like talking to others, so they never had a real conversation together. I would wager that they¡¯re awfully similar to each other but master would probably yell at me if I said it out loud.


    Master avoids talking to people because he doesn¡¯t want to be bothered, while Ronald only says a few words at a time and rarely starts a conversation on his own volition. I should probably handle talking to him.


    ¡°Do you recognize the new tracks?¡± I step in front of master and address Ronald.


    ¡°Farkas.¡± He responds, still looking at the ground


    ¡°Any new tracks you can¡¯t identify?¡± I hold my breath waiting for his answer.


    ¡°No¡­... nothing new.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some good news at least. Any new goblin tracks?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I look around the clearing. No sign of more goblins. Predators will be drawn to the smell of blood here but they¡¯ll only find piles of ash. I can already see new seedlings sprouting a few feet into the clearing. The mana density here is 25% higher than I¡¯m used to. Father said the mana in forests helps the plants grow, how long until this clearing vanishes below a new canopy?


    ¡°If everything is normal here then we should move closer to the deeper part of the forest.¡± Ronald must agree with me because he stops looking at the ground and makes his way to the opposite end of the clearing we arrived at.


    Still looking forward, master compliments how well I handled talking to Ronald. ¡°You¡¯re quite good at talking to him.¡±


    I glance over at Del. ¡°I think he¡¯s nervous about talking to people. He might have a more serious form of glossophobia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Master almost misses a step and looks over at me. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Glossophobia is the fear of speaking to a crowd of people but in severe cases it can be a fear of speaking to the public in general. Instead of taking the initiative to talk he will almost always answer questions with short responses. With that in mind you need to keep your questions short and to the point. It¡¯s also probably why he stays so far ahead of us.¡± Ronald tries to always stay ten feet in front of us at all times.


    Master looks confused at my explanation but doesn¡¯t refute my hypothesis.


    As we move forward, I can feel the magic in the air become denser as we move deeper into the forest. We need to be stealthier, so we move slower and don¡¯t talk to each other. Even Ronald reduces the distance between us to only five feet.


    I¡¯m surprised the trees around here are scarred as well. The cuts look shallower and most trees are already healed. The scars on the base of the trees are the only signs the goblins were active in this region.


    The magic in the air is almost 50% higher here. The trees are taller and the canopy is thick enough that it blocks out most of the sun¡¯s rays. Of course, the lower light doesn¡¯t affect any of us.


    The trees and mana are interesting but I thought the higher magic density areas of the forest would be cooler looking. ¡°The deeper forest isn¡¯t that interesting.¡± I mumble under my breath.


    Master lets out a chuckle so quiet only Ronald and I can hear it. ¡°This isn¡¯t a part of the magic forest yet. We should be their soon.¡± I¡¯m about to question Del when I see Ronald looking back at me. He motions for us to continue.


    Our advance slows once again but I can feel the difference with every step.


    50%, 55%, 60%¡­¡­ 85%. The mana density is climbing rapidly with ever step. Eventually I see it, the border between the two forest zones. Using Sense Mana, I can physically see the mana rolling out of depts of the forest. The forest in front of me is teeming with mana. They¡¯re so saturated with mana, the plants are positively glowing.


    We don¡¯t dare go into the deeper parts of the forest but we need to check along the border. We zigzag around trying to spot signs of anything dangerous.


    Walking along, I keep my Sense Mana skill going. The dim world is overlaid with an almost thermal view of mana in my eyes.


    Each tree stores mana in its own way like a fingerprint. Some pool the majority of their mana in their roots while others prefer to focus their mana in their canopies. The steady circulation within the plants can be soothing to watch.


    ¡°Huh?¡± In front of our group, off to our right, I see a thin tree stretching into the canopy above. It blends in naturally to its surroundings and no one would say its out of place but my mana vision is showing the mana within the tree circulating incredibly fast. Even the magically charged trees I saw in the deeper parts of the forest circulated their mana at a fraction of this speed.


    The only time I¡¯ve seen mana move that fast is when its inside a living creature.


    ¡°Oh, gods.¡± I stop in place. Focusing on the mana within the tree, I trace it into the canopy. It¡¯s hard but I filter through the surrounding mana. What I¡¯m left with makes the color drain from my face. The silhouette the mana makes isn¡¯t in the shape of a trees canopy.


    Perched, hidden far above, is a massive body of mana. Now that I¡¯m focusing on the shape, I can see nine other legs reaching the forest floor.


    Yes, legs. I can only physically see three other legs closest to us, the rest are spread out covering at least a thousand square feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aaliyah?¡± I watch the mass up above twitch with every word master utters.


    The only good thing is master¡¯s question pulls me back to reality. ¡°Ronald.¡± I try not to shout. Luckily the urgency in my voice is convey well enough for him to stop walking forward. A few more feet and he would have passed the beast¡¯s first leg.


    I feel myself shaking.


    ¡°What is¡­?¡± I cut Del off by raising my finger to my mouth. He takes the hint when he sees my terrified face.


    Ronald also sees my gesture and slowly moves closer to us making sure to avoid anything on the ground that would make a noise.


    Once Ronald is standing next to me, I motion for Del and him to lean in closer.


    Our cheeks may be touching but I refuse to take my eyes off of the hidden threat.


    In the quietest voice possible I whisper, ¡°Big Monster.¡± The two of them shiver at my revelation.


    ¡°Where?¡± Ronald whispers back.


    Still shaking, I raise my finger to the main body in the trees.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t sense.¡± Ronald¡¯s usual sharp look is replaced with fear.


    ¡°My danger Sense skill never when off.¡± Master is also worried.


    I motion for the three of us to bend down. I grab a small stick and sketch the outline in the forests floor. I can¡¯t portray how big the beast is but I make sure to point out the legs.


    The men get my message and carefully watch as I point out the three legs we can see from our position. Now that I look, each leg sticks out because there¡¯s no scars on them. Every other tree has the markings that the goblins made. Is that why they cut up all the surrounding trees? This thing must have been hunting them!


    I think the others notice the difference too, because after I pointed out the first leg, they easily followed my directions to the other two.


    ¡°What do we do, retreat?¡± I can¡¯t help but whisper.


    ¡°We need to try.¡± Master grips his pickaxe.


    ¡°Try.¡± Ronald upswings his bow and draws an arrow.


    Two already agree, if I suggest we flee it will compromise the group. We need to be on the same page for this. ¡°Agreed, we test it and run if it¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯ll take the closest leg.¡± I nervously reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the other two legs.¡± Master hands me his pickaxe so I can charge it.


    ¡°Eyes¡­ if any.¡± Ronald studies the spot that I pointed out was hiding the main body.


    I fill Del¡¯s pickaxe with mana. Ronald doesn¡¯t seem to care and neither do I in this situation. Handing the pickaxe back, Del now properly armed, moves to his position. I activate Mana Skin, again using nearly 300 points of mana to defend myself.


    A quick glance at Del and we both swing our axes at the same time. I use Weighted Strike alongside Double Strike to try and cleave the leg in two.


    My first blow lands but barely leaves a crack. My second blow digs halfway through the exposed carapace. I quickly swing again and use Precise Strike to finish bisecting the leg.


    I was planning on stepping back but the top part of the leg slams into me.


    I¡¯m knocked back nearly twelve feet. My Mana Skin is best suited to absorb blunt force damage but that strike destroyed twenty percent of my Mana Skin.


    Before I can get to my feet, an ear-piercing screech has me covering my head with my hands trying to block out the sound. The sound is like the worlds largest teapot steaming over but with a deeper tone that is somehow sounds sharper in the ears.


    Master moves to my side and hoists me to my feet. I can see master managed to cut through the two legs he was assigned. The top part of the limbs are no longer disguised as trees and I recognize the material. The carapace is the same grey color as the materials the two horned hobs were using as armor. That means they managed to kill one of these things but on the other hand that means there¡¯s probably more hidden in the forest.


    The three limbs we cut are leaking a blue liquid and the insides look like they¡¯re are made of softer flesh. The remaining seven limbs are also revealed as the creature¡¯s camouflage fades away.


    The three of us retreat backwards as the main body descends from the canopy. Just as I feared it¡¯s a giant spider with two extra limbs. The spider¡¯s whole body is covered in its grey armor and unlike the spiders I¡¯ve seen around our house I can see its fangs positioned underneath the main body. The eyes are also located under the body arranged in a v formation outlining the mouth of the beast. The legs are connected to the top of the spider but fanout around it.


    Now that I can see the body of the creature clearly, its size is even more frightening. The main part of the body is the size of a small truck.


    While I¡¯m staring at the monster Ronald loosens his first arrow. The arrow soars towards the monster¡¯s eyes but the beast shifts forward and the arrow bounces off of the bottom carapace. I don¡¯t know if he used a skill or the bottom part of the monster is stronger than the legs but his arrow did nothing.


    ¡°Watch out!¡¯ Del moves in front of me and swings his glowing pickaxe. The axe clashes against a new leg that was about to slam into me again. Master is pushed back into me but manages to deflect the leg to our side.


    Seeing his chance, master launches himself into the air, raising his pickaxe above his head as he tries an overhead strike on the creature¡¯s main body.


    I watch in horror as the spider bends its legs and uses its body as a battering ram against master who¡¯s soaring through the air.


    Sparks fly when the pickaxe lands against the spider¡¯s carapace during the initial clash but the force behind the spider smacks against Del sending him back towards me. I move out of the way before Del accidentally lands on me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I did any damage!¡±


    ¡°Need better arrows.¡±


    The two of them couldn¡¯t damage it so I definitely can¡¯t hurt it with my meager strength. Time for plan B. If there¡¯s only one enemy I can justify trying it.


    ¡°Can the two of you hold it back for a little bit?¡± The two men look at me in astonishment.


    ¡°Maybe, you have a plan?¡± Master looks skeptical and Ronald doesn¡¯t seem convinced either.


    ¡°I think so but it might leave me in a weakened state.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡± Ronald turns and nocks another arrow.


    ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work, we run.¡± Master raises his pickaxe and charges the beast again.


    No pressure, Aaliyah.


    I start chanting quietly in English.


    ¡°Hear me earth. I summon your power and offer you 400 points of my mana to materialize before me. I summon the element magnesium and ask it appear in a powdered form. I need the powder to form into a ball 10 inches in diameter in the palm of my hand. Once formed, the ball will be held together in a wind ball and fired at 200mph in a straight line. Execute!¡±


    I channel almost half my mana to my right palm as the spell activates. I rarely practiced freeform magic since the time I almost drowned myself brushing my teeth. The most important thing I learned was to never mix fire into any of my spells. I don¡¯t have the mental control to execute something that volatile.


    The type of freeform magic I¡¯ve focused the most on is earth magic. Manipulating the earth around you is incredibly mana intensive but using mana to summon a fake element for as short period of time is easier on my mana pool.


    A silver ash ball is almost fully formed in my hand.


    ¡°Move out of the way!¡± I scream at Ronald and Del.


    The both of them shoot off to the side as the ball in my hand is launched at the face of the beast. The spider is too preoccupied watching the two of them dodge that it doesn¡¯t notice the small ball until it strikes it in the face.


    The wind shell holding the ball together shatters and the magnesium dust covers the spiders face.


    Reaching to my side, I grab a small torch a villager left for us. I brought it incase we need to scare something off with fire.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    Using the basic fire spell Del taught me, I quickly light the torch. The spider is more pissed than ever and shrieks loudly again.


    Ronald and Del use the chance to regroup with me.


    ¡°What in Tarrow¡¯s forge was that?¡±


    ¡°No time to explain! Throw the torch in its face!¡± I shove the torch into Del¡¯s hands. Gods bless the man; he only takes a second to register my command.


    Master runs up to the beast, dodging its limbs and tosses the torch directly against its face.


    I never practiced summoning this particular element let alone setting it on fire.


    The fireball the torch sets off is more than anything I was expecting. A white flame ignites across the giant spider¡¯s face. The flames are so bright it¡¯s hard to look at them.


    The spider immediately starts flailing about trying to extinguish the fire. The creature slams its body into the forest floor trying to snuff out the intense flames. ¡°Sorry buddy, that¡¯s not going to work.¡±


    We watch the spider continue to crash around the surrounding trees until it finally falls to the ground motionless.


    30 seconds later the fire starts to magically disappear. The magnesium I made with magic only lasted 71 seconds before it reverted back to magic.


    Earth magic can summon walls, floors, or even a whole building. But unless you¡¯re manipulating already present materials, whatever you built will disintegrate after it burns through whatever magic you used to make the structure.


    ¡°Ha-ha, Ha-ha. I can¡¯t believe that worked!¡± My maniacal laughter might need some work but I¡¯m happy I survived a fight without passing out for once.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± I turn to see Del and Ronald staring wide eyed at me.


    ¡°Just some freeform magic. Oh, that reminds me! Can you keep this a secret Ronald?¡± He takes a step back and rapidly nods his head.


    ¡°Master, that was a magic beast, right?¡± I can¡¯t stop smiling.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d bet my forge it¡¯s a wind type magic beast. We should try and harvest as many materials as we can from it.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can use some of the materials for forging?


    ¡°We can try. Materials froyour mam wind type magic beasts are better used for enchanting rather than using them to forge with though.¡±


    ¡°The materials can be used for enchanting!?¡± The possibility of practicing enchanting mixes with the high of winning the battle, I don¡¯t think I could meditate right now even if I tried.


    ¡°AAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!¡±


    ¡°AAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!¡±


    ¡°AAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!¡±


    My joy is shattered by the screams in the distance.


    That¡¯s at least three more giant spiders hiding in the surrounding forest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s harvest what we can and make for the village. People need to know what¡¯s crawling around our forest.¡±


    I think we can all agree with master on that. Let¡¯s strip this spider and book it home.


    Oh gods! What is mother going to say when she hears about this creature!

 Ch: 32

    ¡°Left.¡± I hear Ronald¡¯s voice behind me.


    I turn slightly to my left and lead our formation through the forest. Master is a few steps behind me off to my left while Ronald is matching his pace to my right.


    ¡°Right.¡± I shift our direction again with Ronald¡¯s advice.


    Normally our positions would be switched but I¡¯m the only one who can spot the Chameleon Spiders. Their ability to change their color and hide their presence is a dangerous combo. I can find my way around the parts of the forest around our village just fine but I¡¯m out of my depth in such a heavily forested area.


    ¡°Right.¡± We circle a large tree, changing direction quickly.


    We only make it 50 feet before I spot a tree with mana circulating rapidly throughout it.


    ¡°Another one, over there.¡± I point out the danger zone to my comrades. That¡¯s the third one we¡¯ve encountered since our battle with the first spider.


    ¡°Right.¡± I follow Ronald¡¯s directions and make sure we keep a wide birth from the hidden monster.


    We¡¯re getting closer to the goblin camp and thankfully the trees are starting to thin a little. With less trees for me to scan we can pick up our pace.


    Each of us are carrying a back full of spider parts. When we heard the screeches from the surrounding chameleon spiders we stripped off as much as we could from the charred spider before we started to rush back to our campsite.


    ¡°Left¡­there.¡± Following Ronald¡¯s directions, I can finally see a break in the trees.


    I¡¯d never thought I would ever be this happy to be back in the goblin¡¯s clearing. We don¡¯t stop moving until we get closer to center of the clearing. Deforestation has never been so pretty.


    I take a 360 degree turn and use my Sense Mana skill to double check the tree line. The beauty of the surrounding trees contrasts with the danger lurking in their shadows.


    ¡°See anymore of them?¡± Master notices me nervously scanning the area.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t see any in the surrounding area. I think they¡¯re only staying closer to the denser magic parts of the forest.¡± If I¡¯m wrong, I need to pray that the retreating villagers didn¡¯t stumble upon one.


    ¡°Almost dark.¡± Ronald points out the falling sun. Master and I look up at the open sky. Light grey clouds are moving in that are helping to hid the sun as it vanishes across the sky.


    I would kill for a break right now but we need to make it back to camp.


    ¡°Which way back to camp, Ronald?¡± I watch as he looks around the clearing.


    He raises a finger and points to a spot across the clearing. We take a few moments to prepare ourselves to reenter the forest. We form up into our previous formation with me in front almost seamlessly. After fighting together and avoiding the chameleon spiders we each have a better understanding of each other¡¯s abilities.


    We cross the clearing in mere minutes and start swiftly making our way back to our campsite.


    On our way out we leave the section of forest that has all the trees that have markings along their bases. I double check each tree and triple check any that appear to have no low hanging branches. If anything even remotely looks leg shaped I slow our pace till I¡¯m absolutely sure there¡¯s no danger.


    My worries are unfounded, though. Our march back to our small hut is quiet. After I make a few laps around our hut and the small clearing, making 100% sure not even a regular spider is in sight, I can finally release some of my suppressed tension.


    We cram ourselves into the hut and pile our spoils in the corner closest to the door.


    I sit down on the pile of leaves I used for a bed the last two days. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and hold it in. Slowly exhaling releases some of my stress and my shoulders untense for the first time since we first left this hut this morning. I crack my eyes open a little and see both Del and Ronald similarly trying to relax themselves.


    After a minute of silence master glances at the two of us with a somber look. ¡°We got lucky.¡± Neither of us can refute him. ¡°That magic beast was fast, strong, and armored. If it wasn¡¯t for your magic, we might not have made it out of that fight unscathed.¡± His eyes bear down on me. ¡°You said that was freeform magic? I thought I told you not to mess with that type of magic? You could have killed us all by accident.¡± I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s not yelling at me but his face has more than a little bit of judgment written across it.


    ¡°Since I nearly drowned myself trying to brush my teeth, I took your advice to heart. I didn¡¯t practice freeform magic again¡­ for a few months.¡± He didn¡¯t smile at my joke. ¡°I only started practicing it in my spare time and when I could afford the ridiculous mana cost. 99% of the magic I use is the three spells you taught me but freeform magic is too versatile not to try out. You shouldn¡¯t complain after I managed to burn that beast to death.¡± I level a challenging look at master.


    ¡°I made sure to set rules for myself before I started experimenting. First, I would always include my mana cost in my chant, that way the magic wouldn¡¯t drain me dry if I did something wrong. After trying to make a fireball the size of a bronze coin and having it almost burn my room down, I decided to never experiment with fire, it¡¯s too unstable. So, I started messing around with low mana cost magic fist, that would burn itself out in seconds. I slowly tested my abilities to the point I can control certain magic.¡± That got him to raise one of his eyebrows.


    ¡°My biggest success is being able to use water magic to brush my teeth without almost killing myself. It may be the equivalent of a tier 1 spell and cost me 300 mana but I¡¯ll take that as a win for me. The only freeform magic I¡¯ve had any noticeable growth in is earth magic. Using the properties, you taught me, I can summon elements for a short amount of time. The dust I summoned was made from a combination of flammable metals you told me about.¡± I make sure to activate my Acting skill. I hate lying to master, he did trenchantly teach me about such metals but it¡¯s my memories from earth that let me summon magnesium so perfectly.


    ¡°To be honest with you guys I was worried the torch wasn¡¯t going to be hot enough to light the dust.¡± My laugh doesn¡¯t impress master. I¡¯m down playing it but I remember Magnesium being extremely hard to light. The only reason it ignited was because the wood the torch was made from reached a high enough temperature to start the reaction. If it was a normal torch from earth it wouldn¡¯t have been possible to light the magnesium.


    ¡°Do again?¡± Ronald asks me as my laughter fades. It¡¯s a good thing he doesn¡¯t talk much. If he kept master¡¯s secret for years, he probably won¡¯t be blabbing about my magic abilities anytime soon.


    I shake my head at him. ¡°Summoning that mixture eats up an incredible amount of my mana. It lasted for only a little more than a minute and it took up 40% of my mana. If I was at a 100%, I could try casting it twice but it would likely put me on my ass and leave me weakened. I¡¯m surprised the fire worked so well. I thought the flames would scare the creature off not outright fry the beast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said it was a wind type magic beast.¡± I turn from Ronald and listen to Del. ¡°Different species of magic beasts naturally harness magic in their bodies. The beasts don¡¯t have the same control as mages do, so their magic attunes itself to the species of the creature itself. Aside from the possibility of incorporating their elements into their attacks, their mana has secondary effects on the beast¡¯s body. Magic beasts that have earth type mana can influence the ground or are usually incredibly hard to injure. Water type magic beasts usually manifest a second ability, usually a magic poison or they can be incredibly flexible and hard to hit. Fire type magic beasts are capable of explosive strength making them the most dangerous in a head on clash. Lastly, we have wind. Beasts that have wind type mana are faster than they appear and in rare cases, like the spider we fought, are able to hide their presence in many dangerous ways.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you guys couldn¡¯t sense it and why it was so fast despite being so big?¡± Master nods his head at my question. ¡°But wait. If it was a wind type magic beast, why was its armor so strong?¡± I reach over and grab a piece of the spider¡¯s leg we brought back. Tracing the carapace, it feels even harder in my hands since we harvested it.


    ¡°Again, we were unlucky. The spider had a naturally high defense. In fact, now that I think about it, we might have been lucky.¡± Ronald and I are shocked at master¡¯s words.


    ¡°If the species of spider was inclined to say the earth element, we never would¡¯ve been able to dismember it with our weapons. It¡¯s also thanks to its naturally occurring wind element mana that it was able to burn so easily. Wind mana naturally enhances fire magic. If it had any other type of mana things could have been even worse for us.¡±


    Master¡¯s right, if the creature¡¯s mana was water or fire burning it probably wouldn¡¯t have worked out so well. And if its mana was of the earth elemental variety it probably could have tanked the flames without dying. We were lucky.


    I stare down at the chunk of leg in my arms, while master quickly gets a fire going.


    When it¡¯s not attached to a giant spider the leg could be mistaken for a crab¡¯s leg. I wonder? ¡°Hey master, you removed the venom sacks, right?¡±


    He looks up from the quickly growing fire. ¡°I was only able to remove one of the four intact, why?¡±


    When we got closer to the spider after I killed it, we realized it had four fangs instead of the normal two. The top two fangs looked like a normal spider¡¯s but it had another set of fangs facing inside its mouth. If the spider bit something inside or outside its mouth the poor creature would have received a venomous bite.


    ¡°I was thinking the venom wouldn¡¯t be circulating its whole body, would it?¡± Master looks confused at my statement.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe so. Water type magic beasts have been known to have poisonous flesh but I doubt the spider shared the same traits.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡± I reach over to a pile of kindling and grab a stick.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Master and Ronald look wide eyed at me.


    I stick my hand into the spider¡¯s leg and grab a handful of meat. Ripping it out, I stick the meat on the stick and hold it over the fire. ¡°I¡¯m tired of eating jerky. Besides, mother told me and Richard that magic beast meat is considered a delicacy.¡±


    ¡°Only some magic beasts taste respectable. Fish or bird type magic beasts are the only ones with reliable tasting meat. You¡¯re basically eating a bug.¡±


    ¡°It looks like a crab though, maybe it¡¯s tasty?¡±


    ¡°Crabs are the insects of the sea. Why would that sound tasty to you?¡±


    What! People don¡¯t eat crab here? It was considered a prisoner food back in the early 1800¡¯s back on Earth. ¡°Well I¡¯m hungry. More for me.¡± I focus on roasting the meat.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Crab should be boiled or steamed but no one in the village has a pot big enough for these chunks of legs let alone one brought on this trip with us. I know people grill lobster tails, so hopefully this turns out ok¡­and you know¡­ doesn¡¯t poison me.


    Flipping the meat around I wait until it has faint burn marks covering its sides. Grabbing the skewer, I hand it to Del.


    ¡°Why are you handing it to me?¡±


    I continue to hold the skewer out. ¡°Go to take a bite. If your Danger Sense goes off then I know it¡¯s poisonous.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works.¡± He reaches out and takes the food. He brings it up to his nose and sniffs it. He motions like he¡¯s going to bite it but stops at the last second. ¡°My Danger Sense never went off but I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s anything to trust.¡±


    He hands my dinner back to me. I shrug my shoulders in a dismissive manner and bring the chunk of meat up to my mouth.


    ¡°Might as well try a bite first.¡± I slowly open my mouth and bite the smallest chunk I can off of the skewer.


    Once the spider flesh touches my tongue I¡¯m hit with the incredible flavor. It tastes like crabmeat with an incredible smoky flavor. The meat wasn¡¯t smoked but has a perfect campfire taste. I only need to chew it twice before the meat shreds in my mouth.


    The spider meat easily goes down and I immediately go for another bite. This is the most delicious thing I¡¯ve eaten since I was born again in this world.


    Ronald and Del look disgusted at my eating habits. I smirk thinking about how much they¡¯re missing out on. ¡°Are you sure you guys don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    My eyes go wide as I grip my stomach.


    ¡°Are you ok?!¡± Master leaps to his feet.


    I open my mouth to respond but a wave of pleasure pulses through my body. It¡¯s hard to do but I activate Sense Mana and focus on my stomach. The meat I¡¯d just scarfed down is radiating a gentle pulse of mana throughout my body. My stressed mana veins from the earlier battle are soothed by the new source of mana helping them recover.


    The incredible feeling brings a huge smile to my face.


    Through my blissful haze I see master¡¯s worried look be replaced with a look of disbelief.


    Slowly the warm feeling becomes more easily bearable and my eyes focus on master. ¡°Sorry¡­!¡±


    ¡­


    I need to catch my breath for a second there. ¡°This stuff is amazing.¡±


    ¡°You scared the crap out of me! What happened with the meat?¡± He looks down on me with a frown.


    Still using my Sense Mana skill, I can see the mana helping refill my emptied mana pool. I can¡¯t help my smile from growing as I answer Del. ¡°The meat tastes amazing and the mana inside it is helping replenish my mana pool 30% faster than normal.¡±


    ¡°Good?¡± I smile at Ronald¡¯s question.


    I reach into the leg again and rip out another two chunks of meat. I set up the two new skewers next to the fire like I did the last one. Only this time I feel like I should pull them back a little bit more this time. Did I level my Cooking skill again?


    LV: 60 Experience: 87,929/ 420,152


    Health: 1,012.68/2,030


    Stamina: 519.41/1,343


    Mana: 231.51/1,000


    Vitality: 203.00


    Endurance: 80.03


    Strength: 120.00


    Dexterity: 113.00


    Senses: 60.14


    Mind: 62.20


    Magic: 100.19


    Clarity: 75.14


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV68), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Blacksmithing (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV45), Chanting (LV44), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Cooking (LV31), Acting (LV30), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV19), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV76), Double Step (LV51), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV37), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Marching (LV5), Lower Price (LV4), Gourmet (LV2)


    Tier 3:


    Expel mana (LV53), Mana Manipulation (LV42), Precise Strike (LV24), Double Strike (LV23), Flash Step (LV3), Weighted Strike (LV2)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV36), Mental Resistance (LV34),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV25)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Chanting (LV43-44) 4,350exp


    Cooking (LV30-31) 3,050exp


    Gourmet (LV1-2) 300exp


    Mana Skin (LV36) 9,000exp


    I snort when I see my new skill, Gourmet.


    ¡°New skill?¡± I¡¯m surprised master can read me that well.


    ¡°Yeah, a new skill that helps me appreciate food. I¡¯d didn¡¯t think I subconsciously wanted a skill like that?¡±


    ¡°You got the Gourmet skill.¡± Master chuckles under his breath.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of it? How does it work?¡± It¡¯s rare that master can advise me on non-blacksmithing skills.


    ¡°It¡¯s a skill earned by those seeking new and exciting foods. It¡¯s hard for most people to get because whether you¡¯re rich or poor you are used to the food you normally eat. Only eccentric people who go out of their way to try something crazy that¡¯s placed in front of them manage to earn the skill. Usually the skill is obtained from chefs or others researching exotic foods. I heard it helps people determine how edible something is. It¡¯s also one of the harder tier 2 skills to level because you have to keep trying new things and just because it helps you decide what¡¯s edible that doesn¡¯t mean it prevents food poisoning or other ailment¡¯s that come from shoving something random in your mouth.¡± Now he¡¯s laughing out loud.


    ¡°Will Ronald get the skill after he tries it?¡±


    Master tries to rain in his laughter. ¡°No, he won¡¯t get it that easy. He¡¯s seen you eat it and has decided to try it after seeing how much you enjoyed it. To get the skill you have to willingly try something you have no prior experience with, without being influenced by your surroundings.¡± Master watches me turn the meat. ¡°Make a small one for me too. It better be as good as you say it is.¡±


    I happily start roasting a smaller piece of meat for master. While I¡¯m watching the meat, I do some math in my head and calculate how much experience I got from killing the chameleon spider. 7,600 experience is a lot but nowhere near the amount I gained from the horned hob. The danger factor must be a bigger multiplier than I previously thought. I almost died in a one on one fight against a weaker hob but earned more experience. With the three of us facing the spider together, I only suffering that one hit from the spider, and then just stood back and roasting the blasted thing earned me much less experience.


    I inspect the meat before I hand it to Ronald and Del. Both watch me take the first bite from my second skewer before they each try their own. The second helping of meat only keeps the warmth emitting from my stomach going and doesn¡¯t increase its potency at all.


    Ronald is eating his at a steady pace while Del looks like he¡¯s trying to decide whether he likes it or not.


    ¡°Good.¡± Is the only conformation I get out of Ronald before he takes his next bite.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, not the best I¡¯ve ever had. Though it¡¯s not as bad as I thought it would be, I was sure the meat from a bug would taste a lot worse. The forest taste is a little overpowering I would say.¡±


    ¡°Now who¡¯s a gourmet.¡± I poke fun at master¡¯s over complicated yelp review. ¡°You could just say it¡¯s better than jerky and the fruits we scavenged.¡±


    ¡°More, please.¡± I look over at Ronald and see he¡¯s handing me his empty stick back.


    ¡°Sure, one moment. Do you want another one, master?¡± I start prepping another round of meat.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re making more¡­yes please.¡± I¡¯m happy they both like it.


    With this round of roasting, the chunk of leg I pulled the meat from is empty. I glance back at the pile of materials we harvested. ¡°We¡¯ll never be able to eat all of that before it goes bad. I would¡¯ve like to share it with my mother and father.¡± I can¡¯t help but frown at the thought of the food that¡¯s going to go to waist.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡± I look back at master. ¡°Magic beast meat can last days, depending on how strong the monster was. The lingering magic in the flesh is too strong for insects to eat without dying, so as long as we make it back to the village in a few days you should be able to share it with your family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± I grin at the thought of mother¡¯s reaction to the magic meat. Maybe that will be enough to keep her from yelling at me¡­ probably not. ¡°Master, what did you mean the magic will kill insects that try to eat it?¡±


    ¡°The amount of magic contained in the monster¡¯s flesh is too large for regular insects to eat it. You said the meat is helping you to regain your magic right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Well what do you think would happen if your mana pool was full like mine and Ronald¡¯s?¡±


    My eyes grow wide at the realization. ¡°Is the meat giving you guy¡¯s mana poisoning?!¡±


    Ronald just keeps eating and master waives his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°It¡¯s like the magicite down at the bottom of my mine. Too much can be deadly but that doesn¡¯t mean our bodies can¡¯t handle it, especially because the two of us are of such a high enough level.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense but why does the meat help my mana pool while the magicite doesn¡¯t increase my mana regain?¡±


    ¡°The mana that flows through nature is inherently violent, however everything living processes that violent mana and converts it into its own internal mana. Eating magic plants or animals still forces more mana into the body but it¡¯s much less violent because it has already been converted from nature magic to an organic magic.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean the rest of the chameleon spider we left behind will stay there for the next couple of days?¡±


    ¡°If it was farther away from the denser parts of the magic forest it might last a day or so but it will probably be picked clean tonight. Farkas would have trouble getting through the shell but they would still be able to eat most of the meat. Plus, with the body being so close to the deeper parts of the forest I¡¯m sure magic rodents and other scavengers will be attracted to the free meal.¡±


    I notice the meat is ready, so I pass the skewers out. ¡°If we can¡¯t recover the rest of the materials, then what should we do next? Do we try and hunt another spider or do we make our way home?¡±


    ¡°We should check the surrounding area and see if any of the spiders are moving this far from the deeper parts of the forest. Whether we find more spiders or not we should report back to the village. The other hunters and everybody else need to be warned about the dangers possibly hiding in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan, master.¡± We make a pretty good team. It helps we¡¯re all on the same page.


    I take another large bite out of my skewer.


    Today was a scary day. We went looking for a monster and we found it¡­ we found them. But the three of us overcame the beast and now we¡¯re feasting on the best food I¡¯ve had in decades. I can¡¯t lower my guard tomorrow but something in my gut is telling me the rest of the trip isn¡¯t going to be as hard as today.


    ¡°Burp!¡± ¡­ ¡°Sorry, excuse me.¡± We all share a laugh around the fire. Maybe that gut feeling was indigestion. Either way we¡¯ll overcome anything tomorrow, together.


    <hr>


    The familiar clearing lies directly in front of us. Tired and dirty, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m ready for this. How are we supposed to move on after everything we¡¯ve seen?


    My first step out of the trees fills me with emotions I¡¯ve long since buried. Stretching in front of us is a mass of bodies.


    ¡­


    The sight of the villagers tending to the fields almost brings a tear to my eye.


    ¡°What are you stopping for? We need to head for the headman¡¯s house.¡± Del pats my shoulder as he and Ronald pass on either side of me. I stand still for a moment taking in the sights before I run to join up with them. Three days of marching, a battle, a day to rest, another battle, scouting, and finally two days for us to make it home. It feels like it has been months since I¡¯ve seen the village instead of only nine days.


    As we move along the side of the field, we all pause feeling like we¡¯re being watched. Our time moving through the forest has us all still on edge. We snap into formation and scan our surroundings.


    The three of us relax slightly when we see the farmers staring at us across the field. So many emotions are carried in their gazes.


    Respect


    Fear


    Sadness


    Loss


    Hope


    In between the distant faces I can see gaps in between them where people aren¡¯t standing. A few faces I¡¯ve been accustomed to seeing are missing in the crowd.


    Awkwardly, we continue our march towards the headman¡¯s house. Each villager we pass sends a shiver down my spine. I can feel the number of eyes on us increase as we pass more and more people. A few homes we pass have their doors wide open and the villagers watch as we pass in front of them while they remain in the comfort of their doorways.


    I¡¯m not sure if someone ran ahead of us and told the headman we we¡¯re coming but Nicolas is waiting for us in front of the headman¡¯s house. ¡°Welcome back Ronald, Del-Razen, and miss Aaliyah. The drawing room has been prepared for you.¡± He turns around and opens the door, holding it until the last of us pass through. As he closes the door, I notice a small crowd still staring at us through the shrinking gap.


    ¡°You can leave your bags off to the side.¡± We follow Nicolas¡¯s instructions and gently set our packs off to the side.


    None of us say a word as we¡¯re led to the same room, I first met with the headman alongside Master Del. We don¡¯t even all make it into the drawing room before Camden is on his feet greeting us.


    ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯ve finally returned safely! Each day you didn¡¯t return the village has become more and more restless.¡±


    Taking my last steps into the room I see Camden and his wife standing in front of us with their son¡¯s flanking their sides.


    ¡°When did your group make it back?¡± Master asks the headman.


    ¡°Everyone was eager to make it home. We only took short breaks and followed the hunters through the night. We managed to make it home before sundown on the second day.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been back for three days?¡± I can¡¯t help but exclaim. We took the same amount of time to make it home but the three of us can move much faster through the woods. They must have moved tirelessly to achieve the same pace as us.


    ¡°Where are my manners?! Please sit, need anything to drink?¡± He looks between us.


    Ronald gives a, ¡°Good.¡±


    Master answers with, ¡°I¡¯m ok.¡±


    ¡°No thank you.¡± I answer politely.


    ¡°I was told you all brought back large amounts of beast parts. Did you find the reason why the goblins were moving into our part of the forest?¡± The headman is sweating by the time he finishes his question. Now that I look at him, he appears to have aged a few years since I¡¯d last seen him.


    His nervous smile fades as he sees the complicated look on our faces.


    His brow starts sweating more as Master Del recounts our scouting. Master brushes over how we managed to defeat the chameleon spider but makes sure to stress the fact that we could barely match the beast¡¯s ferocity with our strength. All of the headman¡¯s family were pale faced when we described the creature¡¯s ability to hide. When master mentions about how many others we came across during our retreat the poor man looked ready to cry.


    ¡°Are they moving towards the village?¡± Camden asks in a shaky voice.


    ¡°We found one of the spiders the same distance from the deeper part of the forest as our camp was located. We¡¯re not sure how far some of them have spread out but it appears most are staying close to the deeper parts of the forest. Hopefully they retreat back into the magic part of the forest when winter arrives. The three of us talked it over and we can spend a few days each month scanning the area incase they decide to move closer to the village.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your willingness to help but this is really bad. Everyone is still reeling from our losses during the battle. I scheduled a village meeting tomorrow to honor the eighteen people who died. Now I have to tell them we have massive magic beasts hiding in the forest.¡±


    No one says anything for a while.


    ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m sorry I kept the three of you here for so long, you must be tired. I hope you all can rest well and hopefully make it to the ceremony tomorrow at sunset.


    The three of us nod our heads and move back to the entryway and grab our gear. As master and Ronald leave through the door the headman calls out to me. ¡°Oh Aaliyah, please give my regards to your mother. Tell her I¡¯m happy you made it home safely.¡±


    The hair on the back of my neck stands up. ¡°Uh, why does she need to hear that from me?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s visited my house every day since we made it back and¡­ well¡­ we ¡®talked¡¯ about my horrible decision in allowing you to stay behind¡­ just let her know I apologize again.¡±


    Oh gods! I look down at myself. I don¡¯t have any injuries but I¡¯m filthy. Leaving the headman¡¯s house, I¡¯m lucky the onlookers have dispersed by now so they won¡¯t see the panicked look on my face. I try to hide my nervousness from the people still intensely staring at me as I make my way back home.


    I half expected mom to be waiting in the doorway for my return, is her absence a good sign or a bad one?


    I open the door to our house and I almost draw my axe when I feel the bloodlust hit me.


    Mother is standing, no towering over me, a few feet away from the door with a presence I can¡¯t describe.


    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m so happy to see you!¡± I try to choke out the words. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a big hug in a second, let me clean myself first!¡± I avoid her eyes as I set my pack down. chock


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I feel like a snake sheading its skin when the spell activates. Soon my whole-body sheds at least four pounds of dirt and sweat onto the stone floor below me.


    ¡°See mom! Not a scratch on me.¡± I twirl in place showing off my unmarked body, thank the gods my high Vitality let my scrapes heal in time.


    I still can¡¯t meet mother¡¯s gaze but I noticed father silently standing in a corner. He looks at me and mouths ¡®run¡¯.


    ¡°Oh no! I made a mess over here.¡± I quickly bend over and grab a bucket by the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get some water to clean it up. Be Right Back!¡± I twist and move to open the door to flee.


    ¡°Darrius, door.¡± The sound of mother¡¯s ice-cold voice causes me to fumble with the latch. I have 113 Dexterity, how is that possible!?!


    I only get the door open a few inches before dad arrives beside me and pushes the door shut, closing of my only escape route.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± I hear mother walking towards me. I¡¯m scared to turn around.


    ¡°Traitor.¡± I whisper up at father.


    ¡°You made me come home alone, you betrayed me first.¡± He whispers back. Our quiet conversation might as well have been a shout in our silent house.


    Ever so slowly, I turn around. ¡°Let me explain before you...¡± The words die in my throat when I finally see mother¡¯s face.


    Her two eyes are brighter than the magnesium fire I used against the spider.


    Hopefully in my next life I¡¯ll be able to make it to 30.

 Ch: 33

    ¡°Morning master!¡± I call out to the prone form of Del. He¡¯s already laying on his favorite bench as I enter his clearing.


    He opens his eyes and looks surprised to see me.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Not happy to see me?¡± I send a challenging look down at master.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m actually pretty surprised to see you. I figured your mother would¡¯ve tortured you for at least three days before I saw you again.¡± A series of flashbacks from last night cause the blood to drain from my face.


    Swallowing hard, I try to send a challenging look back at master who now looks worried for me. ¡°I¡¯m an adult now. We had a civil discussion and that was it.¡± I try to project some confidence.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it happened?¡± Master doesn¡¯t look convinced.


    I move over to another bench and sigh, planting my butt against the hard stone. ¡°I wish. Everyone was crying. At one point we argued, doors were slammed. More crying after that, this time mostly me. Hugging, then more yelling when I told them the three of us have to patrol the forest monthly. Another argument followed by deep conversation that lasted hours into the night. In short mother and father were mad I stayed behind but happier that I came back ok.¡± I stare up at some clouds floating above us.


    ¡°Sounds like you have a great family,¡±


    ¡°I do, don¡¯t I.¡± I¡¯m incredibly blessed to be alive and to be surrounded by so many people who love me.


    ¡°I still expected you to be locked in your room for at least a day.¡±


    ¡°Despite all the initial arguing, we all sat down together and I explained to them how only the three of us could face the chameleon spiders without sacrificing half the village. They were reluctant to acknowledge the need for my participation but eventually they relented. I think they realized how dangerous the forest would become if I didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably true.¡± Master rubs his nose. ¡°It¡¯s great you could come to an understanding with your parents, all the more reason I¡¯m confused you¡¯re not spending the day with them?¡±


    I rise from the bench and stand beside master. ¡°I need to do more.¡± He must see the fire in my eyes because he sits up and properly faces me. ¡°Our village was vastly unprepared for the goblin threat. Farmers charged the goblins wielding nothing but farming tools. I can¡¯t let that happen again! I still plan to sell most of my goods to Kervin but I plan on forging enough spears to arm most of the villagers in case of a disaster. I also want your help to make a better bow for Ronald. He needs something better to defend himself with, when we hunt the spiders again next month. And the most important thing I need to do is level more!¡±


    Master doesn¡¯t look surprised from my speech. ¡°All grand goals. I suppose as your master I should help my student. I¡¯ll have to take my naps on the days you spend time with your family. Do you have a plan for today?¡±


    I smile at Master Del as he rises from his bench. He stretches his massive arms across his chest. ¡°Today I want to get all the materials ready for a forging marathon tomorrow. We have all the bloomery metal ready from before we left on the expedition, so I figured we would get the basic steel ready quick enough and have time to try messing with some of the magic metals.¡± I look at the pile of the spider¡¯s exoskeleton. ¡°You told me magic beast parts can be combined with some metals to create semi-magical alloys, right?¡±


    ¡°I said ¡®Some¡¯ parts can be used. The exoskeleton might be a good material to work with or it could become worthless when subjected to the forge¡¯s heat. And remember we can¡¯t waste all the materials, you promised Ronald you would sell the materials to Kervin and give him his cut of the profits later.¡±


    ¡°I will give him a fair share of the profits¡­ in the form of a new bow and better arrows.¡± I slyly smile at master. I think I¡¯ve properly understood Ronald¡¯s character after our time in the forest. He would rather have a better bow than some coins weighing down his pockets.


    ¡°If you want to take that chance, I won¡¯t stop you but you need to remember as a craftsman you need to always keep the customers perspective in mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes master!¡±


    ¡°Good. Start the smelter, we have a lot of work to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes master!¡± I love it when master gets fired up! Time to make some quality steel.


    <hr>


    Standing in front of the smelter, I can feel the heat through my Mana Skin skill. When I first started my apprenticeship under master, he only used his forge to make small amounts of steel when he needed it. Only a year into my apprenticeship it quickly became apparent we needed a better way to smelt the amount of steel that I was using for my practices¡¯.


    Our smelter is similar to the bloomery in design but big enough to hold a much larger crucible. Through a lot of work, we even managed to fit a valve on the bottom of the smelter where we can pour the molten steel into billets. Each mold is 4¡¯¡¯ wide by 4¡¯¡¯ tall and 12¡¯¡¯long, making 55-pound bars of steel. Our smelter makes eight bars when we pack it to the brim. That¡¯s 440 pounds of steel. I can usually stretch that much material out into enough to work with for two or sometimes three months. This time I plan to use it all before Kervin returns. He doesn¡¯t have an exact schedule he follows but I¡¯m guessing he¡¯ll be back anywhere between twelve and sixteen days from now.


    ¡°Is the forge ready yet, master?¡± I call over my shoulder.


    ¡°Almost there!¡± I hear master shout over the roaring flames.


    I add some more ¡®Blacksmith¡¯s¡¯ logs into the smelter, double-checking to make sure the flames will remain strong while master and I experiment with some new materials on the forge.


    Positive the smelter will be going strong by itself; I join master by the forge.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready. Go on and grab a chunk of the spider carapace.¡± Nodding my head to master, I go and grab a medium size chunk of the carapace. The thin and long piece of carapace is maybe two and a half feet long.


    I rush back to master¡¯s side in my excitement. ¡°What do we do first!¡± I excitedly ask him.


    ¡°When you¡¯re dealing with new materials, especially magic beast materials, you need to take it slow. First we need to see how it reacts to high temperatures.¡± Using a pair of short tongs, master grabs the piece of carapace and moves part of it into the fire.


    We both stare at the flames, waiting for something to happen.


    After twenty seconds of heat treatment the carapace starts to change. Small sparks start appearing across the exoskeleton which quickly set the material ablaze. The fire radiating off of the carapace isn¡¯t as hot as our forge but startling none the less.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought would happen. You see what¡¯s happening to the material? Magic beast parts that are attuned to the wind element give off wind mana which spurs the growth of fire. We could use the carapace in the fire itself but the flames that it¡¯s giving off are nothing special.¡±


    Using my mana sense, I can see the mana contained in the carapace popping out of the material and spurring the growth of the flames in its surroundings. However not all the mana is being expelled from the material. A small amount of wind mana is staying trapped in the material.


    Master pulls the carapace out of the forge and it looks like flaming dough. The material is stretching off to its sides. After being removed from the forge for two minutes the yellow flame dies out by itself.


    I focus my Mana Skin barrier around my hands and try to grab a chunk of the still stretching material.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Master warns me.


    The barrier around my hands keeps me from feeling the texture of the material but I can feel the heat as it disperses into the surrounding air. I try to rip a small chunk of the material off but it only stretches further each time I pull it.


    As the material cools in my hands it becomes less malleable with each passing second.


    Master watches as I try to sculpt the material into a staircase type of mold. I want areas with different thicknesses so I can test the material better. With the heat evaporating fast, I slowly lower my Mana Skin barrier. I completely remove the barrier on my index finger and run it across the surface of the brick.


    A gentle warmth radiates out of the material. The former carapace was lumpy and rough but after almost liquifying the material is smooth to the touch now.


    Taking the new material over to the anvil, I try tapping the thickest part of the brick with my hammer. The material produces a ringing noise when struck but doesn¡¯t crack upon the first strike. I start increasing the force of my swings. With all my experience I¡¯ve become able to judge how much strength I put into each of my swings.


    It isn¡¯t until I use about 95 Strength that the material dents under my hammer strikes. At 100 Strength the dent I leave has fractures radiating out the center of my strike. A strike again, this time using 105 Strength on the thickest part of the material which causes it to shatter.


    The thicker parts of the spider¡¯s carapace were able to withstand a strike from master with his enchanted pickaxe. The material has obviously lost a great deal of its resistance if I can shatter it with this amount of Strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting material but I don¡¯t think you would want to use it in any of your projects.¡± I examine one of the shattered chunks while I listen to Del¡¯s advice.


    ¡°What if we mix it with some steel?¡± I throw the question out.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°We still have enough bloomery steel that we couldn¡¯t fit into the smelter. I guess we could try to mix it in the smaller crucible on the forge.¡± That¡¯s all the motivation I need to dash off and gather the materials.


    When I return to Del¡¯s side I start assembling the crucible. A chunk of bloomery steel goes in the bottom. ¡°Master, do you think I should put a piece of the carapace we already heat treated or a chunk of the fresh carapace?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to try both. When your experimenting with new materials you have to be ready to try multiple combinations. We¡¯ll start by adding a chunk of the stuff you shattered.¡±


    I find a sliver of the shattered carapace and place it in the crucible. I put some shattered glass on top of our new mixture and move to put a few leaves inside.


    ¡°Put some extra leaves this time.¡± I look confusingly over to master.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°The carapace has to have its own carbon. Even if the mixture works, the steel alloy it makes will have too much carbon and be weaker than what we normally use.¡±


    I never thought about that. I add some extra leaves and seal the crucible. I place it on the forge and move to check on the smelter. I¡¯ll have to watch two flames now but that should keep me busy while we wait for new metal to liquify.


    <hr>


    An hour of controlling two fires passes by rather quick.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s ready?¡± I question master.


    ¡°Who knows? We¡¯re working with new materials your guess is as good as mine.¡± I can tell he¡¯s trying not to get my hopes up but I can see the excitement hidden in his eyes. Trying something new is always fun.


    We place the crucible off to the side and start prepping our second one. This time I put a piece of the carapace we didn¡¯t melt yet alongside the bloomery steel. With some leaves and glass, I seal the crucible and place attempt number two in the forge.


    With the new crucible heating up we turn our attention to our slightly cooler first attempt. Using tongs and my Mana Skin skill, I try not to burn myself. When the lid is removed, we realize we need to wait a few more minutes because the small layer of glass on top is still a little runny.


    I turn to check on the heating crucible... ¡°Wow!¡±


    Master Del follows the direction I¡¯m looking at and he¡¯s astonished as well. The crucible we¡¯ve only had on the forge for a few minutes is glowing red. The crucible is supposed to trap the heat inside allowing the metal to liquify but it shouldn¡¯t heat up that fast. It must be the chunk of carapace we put inside.


    ¡°I think the carapace is acting as a fire inside the crucible.¡± I tell Del my hypothesis.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. The flames that ingulfed the first piece of carapace we tested weren¡¯t that hot but being confined in the crucible must be raising the temperature inside exponentially quicker.


    If it bonds with the steel, adding it into our smelter could really cut back on the time we need to leave it running.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± I turn back around in time to watch Del strike the glass in the crucible.


    Master pulls the chunks of glass out before he grabs a pair of tongs.


    ¡°How did it turn out?¡± I try to stand over his shoulder watching him trying to grab the chunk of metal. Del quickly manages to get ahold of the metal with the tongs and pulls it out for both of us to see.


    ¡°Pity.¡± Master spoils the reveal. Once the chunk of metal is in the sunlight, I can see why he¡¯s disappointed.


    The small puck of metal he pulls out of the crucible has distinct off-color grey lines running throughout the metal. The metal didn¡¯t bond with melted carapace. The metal might look cool with the different shades of grey but those lines are structural weak points in the metal. If the melted carapace was concentrated in the top or bottom of the metal, we could try to salvage the steel but it¡¯s impossible with it like it is.


    ¡°Well that sucks.¡± Master nods to my statement.


    Del touches the puck with his finger before he offers it to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s cool enough you can hold it with your Mana Skin.¡± He places the puck in my hands.


    I hold it up to the light and marvel at the smooth sides and lines branching throughout the steel. ¡°I¡¯ll add it to my collection. It will be a good reminder that not everything works out perfectly when you want it to.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought I was going to have to console you. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re not letting this failure bother you but we still have one more to check.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s better than this one.¡± I say in a dry tone.


    I keep flipping the puck of metal in my hands. I can see the mana unevenly spread throughout the chunk of steal. Using Inject Mana I pump some of my mana inside the puck. The insides light up like a spineless Christmas tree. The melted carapace is a better conductor for my magic than the chunk of steel. I¡¯ll have to test other materials but maybe I can use it as an enchanting ingredient?


    While we wait for the second crucible to finish, I make sure the smelter is staying hot enough to properly melt the steel.


    We aren¡¯t sure how long we should leave the crucible on the forge, so we wait for an hour before we remove it.


    The crucible is much hotter this time so master has the honor of cracking the lid.


    ¡°The glass is still molten.¡± I lean over and see the glass still in its liquid form.


    We leave the crucible to the side and wait for the glass to cool.


    So, we wait¡­


    And wait¡­...


    And wait¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡°Master, is it supposed to take this long?¡± I swing my legs as I sit on one of the benches.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t.¡± he looks down into the crucible again. ¡°The glass is cooling slightly but a part of it is still molten.¡±


    ¡°You think mana quenching it would help?¡±


    ¡°You can try. Rapidly cooling the metal will also be a good indicator if it bonded well enough.¡±


    ¡°All right, step aside old man. Let me show you how it¡¯s done.¡± Master moves away from the crucible while rolling his eyes at me.


    I strengthen the barrier around my hands and pick up the crucible. I can tell the insides of the crucible are still really hot despite us letting it sit for almost forty minutes. The trick with mana quenching is to use my mana to disperse the heat trapped within an object.


    It¡¯s more difficult this time because I have to go through the crucible first. Luckily, the crucible is not only good at absorbing heat but also expelling it. It only takes me half a minute to defuse most of the heat from the crucible. What¡¯s weird is I can see more fire mana filling the cleared space I made in the crucible. If I keep emptying the heat from the crucible that must mean the insides are cooling too.


    After another minute I have to reassess the situation.


    ¡°Having trouble?¡± Master looks confused when he sees me struggling. He¡¯s watched me mana quench hundreds of items, most of which only require a few seconds for me to do it properly.


    ¡°I think I almost have it.¡± I grumble between my teeth. The heat is finally subsiding after I wasted nearly 200 mana on cooling it.


    I set the crucible down and grab a hammer to break the glass. One good swing shatters the protective barrier. I still have my hands guarded so I reach in and pull the puck out.


    Both master¡¯s and my eyes go wide when we see the silvery puck in my hands. Unlike the other one, which has lines running through it, the metal looks uniformly of one color. The steel is a lighter shade of silver than usual. I¡¯d say it looks like a mix of aluminum and steel.


    Surprisingly I still feel a faint heat radiating from the puck. Is it generating that heat? ¡°Master, feel this.¡± I reduce the barrier covering my hands so I can better feel the metal with master.


    ¡°It¡¯s radiating its own heat.¡± Master confirms my suspicions.


    ¡°What do you think would happen if I put it back in the fire?¡± Master and I share a smile.


    Using some tongs, I place the puck back on the forge. I wait for the metal to turn red before I pull it out. I place the puck on a ledge next to the forge. We both stare at the glowing metal.


    Unlike a usual chunk of steel, this puck stays hot for nearly four times as long after it¡¯s removed from the forge. This could be useful, let¡¯s see how malleable it is.


    I heat the puck back up before I take it over to the anvil. I smile after the first hammer strike. The metal moves just like steel. I know what I can use this for.


    ¡°Master, is there any more chunks of steel left over?¡± Master looks up from my work and ponders my question.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a little left. What are you making?¡± His eyes drift back to me hammering the metal.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make the best pan my mother¡¯s ever seen.¡± I boldly claim.


    ¡°Ahh, you need a handle.¡± Del quickly realizes what I want the regular steel for.


    I could stretch the metal enough to make a handle and a small pan out of the material but the metal absorbs heat too much. I¡¯ll use the ¡®Heating Steel¡¯, that¡¯s a good name for it, as the base and sides of the pan and use a regular piece of steel for the handle. I can use it to cook tonight and offer it as a peace offering to mother.


    The metal is easy to work with because it retains the forge heat for so long. I can shape it much easier than any metal I¡¯ve worked with before.


    I look up to see master approaching with a small chunk of steel in hand. He passes by me and places the steel in the forge, we don¡¯t even need to communicate.


    The puck of ¡®Heating Steel¡¯ is quickly flattened to my designed thickness and I move on to curling the sides up. Making something like this requires you to have a sense of symmetry. A giant press can make a pan in a second but doing it by hand is an artform.


    Luckily, I¡¯ve made plenty of pans over the last few years. I manage to get the bulk of the pan finished before it cools too much. I place the base of the pan off to the side and step next to master. The steel for the handle is just about ready for me to work with.


    Using some tongs, I shift the hot metal over to the anvil and start flattening it out. The regular steel doesn¡¯t hold its heat as well, so I have to reheat it a few times to get it into an even flat rectangle.


    After I heat it again, I use the side of the anvil to curve the metal. After some precise swings I successfully curve and weld the steel into a workable handle.


    I now have the base and the handle ready, so I heat them both up together for the last time. When they¡¯re both glowing, I remove them and fit my handle up against the pan base. Using one of the precision hammers to weld the two pieces together.


    I double check the seam for any imperfections before I mana quench the handle. Injecting my mana into the steel, I can search for any imperfections in my welding. The handle has a few micro fractures but nothing serious for a pan. My mana moves from the handle and jumbles up at the welding point. Connecting two different metals into a matching mana flow has only happened twice over the hundreds of items I forged. I¡¯m not surprised this one isn¡¯t perfect.


    It¡¯s harder but I can still direct my mana into the base of the pan. The base is still retaining some heat after welding the pieces together and once my mana enters it the metal actually heats up a little more. If the effect was stronger, I might have been able to cook by just injecting mana into the pan. The melted carapace works as a magic insulator that multiplies heat retention.


    A crazy idea pops into my head.


    I almost drop my hammer in my excitement. Moving my finished pan and tools, I take off to the shed I store my workable minerals in. My collection of rocks is divided into two parts. The smaller samples I keep at home, much to mother¡¯s displeasure. But the larger samples I get from Kervin are kept here in case I want to try forging with them.


    My most recent purchase is what grabs my attention. The two chunks of fire iron are sitting on a metal plate. Eyeballing the two samples I grab the biggest one. Before I close the shed, I grab the bucket that has the remains of crushed gem snail shells inside. With these two things I might be able to make a magic sword!


    With my arms full, I make my way back to master.


    ¡°What do you have there¡± He inspects the materials in my arms.


    ¡°Hear me out, master. The fresh spider carapace fused with the steel and made it better retain heat. What would happen if we mixed the carapace with some fire iron?¡± I feel like a mad scientist right now.


    ¡°That¡­. could work? Are you willing to bet most of your fire iron to try it out though?¡± He levels a serious look at me.


    His look makes me nervous but the image of a magic katana keeps appearing in my head and cutting any ideas of playing it safe to shreds.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that chance! Let¡¯s get it going in a crucible.¡±


    ¡°And the gem snail dust, what are you using that for?¡± I can understand his wariness. It takes a ridiculous amount of time to harvest enough snail shells to properly fuse it with a metal.


    ¡°I need something that can take the heat of the fire iron while working as a sturdy core.¡±


    ¡°You know infusing gem snail dust into steel may make it more durable but it also softens it slightly. You want something like that?¡±


    I can¡¯t help but widely smile at Del¡¯s uncertain face. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want.¡±


    ¡°Alright. But let¡¯s try your fire iron first. If it doesn¡¯t work out at least we won¡¯t waste the gem snail dust.¡± I try not to let his skepticism bring me down.


    I move over to the rock crusher and make sure there¡¯s no dust that will accidentally mix with the ore. I use some water to clean it out before I place my fire iron chunk inside. As I crush the rocks, I can feel a small amount of heat wafting up from the pummeled ore.


    I carefully move the shattered ore into a clean bucket and walk back to Del. I hope this is enough for what I need.


    I carefully pour all the bits of fire iron into the crucible and wipe any remaining dust out of the bucket with my hands. ¡°How much carapace should I put in the crucible?¡± I ask Master Del.


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked with fire iron twice before. Like most magic metals it doesn¡¯t usually contain many impurities. That said I¡¯ve never tried combining it into an alloy before. I¡¯d say use the same amount as last time but add a few more leaves, the carbon in the ore might be a little higher than our bloomery steel.¡± Master seems to ponder over every piece of advice.


    ¡°Let me seal this one.¡± He picks up the crucible. ¡°I need you to grab a large pile of ¡®Blaksmith¡¯s¡¯ logs. Fire iron takes a lot of heat to melt properly.¡±


    I move over to the wood shed where we keep the good logs and start moving them over to the forge. I throw a few small ones on the fire to get it going. It takes a few trips to gather enough wood but I finish in time to watch master bring the sealed crucible over. He carefully moves it into the raging inferno that I have going.


    I move to check our smelter again, if I ruin this batch of steel master would never let me live it down.


    When I rejoin master, I need to increase my Mana Skin barrier. The heat radiating out of the forge is incredible. We usually use one or two ¡®Blacksmith¡¯s¡¯ logs to create a hot zone in the forge in case we need to rapidly heat up part of the metal. This time the forge is filled with the special logs, pushing the flames to well over 2000¡ãc. This world continues to amaze me, wood from a tree is able to reach such incredible temperatures.


    ¡°Would you look at that.¡± Del looks mystified at the fire.


    I have to scooch closer to master before I can see what¡¯s leaving the man gobsmacked. The flames of the forge are being repelled from the crucible, the air surrounding it is warping from the heat radiating out of the sealed container.


    I check the crucible with Sense Mana and see a whirling nebula of fire mana inside.


    We leave the crucible in the forge for an hour and a half, watching the waves of heat radiating off of it, before we move it off to the side. I check the mana inside the crucible after it has sat for about 30 minutes, only to find the mana has only settled by ten percent.


    I tell Del the state of the mana and watch as he rubs his chin. ¡°If that¡¯s the case we¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow before we open it. If it looks good tomorrow, we can forge some gem snail steel first thing in the morning and that should leave you enough time to make your sword.¡± I¡¯m practically shaking with excitement.


    Master looks up at the sky then over to the smelter. ¡°Let¡¯s pour the smelter and make our way towards the village. We still need to attend the village meeting.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I say. We split up to gather the materials.


    Master moves to grab two pairs of thick gloves that cover our whole arms while I grab the molds we use for the billets. The steel is around 1500¡ãc coming out of the smelter and no matter how strong my Mana Skin skill is or master¡¯s skills are, our flesh would melt if we splashed any of the molten steel on us.


    The gloves were actually the first things I ordered from Kervin. They¡¯re hide from a semi-magical beat that boasts a decent fire resistance, then the gloves were treated with an alchemical solution. With that in mind, the gloves will only withstand molten steel for seven seconds. That¡¯s enough time for us to retreat and remove the gloves before parts of us start to melt.


    I line up the molds in a single file line directly under the tapping valve. It took us a while to get the molds right but now the molten steel fills the first mold and overflows to the next and will continue that cycle until the last one is filled. A quarter of an inch of steel will cover all the molds that we¡¯ll have to cut through after they cool partially.


    ¡°Ready?!¡± Master shouts at me even though we¡¯re feet apart.


    ¡°Ready!¡± I shout back. Clear responses are critical when dealing with molten metal.


    ¡°Pouring!¡± Master shouts and releases the valve.


    The tapping hole is tiny but the force of the liquid metal still pushes it out at a decent speed. The red ooze travels into the molds and slowly fills them up.


    Molten steel is hotter than lava. It¡¯s such a beautiful moment when you watch it pour. Gods, I love my job.

 Ch: 34

    Side by side, Master Del and I make our way towards the village headman¡¯s house. I have a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu while we make our way over to the village meeting.


    If anything, this walk is even more nerve-wracking a second time. We weren¡¯t aware of the dangers we would be facing back then. Now the whole village needs to be warned about the dangers we encountered.


    I wish we could skip through time, so we could move directly into our forging tomorrow but I doubt even magic could accomplish such a feat.


    The walk is just as quiet as last time. As we approach the crowd outside Camden¡¯s house, I swear it looks the same. Maybe not.


    Last time no one knew why we were summoned. The hushed whispers amongst the crowed paint a more ominous picture this time. A few families holding clay jars are being surrounded by groups of people offering their condolences.


    I notice Ronald positioned by the headman¡¯s front door. More than one set of eyes are staring deeply at him. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not up there.


    Ronald¡¯s gaze is steady, giving no indication to the outcome of our search.


    ¡°Mister Del-Razen and Miss Aaliyah, I¡¯m happy you could join us.¡± The both of us turn to our left taking notice of Nicolas steadily approaching us. We were staying out of the way near the back of the crowd, how did he find us so quickly?


    I take a look around us and realize I was placing all my attention on Ronald. While most people are keeping an eye on Ronald but the villagers closest to us are sending questioning glares our way as well.


    ¡°My father is still preparing inside our home but he should be finished soon. If you¡¯ll follow me please.¡± Nicolas gestures with his hand towards Ronald¡¯s position.


    Crap, he wants us up front for this. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s necessary? We¡¯re comfy here.¡± I try to express my discomfort at the idea of being displayed in front of the whole village.


    Nicolas looks troubled by my suggestion. ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why do we need to be¡­?¡± Master cuts me off with a gentle elbow to my side.


    Using the moment to his advantage, Nicolas takes a small step forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience but I have to insist. The village needs to see the three of you together.¡± His caring but firm tone doesn¡¯t leave me any room to negotiate.


    I turn my head away from him, only to see a number of villagers moving to get a better look of Master Del and me. No one is shoving or arguing but everyone close to us is trying to get a good view of us.


    I feel master¡¯s hand on my shoulder. I look back to see master nodding his head to Nicolas. Silently, we follow him as the crowd parts for our passing.


    I think I might be sick.


    The emotions plastered across the crowd¡¯s faces are hard to look at. I try to focus on my feet but something inside me is telling me it¡¯s wrong to look down right now. I take a deep breath before I raise my head and focus on the back of Nicolas¡¯s head. I¡¯m still assaulted by the faces in my peripheral vision.


    The closer we get to the front of the headman¡¯s house the more my shoes feel like they¡¯re made of lead.


    I might as well be scaling a mountain as we ascend the steps in front of us.


    We reach the top and now comes the hard part. I see master turning around after he takes his place next to Ronald. Everything moves in slow motion as I turn to face the crowd. The steps in front of the headman¡¯s house are only three feet at their highest point but I feel like I¡¯m up on a pedestal for all to see.


    Looking down at the crowd I feel naked in their gazes. Everyone has looks like they have a question their dying to scream out. I barely notice Nicolas slip open his front door and disappear inside. Surely, they don¡¯t want us to address the crowd, right? Ronald and Del would never talk to this many people so does that mean I have to explain everything!?


    As my legs start to shake at the horrifying idea, Nicolas exits his house followed by his father.


    I¡¯m able to stop my panic attack before Nicolas takes his place next to me. Camden stays in front of their door, taking center stage. As he looks over the crowd the whispers vanish.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Camden¡¯s words paralyze everyone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the loss of our neighbors, our friends, and our family.¡± Many hang their heads hearing Camden¡¯s words.


    ¡°We¡­ I underestimated the goblins. This horde was unlike anything I could have prepared for. If it wasn¡¯t for the brave sacrifices from the fallen, none of us would have returned from the expedition. They died protecting our homes and our very lives. We shall have a moment of silence to honor their sacrifices.¡± Camden bows his head and everyone follows his example.


    In the silence the cries of those who¡¯ve lost people are heard by all. It¡¯s hard not to tear up.


    The silence stretches for five minutes before Camden raises his head again. ¡°I wish I could tell you the danger has passed.¡± Many people jump at the headman¡¯s reveal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard about the three who volunteered to stay behind and search the forest for anymore dangers.¡± Camden looks at the three of us and the whole village follows his example. My body erupts in goosebumps.


    ¡°Ronald and Del-Razen who faced a goblin believed to be stronger than level 60. And the young heroine Aaliyah, who faced a newly formed horned hob single handily. Each volunteered to stay behind after their exhausting battle.¡± I blush at the praise. I know I never wanted to stand out but I knew when I volunteered for the expedition that there was a good chance people would recognize my strength.


    ¡°I wish I can tell you they cleared up some stray goblins they found and returned victorious. Sadly, they found the beasts that were hunting the goblins, the reason they left the deeper parts of the forest. Giant magic beasts were found hidden amongst the trees.¡± The headman is trying to look strong in front of everyone but it¡¯s not working.


    The silence breaks as people start discussing the horrible truth to each other. I¡¯m happy that everyone isn¡¯t staring up at us anymore but watching everyone panic isn¡¯t how in wanted it to happen.


    ¡°How strong are the magic beasts!?¡±


    ¡°Are they going to attack the village!?¡±


    ¡°Did we even have to attack the goblins!?¡±


    People quickly turn their questions and rage back to Camden.


    I expected him to activate his skill he used last time to silence everyone but instead he stands there waiting. People continue to scream at him and he just stands there taking it.


    Ever so slowly the voices quiet on their own as people realize he¡¯s waiting for silence.


    ¡°I know you all have questions and I know you¡¯re all scared, so am I. I was briefed on the peculiarities of the beasts by our three heroes.¡± I flinch again at being called a hero.


    ¡°The magic beasts are huge spiders that use their magic to blend into the trees. They appear to be staying closer to magic dense parts of the forest but we¡¯re not sure if they¡¯ll branch out and look for food now that the goblins are gone.¡±


    ¡°How do we spot them!?¡± One of the hunters shouts out.


    ¡°I was told that Ronald could barely spot the difference in the trees. They were lucky to find the first one, all the others they found were extremely difficult to see. The only sign you could look for is a tree that doesn¡¯t have any branches.¡± He changed the story to hide my magic abilities.


    ¡°How strong are they!?¡± Another hunter questions Camden.


    ¡°Master Del-Razen was only barely able to wound the beats with a magic pickaxe. The magic beasts are believed to be around level 80, maybe higher.¡± Everyone pales at the revelation.


    ¡°Before everyone panics, I want to remind you they¡¯re staying deep in the forest for now. Ronald, Aaliyah, and Del-Razen have volunteered again to check the forest each month. That said, everyone who enters the forest must have a partner accompany them. We need to stay safe until the lords promised troops arrive in spring. We need to remain vigilant and pray the beasts move back into the deeper parts of the forest.¡± Most of the villagers nod their heads in agreement but the hunters look unconvinced of the danger. Hopefully they never run into a chameleon spider while hunting.


    ¡°Lastly, for those of you who¡¯ve lost somebody, I¡¯ve already commissioned a group memory stone from Salus in memory of everyone we lost. If you want a personal one made, I¡¯ve already told Salus that I¡¯ll be covering the cost of them all.¡± Burial customs in this world are pretty simple. Usually the body of a loved one is cremated after they pass on and their ashes are either kept by the family or spread somewhere significant to the departed. A memory stone is like a smaller type of tombstone that a family places around their home in honor of their fallen loved ones.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be visiting each of the families who¡¯ve lost someone over the next few days. If anyone needs clarification on something or has another question you can stay and see me.¡± I was waiting for him to say dismissed or something but only an awkward silence blows through the crowd. A few groups along the edges of the crowd silently break away first.


    Of course, standing up front I can¡¯t just run off. I¡¯m essentially stuck up here with the others until the crowd thins out. A few people walk up to us and start asking Camden their questions.


    I ignore the conversations and try to pick out mom or dad in the crowd. There they are, standing off to the side waiting for the crowd to disperse.


    It takes twenty minutes for most of the villagers to leave but a small group of people are still boxing us in. People are still trying to get Camden to answer their questions.


    Father must have run out of patience because his large figure starts steadily making its way through the remaining people towards our position. People quickly notice him moving through the crowd and he easily makes his way in front of me. Mother appears by his side looking a little peeved.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Are you almost ready to go home? You promised you were going to make us dinner tonight.¡± Her statement draws a few heads including Camden¡¯s. Camden and mother lock eyes for a moment and Camden quickly shifts his head to the side and starts answering the question of the villager farthest away from mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mom. I wasn¡¯t expecting that we would¡¯ve had to stand up front this whole time. I have to grab something at Del¡¯s place really quick but I can meet you back home in a few minutes.¡± I apologize to a cross mother.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine as long as you hurry.¡± She looks between master and me a few times before she turns her body to face master directly. ¡°Del-Razen, won¡¯t you join us for dinner?¡± Mother blindsides master with the dinner offer.


    ¡°Aaaaa.¡± Master¡¯s speechless.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Mother ushers master on his way and the three of them start making their way back through the crowd. Mother shouts over her shoulder, ¡°Hurry along sweety, and remember you promised us the best dinner ever.¡±


    She still must be peeved at me. I need to hurry.


    Double Step helps me make it through the crowd before it closes in on me again. I rush back to master¡¯s clearing. I wish I could¡¯ve brought my pan with me to the meeting but it would¡¯ve been in bad taste if I was forced to stand up front of everyone holding a pan in one hand, while listening to the problems of the village.


    Adding master to my dinner plans shouldn¡¯t be that hard. I was planning a feast and adding one more mouth to feed won¡¯t be a problem.


    I wonder how master is going to handle mother¡¯s questioning?


    The hairs stand up on my neck. I can¡¯t leave him alone with my family! Flash Step! I launch myself towards Del¡¯s house. I need to move faster!


    <hr>


    With my new pan in hand, I arrive back home.


    I¡¯m a little sweaty from my run back here but it was a good idea to clean myself with magic after I reached Del¡¯s hut.


    Opening the door, I see my parents and Master Del sitting at our table.


    ¡°Oh, back already. I didn¡¯t mean you had to run the whole way, sweety.¡± I wipe the sweat from my face and change my shoes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep you all waiting.¡± I try to deliver my best smile I can to mother while scanning Del in the side of my vision. Did he say anything?!


    I make my way past the table and steal a quick look at master. He doesn¡¯t look troubled, that¡¯s a good sign.


    I quickly move towards the fireplace and fill it with kindling then cast my fire spell.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    The kindling catches and I add a log for good measure. I move over to the counter and check my supplies I gathered this morning. I woke up earlier than usual to find some herbs in the forest alongside bartering for some butter from Granny Gellar. I was surprised she wouldn¡¯t accept my payment, saying I deserved it for all my hard work. It wasn¡¯t until the meeting I realized the attention everyone was giving me.


    I double-check our pomme reserves and make sure we have enough blood maize to accommodate everyone. We have six ears of maize which should be more than enough.


    A quick tug and I peel the cobs of maize. I lay the pomme on a cutting board and ready my knife.


    ¡°So Del, you were telling us about your troubles facing the ¡®humongous¡¯ spider.¡± I almost cut my finger when I overhear mother talking to master.


    ¡°Sadly, my strength wasn¡¯t enough. If it wasn¡¯t for Aaliyah¡¯s last-ditch attempt to stop the beast we would have had to run.¡±


    I turn around and force a smile at master. ¡°I don¡¯t think they want to hear a story like that so close to dinner!¡± I might have said that a little too quickly.


    ¡°Oh, but we do.¡± Mother glares at me. Master looks confused between us. ¡°You see Del, Aaliyah told us she killed the beast in a minute with her amazing magic. She seemed to have left out some ¡®key¡¯ details.¡±


    Master finally realizes what¡¯s going on. ¡°Maybe this conversation should wait until after diner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ continue.¡± Oh gods! Her smile makes master shiver. You¡¯ve doomed us both you fool!


    ¡°Master¡¯s horrible at telling stories. Let me explain how it happened.¡± I take a step towards the table.


    ¡°You have dinner to finish first.¡± Mother smiles at me but I can see that her eyes are cold.


    She¡¯s going to kill me and I¡¯m making my own last meal.


    I only have one chance to save myself. This dinner has to be so good it causes her to forget about her anger. Can I cook something that good? I glance back at mother.


    She¡¯s leaning forward resting her head on her hand listening to Del stammer out his experience in the woods. Her eyes shift in my direction and I suddenly feel cold.


    I have to get this dinner perfect. I turn around and focus on the task at hand. First, I¡¯ll get the pomme going. I put a pot of water on the fire while I clean and pomme and cut them into fours. I add the pomme into the pot and move over to the blood maize. Another pot of water and I have the maize boiling. The trick is to keep the two pots at different distances from the fire so they cook at different speeds.


    The spider meat will cook a lot faster so I prepare my butter seasoning first. I use a small amount of pepper like seasoning mixed with a few herbs from the forest. I¡¯ll mix some of the herbs with the butter to use on the spider meat and blood maize. The rest of the seasonings will be mixed with the pomme when I¡¯m ready to mash them up.


    I move over to the spider legs I brought home with me. Using Sense Mana, I can see the mana contained in the meat is only 30% what it was originally. The meat would probably last another day but I plan on cooking the last of it tonight.


    Time to use my new pan! I grab the pan and walk over to the fireplace. I stick the whole base inside the flames and watch it quickly glow hot in the fire.


    I move back over to the counter and place the hot pan on a flat stone we use for the pot of stew every night. I put half the butter in the pan and swish it around until it coats the bottom. Adding in some spices I can finally put the meat in.


    The sizzling sound briefly stops the conversation back at the table. I juggle watching everything until my skills help me determine the best time to remove everything. I mash the pomme and add the seasonings to everything before I grab some bronze plates, I made for our family a few years ago.


    Everyone gets a large helping of mashed potatoes, I mean mashed pomme. A full cob of blood maize and a larger chunk of spider meat.


    Using my high dexterity, I carry all four plates to the table. Master and my parents look surprised with the meal I place in front of them. Master may be used to the spider meat but I¡¯m sure the seasonings I used this time will make it multiple times better.


    I make sure everyone has utensils and a drink before I have the honor of reciting the prayer.


    ¡°We give our thanks to the gods and spirits of the forest. We thank you for the food we received and the continued health of our family, may your blessings hold true.¡±


    I watch everyone take their first bite of blood maize and mashed pomme. Mom and dad look reluctant to try the spider meat. They both notice me staring and hesitantly rip a piece of meat off with their forks.


    Master follows their example and all three of the take a bite at the same time. Watching their eyes open together brings me a huge sense of accomplishment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better at preparing it.¡± Master mumbles between his bites.


    ¡°This is amazing.¡± Dad examines his second bite before shoving it in his mouth.


    ¡°You did an excellent job, sweety.¡± Despite all the spine tingling looks she¡¯s sent me tonight; mother gives me a heartfelt smile after tasting the meat.


    The rest of dinner was nothing but smiles as we gorged ourselves on the magic beast meat.


    I made sure to collect everyone¡¯s dishes as we finished and cleaned everything myself. With the new pan cleaned, I move over to mom to show her my gift.


    ¡°What is this?¡± She examines the pan.


    ¡°It¡¯s a special metal that master and I made. It absorbs and retains heat. You can stick the pan in the fire then pull it out and cook directly on the counter top. If it cools too much you just need to wave it in the fireplace for a little bit to heat it back up.¡± This might just work!


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a semi-magical item without any runes. It¡¯s beautiful, sweety.¡± She caresses the sides of the pan with a smile on her face. ¡°I just have one question.¡±


    ¡°What about mom?¡± I lean in to give her a hug.


    As my arms wrap around her, she turns and shows me her bright smile. ¡°Is this supposed to be a bribe?¡± My grin vanishes.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m turning in for the night. Thanks for the food.¡± Master bolts out the door before anyone can object.


    I feel mom¡¯s arms interlock around me. I can¡¯t escape!


    ¡°My family always taught me whenever you¡¯re bribing someone the gift needs to match the occasion. Did you think dinner and a pan was enough to cover lying about your fight with the magic beast and not following your promise to me?¡±


    Mom¡¯s eyes flash for a second and a, ¡°Yes¡± slips through my teeth. Why did I say that! Was that a skill!


    ¡°A new skill I picked up while you were gone. Eyes of Truth, a good skill, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Thank the gods I don¡¯t feel compelled to answer that question truthfully.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± I can only force a half-smile.


    <hr>


    ¡°You left me there alone, you coward!¡± I yell down at Master Del.


    ¡°I saw where the conversation was going. I saw a chance and took it. You can¡¯t blame me for that. Besides, it must not have been that bad if you¡¯re here today.¡±


    I sneer down at master. ¡°I had to beg mother to hold off on my punishment. I get to make my sword today and then the next five days I owe to my parents.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll finally get a day to rest properly.¡± I lift my arm ready to punch the lazy dwarf but hesitate at the last moment. I don¡¯t have time for this.


    I lower my arm and turn around towards the crucible we left yesterday. Using Sense Mana, I can see the puck of ore inside the crucible. The mana is no longer escaping the metal but I can still see the heat ready to explode from inside the puck.


    Plucking a small stick from the ground I place the tip up against the crucible. The twig doesn¡¯t smolder letting me know I can touch the crucible without burning myself. A steady heat is still radiating off of the jar as I move to open it.


    Master leans over and hands me some tongs. I didn¡¯t hear him approach, I suppose he¡¯s just as curious as me if the alloy we made will work.


    Once the lid is removed, I¡¯m happy to see the layer of glass isn¡¯t in a liquid state. I pick up a small hammer and break the glass seal. I remove the chunks and try to grab the ¡®Fire Steel¡¯ with the tongs.


    The puck shines brightly in the sunlight and sports a faded orange color. I almost want to cry when I don¡¯t see any lines running through the metal. A quick scan with my mana sense reveals an even structure inside the puck. The ¡®Fire Iron¡¯ and chameleon spider carapace fused perfectly.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll need to use the gem snail powder after all.¡± Del exclaims. That reminds me I still have a lot of work to do!


    I take off to grab the supplies I need. Gem snail steel is a slightly softer steel that¡¯s capable of withstanding both high and low temperatures and is known to take a beating before it breaks. The only down side is the mixture for the steel is 80% iron ore and 20% gem snail powder. A decent size ingot uses a ridiculous amount of crushed shells. The only time I¡¯ve worked with the metal is when we forged father a new axe last year and even then, it was layered with regular steel.


    I let master prepare the crucible this time while I get the forge going. I have to use ¡®Blacksmith¡¯s¡¯ logs again to get the fire hot enough. I¡¯ll have to help dad harvest some more wood when I go out with him again.


    Once the flames are strong enough, we place the crucible inside.


    ¡°Can you watch the forge for me master?¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± He knows how much I like to do everything by myself as much as I can.


    ¡°I need to get all the supplies ready for what¡¯s next.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll call you over when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I run off to prepare everything I need.


    I spend the next hour prepping everything I need so I can finish my weapon in one day.


    I have neither the skill or knowledge to make a true katana. I know they were over hyped back on earth but I¡¯ve always wanted one. A magic katana will have to be a substitute for an authentic one I could never afford in my previous life.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± Master shouts out.


    Let¡¯s do this.


    I move next to master and activate my Mana Skin skill. ¡°From here on out I want to do everything myself.¡±


    Master nods to me. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you but if I see you about to waste the metal, I¡¯ll step in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± I mana quench the crucible. After I remove the lid and glass, I can see the dark grey metal that will be the spine of my sword.


    Using some tongs, I place the puck back in the forge. It takes more than a minute to get the new steel hot enough to move.


    I wait for the metal to turn the right shade of red before I move it to the anvil. I¡¯m not stingy with my skills this time and alternate between Double Strike and Weighted strike. The metal slowly takes on a brick shape before I start drawing it out. The steel is top notch so I¡¯ll only fold it four times to make sure everything is perfectly even inside the metal.


    Master stands off to my side looking like a statue. His eyes are trained solely on the steel. If I mess up, he won¡¯t hesitate to stop me.


    With each fold I pump a little bit of mana into the metal. The surge of mana helps to dislodge the scale that forms from the oxidation on the outside of metal.


    I make sure to check the structure of the metal with Sense Mana after every fold. I only take the time to wipe the perspiration on my face after the steel is shaped in a cylinder and I can¡¯t spot any flaws within the metal.


    I set the steel aside and move back to the forge. I place more logs in the forge and move my ¡®Fire Steel¡¯ in the hottest part of the flames. This magic alloy was already quite pure but I need to fold it six times to account for the carapace fused with the steel.


    The ¡®Fire Steel¡¯ absorbs the heat of the forge but takes just as long as the gem snail steel to reach a temperature that I can shape it. Even as I remove the steel from the forge red flames dance across its surface. I feed the steel some of my mana to keep it hot as I can while I work it the same way I did the other part of my sword.


    After the sixth fold I work the steel into a rectangle and start to curve the metal. I leave the flaming steel on the anvil and move the gem snail steel back into the forge. Soon the ¡®Fire Steel joins it.


    Now comes the hard part.


    The ¡®Fire Steel will be a jacket that wraps halfway around the gem snail steel. It isn¡¯t hard to fuse the metals together but for this to be a proper magic sword I need the grains of the steel to match perfectly alongside the mana flow between the two of them. When I inject my mana into the sword it needs to flow evenly throughout the whole thing.


    Here goes nothing.


    I pull the ¡®Fire Steel¡¯ out of the forge and place it on the anvil. Next, I remove the gem snail steel and examine every side of the cylinder. I find the side that best matches the pattern in the ¡®Fire Steel¡¯.


    I carefully place the cylinder in its jacket. I can¡¯t mess this up now.


    I use Double Strike, Precise Strike, and Weighted Strike all at the same time, delivering incredible hammer blows at the cost of a significant chunk of my Stamina.


    I carefully pound the different steels into a single ingot. I use Inject Mana, sending a pulse of my mana through the steel. The grain of the steel matches perfectly but my heart drops when the mana inside the metal isn¡¯t connected in the same way.


    The sword would still work even with this flaw but it would cost a lot more mana to produce the flames on the blade.


    I need to try and fuse the two different mana flows with Mana Manipulation. I send more pulses of my mana into the steel and try to carve new pathways for the different mana flows to connect. It¡¯s like connecting two freeways together with an off ramp. As long as you can get from one to the other in a fluid motion everything moves smoother.


    I start sweating as I use more and more of my mana.


    Almost!


    Got it!


    One more pulse of mana lets me spread my mana throughout the whole ingot evenly. I move the bar of steel back into the forge and move to wipe my eyes. The sweat almost blinded me there for a second.


    Now I can draw the bar of steel out and form the bare bones of a katana.


    I work the steel out to be 34¡¯¡¯ long. The blade will be 25¡¯¡¯ long while the handle will be 9¡¯¡¯ long.


    I spend the next four hours alternating my skills until a sword lays in front of me. I look at the flames dancing along the edge of the blade. I need the blade cooler for the next part so I¡¯ll have to remove most of the heat from the sword.


    It takes ten minutes and 184 points of mana to reduce the blade to an inert form. I take the sword over to two jars of clay I prepared earlier. I sit down and cover the blade in the two types of clay. A thicker clay for the spine of the sword and a lighter clay for the blade edge.


    The two types of clay make the different parts of the sword quench at different speeds. This quenching gives the sword its iconic bend and gives the swords edge a stronger finish.


    I¡¯m not sure it will work with the steel I used but I use a twig to draw a straight line between the two clays. I¡¯ll take any pattern on the blade that I can get.


    Master looks confused by the clay but follows me back to the forge.


    I heat my sword up in the forge one last time.


    I carefully monitor not only the outside of the blade but the inside as well. I¡¯m not sure if master has seen anything like this before but the final quenching will be the hardest part. I need to remove the heat from the blade rapidly but the material I used wants to hold on to all the heat that it can.


    It¡¯s dangerous but I move my mana skin barrier to only my hands. I immediately feel the incredible heat of the forge on my face but I ignore it. In one quick motion I grab the handle of my sword and yank it out of the fire with my bare hands. I think I hear master yell at me but I¡¯m too focused to hear what he¡¯s saying.


    I can feel the heat eating away at the barrier covering my hands. Using Inject Mana, Expel Mana, and Mana Manipulation together, I dump 450 points of mana into my new sword. The vast amount of mana I push through the sword drains the heat from the sword in a split second.


    The expelled heat sizzles the air as the sword forms its iconic bend.


    My Mana Skin fails and I crumple to my knees with only 132 of my mana left. I stare down at the orange and grey sword in my hands. I still need to make a proper handle alongside sharpening it and polishing the blade but the hardest part is over.


    ¡°Are you ok!?¡± I look up noticing master standing over me looking worried.


    I may be sweaty and pale from the mana exertion but I¡¯ve never felt better. ¡°It worked!¡±


    Masters worry turns into an exasperated smile. ¡°Congratulations.¡± He says with just a hint of sarcasm.


    I¡¯ll take it.

 Ch: 35

    ¡°You going to stare at that thing for the rest of the day?¡± Master criticizes me while I¡¯m sitting on one of the stone benches.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did it.¡± I mumble over the weapon.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard five times now.¡± I can hear him rolling his eyes behind me. ¡°Are you going to finish it today or wait until you¡¯re allowed to come back?¡±


    I spring to my feet. ¡°Yeah, I should probably finish it.¡±


    I move over to the anvil and gently place my masterpiece down. I then make my way over to the materials shed. We keep a few trees branches inside that I¡¯ve scavenged from my trips with father.


    I quickly skip over the branches that can¡¯t handle the heat the metal will produce. I need wood for the handle that can take the heat as well as act as a decent conductor for my mana. Only three samples of wood can match the specifications for what I¡¯m looking for. All three samples are branches from a ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ tree.


    ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ trees are thin bone grey trees that have many branching limbs with no bark that look like a malformed skeletal hand reaching out of the ground. The trunk of the tree is thin and only goes seven feet before it splits into its multiple twisting branches that form its canopy. The wood doesn¡¯t burn well and is hard to carve, with its awkward joints everywhere. The only saving grace the tree has is its sparce brown leaves that the jelen consider a delicacy.


    Well it does have one more redeeming feature. The ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ tree is one of the trees that store the majority of its mana in its branches. I harvested these three branches because I noticed a slightly higher magic density within them, even compared to the rest of the tree¡¯s branches.


    Only two of the pieces of wood are long enough for me to properly work with. I examine the remaining two with Sense Mana and pick the one with the straightest mana flow.


    Before I sit down to carve my handles, I search for the fittings I need. We have all shapes and sizes of fittings for knives and other weapons but there¡¯s one type I¡¯m looking for.


    There it is.


    I reach out and grab two of the ¡®Gods Copper¡¯ fittings. The name might be a little flamboyant but it¡¯s definitely the strongest copper around. The copper is mixed with sediments found around gemstones and used to produce a copper alloy that rivals steel with its durability. With it being a copper alloy, it also has a decent conductive quality. An item being electrically conductive doesn¡¯t necessarily equate to magic conductivity but is generally a good indicator when it comes to metals. Copper, silver, and to a lesser extent gold, all conduct magic better than other basic metals.


    Master showed me how to make them during my training but we¡¯ve never made something that required these better fittings, especially when we had steel readily available.


    With the materials in hand I move towards the anvil and carefully split the log in half. Ready for some carving, I get comfortable on one of the benches. I never stop using my mana sense as I shave away the excess wood. Everything has a unique mana flow. Every piece of wood, metal, bone, meat, everything in this world contains an individual structure of mana depending on the material. Metals and other dead materials circulate their mana incredibly slow but circulate nonetheless.


    I worked hard to make sure the mana flow in my sword meshed perfectly. Now I need to do the same for my sword¡¯s handle. The mana I inject into the wood will be directed to the fittings, that will then help me transport the mana into the blade itself.


    Crap! I forgot about the guard!


    I pause in my wood carving. I could make it without a guard but I¡¯m not experienced with a sword. Plus, the material needs to be strong enough to withstand the flames and magic running through the sword. I still need to finish the handle components and then I still need time to stain and polish everything let alone sharpening this beast. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll have enough time.


    I look over to master who¡¯s still watching me work. I thought he would be back trying to sleep by now. ¡°Master, can you do me a favor?¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡± He looks questioningly at me.


    ¡°I forgot the guard. Could you please make me one while I work on the handle pieces?¡± I anxiously await his answer.


    ¡°Let me check the sword.¡± He moves over to my waiting blade resting on the anvil.


    He examines the point where the blade reaches the handle. Wrapping his fingers firmly around the tang, he gives the sword two good swings.


    ¡°You have an idea of what you want?¡± I¡¯ll take that as a yes.


    I jump up and sketch him a design in the dirt that loosely resembles a katana guard. ¡°I can do that.¡± He confidently states and sets my sword back down.


    While master places more wood on the forge I move back over to the bench. At least I can still claim I made most of the sword. I delicately continue my carving.


    Two hours later and I¡¯m watching Master Del finish my guard. It¡¯s a combination of regular steel mixed with a little more gem snail steel. Master¡¯s finishing touches are embellishing the guard with a flame pattern. I rarely get to see master make such detailed work. He¡¯s only using a hammer with a fine point to make the design.


    He flips the guard around in his hand before tossing it in my direction. I flinch but manage to snag the round piece of metal without letting it drop.


    ¡°Thank you master.¡± So many words are conveyed with his head nod.


    I gather all my materials over on the anvil and start to assemble my katana. I check the guard first, sliding it up the tang and testing to make sure it''s secure. Next, I line up my two pieces of ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ handles and apply an alchemical solution to help bond everything tighter. Then, I pound the two fasteners through holes I carved in the wood and the holes I prepped in the steel when it was still hot. I now have a workable handle.


    I seal the handle with two clamps and prepare a staining solution to guard the wood.


    I remove the clamps after I¡¯m sure the sealant is dry and put a double coating of the lacquer solution on my handle. The stain turns the wood a darker grey but it almost perfectly matches the grey in the blade.


    The solution dries quickly, so I move over to polish the blade.


    ¡°Hold up.¡± Master¡¯s words cause me to freeze. Did I mess up something? I turn to face him. ¡°You¡¯re not done yet.¡± My eyes go wide. What did I forget?


    ¡°You need to put your maker¡¯s mark on the sword.¡±


    I¡¯m confused by his words. ¡°You¡¯ve never had me mark anything before, why now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only done basic work up until now. You don¡¯t need to check your skills right now but I¡¯m positive you passed the test in Blacksmithing. Masters only have apprentices create their maker¡¯s mark after they pass level 50 in Blacksmithing. Your mark is proof your skills have reached a certain point.¡±


    I smile at the sword in my hands. ¡°What do I use for my mark?¡± I question master.


    ¡°Use whatever you want. Even if your mark is close to someone else¡¯s, any blacksmith should be able tell the difference if they¡¯re good enough. Keep it simple and add details to it when you level further.¡±


    Something simple?


    Master hands me the small hammer he used to detail my guard. I think I know what I want to do.


    I move over to the anvil and focus on the base of the blade close to the guard. I slowly etch a simple thor¡¯s hammer design on the blade and add a basic flower on the face of the hammer.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you choose that?¡± Master asks to the side of me.


    ¡°Blacksmith¡¯s use hammers and I¡¯m a female blacksmith. I thought a flower motif would symbolize that and look cool at the same time.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of female stone kin blacksmiths but I guess you do stand out by human standers, nice choice.¡±


    My smile goes from ear to ear as I grab the polishing solution and six different sanding blocks. I start with a low grit block first and take my time going with the grain on the surface. I test the metal with my finger tip and decide to move on to a higher grit block when I think it¡¯s perfect. Over and over I slowly move the blocks along the sword blade. Each time I change the block the sword becomes smoother.


    I finally finish with the highest grit block we have and move on to the final polishing. Using a rag, I wipe off the last remaining remnants of my polishing. I¡¯m left with a beautiful blade in my hand.


    The blade has a simple squiggly line down the middle of blade. I was worried the steel wouldn¡¯t produce a pattern because it wasn¡¯t layered like Japanese steels are. The orange and grey blade looks just as magical in my hands as I hoped.


    Lastly, I need to give it a sharp edge. Unlike other swords which have a smaller angle for the blade, katanas have a larger angle because the metal forming the spine of the blade is thicker, allowing the sword to gradually form its edge.


    I use the same grit blocks again but this time I only focus on the edge of the blade. One of the first things master taught me was how to properly sharpen a blade. Usually I only sharpen the common weapons I make with two different grit blocks. This time I use all six blocks to produce the best edge I can for my magic blade. The only other weapon I¡¯ve sharpened like this is father¡¯s axe.


    With my steady hands, each pass brings the sword closer to completion. I could almost meditate while sharpening this sword.


    When I finish the sword, I grip the handle in one hand and raise it towards the sky. The sun catches the edge of the blade casting a beautiful orange glow across its surface.


    ¡°Finished?¡± I almost don¡¯t hear master¡¯s question as I continue to stare at my work.


    ¡°Yes,¡± is all I can say to answer him.


    ¡°May I?¡± Master stretches out his hand. I¡¯m reluctant to release the sword but gradually pass it over to master.


    He examines every inch of the blade and handle. ¡°I solid tier 3 sword. I expected nothing less from my apprentice. The techniques you tried were strange but effective none the less.¡± He hands me the blade back after complimenting my work.


    ¡°Tier 3 master? You grade weapons like magic and skills?¡±


    ¡°Different blacksmiths use different systems but stone kin like to rate everything using the same scale. Tier 1 and 2 are used to describe forged items that only use basic metals. Tier 3 and 4 are only achieved with magic metals and tier 5 is considered a piece of pinnacle smithing.¡± I don¡¯t need to ask about tier 6, I can only imagine a sword capable of splitting the heavens.


    ¡°So, you said my sword was a solid three?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just like magic and everything else there¡¯s a great variety in each tier. You can get specific if you want but stone kin use low tier, solid tier, and high tier to describe where the piece ranks in the tier as a whole. Your work has moved through tier 1 and into the solid tier 2 area since you started your apprenticeship. Though just because you managed to make a good blade in tier 3 doesn¡¯t mean you can now make high tier two works yet. Materials play a big part in how a sword is classified. If you use magic materials and only forge a high tier 2 weapon it means you wasted the materials.¡± Master tries to explain the grading system to me.


    ¡°That means anyone using tier 5 materials to craft should technically be able to make a tier 5 weapon. However, if they don¡¯t have the skill it will drop tiers. Is it possible for say a steel sword to make it into tier 3?¡± I ask master.


    ¡°It¡¯s theoretically possible but not even the best stone kin blacksmiths can easily accomplish such a feat. A perfect steel sword would still be classified as a high tier 2 sword but adding an enchantment can push it into tier 3. But when you think about it, even an enchanted high tier 2 sword can only match, say a weapon like yours.¡± I contemplate master¡¯s teachings.


    ¡°Why did you wait to teach me something like this?¡± Shouldn¡¯t a grading system be one of the first things you teach to an apprentice?


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I taught you how to judge basic metals. Up until now, nothing you or I¡¯ve made has broken tier 2. 90% of smithing is forging low tier items. Think about everything we¡¯ve made over the years, was a tier 3 pan ever needed? What about getting ahold of the materials you used in your sword, would a blacksmith try to gather such things unless commissioned to make a blade like that?¡± Master points at my sword.


    ¡°You still have your whole life ahead of you. With your talent I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll eventually reach the point you¡¯ll only have to deal with magic ingredients. But until that day comes everyone will look for quality steel from you. Just because you broke through your blacksmithing test doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re a master blacksmith now. You¡¯re qualified to open a store but nowhere near a master¡¯s level yet.¡± He¡¯s probably trying to keep me from getting a big head.


    I decide to show him how grateful I am. I straighten my posture and look Master Del-Razen directly in the eyes. ¡°Thank you Master Del-Razen. It¡¯s thanks to you I¡¯ve reached this point and hope you continue to teach me.¡±


    Master looks taken back by my thanks and actually starts to blush a little. Coughing into his hand, he awkwardly responds. ¡°It¡¯s been a joy to teach you¡­ I look forward to showing you more.¡± Master¡¯s blush deepens. ¡°Enough of this. Go check your status page, I¡¯m sure you leveled a few skills.¡±


    Master said stone kin don¡¯t bow but I decide to give him one anyways while still retaining eye contact for respect.


    Master shoes me away with his hand and moves to flop down on his favorite bench.


    I try not to giggle as I find my own space to sit.


    Carefully placing the sword in my lap, I pull up my status page.


    LV: 60 Experience: 196,606/ 420,152


    Health: 2,030/2,030


    Stamina: 684.15/1,343


    Mana: 181.75/1,000


    Vitality: 203.00


    Endurance: 80.05


    Strength: 120.01


    Dexterity: 113.00


    Senses: 60.15


    Mind: 62.22


    Magic: 100.21


    Clarity: 75.15


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV69), Axe Skills (LV55), Blacksmithing (LV54), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV48), Chanting (LV44), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV77), Double Step (LV51), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV38), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Marching (LV5), Lower Price (LV4), Gourmet (LV2)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV54), Mana Manipulation (LV44), Precise Strike (LV25), Double Strike (LV23), Weighted Strike (LV8), Flash Step (LV4),


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV40), Mana Skin (LV37), Mental Resistance (LV34), Magic Blacksmithing (LV2)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV25)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV69) 3,450exp


    Blacksmithing (LV51-54) 10,500exp


    Hammer Skills (LV46-48) 7,050exp


    Cooking (LV32-36) 8,500exp


    Wood Carving (LV20-21) 2,050exp


    Sense Mana (LV77) 7,700exp


    Measurement (LV38) 3,800exp


    Hammer Arts (LV35-36) 7,100exp


    Expel Mana (LV54) 8,100exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV43-44) 13,050


    Precise Strike (LV25) 3,750exp


    Double Strike (LV22-23) 6,750exp


    Flash Step (LV4) 600exp


    Weighted Strike (LV3-8) 4,950


    Mana Skin (LV37) 9,250exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV1-2) 750exp


    A lot of my lower tier skills saw a significant jump and I even gained another tier 4 skill. Magic Blacksmithing, I wonder if I gained the skill because I focused on the mana aspect for the whole build?


    I got 97,350 experience from leveling my skills, that means I got 11,327 experience from making my sword. Would I get the same amount of experience if I made another one, or was the amount I gained because I tried new methods while forging it?


    Despite all my improvements and after sitting for a bit, the excitement from completing my sword has vanished and left me feeling how exhausted my body is. My stamina is recharging slowly and my mana is below my usual safety limit.


    I wonder if it¡¯s a good or bad sign that I no longer pass out when my mana drops this low. I can feel how tired my body is but I can still function for the rest of the day.


    Looking up at the sky, I can tell we still have three more hours of good sunlight left before I would normally leave for home. I wonder if I would have had enough strength to forge that guard and finish this project. No use wondering about what might have been. I still earned a little over 11 thousand experience for making the sword.


    I glance down at the katana in my lap. Dad has all the tools to make a scabbard at home, though I¡¯ll have to go into the woods with him to find some good ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ wood to make it.


    I slowly get up, leaving my sword on the bench. I make my way over to the forge and start straightening everything up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Master cracks an eye at me from his bench.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up and go home,¡± I say as I organize the tools master and I used.


    ¡°You ok?¡± He sounds a little concerned for me.


    ¡°Yeah, making the sword took a lot out of me. I could sit here for the next couple of hours but I think I¡¯d rather spend some time with my mom. I¡¯ve made her worry a lot over the last week and I¡¯m actually looking forward to spending some time with her and father.¡±


    ¡°I hope you enjoy it.¡± Master closes his eyes again.


    ¡°I think I will.¡± I continue to clean everything up.


    It only takes me 15 minutes to have everything back in its place and any metal scraps placed in a pile off to the side.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back now. Try not to lay around the whole time I¡¯m gone, master.¡± I say to the sleeping stone kin while I grab my katana from the bench.


    He raises one hand for a quick wave as I turn to leave. I¡¯m almost to the trees when remember the chameleon spiders. My mana sense doesn¡¯t detect anything but I can¡¯t help but look back at master.


    ¡°Master!¡± I shout back towards the center of the clearing.


    I see him turn his head in my direction. ¡°If you¡¯re going to sleep, do it inside. Don¡¯t forget about the possibility of spiders.¡±


    I can see him jump a little and slowly get to his feet. ¡°Thanks for ruining my favorite spot!¡± He shouts back at me.


    As long as he¡¯s safe that¡¯s all that matters. I walk into the trees and follow the path back to the village. I hope we don¡¯t find any signs that the beasts are moving closer to the village.


    Magic katana resting on my shoulder, I walk home wary of every tree.


    <hr>


    Standing in front of our house, I feel like a badass right now. Cool sword on my shoulder and a bunch of villagers staring at me as I made my way home.


    I kick my shoes off as soon as I make it through the door. I look up and see mother and father in a tight embrace, swaying to a tune only they can hear.


    Father notices me first and freezes making mother lift her face out of his chest to see what caused him stop.


    ¡°I can leave if you want?¡± I lightly tease the loving couple.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I mean no! We weren¡¯t expecting you back so early.¡± Dad quickly spits his response out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll be in my room cleaning myself up.¡± I grab a bucket of water by the door with my left hand and walk to my room.


    As I pass dad, I nudge him with my right elbow. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were so smooth.¡± I don¡¯t need to see his face to know he¡¯s blushing down at mom right now.


    I close my door behind me and place my dagger on my night stand and carefully lay my new sword on top of my bed. Removing my clothes, I can¡¯t remember the last time I had to clean myself like this.


    Even I¡¯m not crazy enough to use the small amount of mana I have left to try and clean myself.


    Even after I¡¯m clean, I still feel dirty. Have I gotten too used to deep cleaning myself with magic?


    With some clean clothes on I make my way out of my room. Mother and father are no longer embracing one another but rather sitting at the table.


    ¡°I said you didn¡¯t need to stop on my account.¡± I try teasing them again. Father gets a little red and mother looks confused.


    ¡°Why are you home so early, sweety? And why didn¡¯t you use your cleaning magic?¡± It¡¯s funny how mother looks just as worried as Del did when I said I was going home early.


    ¡°I used up too much of my magic crafting my sword, so I decided to come home early and spend some time with you. I wasn¡¯t expecting father to be home already. I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your moment.¡± I seriously apologize to them. They must have had a rough time while I was gone.


    ¡°I was planning to go into the woods today but only four groups of hunters were willing to travel into the woods and none of them wanted to take me along.¡± Father explains looking dejected.


    ¡°I already told Del that I would spend the next five days with you guys, so I can go with you tomorrow if you want?¡± The smile that breaks across his face makes me happy.


    ¡°I would love for you to go with me.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fun.¡± I look from father over to mother. ¡°Want to make dinner together?¡± I offer her with a smile.


    She doesn¡¯t answer and instead walks over to me. For a second, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s about to question me again like last night.


    Instead of a question she wraps he arms around me in a gentile hug and whispers in my ear, ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Father greets me in the morning.


    ¡°I passed out as soon as my head hit my pillow.¡± After dinner last night we sat and chatted like we used to. No talk of giant spiders or broken promises, just a family enjoying their time together. I was so tired that when we all went to bed; I didn¡¯t need any help falling asleep.


    ¡°You bringing that with you?¡± Dad motions to the katana I¡¯m carrying in my right hand.


    ¡°I was hoping you could help me find a good ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ tree to make a proper scabbard for it tomorrow.¡± I probably look like I¡¯m ready for a war. Katana resting on my right shoulder, axe in my left hand, and a knife attached to my belt I¡¯m ready for anything¡­ mostly anything.


    ¡°I think I know a good tree. We can stop by it after we collect enough firewood.¡± In all the chaos I forgot winter is around the corner. The village needs more firewood and dad spent over a week on the expedition with us.


    ¡°Hey dad, you need to remind the headman that the village needs more firewood. The hunters should be volunteering to escort you, not denying you after you asked to join them.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, honey. I¡¯ll swing by the headman¡¯s house and talk to him while the two of you are out in the forest. Promise you¡¯ll be safe though!¡± Mothers accusing eyes drill into the two of us.


    ¡°Of course!¡± We both echo each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry mom, dad is with the one person in the village that can see the spiders properly.¡± I reassure her while puffing out my chest.


    ¡°Ok, but if you see one you better run home right away.¡± She eyes me carefully.


    ¡°I promise.¡± She only looks more sternly after I say that. ¡°I promise to keep my promise.¡± I try again.


    ¡°See that you do.¡± She moves in and gives me a hug, being careful of my new sword.


    The three of us leave the house together. Mother walks by our side and only breaks off after giving father a hug and a kiss when we reach the headman¡¯s house.


    We quickly reach the woods and stand side by side. Dad leads us to his trees and I keep a special eye on them.


    ¡°Why do you want to use ¡®Bone Larch¡¯ for a scabbard? Do you want it to match the handle?¡± Dad questions me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if the wood matches but my sword is magic and the blade becomes covered in flames when I put mana into it. I¡¯m worried how well I¡¯ll be able to adjust the flames on the sword, so I need something that will withstand the heat.¡±


    ¡°Does the wood need to have any special qualities or just be flame resistant?¡± Dad looks like he has an idea.


    ¡°No, I just need the scabbard to be able to handle the heat. Do you have a better idea, dad?¡±


    ¡°I do. It¡¯s out of the way but should only take us 30 minutes to get there from here.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to get the firewood first?¡± I don¡¯t want father to change his whole schedule for this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know some good firewood close to the tree I¡¯m thinking of. It¡¯s been a while since I went this way, I wonder if any of the trees have grown bigger?¡± We take a hard left.


    After 10 minutes we¡¯re out of the normal area dad usually takes me in. The forest looks the same but I start to see fallen logs that look a little charred. I¡¯m still checking for chameleon spiders but I can¡¯t help but notice the mana around here is redder than the other parts of the forest.


    I bend down and pick up an old twig that has a burnt end. ¡°Was there a fire here?¡± The more I look the more I spot signs of a previous forest fire.


    ¡°Good job spotting it. Nine years ago, a storm blew through here and started a forest fire. Luckily it was raining at the time so it never reached the village. The trees are already reclaiming the land but the forest takes longer to recover after a fire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the mana.¡± I absently say while looking across our surroundings.


    ¡°Is it now?¡± Father looks curiously at me and I realize I said that out loud.


    ¡°Sorry dad, I was talking to myself. I was looking at the surrounding mana and answered without thinking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, tell me what you think is keeping the forest from growing back as fast as usual.¡±


    ¡°I can still see wisps of fire mana around here. It¡¯s clashing with the nature magic and I was thinking that¡¯s why the forest is recovering slower here.¡±


    Father doesn¡¯t respond to my hypothesis, he¡¯s too busy smiling at me. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Can''t a father be proud of his daughter? My father always told me that fire scars the land for 10 years before the forest comes back twice as strong. You telling me about the mana reminded me I still don¡¯t know everything about the forest.¡± I smile alongside dad.


    I thought forests recovered faster than that from fire back on earth. The lingering fire mana must be the cause. Even with the wisps of fire mana floating around a few trees and shrubs are stubbornly growing. They all have trace amounts of fire mana in them that their bodies are trying to purify. Once the fire mana is gone these plants will probably shoot-up in size.


    ¡°Almost there.¡± I follow alongside father, excited about what he¡¯s going to show me.


    I can see the roots of the tree through the ground before we reach our destination. A root filled with dark brown mana, almost black, snakes itself close to the surface. The other tree roots avoid the brown mana root at all costs, because of that the already sparce trees give way to a small clearing with a single tree in the middle.


    This tree looks like it was split right down the middle and has burn scars all across the wood. Anyone would say the tree is dead but my Sense Mana skill is showing me a very much active mana flow.


    ¡°Is this where the lightning struck?¡± I ask dad.


    ¡°Yep. Usually a tree hit by lightning immediately dies or dies soon after from infection. In rare cases the tree absorbs the lightning and survives the fire that engulfs the surroundings. It¡¯s called an ¡®Arc¡¯ tree after it absorbs the lightning. The wood is soft and most importantly¡­ fire proof.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a rare tree? Why haven¡¯t you harvested and sold the wood?¡± I can¡¯t understand why he would leave it here.


    ¡°The wood isn¡¯t that prized by people. I tried selling a piece a few years ago and it¡¯s only used as a rare wood for furniture.¡±


    ¡°But the mana inside the tree is incredible. Are you sure Kervin wasn¡¯t trying to lowball you?¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, of course I brought your mother. He explained the wood doesn¡¯t work well with magic.¡± How can that be? The tree easily has triple the amount of magic it should.


    I follow dad closer to the tree and place my hand up against the trunk of the tree.


    ¡°Aaaa!¡± I pull my numb hand back from the tree.


    ¡°Are you ok, sweety?¡± Dad¡¯s smiling face doesn¡¯t look worried.


    ¡°Yeah, the tree shocked me! Did you know that was going to happen?¡± His smile says it all.


    That explains why it¡¯s considered useless. There¡¯s plenty of other trees that have the same property¡¯s that don¡¯t shock people when you touch it. A very thin soot is left on my fingertips. I wonder how it reacts to mana?


    I move my hand over the tree again without touching it and expel a little bit of mana.


    As soon as my mana touches the tree my body becomes paralyzed and I get knocked off my feet. I couldn¡¯t even scream!


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Dad is quickly by my side.


    Thankfully the paralysis quickly fades. As soon as my jaw unclenches, I¡¯m able to say, ¡°Ouch!¡±


    I just got knocked on my ass by a tree.


    ¡°Are you ok, Aaliyah!¡± Dad¡¯s good-natured smile is gone as he looks worriedly over me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, now.¡± I try to stand up with dad¡¯s help. ¡°Mana doesn¡¯t mix well with the tree. Does the wood do that after it¡¯s cut?¡±


    Father lets out a sigh of relief when I start asking questions. ¡°No, after the wood is cut from the tree it loses most of the shock.¡±


    Shaking out my limbs, I smile at father. ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you do. Give me a minute to cut a piece off for you.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t it shock you?¡± Is it safe to use a steel axe on this tree?


    ¡°Only a small zap. I don¡¯t know why you got fired so bad?¡±


    ¡°I think it did something to my mana when I tried using some of it on the tree. If the effect lessens after you cut a piece off it shouldn¡¯t be that bad again.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I want you to sit down while I cut a piece off though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine dad, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Try saying that again after your hair stops standing straight up.¡± He moves over to a lower branch while I sit down and run my fingers through my hair. It¡¯s not straight up at least.


    Dad takes a stance and activates his skills. In a flash his axe cuts the air and the tree limb I need. Dad picks up the three-and-a-half-foot log and starts securing it to his back harness.


    ¡°I can carry it,¡± I offer. Maybe I can examine it while dad cuts some firewood.


    ¡°Not going to happen.¡± He quickly strikes my offer down. He knows me too well.


    ¡°Is the firewood close?¡± I ask as we put the ¡®Arc¡¯ tree behind us.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too far from here. I remember a decent sized tree on the other end of charred part of the forest.¡±


    ¡°How far is that?¡± I want to have an accurate distance in my mind in case we come back this way again.


    ¡°Maybe 20 minutes if we¡­¡± Dad goes silent and I hear the something approaching in the distance.


    Dad readies his axe and I grip my sword in my right hand while also wielding my axe in my left. The two of us have seen a lot during the expedition. No matter what comes our way I¡¯m sure we can handle it.


    Then they come into our view.


    A handful of goblins.


    I relax when I notice they¡¯re only the smaller types of goblins. After facing a horde along with a horned hob these little goblins are almost cute.


    ¡°Can you leave them to me?¡± I take a step ahead of father.


    ¡°You sure?¡± He questions behind me.


    ¡°I want to try out my new sword.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have a sword skill?¡±


    ¡°I plan on getting one right now.¡± I¡¯m brimming with confidence.


    The goblins notice us and charge in their unruly way. I may be confident but I¡¯m still cautious. I activate Mana Skin and start pouring mana into my sword. Unlike enchanted weapons, Expel Mana doesn¡¯t charge the sword. I need to use Inject Mana to summon the red flames along the blade. I set my axe on the ground and firmly grip my sword with two hands.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the flaming sword or my look of confidence but the goblins falter when reach 10 feet away from me.


    If you won¡¯t come to me, I¡¯ll come to you.


    Flash Step puts me right next to far-left goblin. When I swing my sword, I can feel the difference between a sword and an axe. The feeling may be awkward for me but the blade still splits the goblin in half horizontally.


    The goblin died so quick it didn¡¯t even make a sound as its body hits the ground. I take a step forward and overhead slash the closest goblin. It turns to face me just in time for my blade to cleave it in two.


    Double Step puts me close enough to stab the face of the third goblin. The sword easily pierces the small skull. How would the fight with the horned hob have turned out if I had this sword?


    The last two goblins see the other three dead and turn to run. I take a step forward but hesitate. Before the horde I would¡¯ve never attack a fleeing goblin. Will letting these two goblins go endanger the village later? Am I too eager to kill them?


    As I contemplate my change in morality they get farther away. I have to decide now!


    ¡­


    The two goblins disappear amongst the trees.


    ¡°You decided to let them go.¡± Dad thankfully doesn¡¯t sound accusing.


    The three goblin corpses at my feet are barely bleeding. The sword cauterized most of the flesh it cut. The familiar scent of burning goblins enters my nose again.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± I mumble and grab my axe from the forest floor. I then start walking in the direction we were taking earlier, deactivating my Mana Skin.


    I only pumped 30 mana into my sword but it¡¯s still covered in flames. Not a speck of blood is on the blade.


    Do I need to use most of my mana to extinguish it again?


    I can see my mana combining with the mana in the sword, fueling the flames. What if I tried to take my mana back somehow?


    I can¡¯t reach in and pull it out, so I inject another small amount of mana into the sword but use Mana Manipulation to hold control over the mana as it enters the sword.


    I move the controlled mana over to the lump of mana being converted into flames. Once my two sources of mana touch each other I can better feel my mana being burned in sword.


    In one quick motion I rip the mana out of the sword into my hand and directly back into my body. I did it so quick a part of my mana was still burning as it entered my body. It feels like my mana veins are on fire for a second before my mana pool snuffs the heat out.


    The katana in my hand is no longer on fire but my body feels a little hotter than usual. I think it¡¯s worth it. I¡¯ll have to try doing that with Mana Skin when I get home.


    Dad moves up towards my side and looks concerned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± I say before he asks me a question.


    Did I do the right thing, letting those goblins go?


    Whether right or wrong I get the sense I need to be stronger to deal with the consequences of my actions.

 Ch: 36

    Silvia¡¯s (Aaliyah¡¯s Mom) Point of View:


    I make my way over to the headman¡¯s front door after I give my husband a farewell hug and kiss goodbye.


    I knock on the door three times before I turn my head to see my husband and daughter vanish out of my sight. Be safe you two.


    The door swings open and Nicolas¡¯s eyes go wide when he sees me here. ¡°Welcome Mrs. Silvia¡­ what do I have the pleasure of helping you with today?¡± He still looks a little tense when he sees me.


    ¡°I need to talk to Camden, is he available right now?¡± I smile at the young man causing him to flinch.


    ¡°Father and mother always have time to meet with you.¡± Nicolas moves to the side and waves his hand, motioning me in.


    ¡°To the drawing-room, correct?¡± I look over my shoulder at the boy. I wonder how Richard is doing right now? Has he grown as much as Nicolas since I¡¯ve last seen him? I can¡¯t help but frown thinking about my little boy, I miss him terribly.


    ¡°Yes please, Mrs. Silvia. The drawing-room, if you¡¯ll please.¡± He rushes past me to open the door for me. Why is he? Oh, my frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweety. I wasn¡¯t frowning at you.¡± I make my way past him and take my seat in the drawing-room.


    Nicolas closes the door gently and once it¡¯s fully closed I hear him running down the hall to get his parents. I¡¯m not in that big of a rush.


    It isn¡¯t long before I hear more even steps coming from the other side of the door. Nicolas opens the door again and Camden and Sarette walk into the room together.


    ¡°Silvia! So nice to see you again!¡± I quickly stand as Sarette wastes no time in moving in for a hug.


    ¡°Always good to see you too, Sarette! Camden.¡± I greet Camden over Sarette¡¯s shoulder while we share a quick embrace.


    ¡°Missus Silvia.¡± He looks just as nervous as his boy. My feelings might get hurt at this rate. Just because we had a few spats over the last week doesn¡¯t mean I hate the man.


    Me and Sarette break apart and all of us take our respective seats.


    Before Nicolas can take his place behind his father, Sarette calls out to him. ¡°Nicolas honey, can you prepare some tea for us?¡± Nicolas quickly nods his head and moves for the door.


    Camden starts making polite small talk after his son leaves the room. ¡°How are you doing today, Missus Silvia?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing ok, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± *Cough* He tries to clear his throat after almost shouting that response at me. ¡°Excuse me, I meant to say I¡¯m sure you¡¯re happy now that your daughter has returned. I¡¯ve, umm¡­ missed your daily visits.¡± Sarette shoots him a glare. He tries to recover but only continues to put his foot in his mouth.


    ¡°I talked with your daughter when she got back. Did she mention my sincere apology at all?¡± He looks hopeful for a positive response. His eyes are so focused on me he doesn¡¯t see the displeasure on Sarette¡¯s face.


    ¡°She mentioned it briefly. I have a different reason for coming here today.¡± Camden¡¯s smile slips for as second.


    ¡°Our families are becoming closer by the day. Tell me what I can do for you?¡± He tries to recover.


    Before I can answer him, Nicolas returns through the door carrying a tray with a teapot and four cups.


    ¡°Wonderful timing dear. Pour Silvia a cup first.¡± Sarette smiles at her son as he sets the tea set down.


    ¡°Yes mother,¡± Nicolas responds. With practiced grace, the young man expertly pours a cup of tea and gently hands it to me.


    ¡°Thank you, Nicolas. You always make the best tea.¡± The young man smiles at my compliment.


    ¡°He¡¯s gotten quite good at it since you first started coming over, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Sarette offers her own compliment as she takes the next teacup offered to her.


    ¡°He has,¡± I offer back before I take a sip of my tea.


    When I first started coming over to become better acquaintances with Sarette her son could barely make tea without it being too strong or watered down.


    I keep my house spotless leaving me with too much free time on my hands. After Richard left with Sandra it became apparent, I should become better acquainted with the Downs. Back then I had no idea I would have so much in common with Sarette.


    She helps her husband manage the village¡¯s finances and being raised in a merchant household makes me one of the few women in the village who can understand and talk about her work.


    We¡¯ve spent hours discussing our children and husbands over the years. Our friendship has become strained this last month but we¡¯re slowly mending the gap between us.


    When Aaliyah told me, the headman¡¯s been watching her progress during the past five years, I felt betrayed by Sarette. We may have discussed our children¡¯s jobs and hobbies but I¡¯ve never mentioned her level or her magic talent. A part of me worried she only accepted my friendship to better spy on my family.


    I confronted her with my fears after everyone left on the goblin extermination quest. She admitted to being aware of my daughters¡¯ level but promised that wasn¡¯t the reason she wanted my friendship.


    It was hard to believe her but we both ended up comforting each other while our families were deep in the woods.


    She even took my side when I almost throttled Camden for letting my little girl stay behind while they all retreated from the forest.


    I may not have completely forgiven her yet but I¡¯m not against mending the broken bridge between us.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason you decided to stop by, Silvia?¡± Sarette sets her teacup down on the drawing table and elegantly crosses her legs. Camden almost looks relieved that his wife is taking over the conversation.


    I take another sip of tea before I also set my teacup on the table and answer. ¡°My daughter and husband just left for the forest to gather firewood for the village.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet your daughter still takes time to spend with her father.¡± Sarette smiles at me.


    ¡°Yes, it is. She¡¯s going to spend the next few days home with us, thinking about her recent actions.¡± Sarette chuckles at that.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to punish children that mirror or surpass your level, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a sign of a good mother when we¡¯re able to adapt to raising such children.¡± That¡¯s another similarity we have. We both have children that out level us.


    ¡°She¡¯s with Darrius right now but I was hoping she was going to spend the first day home with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sarette has a confused look.


    ¡°You see, Richard tried to have one of the hunters go with him into the woods yesterday but was refused by everyone. So, my daughter had to volunteer to help him gather firewood last night.¡±


    ¡°OH, my.¡± Sarette covers her mouth with one of her hands. I send a disappointed look at Camden and he sinks back into his seat.


    I turn back to Sarette and give her my full attention. ¡°We¡¯re coming up on winter and I believe people have forgotten their need for firewood with the goblin threat looming over their heads. Aaliyah might be able to help Darrius one or two days a week to gather firewood but she has her own job. I hope you see the dilemma the village faces if my husband can¡¯t gather enough wood for everybody.¡± I reach over and pick up my tea.


    Sarette mimics my action and we both sip our drinks in the momentary silence.


    ¡°I see your point, Silvia. It¡¯s a good thing you brought this problem to us so quickly. I¡¯m sure my husband will find a solution by tomorrow. Right?¡± We both look over at Camden sitting in his chair.


    ¡°Of course, I will. Consider the problem solved, with me Nicolas.¡± Camden springs to his feet and escapes with his son from our combined gazes.


    As soon as the door closes behind them, we both break out in laughter.


    ¡°You know he¡¯s really sorry about letting your daughter stay behind.¡± Sarette offers once our laughter subsides.


    ¡°I know, Aaliyah made it abundantly clear it was her idea. I can still be mad at our husbands for going along with it though.¡± I finish off my first cup of tea.


    ¡°Let me refill that for you.¡± Sarette leans over and pours me another cup. ¡°Is she doing ok? I was worried when I was told about the magic beasts in the forest.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. The fire she usually has in her eyes was burning even brighter when she left this morning.¡±


    ¡°New toys tend to do that,¡± Sarette quips.


    ¡°You heard about her new weapon?¡± I sit back in my chair.


    ¡°The whole village knows about her new sword. It¡¯s orange and looks beautiful, it stood out the moment she carried it through the village.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried she might be going overboard since she returned. A lot of the villagers are paying attention to her now.¡± I frown at Sarette.


    ¡°She slayed a horned hob single-handily, what did you expect would happen?¡±


    ¡°It was a newly formed horned hob.¡± I correct her.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She demonstrated her superior ability and saved lives. The days of her quietly walking through the village are gone. She¡¯ll have to get used to it sooner or later.¡± I watch Sarrette fill her teacup. ¡°I¡¯ve slowly spread the word she values her privacy amongst the village but even our family doesn¡¯t have the ability to stop every whisper in the village. With the ability¡¯s she has at her age it¡¯s no wonder everyone is impressed. If they were aware of her magic talent, they might believe she¡¯s secretly a monster in disguise.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t call my daughter a monster¡­ no matter how true you are.¡± She smiles at my joke.


    ¡°The talent between our children is startling. Nicolas is almost as good with managing the village as his father was at his age. My boy Braddon is considered an excellent hunter and my daughter is expected to return as a mage in springtime. I¡¯m told your son is a direct apprentice under the best builder in Drey and your daughter has too many accomplishments to mention. We might just be the luckiest mothers in the world right now.¡± Sarette¡¯s smile is infectious and soon we¡¯re back to our usual conversations from before the goblin expedition.


    <hr>


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay a little longer?¡± Sarette tries to gently pull me away from her front door.


    ¡°No, I need to get home and prep dinner. I¡¯m sure Aaliyah and Darrius will be back soon and I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll be hungry after working so hard.¡± I slip my hand out of her grasp.


    ¡°Alright, go then. But don¡¯t wait until you need to tell us something important before you come to visit me again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Thanks for the tea.¡± I lean in and give Sarette another hug before I leave her house and make my way back home. It was nice spending some time talking to her.


    My walk home would be considered uneventful if I ignored all the whispers as I walk past my neighbors. I keep my stride even and pretend I don¡¯t notice their questionable and envious looks.


    I haven¡¯t felt like this since I was a young girl back in Aurorast. I hope Aaliyah doesn¡¯t freak out when she finally notices just how much attention she¡¯ll receive now.


    At least we live in a small village. It doesn¡¯t take me more than a few minutes to make it home and put the gazes of the villagers out of my mind.


    I change my shoes and make my way over to our counter. I can prep tonight¡¯s stew and place it farther away from the fire so it¡¯s ready by the time Aaliyah and Darrius make it home. I can¡¯t wait to hear about their day and for all of us to spend time together. Tomorrow will be even better.


    I know Aaliyah will want to make a sheath tomorrow but we¡¯ll have plenty of time after that to spend together as a family.


    Smiling and humming, I hear the door behind me open. They¡¯re home early!


    I set the veggies I¡¯m peeling for the stew down and wipe my hands on a nearby rag. ¡°I¡¯m happy you made it home early. Did the two of you collect enough firewood?¡± I turn around with a smile on my face to greet my beautiful Daughter and handsome husband.


    My smile vanishes when I see the blank look on Aaliyah¡¯s face. The fire in her eyes is gone, replaced by a void I can¡¯t bear to look into.


    She kicks off her shoes and doesn¡¯t bother to put her house slippers on. She walks past our table and starts making her way to her room.


    ¡°Aaliyah, sweety,¡± I call out to her. The blank look she gives me hurts my heart.


    She looks down at herself. ¡°Oh, sorry mom.¡± I don¡¯t think she even realizes how upset I am right now.


    She makes her way back over to the entryway and Darrius moves to the side giving her a wide birth. He can¡¯t look at her empty face either.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    She chants her cleaning spell and I watch as the dirt from the forest falls away. She isn¡¯t as dirty as she usually is but¡­ is that blood!


    The bottom of her pants have bloodstains on them! The stains quickly fade away from her clothes but I can see blood on her shoes she kicked away a minute ago.


    As soon as the light fades, she starts walking to her room again. ¡°Aaliyah,¡± I try to call out her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to lay down.¡± She shuffles to her room without looking back.


    What happened to my baby!?


    I start to walk to her room but Darrius wraps his arms around me before I get to far. ¡°I think she needs some time alone,¡± he whispers in my ear.


    I turn around in his arms and look into his eyes. ¡°What happened, Darrius?¡±


    <hr>


    My poor girl is hurting and I don¡¯t know what to say. ¡°What do we do Darrius?¡± I look up at my husband sitting across from me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She ignores all of my questions when we go into the forest.¡± He glances at Aaliyah¡¯s door down the hall.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to hurt herself if she keeps pushing herself like this.¡± I wipe a tear away from my eye.


    I¡¯m used to my daughter pushing herself constantly but this is taking it to far. It¡¯s been three days since she returned with Darrius from the forest and she¡¯s been running herself ragged ever since.


    The only time she stops training her magic in her room is when she trains outside. Every morning before dawn she leaves the house for her morning run. Instead of returning with a smile like she usually has, she¡¯s covered in sweat and scratches, barely able to stand.


    She¡¯s pushing her stretching routine to the point she has tears in her eyes. I¡¯m worried she¡¯s going to dislocate her arm soon.


    And that new sword!


    Three times a day she goes outside and swings her sword until she can no longer hold the thing. She focuses on her swings so deeply she doesn¡¯t care who watches her practice anymore. The village is terrified seeing her swing the blade every day like she¡¯s possessed.


    Her eyes are hollow and we can hear her waking up gasping for air in the middle of the night.


    She eats dinner and cleans the kitchen if I tell her to but if we don¡¯t say anything to her she just secludes herself in her room. I was never blessed with any magic talent but even I can feel the mana she¡¯s constantly covering herself in.


    I tried waking her from one of her meditations only to realize I couldn¡¯t touch my baby girl. There was a barrier covering her entire body.


    How many times are goblins going to hurt her? I can¡¯t understand why she would feel bad about killing those pests. They do nothing for the forest and only cause problems for the villagers.


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped her before Darrius, can¡¯t you try again?¡± I plead to my husband.


    ¡°I tried talking to her yesterday when she went with me to the forest. She followed all my instructions but she pretty much ignored me the whole time. Maybe Del can get through to her? She goes back the day after tomorrow.¡± My husband says into his hands. He¡¯s burying his head in his arms in defeat, not giving me any hope idea will work.


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about what she¡¯ll do when she goes back to Del. She¡¯s been pushing herself like crazy the last few days. What will happen if Del can¡¯t do anything and she does the same thing while blacksmithing? She¡¯ll hurt herself!¡± What do we do?


    ¡°Can we even do anything to stop her?¡± I freeze when I hear Darrius.


    ¡°What!?¡± I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing.


    ¡°She¡¯s reached her level through sheer dedication and hard work. I don¡¯t think either of us can match her anymore. It¡¯s hard to admit but we¡¯ve seen this coming. Since she distributed her status points, she¡¯s started acting defiant. She¡¯s making her own choices now and I think we have to respect them.¡± He¡¯s keeping his head buried in his arms. How am I supposed to take you seriously if you won¡¯t look at me?


    Slowly, I push my chair out and stand up.


    I make my way around the table and stand beside my husband. The strongest person I¡¯ve ever met looks like he¡¯s about to crumble in front of me.


    ¡°Aaliyah is our little girl. No matter how strong she becomes it¡¯s our job to impart our wisdom when she¡¯s troubled, it¡¯s our job to hold her hand when she¡¯s sad, and it¡¯s our job to tell her when she¡¯s wrong, but most of all it¡¯s our job to understand her and keep her safe even if it¡¯s from herself.¡± I start walking to Aaliyah¡¯s room.


    ¡°You might have to make dinner tonight!¡± I yell down the hall.


    I open Aaliyah¡¯s door and see my babysitting on her bed. She sits so still, almost like a statue. Even with her eyes closed, I can see the signs of exhaustion on her face. Her arms are crossed with her palms facing up.


    Her beautiful hands are covered in blisters and cuts, how hard did she grip her sword? Even after years of blacksmithing she¡¯s never come home with so many injuries on her hands.


    I reach down and try to grasp her hand.


    Once my hand reaches two inches from her skin, I feel the magic barrier covering her body. She¡¯s sealing herself off from the world.


    Can I move her? I place my hand up against the part of the barrier covering her arm. As soon as I put pressure against the barrier my hand slides away. So, I can¡¯t move her.


    I can try breaking the barrier.


    No, I don¡¯t know if that would hurt her or not.


    I¡¯ll wait.


    I¡¯ll wait for her to notice me. I¡¯ll make her pay attention to me. I won¡¯t leave her alone in this room.


    Very carefully, I move behind my daughter. I spread my legs to either side of her and wrap my arms around her waist. The barrier makes it feel like I¡¯m hugging a giant egg.


    When was the last time I hugged my little girl, four days ago?


    When was the last time I¡¯ve held her like this? She took after her father and is bigger than me now. I remember when I could pick her up in my arms.


    It feels like it¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve been this close to her and still this barrier separates us. I¡¯ve yelled at her so much this last month, I hope she knows I only did it because I care so much for her.


    ¡°I knew you were special the moment I held you in my arms. The beautiful girl I¡¯ve always wanted. I remember those curious eyes you¡¯ve always had whenever I picked you up. Can you hear me right now?¡± Her stone-like appearance doesn¡¯t change.


    ¡°I also knew raising you was going to be a challenge. From the moment you started rocking yourself back and forth you¡¯ve never stopped moving, never stopped improving.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the scariest moment in my life was? The moment I didn¡¯t see you standing next to your father when everyone returned from the expedition. I collapsed and felt my heartbreak when I didn¡¯t see your smiling face next to him. You¡¯ve scared me many times since you were little but never like that. That time you were a baby and cried until you passed out was hard, seeing you injured after your first tip into the woods was a nightmare, then that time I heard about Del attacking you and your father. I remember it all so clearly.¡± I try to strengthen my grip around my daughter. I feel myself being repelled so I have to loosen up a bit.


    ¡°I¡¯ve consoled and berated you many times in the past. You¡¯ve always acted so mature for your age, reckless but mature. Whatever weight you¡¯re holding in your heart let me help you carry it. I need you to let me in.¡± The barrier surrounding my daughter starts shifting and retracting until my arms are pulling her close to me.


    ¡°Mom, what are you doing here!?¡± My daughters astonished voice brings tears to my eyes. Her body tenses for a minute but relaxes in my embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯m training, mom. I need to be left alone.¡± The emotion once again drains away from her voice.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡± I say in her ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± She says in a low tone.


    ¡°I know you are but I need to let you know how much I¡¯m proud of you and how much I love you. I can¡¯t watch you hurt yourself anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurting myself, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°Training? I don¡¯t think so.¡± I cut her off before she can continue lying to herself. ¡°I want you to tell me what happened in the forest?¡± She shakes in my grip.


    ¡°Ask Dad, he knows what happened.¡±


    ¡°I know what happened in the forest. I want to know what happened to you, sweety?¡±


    ¡°I killed some goblins.¡± She refuses to go into detail.


    ¡°I heard you let some of them go.¡± She twitches in my arms.


    ¡°I did.¡± A silence falls between us.


    ¡°Did they remind you of the horde?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did it remind you about your nightmares?¡±


    ¡°No¡±


    ¡°Did you feel bad for them?¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, I don¡¯t think so?¡±


    ¡°Then tell me what happened in your words.¡± I pull my baby as close to me as I can.


    ¡°It was just some weak goblins, nothing like the ones in the horde.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to try out my new sword.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t even fully attack us; they froze in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I could have scared them away with my skills if I wanted to but I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I took the opening.¡±


    ¡°I slaughtered them so easily, mother. They died before they could scream.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to kill them. I wanted to kill every last one of them!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Two of them ran away and I froze. I never killed indiscriminately like that before. I was a monster!¡±


    I could tell from her muddled speech how much this was affecting her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe a monster would have let them flee.¡± She won¡¯t stop shaking in my arms.


    ¡°That was my second problem. I let them live. In the future they could attack the village when they¡¯re stronger. After so many died at the hands of goblins, I let them live. Now I need to be stronger for when they attack again! I can¡¯t let more people die from my mistakes. I can¡¯t let people die because of my weakness! I need to train more, let me go!¡± She tries to break out of my grasp.


    ¡°Let me go mom!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She stops thrashing for a moment. She¡¯s strong enough to break out my arms but she knows that she would hurt me while doing it. Even now she¡¯s thinking of my wellbeing, that¡¯s supposed to be my job.


    ¡°I said let me go!¡±


    ¡°You could escape if you wanted to.¡± She growls in frustration and finally stops squirming in my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet child, so caring, so compassionate. You did the right thing letting those goblins flee.¡± I hear her sniffle. ¡°Do you believe those goblins will be stronger than you in a few years, I don¡¯t think so. Killing is considered the fastest way to level in this world. No one would blame you for taking that path, but I don¡¯t think it suits you. You enjoy creating not destroying. You can protect yourself and others when you need to without having to kill every possible threat.¡± I start stroking her hair with my right hand while I feel her tears falling onto my left that¡¯s still holding her in place.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give up on your morals to save everyone and you don¡¯t need to kill yourself to obtain power. You¡¯re level 60, right?¡± She nods her head. ¡°How far away from 61 are you?¡± She doesn¡¯t answer me. ¡°Knowing you you¡¯re already halfway there and it has only been a little more than a week since you reached level 60. Not even goblins can match your progress. Keep practicing but don¡¯t overdo it. You can¡¯t spend your whole life training. You need to have time to rest properly and enjoy the world around you. Understand!?¡± She nods her head again.


    ¡°I want to hear you say it!¡± I push harder.


    ¡°I understand mom.¡± She¡¯s bawling her eyes out now.


    ¡°Give me a hug, sweety.¡± I release my hold on her and she turns to face me.


    She wraps her arms around me and I start to sway us back and forth. ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± I repeat to her. I can¡¯t help but spilling tears of my own.


    We stay like that for hours before she falls asleep in my arms. It may be a little cramped but I lay down with her on her bed. I continue to stroke her hair just like I did when she was a baby until the world goes black for me as well.


    <hr>


    Being a mother is the hardest thing I¡¯ve ever done. It is also the most rewarding job I¡¯ve ever had. I¡¯ll never stop worrying about my children and I¡¯ll never give up on them. No mater how painful something is I can endure it for my daughter.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, mom. Now bend down and touch your toes, like this.¡± Aaliyah easily folds herself in half and touches the ground.


    The muscles in my legs protest this new motion as I try to mimic her.


    ¡°29, 30. Alright, that¡¯s enough stretching. Ready to run?¡± Her bright smile makes this time together even more precious to me despite my muscles complaining. I¡¯m happy I agreed to participate in her morning exercise routine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I follow her into the woods closest to our house.


    How long has it been since I used my Running skill? I glance to my side to see my daughter setting an even pace for us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you usually run through the village? Why are we running in the forest?¡± I try to sound inquisitive rather than sound like I¡¯m complaining.


    ¡°I changed where I run so I can scan the woods surrounding the village.¡± I¡¯m reminded of the possibility that we might have giant invisible spiders surrounding our village. At least I know she hasn¡¯t spotted any close by or the whole village would be in an uproar.


    I swerve around a tree in my way. My daughter looks like she¡¯s gliding through the forest. Her feet avoid the roots and divots in the forest floor without even looking.


    ¡°You can go on ahead if you want to?¡± I wheeze in between my breaths. I know she¡¯s slowing herself down considerably for my sake.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m happy you joined me, it¡¯s nice running with someone for a change. And just because I¡¯m going slower doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not practicing my skill. Practicing to keep an even pace is a large part of running. I¡¯m also using different skills while maintaining our current pace.¡±


    I save my breath for running.


    ¡°Want to see something cool, mom?¡±


    ¡°What, sweety?¡± I prepare myself for whatever she¡¯s about to do. I can tell by the look on her face she¡¯s going to try and startle me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new skill I used to defeat the horned hob¡­¡± My daughter who¡¯s running a few feet to my right vanishes!


    ¡°It¡¯s called Flash Step!¡± I hear her directly behind me. I jump but make it look like I was hopping over a rock.


    I won¡¯t give her the satisfaction of thinking she got me. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting skill, sweety.¡± I down play my astonishment. It¡¯s a good thing my father drilled the importance of keeping a straight face while negotiating.


    ¡°Did dad or Del tell you about it? You don¡¯t look surprised at all.¡± She quickly takes her previous position at my side. She now has a few droplets of sweat forming on her face.


    ¡°Does that skill use a lot of stamina?¡± I question my daughter.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m working on it. It lets me shift position and cover a small amount of ground incredibly fast. It might be the most fun skill I have.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± I can tell she wants to talk more about it. I have to keep my responses short while we¡¯re running.


    ¡°The feeling when you move that fast is indescribable. You feel weightless and the world slows for a brief moment. I can run really fast on a flat ground, maybe even reach Drey in a single day if I push myself hard enough. But Flash Step goes above that. It¡¯s allowed me to taste the future of my Running skills.¡±


    ¡°You could quit blacksmithing and become a messenger if you like running so much.¡± Aaliyah stumbles at my suggestion and looks accusingly at me.


    ¡°Very funny, mom.¡±


    I stop while I try to breathe and laugh at the same time.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Aaliyah stops running and moves to my side.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not used to running.¡± I can¡¯t believe I couldn¡¯t make a full lap around the village.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok. Let¡¯s walk until your stamina recharges.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea.¡± I quickly take her up on her offer.


    ¡°Hey, mom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sweety?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the way I acted the last few days. I made you worry about me again.¡± She lowers her head.


    Despite my low stamina, I quickly move over to her and bring my arm around her. ¡°That¡¯s in the past now. We don¡¯t need to mention it again. You just need to remember your father and I will always be here to help you. Whether you¡¯re hurt or troubled about something you can always tell us and we¡¯ll help anyway we can.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, mom. I love you.¡± She gently rubs her eyes.


    ¡°I love you too, sweety. We have the rest of the day to relax together and your father said he would try to make it home early for dinner. We haven¡¯t had time to talk just the two of us for a while, so tell me your plans for tomorrow. Are you going to make something exciting like your sword?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough magic ore to make something like that again. I have something I want to make for our house but I¡¯ll keep that for a surprise for tomorrow night. The main thing I need to work on are spears.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why spears?¡± The glow her face gives off when she talks about blacksmithing is truly beautiful.


    ¡°I realized when we were fighting the goblins, swords and other weapons don¡¯t win battles, spears do. If we had more spears maybe more of the villagers wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± I give her a comforting squeeze with my arm.


    ¡°Kervin wanted weapons that he could sell to Fort North Ridge but ever since I distributed my status points, I haven¡¯t had time to make anything for him.¡±


    ¡°Why are you rushing? You can just sell more to him next month. Do you need money, your father and I have some saved up if you need it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, mom. I can earn my own coin. Besides, I need gold coins and I don¡¯t think you and dad have that much saved up. I know you gave brother part of your savings when he left with Sandra.¡±


    ¡°What do you need that much money for!?¡± She¡¯s talking about spending a fortune for someone living out in a village like this one.


    ¡°Master gave me a list of supplies I need to try enchanting.¡±


    ¡°What, enchanting! That¡¯s a pit mages throw their money into when they¡¯re bored! Wait¡­ I thought you said Del can¡¯t use magic, how is he supposed to teach you enchanting?¡± Is he trying to get her to waste her hard-earned money?


    ¡°Master Del has already warned me about the cost and told me he can only teach me the basic principles of enchanting. I wanted to try learning it. Del keeps telling me I¡¯m a monster when it comes to magic and blacksmithing so I figured I would try to fuse the two if I could.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can do it, sweety. You¡¯ve never let your lack of formal magic training stop you from reaching your current abilities.¡± My daughter never lets anything stop her. I know she¡¯ll figure it out if she puts her mind to it.


    ¡°Thanks, mom. You ready to run again?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I think I¡¯m getting better at this.¡± We both share a smile. No matter what I¡¯m doing, if it¡¯s together with her I¡¯ll cherish the time we have.


    ¡°Would you mind if I run with you in the mornings from now on?¡± I try to watch my daughter while paying attention to the forest floor.


    ¡°I would love for you to join me.¡± She gives me one of her beautiful smiles.


    I¡¯ll do my best to make sure that smile never disappears. Family supports one another. Memories of my own parents flash through my mind. I wonder how they¡¯re doing?


    Maybe I should send a letter to them? I¡¯ll have Kervin deliver it when he visits again, and maybe ¡®politely¡¯ discuss the prices he offers to my daughter.

 Ch: 37

    ¡°Are you done, mom?¡± I look next to me and see mother bent over with her arms on her calves, breathing heavily.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m done for today. Are you going to keep running, I hope you¡¯re not going to overdo it again?¡± She doesn¡¯t raise her head up while she questions me.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to take it easy. I¡¯m just going to do another lap¡­ or ten before I head over to Del¡¯s place.¡± I smile at my mother. I didn¡¯t think she was serious about wanting to join me in my morning runs.


    ¡°No need to show off. It¡¯s only my second day. Give me a few months and I¡¯ll be able to keep up with you.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. See you tonight, love you.¡± I activate Double Step knowing mother is watching me. I hope she knows I¡¯m messing with her.


    I slow down and come to a stop after I¡¯m out of my mother¡¯s view. I lean over and massage my legs. I don¡¯t want mother to worry but my legs have been giving me problems since our run together yesterday.


    I pull up my status page, trying to add a more detailed view of my experience gains.


    LV: 60 Experience: 333,105/ 420,152


    Health: 1,875.91/2,030


    Stamina: 891.77/1,343


    Mana: 1,000/1,000


    Vitality: 203.00


    Endurance: 80.07


    Strength: 120.02


    Dexterity: 113.01


    Senses: 60.18


    Mind: 62.24


    Magic: 100.24


    Clarity: 75.16


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV70), Axe Skills (LV55), Blacksmithing (LV54), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV48), Chanting (LV44), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Trading (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Sword Skills(LV9), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV77), Double Step (LV52), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV38), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV29), Dagger Arts (LV12), Increase price (LV7), Marching (LV5), Lower Price (LV4), Gourmet (LV2), Sword Arts (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV55), Mana Manipulation (LV46), Precise Strike (LV25), Double Strike (LV23), Weighted Strike (LV8), Flash Step (LV8),


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV41), Mana Skin (LV40), Mental Resistance (LV37), Extract Mana (LV6), Magic Blacksmithing (LV2)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV27)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV70) 3,500exp


    Sword Skills (LV1-9) 2,250exp


    Double Step (LV52) 5,200


    Sword Arts (LV1) 100exp


    Expel Mana (LV55) 8,250exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV45-46) 13,650exp


    Flash Step (LV5-8) 3,900exp


    Inject Mana (LV41) 10,250exp


    Mana Skin (LV38-40) 29,250exp


    Mental Resistance (LV35-37) 27,000exp


    Extract Mana (LV1-6) 5,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV26-27) 26,500exp


    Skill Experience: 135,100exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,293exp


    Fighting Experience: 156exp


    Total experience Gained: 136,549exp


    Mother was right, at this pace, I¡¯ll reach level 61 soon. My three days of rigorous training bore a lot of fruit but it came with a cost.


    I move my left shoulder in a circular motion. I can feel my arms and legs throbbing each time I stretch. I didn¡¯t feel it while I was pushing myself but after a day of rest, my body is telling me I really fucked up. I bottled up my emotions again and put the weight of the village on my shoulders. I tuned out my parents and probably would have done more damage to myself if my mother didn¡¯t stop me.


    Even now my Health is refusing to recover the whole way and is slowly ticking up a percentage of a point at a time. I¡¯ll have to stick to light jogging and stretching until my body fully recovers.


    I was planning on forging up a storm today only to realize I shot myself in the foot during my training. My skills will help me to forge but I¡¯ll have to take my time and make sure I don¡¯t overdo it.


    I start walking around the village and stop when I reach the road to Del¡¯s clearing. I don¡¯t even feel like doing another lap right now.


    Walking down the forest path I think about my gains over the last few days. Inject Mana is finally past its first test.  The skill leveled when I successfully channeled my mana into my magic sword and extracted the mana that hadn¡¯t fully assimilated into the sword. I also gained the new skill Extract Mana which I¡¯ve already found some major benefits from.


    The opposite of Inject Mana, I can remove and absorb mana from spaces close to me. My new skill lets me deactivate my sword and extinguish the flames when I need to. Extract Mana also allows me to absorb the mana from my Mana Skin barrier. I also tried absorbing the mana from nature hoping it would increase the recovery time for my mana pool. My recovery speed increased by a hair but my body still needs to convert the environmental mana into my own personal mana before it recharges my mana pool.


    I need to be careful I don¡¯t mana poison myself with my new skill. The same thing happens when I absorb the mana from my sword. I always pull out a part of my mana that¡¯s being converted into the flames making my mana pool feel like it¡¯s on fire until my body converts the magic into my own.


    While I passed the test in Inject Mana, Mana Skin reached level 40. I¡¯ll have to experiment to see how I can pass this new test.


    Every night I tried diving into my memories pushing Sense Soul and Mental Resistance up a few levels. Sense Soul is only three levels away from reaching its first test. The tier 4 tests have already proven difficult, I¡¯m a little worried how hard a tier 5 test will be.


    I managed to raise my Sword Skills to level 9 by converting my experience with the other weapons I¡¯ve learned to wield. Sadly, manga and anime have not improved my sword skills in this life. Controlling a sword is difficult and I¡¯ll need to ask the headman if he can give me a few pointers. He had a few swords in his little armory, so I¡¯m assuming he has the skill to use them.


    Master said blacksmiths often gain a few levels in the basic weapon skills, maybe he can give me a few pointers as well?


    The first thing I do when I enter Master Del¡¯s clearing is to scan the surrounding trees. My laps around the village don¡¯t go this far into the woods and I need to make sure nothing is creeping around my workspace.


    Master isn¡¯t sleeping on his favorite bench, I¡¯m happy he took my advice.


    I check over our workplace as I make my way over to master¡¯s hut and everything is as exactly as I left it.


    ¡°Master! You up yet!?¡± I pound on his door.


    ¡°You back already?¡± I hear him groan from the other side.


    ¡°Nope, this is a bad dream. You should probably wake up.¡± I tease through the door.


    ¡°Funny.¡± Master flings the door open. ¡°Enjoy your break?¡± I try not to let the disappointment show on my face.


    ¡°It was productive. I should¡¯ve spent more time with my family but I raised some of my skills.¡± I turn around and move over to start the forge for the day.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Master doesn¡¯t pry into my business, I¡¯m sure he noticed the complicated look on my face.


    I glance at master as he takes up his usual resting spot. I imagine the impression his butt must have made on the stone by now. It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m facing away from master, these days he notices when I make a joke about him in my head.


    ¡°What are you making today?¡± He asks after he lays down and closes his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make the grill I wanted and then forge some spears.¡±


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    I quickly chant the fire spell and light the forge. I wait a minute before I add the first big log to the flames.


    Once the fire is really going, I move over to the materials shed and grab a few bars of the steel we made last week. I plan on using three bars of steel, that¡¯s 165 pounds, to make a good size barbecue for our house.


    The flames rise higher but the surroundings aren¡¯t becoming brighter. Looking up I see some clouds moving in. ignoring the weather I move on.


    When the fire is hot enough, I place my first bar into the forge. Once the steel turns the right color, I move it over to my anvil. I swing my hammer down hard on the ingot.


    ¡°Sssss!¡± I suck in a quick breath through my teeth. I was too excited and forgot I need to take it easy. I raise my hammer again and activate my Double Strike skill only without my full strength behind the blows this time.


    I don¡¯t need my full strength to forge properly. I did good work a month ago when my strength was only around 50 and my skills are a lot higher now than back then.


    I continue to work the metal until I have a flat rectangle of steel. The rectangle is 4¡¯ by 1¡¯ and still pretty thick.


    I start rolling the steel into a circle for the base of my grill. I¡¯ll fill the inside of the steel with powdered stone and add some water to make a concrete-like mix. I¡¯ll burry a foot of the pole into the ground and pack its surroundings with the same stone I put inside the tube.


    I¡¯m going with a more functional and sturdier grill design rather than a fancy barbeque someone would buy back on earth. My design is going to be a larger form of grills commonly found inside parks and campgrounds. Those grills withstand the elements and would be a large improvement compared to cooking in our fireplace.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I mana quench my base and study the welding seam I made. I don¡¯t detect anything wrong with the weld so I move on to the body of the grill.


    Another bar of steel goes into the forge.


    I have to flatten the steel again but this time I make a bulky upside-down T-shape. I¡¯ll fold the ends up, making an open box with a side removed.


    Before I fold the steel, I use my Measurement skill and mark the two edges that will form the sides of the grill. I want to be able to adjust the grate¡¯s distance from the fire, so I need to carve notches in the steel where I can lock the grate in.


    Precise Strike helps me move the steel and create mirroring designs on each of the sides. If I didn¡¯t have my Measurement skill at a high enough level my grill would be lopsided.


    My Mana Skin is helping with the heat of the forge but I¡¯m sweating for another reason. The little jolts of pain around my body are making me tense up. Glancing at my work, I also can¡¯t help but think I would normally be done with this part by now


    ¡°You¡¯re moving slow today.¡± Master¡¯s watching me from his bench.


    ¡°I over practiced my swordsmanship during my break. I can still forge but my body is complaining about my stupidity.¡± I turn away from master and heat up the metal again. I need to fold the sides up now.


    ¡°You need to learn to relax, you know that?¡± I hear behind me as I watch the metal heat up.


    ¡°Yes, master.¡± I give a half-hearted response over the roar of the forge.


    ¡°You¡¯re not as good as me yet, so you can¡¯t laze around like your amazing master but you can still have a lazy day once and a while. It will do you some good.¡±


    ¡°Maybe after Kervin comes again and we check the forest for any signs of the chameleon spiders. Maybe then I¡¯ll have some free time for a lazy day.¡± I laugh at the idea of me doing nothing for a whole day. And maybe I¡¯ll get a tier 6 skill while I¡¯m at it.


    The steel is ready now. I move the hot metal over to my anvil and slowly bend the sides up. I need to weld the two seams together to properly form the body of my grill.


    ¡°You going to cook me something when you¡¯re done?¡± Master is oddly chatty today. He must have missed me the last five days.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bring some tools home with me and set it up tomorrow morning before I come here. You can join us for dinner tomorrow if you¡¯d like?¡± I want my parents to spend some more time with Master Del. Father¡¯s slowly forgiving Del and mother uses Del as a source of information about how I¡¯m doing. I¡¯d be nice if they can all get along better.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He rolls over onto his other side so I can¡¯t see his expression.


    Crafting something like this is a good way to start off my day. Tools and stuff like this don¡¯t need as much rigorous focus as a weapon or piece of armor does. I still make the best product I can but if something goes wrong with my grill the person won¡¯t die, presumably.


    Armor and weapons require me to have a different mindset when I¡¯m making them. Armor needs to be flexible but strong enough to save someone¡¯s life when they¡¯re in danger. Weapons require an even stricter focus.


    When someone draws a weapon, whether they¡¯re in a battle or for self-defense reasons, the weapon in many cases is the only thing keeping them from entering their next life. Armor is important but a man wearing armor without a weapon is only prolonging the inevitable.


    The spears I¡¯m going to make after this are either going to be sold to the army defending a fort or be placed in the headman¡¯s armory in case the village needs them. I can¡¯t afford any mistakes no matter where they go.


    I¡¯m almost finished with the body of the grill. The last part of the body I need to make is the fitting where I¡¯ll connect the base and body of the grill. I place the third ingot in the flames. The rest of the work will be more delicate.


    When the steel is hot enough, I move it over to my anvil and grab the axe we use to split metals. I move the metal back and forth from the forge and my anvil as I split the ingot into different sections.


    When I have my steel bar separated into different pieces, I take the biggest chunk left and put it back in the forge. This chunk of steel will become the fitting for my steel cylinder. I¡¯ll weld the cap-like fitting to the bottom of the body of the grill but I won¡¯t weld the cap and base together, that way the grill can swivel on top of the base and if I need to move the grill for some reason I¡¯ll only have to make a new base for the grill.


    After the cap is formed and welded to the body of the grill, I move on to the grate that will go inside the body of the grill.


    I¡¯ll form the chunks of steel I cut from the ingot into cylinders. The cylinders are then welded together to make my cooking surface.


    It might not be my prettiest work but I¡¯m still happy with it. Starting tomorrow, we can start grilling our meat and vegetables instead of having to make soup every night. I¡¯ll have to remember to bring some charcoal back home with me tomorrow.


    I bet once master and the other villagers see how useful it is, I¡¯ll probably be commission to make a few more.


    Now for the hard stuff.


    I make my way back to the materials shed and start bringing two more bars of steel over to my work station.


    I usually only made spearheads in the past but I think I¡¯m going to make both the pole and blade from steel. Warriors and most of the villagers have enough strength that they can wield a 20-pound spear without too much trouble.


    I want to make a full tang spear, a spear that is one solid piece of steel with no welds or seams in the structure.


    I start heating up the fourth ingot of the day. The clouds overhead are darker than when I first started. Watching the steel in the forge, I think about the weapons I¡¯m about to make.


    Spears were underrated in films back on earth. TV and movies preferred swords for their big cinematic battles but it was the humble spear that was favored for true medieval warriors. The spear had a better reach to a sword and was considerably cheaper to make.


    I move my hot steel over to my anvil and split the ingot long ways this time. I¡¯ll use each ingot to make two good spears. I should have enough time to make four by the time the day is over if the weather permits it.


    Moving the metal over such a large distance is a challenge that I¡¯m not used to. I need to be careful I don¡¯t stretch the meatal too thin or in a wrong way that will form cracks in its structure.


    Spears commonly have a pole between 6¡¯ and 8¡¯ long and have a blade that usually reaches over 12¡¯¡¯ on top of that.


    This world has many factors a blacksmith needs to consider when making a weapon. Different stats allow people to wield weapons differently. Depending on the situation a person could want a shorter spear rather than a longer one. If a person has more strength, he would probably want a longer spear but if the person is dexterity based a shorter more maneuverable spear would be better.


    I¡¯m going to use the same amount of steel for each spear but I¡¯ll make two longer spears and two shorter spears. The longer ones will have a 7¡¯ 6¡¯¡¯ pole and a 1¡¯ blade. The shorter spears will have a 6¡¯ pole and an 18¡¯¡¯ blade. There will only be a foot difference between the two but they will be wielded in completely different manners.


    I start working the longer spears first because drawing out the steel will take the most time.


    The trick is to leave enough material in one end to make the spear point while drawing out the other side for the pole.


    As I work, I keep an eye on the structure of the steel with my mana sense. Any fracture I spot, no matter how small, I stop and don¡¯t proceed until I fix it. Sense Mana is tied with Running as my highest leveled skill but Sense Mana is a tier 2 skill, so I would say it¡¯s marginally considered my best skill. I use Sense Mana on a daily basis now. The skill is only deactivated when I go to sleep. If I do shut the skill of it feels like my world loses a part of its color.


    The first spears pole is finished so I move on to the spear tip. I need to decide on how I¡¯m going to shape the blade.


    Dozens of designs filter through my head. Everyone knows the basic spear point but master has taught me about many designs I never considered. There¡¯s the trident design which resembles a large fork. You have the war scythe which is a curved blade on the end of the pole that looks almost like a sword stuck on the end of a spear.


    I could also make a halberd from earth but I¡¯ve never tried anything like that. Making an axe at the end of a spear wouldn¡¯t be necessarily hard for me to make but I doubt a particular weapon like that would be in high demand right now.


    I don¡¯t know the opposing army¡¯s armor or formations, so I¡¯ll keep the design simple for now.


    I form the spearhead into a long point and only have the blade reach 3¡¯¡¯ at its widest point.


    I heat up the pole part of the spear again and this time I add in grooving to improve the grip. A soldier could easily attach material for the handle if they want to customize the spear but I want it to be wieldable without much work. I put my new maker¡¯s mark on the base of the blade when I finish improving the grip.


    All that¡¯s left is to quench the spear.


    Heating up something so long and quenching it presents its own problems. I have to constantly move the spear around so that everything heats up evenly.


    Using all my mana skills, I force all the fire mana out of the tip of the spear. I could mana quench an item in only two seconds before, but with my new levels and Extract Mana I was able to reduce that time to only three-quarters of a second.


    The fire mana is ejected from the spear so quickly a fireball shoots out of the spear tip!


    The fireball is a mass of fire mana in my Sense Mana skill. The fireball only travels a foot and a half before the mana disperses into the surrounding space. Could I cast fire magic safely if I only gathered fire mana without mixing it with anything else? I¡¯ll have to try that out during one of my off days.


    I file the magic idea away for now, I still have three more spears to make.


    <hr>


    I have four spears laid out before me. Two shorter spears next to two of the longer ones laid out for me to inspect them one last time.


    I can¡¯t see any flaws on their outsides and my mana sense can¡¯t spot any micro-fractures inside them either. I¡¯ll set one of each aside for the village and sell the other two to Kervin.


    I clean up a little around my station and prepare for sharpening the spears.


    I glance up at the sky as I sharpen the first spear. The sun is nowhere to be found. The black clouds stretch from one side of the horizon to the other. I miss the days I could check the weather on my phone, I wonder if there¡¯s a spell for that?


    I can see the first raindrops in the distance. I reactivate my Mana Skin before the rain reaches us. Sitting on one of the stone benches, I start sharpening my work. Take that nature, Mana Skin wins again.


    In-between spears I look over at master. Even in the rain, he¡¯s still laying on his bench. Wet clothes apparently aren¡¯t a problem for someone close to level 90. It¡¯s a good thing I straightened up before I started sharpening, cleaning in the rain is annoying.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go inside, master?¡± I don¡¯t take my eyes off of the spear tip.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The snow is worse than this. One time I managed to fall asleep out here during the winter and I woke up with a foot of snow covering everything but my mouth. Apparently, I snore loud enough that the snow can¡¯t block my face.¡± He¡¯s laughing while I smile at the absurdity of the notion.


    ¡°Your barrier skill leveled again I see.¡± I look up after I finish with the first spear. The rain is coming down even harder now. I didn¡¯t notice because I was focusing so hard on the spear tip in front of me. The rain is impacting my barrier but quickly sliding off without leaving any trace. A small amount of water used to make it through my barrier causing raindrops to condense on my Mana Skin.


    ¡°It finally reached level 40. I¡¯m not sure how hard it¡¯s going to be to level now?¡± I move on to my next spear. Despite my sore limbs, I hurry up my pace.


    ¡°I see you using the skill all the time, you¡¯ll get it eventually. Needing to pass a tier 4 test at your age, I¡¯m sure heroes around the world are rolling in their graves as we speak.¡± Master tries to tease me again.


    ¡°Well, I just passed my first tier 4 test a few days ago. Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t take as long with the second one.¡±


    ¡°What a monster, you are.¡± I smile as I continue sharpening the spear.


    ¡°Hey master, do you know anything about Sword Skills?¡±


    ¡°You mean gaining the skill, I thought you already have it?¡±


    ¡°I do. I was practicing a lot during my break but I only managed to get it to level 9. Do you have any tips for me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re disappointed you didn¡¯t get the skill to 100 on your first day?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Sword Skills was my fifth weapon skill. I was able to use knowledge from my various other weapon skills to level it quickly but I don¡¯t know why I couldn¡¯t get it to at least 10.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°I put in a lot of effort. I practiced with different footwork I usually use from hammer, axe, and knife skills while trying out different swinging motions from all three different types of weapons. Have any hints for me?¡±


    ¡°I wish I could help you but I can¡¯t. My Sword Skills is only level 6.¡± I stop sharpening the spear in my hands and look up at master.


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering why my skill is so low? When you practice with so many weapons the skills start to hinder you rather than help you. Your skills subliminally taint each other and you end up using the same techniques you use with a hammer when they barely relate to you swinging a sword. Practice will help you overcome it but frankly, it¡¯s amazing you managed to reach level 9 in Sword Skills this quickly. A proper teacher would be helpful pointing out your mistakes your skills helping you to make.¡± I never thought skills could clash like that. It makes sense to a degree. If you have skill that helps you dodge attacks you won¡¯t be able to level a defensive skill unless you suppress the knowledge you get from your evasion skill. Weapon skills probably do the same thing on a smaller scale. I¡¯m practicing swordsmanship by myself and the only thing that lets me know if I¡¯m improving is my rising skill level.


    ¡°Do you think Camden could give me some pointers?¡±


    ¡°He might be able to spar with you at least.¡± That might help me a little.


    I focus back on my work, trying to not be sidetracked with my growing to-do list. There¡¯s so much I need to practice I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll ever be able to take some time off.


    A small chuckle escapes me.


    In my past life, I never felt any real motivation for anything and now I have too much I want to do. Master Del and my family were right I need a day off. A day where I won¡¯t practice my skills or forge something¡­ maybe some passive magic practice? I can keep my Mana Skin skill up while I relax, that shouldn¡¯t count as training, right?


    I might have a problem.


    <hr>


    I move my finished spears over to one of our sheds, while master stands in his doorway ringing out his shirt.


    ¡°You coming tomorrow?!¡± Master shouts over the pouring rain.


    ¡°Yep, I need to forge more spears. The weather can¡¯t stop me with only this much.¡± I gather the pieces of my grill along with a shovel and a leather bag filled with the crushed stone for my concreate mixture.


    I¡¯m easily carrying 200 pounds in my arms and back. A month ago, this would be difficult for me and something I would never willingly do in the rain.


    *BOOM!*


    The heavens open up with a beautiful light show. The first few fall storms always give off amazing displays of lightning. The storms are high up in the sky and the lightning rarely touches the ground around here.


    I glance at the big pieces of steel in my arms.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t tempt nature to prove me wrong. ¡°See you tomorrow, master.¡± I make my way out of Del¡¯s clearing.


    The trees stretching above me provide me with a small umbrella effect. The rain pools on the branches and leaves turning each tree into its own unique waterfall. The trees of this world are amazing and not just for their crafting uses. It may be fall but the trees only shed their weakest leaves before it starts snowing. Most of the forest trees are broadleaf in nature, meaning they would lose their leaves if they were back on earth in a similar situation. Again, I think the presence of mana makes the tree¡¯s more resilient than their otherworldly counterparts.


    I reach the village proper but I choose to take the long way home and loop around the village staying a few feet inside the forest. Most people are probably inside their homes already but I don¡¯t want to chance people seeing my Mana Skin skill.


    We have a month of rain heading our way before the four months of winter take hold. The rain signals that half of the year is almost over.


    *Crack!*


    I stop in place and turn around when I hear a branch snap in the distance. I push my mana sense out in the direction I heard the noise originate from. A human¡¯s silhouette is approaching me. I can¡¯t see the fine details of the person but I watch it purposely step on a branch in front of it. Whoever they are they¡¯re alerting me to their approaching on purpose.


    I¡¯m about to deactivate my Mana Skin when I realize the mana I¡¯m sensing is a familiar one.


    Ronald appears through the trees like a specter in a green rain poncho. The only sound he makes is from his footsteps. He must be heading home from one of his farther hunting trips. He probably noticed me long before I noticed him. I am curious why he¡¯s alone though?


    ¡°Evening, Ronald.¡± I nod my head to him. As usual, he only responds with his own head nod in return.


    ¡°Are you heading home? You care to walk with me?¡± I don¡¯t wait for his response as I continue my walk home.


    He takes a position to my left and follows beside me. A silence falls between us but before I can ask him another question he speaks quietly, ¡°Visiting Camden.¡±


    Aww, he must be answering my previous question.  ¡°Going to turn yourself in for entering the forest by yourself?¡± I try to tease the man.


    He doesn¡¯t even look at me when he responds with, ¡°You too.¡± I almost stumble when he seamlessly redirects my question back at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can see the chameleon spiders, what¡¯s your excuse?¡±


    ¡°Headman¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Camden sent you out here on your own, why?¡± Camden seemed serious when he told the village the new rules regarding our buddy system. I don¡¯t think he would break his own rules. If someone saw Ronald in the woods by himself it could outrage the hunters who spoke out against his rules.


    ¡°Delivering message to village.¡±


    It takes me a minute to decipher his meaning. I can only guess the headman wanted him to take an urgent message to our closest sister village. We¡¯re the village furthest in the forest but the closest village to us isn¡¯t that much farther from the mana rich parts of the woods. A message delivered by our best hunter would show how serious our warning is. The village is even farther from the spiders than we are so it makes sense only one person was required to go.


    ¡°Did he send other hunters to the farther villages?¡± Ronald nods his head in confirmation.


    The headman isn¡¯t taking any risks. He¡¯s spreading word to the other villages even if the spiders will probably never make it that far. Thinking about the siders.


    ¡°Would you like a new bow?¡± I offer my silent companion. He turns his head and I can barely notice his questioning look. His facial ticks are hard to spot on his straight face.


    ¡°I need money so I thought I¡¯d offer you the best bow I can make in exchange for the chameleon spider materials. I¡¯ll also throw in some arrows to sweeten the deal.¡± I make my offer, hoping my Trading skill is working overtime.


    His eyes bore into me and I feel like a rabbit staring up at a wolf even though we''re close to being the same height.


    I might have to throw something else in to sweeten the deal.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡­


    He turns around and keeps walking.


    Was he happy with the deal or did he just not care enough to haggle?


    I never realized silence could be used like that during negotiations. I might have to try that out on Kervin when he comes again.


    I have to push myself a little bit to catch up with Ronald. ¡°How strong are you?¡± He sends me another questioning glance. ¡°Just an estimation. It looked like your current bow was too easy for you to draw and didn¡¯t have enough power behind it. I want to make you something better suited towards your stats.¡± I plan on putting the same amount of effort I did on my sword into making Ronald a new bow. I have an idea but I¡¯m not sure if it will work with my materials.


    ¡°160.¡± I¡¯m surprised by the number he gives me, he¡¯s stronger than me. I won¡¯t question his stat allocation but judging by what I¡¯ve seen during the goblin extermination he has an even higher Dexterity stat.


    I see my house in the distance.


    Ronald follows me up to my front door and kindly opens it for me. Chivalry must not be dead yet in this world. I carefully place my grill parts off to the side of our entryway. Father and mother glance at me and look surprised at the pile of steel I brought home.


    I hear the door start to close behind me. whirling around, I stop the door with my hand.


    ¡°Ronald!¡± I call out to the back of the man walking through the rain. He turns around and faces me. ¡°I¡¯ll make the best bow you¡¯ve ever had!¡± I swear I think I see him smile for a second.


    He gives me one more of his trademarked head nods and continues to make his way towards Camden¡¯s house.


    I made a promise and I¡¯ll make sure I keep it.


    ¡°Aaliyah, shut the door! You¡¯re letting the rain in!¡± Mother''s voice reminds me of the storm I¡¯m still half standing in.


    ¡°Sorry, mom.¡± I shut the door and clean myself of the day¡¯s filth.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    So much I need to do¡­


    ¡­ I can¡¯t wait!

 Ch: 38

    I need to breathe.


    My hands and arms are shaking and I can hardly hold my sword steady anymore.


    An opening!


    I step forward with my right leg and position my sword to my left side. I step forward with my left leg and slash horizontally.


    Damn, he stepped to his right and dodged my strike.


    Here he comes, I need to raise my sword to guard against the coming strike!


    A thrust comes straight at my chest, so I swing my sword in an arc and deflect the blow. While my sword is still in motion, I bring it over my head and chop down with everything I have!


    Again, he steps back out of my range. I struggle to take my stance.


    My footwork has fallen apart and my breathing is erratic. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can holdout for.


    I¡¯m shown no mercy as another slash comes at my left shoulder. I raise my sword up, waiting for the powerful strike to arrive.


    I watch in horror as he switches his grip and slashes from my bottom right instead. The world goes still as I¡¯m struck across my chest.


    Everything hurts!


    I collapse to my knees struggling to breathe. I fall forward onto the muddy ground.


    Is this how it ends, just lying here face down in the mud?


    ¡°Are you ok!?¡± Camden¡¯s concerned voice only rubs salt in my wounds.


    I roll over and look up at the headman. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even scratch you.¡± I turn my head away from him and look at the wooden sword in my hands. ¡°At least I didn¡¯t drop my sword this time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re improving at an astonishing rate.¡± I hope he¡¯s not sugar-coating it for me.


    A few claps echo around us and I hear feet shuffling off into the distance. ¡°Are they gone?¡± I ask Camden.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re gone now.¡± Camden moves over to the rock we have our waterskins resting on. He brings me my water as he chugs his own.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I sit up and take the water offered to me. ¡°Losing in front of a crowd gets worse every time,¡± I complain as I raise my waterskin to my mouth. After I gulp down a few mouthfuls of water, I look up at Camden again. ¡°Why do they have to watch us like that?¡±


    ¡°Can you blame them? They¡¯re worried about the chameleon spiders and watching us spar eases their fears. And I¡¯m sure watching their young hero grow doesn¡¯t stop people from coming either.¡± I shoot Camden a glare. He knows I hate to be called that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hero. I¡¯m a blacksmith.¡± I give him a challenging look.


    ¡°You¡¯re both in the eyes of most of the villagers. I¡¯ve even heard the hunters talk about your amazing skill.¡±


    ¡°Skill, that¡¯s rich. I can¡¯t even touch you during our sparring sessions and I¡¯ve been coming to you for a week now.¡± After Del warned me about needing a teacher, I asked Camden to give me a few pointers the next day.


    I visit the back of the headman¡¯s house every morning after my run with my mother and have a quick lesson with Camden. On my days off, like today, I spend more time training with him and we have ourselves a sparring match to test where I¡¯m currently at.


    ¡°This is only our second time sparring with one another. I might not look it but I used to have a passion for weapons as a child.¡± He waves his wooden sword around with a smile on his face. ¡°I needed to blow off some of my excess energy after studying under my father all day and weapons were my way to release my accumulated stress. My father even hired a tutor for me one year to better improve my skills.¡±


    He stretches his body and I hear a popping noise. ¡°This reminds me of my younger days training with Master Grells. He was a retired soldier from the trade war¡¯s years ago.¡± Camden takes a deep breath. ¡°Looking back on my life like this reminds me how old I am now.¡±


    ¡°Not too old to beat me.¡± He smiles at me.


    ¡°Maybe for a few more months. At the rate, your skills increase¡­ and your level.¡± I narrow my eyes at him and he winks at me. ¡°I¡¯ll run out of things to teach you quickly.¡±


    I look at my wooden sword and frown. ¡°You say that but I was hoping to have my sword skills at a higher level for the mission tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is praying to the gods that the three of you don¡¯t have a reason to draw your weapons tomorrow.¡± I doubt we¡¯ll be that lucky but I can¡¯t say that to him. The headman is still dealing with the fallout from the goblin subjugation and he received multiple responses from neighboring villages asking what we plan to do about the magic beasts like it¡¯s our fault that they¡¯re here.


    ¡°Are you done for today?¡± The headman looks down at me.


    ¡°Not just yet.¡± I stand up. ¡°I still feel like practicing a little more.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m going inside to check on the ladies.¡± I chuckle at the worried look on his face.


    After mother and I run in the morning she walks with me to the headman¡¯s house. While Camden teaches me, mother and Miss Downs have tea and chat about gods know what.


    Before Camden disappears around his house, I call out to him. ¡°When is master and Ronald stopping by?¡±


    Camden turns around, ¡°I asked Nicolas to stop by their homes before we started training. They should be here soon.¡± After that, he disappears out of my sight.


    I need to get back to my practice.


    I swing my wooden sword around with one hand. I carved the wooden sword to match the same dimensions as my katana but the weight isn¡¯t the same. I move over to the rock we rested our waterskins on and set my wooden sword down.


    I pick up my magic sword that¡¯s resting against the rock. I attach the scabbard to my belt and adjust it until it feels right. It¡¯s important I practice swinging my real sword. I use my wooden sword to spar or practice striking trees but I always practice my form with my real sword.


    I get into my ready position. My left hand is holding the top of my scabbard and I use my thumb to lift my sword an inch out of its sheath. I place my left hand on the hilt of my sword and picture a horned hob running at me.


    Once the imaginary goblin enters my striking range I draw. The phantom goblin splits horizontally in two and disappears before me. I turn around and face the next goblin who¡¯s running at me wielding a knife. I adjust my stance and bring my sword in to my chest. I make sure my grip is ok before I thrust my sword into the head of the charging goblin.


    Another is approaching from the left. I need to¡­


    The imaginary goblin pauses as I look down at my feet. I¡¯m back in the stance I would use for swinging my axe. I messed up again.


    I re-sheath my katana. Thanks to Camden I can tell when I use the wrong stance now. The problem I¡¯ve been facing the most is with my footwork. All my running and practicing with my axe has my body subconsciously moving into the wrong position. Wielding an axe is more about power compared to the finesse of a sword.


    I take my drawing stance again and freeze when I see a couple of villagers staring right at me.


    I can¡¯t believe it took me so long to notice them. I was hoping to finish my training after the main group left, this spot doesn¡¯t do me any favors either. It¡¯s better for Camden to stay close to his house so I¡¯ve done most of my sword practice here. The first day I didn¡¯t even notice anyone watching me but by the time the second day rolled around more than a dozen villagers were waiting to watch my practice with the headman.


    The whole village looks at me differently these days. I¡¯m no longer the ¡®Little Rabbit¡¯ running around the village. Now I hear whispers of ¡®Hob Slayer¡¯ every time I walk through the village and while I practice. Sometimes it¡¯s hard to tell if people revere me or fear me.


    People who seemed indifferent to me before the goblin extermination now bow their heads to me or refuse to look me in the eyes.


    I¡¯m sad that I loss a good portion of my privacy but I don¡¯t regret my participation during the extermination.


    Maybe I should consider this another form of training? I need to get used to using my skills in front of people, well most of them anyways. I still keep my magic skills under wraps.


    I prepare to draw my sword again.


    In one quick motion, my blade slices the air. I step forward and do an overhead-chop. My arms strain to stop the blade before it touches the ground. Camden told me it¡¯s considered a sin for a swordsman to drop their blade or let it touch the ground. After all my hard work making it, the disappointment I would feel failing to hold up my sword would only be multiplied.


    I bring my sword back up and prepare for another strike.


    ¡°Miss Aaliyah.¡± I stop before I can swing my sword again. Looking over, I see Nicolas walking towards me.


    ¡°Afternoon, Nicolas.¡± I greet Camden¡¯s son.


    ¡°Thank you. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing your practice but the others have arrived and I was asked to bring you over before the meeting begins.¡± He glances around the training area and focuses on the few people still watching us.


    ¡°Thanks¡¯ for coming to get me. Let me grab my stuff really quick.¡± I sheath my sword and move over to the rock to retrieve my practice sword and water skin. By the time I turn around the few people that were standing there watching me have already wondered off now that the show is over.


    I follow Nicolas around his house and wait for him to lead me inside. ¡°Do you mind if I clean up before we go further?¡± I ask my chaperon.


    ¡°Please.¡± He easily gives me permission to use my magic.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    The magic quickly goes to work removing the dirt, mud, and sweat covering my body. The rain has become an everyday occurrence, making everything messy, and I can¡¯t use Mana Skin in front of the villagers when I¡¯m practicing swordsmanship.


    Feeling refreshed, I follow Nicolas into the drawing-room. Mother and Sarette are sitting next to each other chatting while Master Del and Camden are silently sitting across from them. Ronald is standing off to the side with his usual straight expression.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you all waiting.¡± I address the room as I take an open seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad everyone could make it. I¡¯d also like to thank Miss Silvia for joining us.¡± Camden looks like he¡¯s trying to force a smile when he addresses mother. ¡°We can now discuss the three of you scouting the forest tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Do we really need to have a meeting like this?¡± I can¡¯t help but question the headman. ¡°We go out and see if the chameleon spiders are moving closer to the village. The three of us already know what we¡¯re doing.¡± I see a tired look come across Camden¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m very much aware the three of you can handle yourselves. The problem is the village is terrified right now. Everyone keeps asking me whether the forest is safe or not and I don¡¯t have a definitive answer for them. The whole village is looking towards us for answers and I¡¯m sure a crowd will form for your departure tomorrow. This may seem like a trivial thing to you but the three of you are now the guardians of our village. This meeting is to make sure the three of you are prepared for your departure in the sense you¡¯ll reassure whatever crowd forms tomorrow that everything is ok.¡± Camden looks seriously at the three of us.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°You want master to brandish his magic pickaxe and for me to wield my new sword so everyone sees how strong we are. Is that right?¡± I tentatively ask.


    ¡°Please, we need people to know we can defend the village.¡± Camden pauses and brings his hands together under his chin, looking nervous. ¡°If possible¡­ could you slay another spider?¡± Mother and Sarette look accusingly at Camden.


    ¡°I was under the impression this was merely a scouting mission. You want them to risk their lives just so you can prove a point to the village!?¡± Mother looks chillingly at Camden.


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about it either, ok. I have no intention of forcing them to do anything. I was merely asking them if it was possible.¡± Mother, Camden, Nicolas, and Sarette look between the three of us.


    ¡°I was hoping to hunt another one,¡± I speak out amongst the silence. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you guys? I want some more of that delicious meat and selling more materials is a huge bonus.¡± Del and Ronald nod at my suggestion.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Camden looks ready to jump for joy.


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Mother interjects and looks at me. ¡°Will it be dangerous?¡± Her eyes meet mine. Everything I¡¯ve gone through with mother the last couple of weeks plays through my head. I can¡¯t lie to her again.


    ¡°It will be dangerous. The beasts are strong and we can¡¯t be sure everything will work out for us like last time.¡± Mother frowns at me and I see everyone else looking worried. ¡°We know the spider¡¯s weakness and I promise we won¡¯t do anything crazy. If it looks like we can¡¯t defeat the creature quickly we¡¯ll retreat.¡±


    We share a moment of silence between the two of us before mother lets out a sigh. ¡°Ok,¡± I¡¯m surprised how easily she relents. ¡°As long as you promise to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, mom.¡± Her support means the world to me.


    ¡°Excellent, we¡¯re all in agreement then.¡± Camden ruins the mood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree.¡± Mothers frosty words make the headman flinch. ¡°I¡¯m merely supporting my daughter with her decision. If I hear people trying to ¡®persuade¡¯ her to do something stupid I¡¯ll make sure she sees reason.¡± Mother¡¯s eyes narrow at the headman.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Camden shakily responds. ¡°You¡¯re truly an excellent mother.¡± He wisely stops talking. Don¡¯t mess with a mother karhu.


    Everyone is silent after that little argument between the two of them.


    I look around at everyone and notice the large warped parcel sitting next to master. ¡°You brought it, Master?¡± I motion towards the wrapped package.


    ¡°I figured it would be a good time to give it to him.¡± Master moves the hide wrapped package onto the small table in front of us and slides it in my direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, sweety?¡± Mother scooches closer to me and looks curiously at the large wrapped bundle.


    ¡°Something amazing! Ronald, come over here, please.¡± The silent man moves closer to our group.


    I slowly open the hide covering trying to make it look more dramatic. ¡°Master and I worked on this all week trying to get it to work right.¡±


    ¡°My apprentice likes to challenge both of us.¡± Master interrupts my monologue and everyone smiles at his joke.


    ¡°I know you enjoyed making something different as much as I did.¡± I finish unwrapping a quiver of arrows and the bow I made with master.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes go wide, including Ronald¡¯s when they see the bow.


    ¡°What is that!?¡± Camden exclaims. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a bow like that before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a recurve bow made with some new materials.¡± I carefully hoist the bow up so everyone can see it. Even time I see it I¡¯m amazed we managed to pull off making this thing.


    ¡°What metal is that?¡± Nicolas looks amazed at the shiny silvery metal laying in front of me.


    ¡°Let me explain what we did.¡± I carefully set the heavy bow back on the table. ¡°This beast weighs 30 pounds. It¡¯s five feet from tip to tip and the body is made from steel mixed with the carapace of the chameleon spiders. We tried making it out of our best steel but it wasn¡¯t flexing like we wanted. We were tossing ideas back and forth when I had the idea to try using our new steel mixture. The steel is mixed with the spider¡¯s armor and after four tries we got the composition right it¡¯s strong enough you can slam it up against a tree but still flexible enough to retain its shape after it¡¯s subjected to the force of shooting the arrows.¡± Mother and Sarette are still gushing about the beautiful polished silver design on the body while the men are more interested in the technical aspects.


    ¡°The string was also woven from the sinew we recovered from the chameleon spider.¡± I lift the bow back up and move to draw the bowstring, it barely moves for me. ¡°To draw the bow, you need 140 Strength. Master had to be the one to string this monster because I don¡¯t have the stats to do it. The force this thing launches an arrow at is incredible.¡±


    I set the bow back down again and reach for the quiver of arrows I brought with it. ¡°Your average arrows can¡¯t handle the force the bow exerts, so I made you some new arrows to go along with your new bow.¡± I pull one of the twenty arrows out of the quiver. ¡°The shaft of the arrows I made are also made from the spider steel but we used different proportions of carapace in the mixture to make it stronger so it can endure the force when you release your shot.¡±


    I hand the arrow over to Ronald so he can inspect it. He holds the arrow up to his eye examining the straightness of the shaft. ¡°I made sure each was perfectly straight.¡± Ronald nods at my claim. ¡°If you¡¯ll look at the arrow tip, you¡¯ll see the true magic of it. The arrow head is designed to help the arrow twist not only through the air but also when it hits its target. The broad head arrow has a single beveled design, making the edges slant on both sides. When the arrow strikes something, it rotates into the wound and penetrates deep, causing a bigger wound. I call it a helix arrow head.¡± [1]


    Ronald examines the arrowhead and moves his finger closer to the blade. ¡°Try spinning the arrowhead to the left.¡± Ronald looks confused but follows my directions. His surprised expression when the arrowhead unscrews from the shaft is worth all the work we did to make that possible. ¡°Each arrow and shaft has its own fittings that allow you to swap them out. If you need more shafts, I can make them separately or if you want a new arrowhead you can change them out depending on what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°The fletching is again made from the carapace of the chameleon spiders. The fins are made from sculpted carapace that we melted in the fire. It took us a long time to get the fletching shaped just right.¡± I eagerly await his thoughts on the arrow.


    ¡°Good arrow,¡± he says as he reattaches the arrowhead. A pressure I wasn¡¯t aware I was feeling is lifted with his two words.


    ¡°I made sure to take my time and sharpen each arrow to the point they¡¯ll cut any soft surface with ease. The bottom of the quiver has hide in it so you¡¯ll need to replace it once a year but it will protect the arrows when you place them in. I¡¯ll make more arrows for you later. I hope twenty will be enough for now?¡±


    Ronald bends over and picks up his new bow. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you did an amazing job. This is the most amazing bow I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± All of us are staring at Ronald. He¡¯s too busy examining the bow and I don¡¯t think he realizes how much he just said.


    ¡°Master and I worked really hard on it, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re happy.¡± I smile as Ronald takes his stance and knocks his arrow. His arms are tense as he slowly draws the bow, bringing his fingers up to his face.


    He slowly releases the tension on his string and sets the arrow back into his new quiver. Back on Earth, a bow like this could be made but it would be impractical. I wish I had a way to measure how fast this bow can release an arrow. I just hope it¡¯s enough to harm the chameleon spiders we¡¯ll be hunting tomorrow.


    ¡°Now each of us has a cool weapon to show off tomorrow morning.¡± Del and I smile at each other and I can see Ronald smirking down at his bow. We both went out of our comfort zones to make this weapon. I had to learn multiple new things about customizing a bow for someone. I asked Ronald for his strength stat but it wasn¡¯t until we started to make it, I was told I need to get his draw length. Draw length is how far back the bowstring will be pulled back to fire the bow. The draw length also played a huge part in the arrows I had to make. Having arrows exactly long enough to be fully drawn without the arrowhead touching the arrow rest was something I never thought of before this build.


    I¡¯m sure a bowyer could make something better but we did the best with the materials we were most accustomed to.


    ¡°Does anyone have anything else to say before we adjourn for the day.¡± Camden looks around the room.


    ¡°I was wondering if you can do me a favor now that you mention it,¡± I ask the headman.


    ¡°Name it and I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help!¡± That¡¯s more exciting than I was expecting.


    ¡°Nothing too big. I was wondering if you can convince Kervin to wait for my return if he shows up while we¡¯re gone. Let him know I have a lot of business for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be excited to await your return,¡± Camden assures me.


    ¡°He¡¯ll want to get his hands on your magic beast materials. He would have to be a horrible merchant to pass over such an opportunity. That said, don¡¯t take too long to return, sweety.¡± Mother leans over and puts her hand on top of mine.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, mother.¡±


    Alright spiders, watch out. Round two starts tomorrow!


    <hr>


    Thankfully there were no speeches when we gathered the next morning. The three of us walk into the forest with our weapons drawn. None of us want to look back at the faces watching us fade into the trees.


    When Camden said that there would be a crowd when we departed, I imagined a dozen or so people like during my sparring sessions, not half the village!


    We gathered in front of the headman¡¯s house and slowly made our way over to the tip of the fields. The closer we made it to the trees the more the group following us increased. Even the rain that began to fall didn¡¯t deter the crowd from following us.


    We¡¯re going hunting for a spider, not a dragon.


    The three of us are side by side as we move deeper into the forest.


    I look behind us and scan our surroundings for anyone who decided to follow us. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone. What about you Ronald?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then that means we¡¯re clear.¡± Master visibly relaxes and Ronald and I do the same.


    ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t happen every time we do this,¡± I complain. Out of sight from everyone, I sheath my sword. Ronald moves his new bow onto his back and Master Del follows his example doing the same with his pickaxe.


    We don¡¯t need to keep our weapons drawn for now. Our goal is to move fast and get closer to the area we last spotted the closest chameleon spider.


    ¡°Which way Ronald?¡± I look around our surroundings.


    ¡°There,¡± he points to my left.


    ¡°Same formation as last time?¡± I turn and grin to my companions.


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± master says and I get a nod from Ronald.


    We take up our old positions, I¡¯m in front scanning the trees with my mana sense and Ronald is directing me from behind. The three of us let loose and dash through the trees.


    The three of us move as one at an unprecedented pace.


    It only takes us eight hours to reach the edge of the area the hunters usually stick to. We slow our pace and move deeper into the forest.


    ¡°Do you guys think we should stop and make camp soon?¡± I ask over my shoulder.


    ¡°Why would we stop now? You tired already?¡± Master quips behind me.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to be doing this every month, we should make a camp that we can easily access during each trip.¡±


    ¡°We should move a little deeper than, don¡¯t you think?¡± Master gives me his two cents, I mean copper.


    ¡°Up ahead, good spot.¡± Ronald points into the distance.


    It takes us thirty minutes to find Ronald¡¯s spot. It¡¯s a large karhu burrow that looks abandoned. We¡¯ll need to shore up the sides but it could make for a great place to camp when the weather takes a turn for the worst. The rain has stopped for now but it¡¯s been coming and going all day.


    The three of us spend the rest of the day sprucing up our hole in the ground. Some large logs from a nearby tree make the perfect frame for our den. Karhu are big enough that we didn¡¯t need to excavate any more room. A firepit is placed a foot outside the cave for cooking and our stats should keep us warm with the help of a few blankets, as long as we stay out of the wind.


    It started to rain again and I¡¯m not looking forward to hunting tomorrow if this downpour continues.


    We sit down after we finish the construction and pull out our rations for the night. While eating my jerky I double-check the strategy for tomorrow. ¡°Are we sticking to the same plan as last time?¡± I ask Ronald and Del.


    ¡°Are you talking about fighting the chameleon spiders?¡± Master takes a swig from the flask he brought.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking about the chameleon spider, what else would we discuss?¡±


    Master shrugs his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know? We could talk about our watch shifts, our searching strategy for tomorrow, or maybe we can discuss the weather. You can pick a topic.¡± Master gives me a sarcastic look.


    ¡°Funny. I was thinking more about me blasting the spider with earth magic and one of you torching it.¡± I deadpan.


    ¡°Same as last time then.¡± Master smiles at me.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not broken, why fix it?¡± I point out to master.


    ¡°Sounds good to me, what about you Ronald?¡± Master looks over at our expert hunter. He¡¯s also eating jerky but stroking his new bow on his lap.


    He looks up and then down at his bow again. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to realize he wants to try it out.


    ¡°Two of us have new weapons. I say we start off the same. Master and I will each attack the legs and Ronald will lay down some cover fire with his bow. I¡¯ll back up and cast my spell, then master can toss the torch we brought and finish it off. Easy peasy.¡±


    We all agree on the plan. Master Del and I continue with our small talk the rest of the night until our watch shifts start. It feels almost like we never left the forest after the goblin extermination.


    <hr>


    ¡°Well, this sucks.¡± I¡¯m standing at the mouth of our cave. The sky is dark grey and not a single ray of sunlight makes it through the clouds. There¡¯s so much rain I can only guess the gods must be pissing on us right now.


    Master and Ronald walk up next to me. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± master says. Ronald and I just look at him with our straight faces. ¡°Your faces look the same!¡± Master immediately starts laughing and I can¡¯t hold back my own smile.


    I activate Mana Skin and step into the pouring rain.


    Master and Ronald pull up their raincoats and follow me into the forest.


    We zig-zag through the trees making sure we cover as much ground as possible. If we¡¯re lucky we won¡¯t find anything all day and will have to move to our next campsite. The farther we make it from the village without spotting a chameleon spider the better for the village.


    ¡°Your skill isn¡¯t fair,¡± Master complains behind me.


    I turn around and see two soggy men following me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you''re jealous about my skill.¡± I humph and face forwards.


    ¡°Your right, I am jealous.¡± Masters sad voice cuts through the rain and into my heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mas¡­¡± I cut myself off when I turn around and face him. Instead of a depressed Del, master is smiling at me.


    ¡°I may be a little jealous but I have more pride than jealousy for my monstrous disciple.¡± I turn back around before he can see me blush.


    ¡°Thank you, master. It means a lot that¡­¡± I freeze in my tracks.


    Master and Ronald see me stop. They both move directly behind me as quietly as possible so we can whisper to each other.


    ¡°Ahead to the left.¡± I point out the camouflaged spider leg to my companions.


    This isn¡¯t good! We¡¯re only an hour from our campsite. The spiders are definitely closing in on the village.


    We slowly move over to the spider without entering its striking range. I point out the legs I can see and follow them up to the main body of the spider. The canopy isn¡¯t as thick this far into the forest and only a quarter of its body is behind some branches and leaves. I deactivate my Sense Mana skill and realize the main body of the spider is completely invisible amongst its surroundings. Damn, they don¡¯t need a dense canopy to hide.


    At least the horrible weather is helping a little. You can see the rain bouncing off the carapace if you look closely enough.


    I pull out our torch and light it with my magic before the rain can soak it too much.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    We each know what our jobs are. I take up my position after charging master¡¯s pickaxe.


    I had to use my skills last time to cut through the spider¡¯s leg. The only skill I¡¯ve practiced with my sword is Precise Strike, I hope it will be enough. I see master out of the corner of my eye readying his stance.


    Just like working together, we don¡¯t need to communicate to synchronize our swings. We both attack at the same time.


    I inject mana into my sword and activate Precise Strike. My blade bursts into flames as it clashes against the spiders camouflaged leg. I feel the resistance when my katana makes contact. My sword makes it three quarters of the way through the leg before I need to draw my sword back. That¡¯s better than the last time I attacked the other spider.


    ¡°AAAAAGGGGGGGGG!¡±


    The shrill scream of the spider doesn¡¯t keep me from striking the leg again, this time I sever the leg completely. I use Flash Step and avoid the remaining part of the limb trying to hit me.


    With some distance between us, I look at the stump of the leg on the spider. The place I cut the carapace is slowly burning. My magic sword worked!


    Master jumps back and appears at my side. He managed to sever three legs this time. The pissed spider charges us on its remaining six legs.


    The twang of a loud bowstring fills the air and an arrow appears in one of the spider¡¯s eyes. I quickly glance at Ronald and see him smiling while he knocks another arrow back. Last time he could barely do anything against the spider¡¯s carapace and quick movements. I¡¯m glad the new bow was a success.


    I switch places with Ronald, he and Del distract the creature while I start chanting.


    ¡°I summon the power of the earth. I give 400 of my mana to use your great power. I call the element magnesium before me in the form of a powder. I shape the powder into a ball a foot in diameter in the palm of my hand. The ball will be covered in a shell made from wind mana and will be shot in a straight motion at 100 ft per second. Execute in five seconds.¡±


    The mana leaves my body and the spell forms in my palm. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± I shout to Ronald and Del.


    They both jump back as the ball of magnesium dust rockets out of my hand. The spider moves slightly and the ball strikes the bottom of the spider rather than its face.


    ¡°Your turn, master!¡± I watch Del grab the torch I prepared earlier. A small explosion of mud happens when master launches himself at the spider with incredible force.


    He makes it under the beast and prepares to torch the fucker.


    ¡°Watch out,¡± I scream as the spider tries crushing master with its body! Master makes it out from under the beast but can¡¯t dodge one of the spider¡¯s legs coming at him. Master tries to block the leg with his pickaxe but the force of the strike sends him skidding against the wet forest floor. He impacts a tree so hard the bark is pulverized.


    Worse, he dropped the torch during the skirmish. The torch went out as sone as it fell in the mud.


    ¡°Ronald, Piss it off more!¡± I shout at the hunter while I try to run towards to Del.


    His bow snaps again and an arrow pierces into another one of the spider¡¯s eyes. The beast turns away from master and charges us. Ronald takes some distance and I use Double Step to slash/evade another one of its limbs.


    Another arrow hits the spider in one of its joints distracting it long enough for me to reach master, who looks slow getting to his feet. His armor is dented and a steady stream of blood is dripping off of his face.


    ¡°You ok!?¡± I help him to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I lost the torch!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to light it with my sword. I need you and Ronald to keep it distracted!¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡± Master raises his pickaxe and charges the beast again.


    I need to hurry, the magnesium may be waterproof once it catches fire but every second it''s not lit the rain washes part of it off!


    I break into a run and try to get behind the spider. I¡¯m not sure if my sword can stand the magnesium fire so I can¡¯t just throw it at the carapace.


    I wait for it to lunge at master before I rush the creature!


    I make it underneath but I need to jump to reach the part where my spell hit. I¡¯m about to launch myself up when the carapace starts crashing down towards me. In the corner of my eye I see the eyes of the spider focusing on me.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± I raise up my flaming sword in an overhead striking motion. I move towards the head of the creature as I feel the carapace make contact with my sword¡¯s tip. I feel the heat form the magnesium igniting above me as I reach the open jaws of the creature.


    Sorry, but I don¡¯t feel like being eaten today!


    ¡°Flash Step!¡± I shout out and swerve around the jaws of the beast. I can¡¯t fully clear the body of the spider with my skill, so I push off of the ground with as much Strength I can muster after using my skill. I momentarily fly through the air before I hit the muddy ground. I curl into a ball and skid around on the forest floor, feeling my Mana Skin being ripped away in chunks.


    Master grabs me and pulls me away from the flailing spider. The cries of the burning beast are muffled by the heavy rainfall. Sparks dance across the carapace as water comes in contact with the magnesium.


    The fire only lasts 37 seconds this time, it took us too long to light the magnesium. The spider isn¡¯t dead yet but it¡¯s very close.


    It takes us five minutes to slash away the spiders remaining health before it finally stops moving.


    That¡¯s what we get for planning ahead.


    I look at the corpse of the magic beast. The exposed flesh of the creature is still steaming and I¡¯m suddenly hungry.


    I have a feeling I¡¯ll get plenty of spider meat in the coming months.

 Ch: 39

    ¡°Damn! They spotted us,¡± I shout.


    The three of us rush towards the headman¡¯s house. We circled the forest surrounding the village so we could drop the materials from the chameleon spider off at Del¡¯s house. We were hoping without being weighed down by the materials we could easily make it to Camden¡¯s house without being spotted.


    None of us wanted to interact with the nervous villagers after the tense four days we spent in the forest.


    News travels fast in a small village and by the time we make it in front of the headman¡¯s house a tenth of the village is crowding around the front door waiting for us, with more coming by the second.


    Once we get within arm¡¯s length of the crowd we¡¯re bombarded with questions. It¡¯s hard to listen to any one person in a situation like this but I can guess they all revolve around the spiders.


    ¡°Let us pass, please! We need to report to the headman!¡± I try to shout over the mass of people. My voice is quickly drowned out by the crowd.


    I notice the headman¡¯s front door open and Camden steps out in front of the crowd. Camden immediately frowns when he sees the crowd blocking our path. ¡°Step aside! Let them pass!¡± The surroundings hush. I can feel his skill reverberating throughout the crowd.


    A path made by reluctant villagers, only a few feet wide, opens up towards where Camden is standing. The three of us don¡¯t take the opening lightly and rush up to the open door. Camden quickly follows us inside and shuts the door behind us. I can still hear the crowd outside complaining. It sounds like more people are gathering not dispersing.


    Right before we¡¯re led into the drawing-room, the headman¡¯s front door is flung open. ¡°Are they back?¡± Braddon stands in the doorway and looks happy to see us. Behind him I see the still growing crowd staring at us.


    ¡°If you want to join us hurry on in and shut the door.¡± Braddon looks surprised but quickly realizes why his father is mad when he sees the crowd staring at him when he goes to close the door.


    When we finally make it into the drawing-room, I notice Sarette and Nicolas already waiting for us. It¡¯s later in the day, so mother must¡¯ve gone home already.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any materials on your back, does that mean you couldn¡¯t find any of the spiders?!¡± Camden looks between us, hoping for some good news.


    Master and Ronald both turn away, refusing to meet Camden¡¯s gaze and I can¡¯t help but have a sorrowful look myself.


    Camden¡¯s smile quickly drops and I can see him pale a bit. ¡°How bad is it?¡± He focuses on me since the men refuse to look at him.


    I feel bad about having to give him the news. ¡°We encountered the first chameleon spider only roughly nine hours away from the village. We¡¯re faster than the average hunter so you can increase that time to maybe twelve or fourteen hours but either way they¡¯re less than a day¡¯s journey away from our village.¡±


    All of Camden¡¯s family look shocked at the news.


    ¡°They¡¯re that close already!?¡± Poor Camden is sweating and shaking in his seat. ¡°Are you sure this wasn¡¯t a lone spider that happened to get too close?¡± He¡¯s fishing for any good news he can get.


    ¡°We had trouble with the first spider we encountered. Master Del was injured and after we dismantled the magic beast we returned to our campsite to rest. The next day we searched the surrounding woods and found two more spiders near to where we fought the previous day. We discussed it on the way back and we agree the spiders will enter our normal hunting grounds in the next few weeks.¡± Sarette gasps and brings her hands to her mouth.


    ¡°So soon!?¡± Camden looks like I struck him across the face.


    ¡°You were injured, Master Del-Razen?¡± Nicolas looks worriedly at master.


    Master coughs into his hand before he raises his head to look at Nicolas. ¡°We had some trouble dealing with the magic beast in the rain. I was careless and got knocked on my ass¡­ I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    Nicolas looks relived but I know better. Master¡¯s darker skin tone hides his injuries but I can see the slight discoloration across his face. His head may not be bleeding anymore but I¡¯m sure he still has bruises all over his body after a hit like that.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I hear Camden mumble under his breath. ¡°No one is coming. How do I handle this?¡± That was loud enough for his family to hear.


    Sarette gets up and moves next to her husband. She wraps her arms around him and mumbles something in his ear. It¡¯s hard to see a man crumble in front of you. He¡¯s older than my father but I would have to be blind if I didn¡¯t notice the similarities between the two.


    A part of me knew how bad the situation was on our way back. Seeing Camden¡¯s reaction, I can only imagine how the rest of the village is going to handle this news.


    In a few weeks, magic beasts will be hidden in the forest relatively close to our village. What happens when the hunters need to find food during winter or father needs to gather more firewood? What happens if they start hiding right outside our houses?


    ¡°Come with me, dear.¡± Sarette compels Camden to his feet. She starts leading him out of the room until she stops at the door. ¡°Nicolas, inform the crowd outside that your father will address them tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± He responds looking a little nervous about addressing the masses.


    ¡°And Aaliyah, dear. Kervin arrived today. He already agreed to wait for you so you can take your time and rest if you need to.¡± With that, she walks her husband out of the room.


    Poor guy, ever since the goblin extermination everything¡¯s gotten worse for him. Our once quiet village is in turmoil and the local lord is preoccupied with a war on his doorstep.


    ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out now.¡± Nicolas tries to sound professional but it¡¯s a cheap fa?ade hiding his nervousness.


    Braddon rises and walks next to his brother. He slowly puts his hand on his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Nicolas gives his brother a half-smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The two brothers escort us back to the front door. When they open the door, I see over half the village waiting outside. My parents are off to the side and I see Kervin and one of his bodyguards amongst the crowd close to them.


    I¡¯m about to try pushing through the crowd but the people practically erupt when they see the five of us standing together.


    ¡°Please quiet!¡± Nicolas tries to quell the mass of shouting villagers.


    ¡°We¡¯ll never make it out of here like this.¡± My frown mirrors the ones growing on my parent''s faces. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an opening,¡± I warn Nicolas.


    I walk in front of our small group and look over the crowd. I still can¡¯t make out a single thing they¡¯re saying. I widen my stance and take a deep breath.


    ¡°Excuse Me!!!¡± Everyone stops talking after I use Intimidating Shout. It may not be the same as the headman¡¯s skill but I think it did the trick. A few villagers are shaking and others can¡¯t look at me. ¡°I¡¯m tired and wish to be with my family. Step aside, please.¡± A much bigger pathway opens up than when we first came to the headman¡¯s house.


    I start walking down the cleared path that leads to my parents. The only two people who don¡¯t directly move out of my way are Kervin and his bodyguard. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± I mumble as I pass him. Kervin has an awkward smile and his guard flinches when I look at him. What¡¯s with that reaction?


    I forget about their responses when I see mother and father ahead of me. Their smiles help calm my mind and I can finally relax when they both give me a hug.


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Nicolas doesn¡¯t miss the chance I gave him. ¡°As you can see the scouting party returned safely and I¡¯m sure the three of them would like some time to settle down without being bothered. My mother and father are currently going over everything the scouts reported and will have a response for you in the morning.¡± More than a few dissatisfied murmurs can be heard after his response. The village would riot if they knew how the headman was responding to the situation right now.


    I look over my parents¡¯ shoulder and notice Ronald and Del walking to their homes avoiding the surrounding villagers.


    ¡°Can we go home, please?¡± I whisper to my parents. They release me and move to either side of me, trying to guard me against the surrounding gazes. I try to avoid the remaining looks from everyone around us as we leave.


    ¡°Are you hungry, sweety? We can have an early dinner if you are?¡± Mother asks from my right.


    ¡°That sounds nice.¡± A good meal together sounds amazing¡­ and I have more meat waiting in Del¡¯s shack. ¡°We brought back more magic beast meat. Let me grab it from master¡¯s house and I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, and while you¡¯re there invite Del over. He looked tired and I¡¯m sure our cooking will be better than anything he was going to make for himself.¡± Mother looks ahead and I can see master walking in the distance, almost at the forest line. He¡¯s keeping it hidden well but he has a slight limp.


    ¡°Sure thing, mom. Meet you back home.¡± I activate Double Step and rush after master.


    I follow him into the woods and easily catch up to him. ¡°You¡¯re stumbling, master.¡± I move to support him.


    ¡°I just need some time to rest and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He stubbornly ignores my offer of support. ¡°We had to move too much in the forest which slowed down my Health regain. I¡¯ll be back to a 100% in a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Sounds nice. I have to meet with Kervin tomorrow but a few days of rest after that wouldn¡¯t hurt me either.¡± Some time set aside for light magic training sounds nice right now.


    Master gives me a flat look. ¡°What!?¡± I question him.


    ¡°I was thinking we have two different ideas on the concept of relaxing.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to that.¡± I hang my head in contemplation. I joked about it before but maybe I do need to take a day off without any training.


    ¡°Speaking about rest days, why are you here? You left with your family earlier. You should be spending the rest of the day with them.¡±


    ¡°I plan on it. I¡¯m grabbing some of the magic beast meat from your house and heading back. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer but I truly want to rest.¡± I stop and take a better look at master.


    ¡°Should I get Anastasia?¡± I ask nervously.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine. Besides, someone at Anastasia¡¯s level wouldn¡¯t have enough mana to heal me. People with a high Vitality can take more damage and heal faster than others with a lower Vitality and be able to function with higher degree of injury but when they receive aid through a healer or alchemical solution it needs to be significantly stronger depending on the injured persons Vitality. It would be wasteful for her to use her mana when I¡¯ll heal naturally in a few days.¡±


    ¡°You can rest while having dinner with us. Mother will be sad if you refuse her offer.¡± I bring out the big guns.


    ¡°Your mother was it?¡± I nod to master. ¡°Please tell your mother I apologize for my absence.¡± I stumble when I hear his words.


    We walk in silence all the way back to master¡¯s house. He doesn¡¯t even say anything while I gather the meat I need for dinner.


    Master positions himself on his bed and pulls the covers over his head.


    I use one of his clean pots to store the meat.


    Making my way over to his door, I turn around and glance at the lump that is master. ¡°I hope you feel better, master.¡± A light snoring sound echoes out from under his blanket. Master only snores when he actually falls asleep.


    I make my way back home. Praying master recovers without issue.


    <hr>


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check on master. I¡¯ll meet you in front of the headman¡¯s house.¡± I tell my parents as I slip on my shoes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you there.¡± Dad Shifts his axe onto his back.


    ¡°You¡¯re not working today are you, sweety?¡± Mother questions.


    ¡°No, after the village meeting, I need to meet with Kervin but after that, I¡¯m free the next couple of days.¡± I give a reassuring smile to mother.


    ¡°Give this to Del, will you.¡± Mother hands me the pot I brought the meat home in last night. I look down at a full pot of spider stew, yummy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll like it.¡± With that, I¡¯m out the door.


    The sun is peaking over the horizon and the whole village is stirring to life. I don¡¯t want people to see me yet, so I use Double Step and run as quickly as I can without spilling mother¡¯s stew.


    I¡¯m feeling better after a good night¡¯s rest and I hope Del feels the same. We weren¡¯t told we need to be present during this meeting, meaning Master Del and Ronald will probably choose to stay home. I debated whether I feel like attending but decided one of us needs to attend.


    I knock on master¡¯s front door, juggling the stew in one hand. ¡°You decent?¡± I shout through the door.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah, why are you here so early?¡±


    I open the door and see two eyes peeking out from a bundle of blankets. ¡°I came to check up on you and bring you a present.¡± I place the stew on a table off to the side.


    ¡°Mother said she forgives you and wanted me to give you your portion of dinner from last night.¡± I motion to the cold stew.


    ¡°Is it poisoned?¡± Master questions still hidden under his covers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell her how grateful you are¡­ Master, are you coming to the meeting?¡± I hesitantly ask him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass, are you going?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I figured I need to support my extended family. Sandra would be sad if her father was mobbed without any back-up.¡± I try to hide my insecurity behind a joke.


    ¡°We did our part. Camden isn¡¯t going to roll over that easy.¡± Master sounds sure of himself.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your word for it. Enjoy the stew.¡±


    ¡°Yeah-yeah.¡± I hear him say. I leave master to his rest.


    I softly close the door behind me and look around the workshop clearing. I see the empty cart sitting off to the side. I originally planned to have that cart filled with weapons for Kervin.


    ¡°Oh, well,¡± I say to myself. I glance at the shed containing the spears I made. Would bringing weapons to the meeting be a good or bad thing?


    Everyone is carrying something to defend themselves with these days so bringing some weapons meant for the village might help. I move over to grab my work.


    Inside the shed are two bundles of spears. I wrapped the spears into two groups of four with each bundle having two of each type of spear. I¡¯ll sell one bundle to Kervin and give the other to Camden. I should quickly prep the cart before I leave for the village.


    I grab one of the bundles and move it into the cart. Then, I start filling the cart with the chameleon spider materials I¡¯ll be selling to Kervin. I knew he would be coming soon and I had the foresight to master about everything we decided to sell before we left on our scouting trip. Once everything is loaded, I grab the remaining bundle of spears and leave the cart behind. I¡¯ll pick it up before I meet with Kervin.


    With everything organized, I head back to the village.


    When I make it back almost the whole village is crowded outside Camden¡¯s house. His whole family is lined up next to him offering their support. He looks composed but I can¡¯t shake the image of him panicking yesterday.


    I can¡¯t see my family but I do make eye contact with Camden. He lets out a deep breath and scans the crowd. Nodding to himself, he raises his hands and the crowd silences itself. Camden once again looks in my direction and I can tell he wants to ask me to join him. I hesitate for a moment before nodding to him.


    He smiles and waves me over. The closest villagers notice me and slowly a path to the front is formed. I ignore everyone¡¯s gazes as I take my place next to Camden. I can tell everyone is wondering were Del and Ronald are.


    ¡°Thank you for joining us, Aaliyah.¡± Camden thanks me loud enough so that the whole crowd can hear him. He looks questionably at the spears I¡¯m caring but I only give him a nod of acknowledgment straight out of Ronald¡¯s playbook. He takes the hint and moves his attention back to the village.


    ¡°Ronald and Del-Razen are tired from their scouting and couldn¡¯t join us today.¡± The crowd whispers to each other. ¡°The scouting party managed to slay another magic beast.¡± A few people look excited but others realize a ¡®But¡¯ is coming. ¡°The three of them can kill the beasts one at a time¡­ sadly it¡¯s where they found this one that¡¯s the problem.¡± The crowd immediately turns restless. ¡°The closest chameleon spider to our village was only 14 hours away.¡± The regular villagers don¡¯t understand the significance of his words but the hunters in the crowd sure do.


    ¡°It appears they are moving closer to our village and will soon start to appear in our hunting grounds.¡± Camden keeps a straight face while everyone erupts in panic. He chooses not to use any skills but waits for people to quiet naturally.


    Once the crowd quiets enough, Camden continues. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared; I am too. We face a threat we can¡¯t see and only a few of us can fight. We need to move with caution from here on out. Once winter passes, we can get the lords help to drive off the creatures. Until then no one but the essential people will enter the forest.¡± More than one person looks angry at the restrictions.


    ¡°How are we supposed to hunt for meat!?¡± One of the hunters shouts out.


    Camden looks at the man. ¡°Only one group of hunters will be allowed outside the village at a time and they must be accompanied by Ronald.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can get enough meat for everyone before winter like that!¡± Another hunter shouts.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware!¡± Camden¡¯s shout silences the growing cries of alarm. ¡°My wife has told me we have enough in the village coffers to buy dried meat from Mister Kervin.¡± Kervin for his part was apparently not aware of that fact and pales when the crowd surrounding him stares at him. I see his bodyguard ready his hand on his sword.


    ¡°The village will purchase the meat and distribute it if we can¡¯t make it through the winter. There is one more thing we must do.¡± Camden sweeps the crowd with a serious look. ¡°Every tree within ten feet of the village will need to be cut down or notched at its base.¡± People start whispering to one another. The people who went with us on the goblin extermination in the crowd must realize we¡¯re using the same strategy as the goblins.


    ¡°If the magic beasts get close to our village, we will be able to spot them based on the lack of the cut marks on their legs,¡± Camden explains.


    ¡°And what if they charge into our village!?¡± One of the villager¡¯s shouts.


    Camden¡¯s face says he wasn¡¯t prepared for that question. The crowd starts to move restlessly when Camden doesn¡¯t respond, so I step forward.


    I thought I might need to use my Intimidating Shout again but the crowd silences as soon as I take center stage. ¡°Then we defend ourselves.¡± My words shock most of the people. ¡°The goblins managed to survive against them, are we weaker than the goblins?!¡± I Challenge the crowd and swing the bundle of spears into my arms.


    While people murmur between one another, I unbundle the spears and hand them to Camden¡¯s family. ¡°The goblins managed to defend themselves with sticks and bones. We have much better than that. Every other weapon I make will be donated to the village.¡± My oath startles Camden and the villagers. ¡°We will be prepared if these oversized bugs decide to step near our village. Master Del, Ronald, and I might not be able to kill them rapidly but we can still hunt them as they get closer to our village. The hunters need to be careful now but the beasts shouldn¡¯t reach our village for at least another month. They may be able to hide now but when the snow falls their bodies will stand out more in the falling snow.¡± I feel a rush of adrenaline as I address the crowd.


    ¡°We will not fall like mindless beasts!¡± I unsheathe my sword and point it up in the air. ¡°When we work together, we are unstoppable!¡± The crowd starts shouting in confirmation.


    I¡¯m about to Inject Mana into my sword but stop myself at the last second. Almost got carried away myself.


    ¡°If we stay safe and listen to Headman Downs, we¡¯ll overcome these beasts!¡± I use Intimidating Shout again but it feels different this time. My shout lights a fire in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    I sheath my sword and step back next to Camden. He looks at me with his mouth slightly ajar. I¡¯m trying to breathe and calm my own heart that¡¯s pounding in my chest. I give him a nudge forward to continue.


    He takes position in front of the cheering crowd. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with most of you over the next couple of days. We¡¯ll make a schedule for people to help mark the surrounding trees. Together we will beat the beast back into the woods!¡± the crowd doesn¡¯t shout as much as when I was speaking but Camden¡¯s words do their job. Many people approach Camden and myself while the rest start to disperse.


    I turn to Camden, ¡°I need to talk to Kervin. The rest is up to you, fearless leader.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Camden reaches out to stop me from running away but I activate Flash Step. I appear a few feet away in the crowd and make my way over to Kervin. No one is approaching his serious looking guard that¡¯s trying to escort him back to his cart.


    I move beside them but take a step back when his guard slightly draws his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at your cart,¡± I shout at the merchant.


    I use Double Step to outrun the crowd and make my way home. I need to pick up my money.


    I practically throw my shoes off and don¡¯t even bother putting my house slippers on. I rush into my room and push a floorboard up and out of the way that was hidden under my bed. In my hidden compartment, carved into the stone foundation, is my savings. I grab the bag of coins and move back to our entryway.


    I slip back on my shoes and rush out the door. I fly through the woods back to Del¡¯s clearing, I get behind the cart and push it towards the forest path. It may not be full of steel goods like last time but my increased stats make this load easier to move than last time. I make sure to scan the trees with each step I take.


    I make my way carefully towards the front of the village and Kervin¡¯s cart with my goods in front of me.


    When I reach his campsite, I see a few people trying to negotiate prices with him. Most people do their trading the first day he¡¯s here, so I can only imagine they¡¯re trying to barter for supplies they think they¡¯ll need now that our village is going into lockdown.


    I scan back and forth the trees around Kervin¡¯s campsite.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying an extra day this time. If you can come back tomorrow it would be most appreciated. I have a meeting with Miss Aaliyah here.¡± With the mention of my name the people trying to surround Kervin back off and notice me. Most takeoff but one stops next to me and bows his head, I think he was from the goblin extermination.


    ¡°Aaliyah! Good to see you again!¡± Kervin opens his arms like he wants a hug. His two bodyguards are flanking him and lightly hold him back. For some reason, the two of them won¡¯t take their eyes off of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you again too, Kervin. I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t have the weapons I promised.¡± I park my cart next to his.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, I understand. Come sit down.¡± I follow him and his guards over to their campsite and sit across from him on a log.


    ¡°Really?¡± I give him a look that says I don¡¯t believe him.


    He holds his hands up in defense. ¡°I may be a little disappointed but I¡¯m not heartless. I heard about what happened after I left last time. Goblins, magic beasts, and it sounds like you distributed your stats. I can¡¯t imagine the month you¡¯ve had.¡± He gives me his usual merchant smile.


    ¡°I take it my family warned you I have business for you. Is that why you¡¯re so happy?¡± I narrow my eyes and he flinches away from me. ¡°Are you ok?¡± I quickly ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He adjusts himself. ¡°And to answer your question, I was told about your materials already.¡± He turns his head and licks his lips at my cart.


    ¡°You have some good business coming your way.¡± He stops eyeballing my cart and turns back to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m being insensitive, aren¡¯t I? Your village has gone through a lot and here I am staring at your materials.¡± He moves a pot at his side next to his campfire. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°A lot has happened. I almost died.¡± I look up at the dark clouds moving across the sky.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t. You managed to slay a horned hob.¡±


    I look back at Kervin. ¡°You catch up fast. I take it people are talking about me.¡±


    ¡°A merchant thrives off of the knowledge he has on his clientele. Yesterday, people told me about your strength and bravery. Then of course I hear you helped slay not one but two magic beasts. I¡¯m sitting in front of a hero.¡± He chuckles to himself.


    I frown and his two guards tense up. What¡¯s their problem today? ¡°I prefer if you don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    Kervin stops smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He pulls out two wooden cups and pours me a hot cup of tea. ¡°Shall we move on to business?¡±


    I take the cup offered to me and down the whole thing at once. The tea helps to fire me up. ¡°Of course.¡± I hand him back the empty cup.


    The four of us stand up and I lead them over to my cart. I reach in and unbind the spears. I grab one of each and carefully hand the longer one over to Kervin first.


    He looks over the spear and stops when he sees my maker¡¯s mark. ¡°You reached level 50 in Blacksmithing?¡± I choose to smile without saying anything.


    We trade spears and he examines the smaller one. He looks slightly impressed.


    ¡°Can I see the magic beast materials?¡± He looks at my cart like he wishes he had x-ray vision.


    I place the spears against my cart and withdraw a piece of carapace. I hand it to Kervin and he examines the material. ¡°Do you have anything other than the shell?¡±


    I point at the three jars in the cart. ¡°We couldn¡¯t harvest any materials from the first spider we killed but the one we killed a few days ago had a few organs intact. We managed to harvest five eyes from the beast in the first jar. The second contains what we think is a part of the lungs. The third should be a heart. We also recovered five fangs from the beasts.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound very confident describing the materials?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a biologist?¡± I challenge him.


    ¡°A what?¡± He looks confused.


    ¡°Sorry, I meant an alchemist. Killing the beasts is hard and we don¡¯t have the luxury to avoid their organs. If you can make a profit on them let us know and maybe we¡¯ll have a chance to harvest them in the future.¡±


    ¡°Unknown monster parts are tricky to deal with.¡± Kervin folds his arms in front of me.


    I recognize the challenge. Our skills activate and the fun begins.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. Everyone knows there¡¯s always a market for magic beast materials. I¡¯ll give them to you for a gold piece.¡±


    ¡°Gold! Were you struck in the head by the goblins? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll make a profit on that, 60 silver.¡±


    ¡°Master and I already tested the materials and it¡¯s wind attribute. We can use them if you don¡¯t care enough to give me a decent offer, 90 silver coins.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should keep them? If I can¡¯t make money on them, I don¡¯t want them. I¡¯ll give you 75 silver for the lot of them.¡±


    ¡°Word will get out about our materials in the spring. I can wait until your successor comes and trade with him. I want 80 silver for the magic beast parts.¡±


    Our skills are clashing and I can feel mine being dominated like usual. Strangely enough, though, his skills aren¡¯t making me want to agree. Is Mental Resistance helping me?


    Kervin notices my unwillingness to settle on a price and looks confused.


    His gaze moves over to my spears. ¡°What about your spears? The normal 25 bronze enough for you?¡±


    ¡°That was for my previous work. These are all metal instead of a wooden pole. These are meant for higher leveled people, people like soldiers. I want 2 silver a piece for them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s eight times higher than last month! I¡¯ll go up to 85 bronze for each.¡±


    His skill¡¯s crush mine but I don¡¯t let his skill influence my decision.


    ¡°I need one and a half silver for them. That¡¯s fair and you know it.¡± I continue to challenge his prices.


    We stare back and forth. Kervin starts trembling before he sucks in a breath of air. ¡°Fine, 85 silver for everything.¡± He reluctantly says.


    ¡°That¡¯s good with me.¡± I stick out my hand.


    He takes my hand and snickers. ¡°You got a lot better, care to see the ores I brought for you?¡± He obviously wants to get some of his coins back. ¡°I managed to get a hold of some ¡®Chasten Copper¡¯ the stuff is purple; you have to see it.¡±


    My heart skips a beat but I can¡¯t waste my money right now. ¡°No thanks, Kervin.¡±


    He looks back at me with astonished eyes. ¡°Since when do you not want magic rocks?¡±


    I reach to my side and feel the bag holding my savings. ¡°I do want magic materials¡­ very specific ones.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want to place an order? What do you have in mind?¡± He looks at me querulously.


    ¡°I need 5 ounces of mithril, it needs to be as pure as I can get.¡± Kervin¡¯s eyes almost pop out of his head when he hears my request.


    ¡°You want magic silver!? Do you have any idea what that costs?¡± He¡¯s looking at me like I grew another head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all. I need a small magic gem that has a low elemental affinity, preferably wind if you can find one.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re making fun of me! Do you think I can bring you samples of materials like that?! I would need to call in all my favors in Silver Heard just to see their magic gems and you want me to bring them here!?¡±


    I unstring my coin purse and hand it to him. Kervin opens it and looks inside. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°My entire savings from trading with you these last few years. Including what we agreed on for the cart of materials it should be around two and a half gold. Can you bring me something with that?¡±


    Kervin looks shocked. ¡°You¡¯re paying me upfront?¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m asking for is a lot. Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°You trust me with this much money?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer without even a pause. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    He stands in front of me staring at the coins in deep thought.


    Finally, he looks back up. ¡°I get a 10% finder¡¯s fee. Make sure you have enough weapons to cover it when I get back.¡± It takes a moment for me to realize what he said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll take your cut later?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    ¡°Just this once.¡±


    I can¡¯t help but smile and rush in to give him a hug. I wrap him in a bear hug and swing him around. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you.¡± I say rapidly.


    When I stop spinning him and put him down. I notice his guards have their swords drawn. ¡°What¡¯s your guys deal today?!¡± I shout at them and take a step forward.


    ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s ok. They¡¯re just jumpy after hearing about the magic beasts.¡± He moves in front of me and uses his hands to make a lowing gesture to his men.


    Once their swords are sheathed again, he turns back to me. ¡°Sorry about that. I¡¯ll find the best specimens I can get my hands on and bring them with me next month.¡±


    ¡°It means a lot to me, Kervin.¡± I move over to my cart and fish out a small jar. ¡°Try eating this.¡± I hand him the jar.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some of the meat we harvested from the chameleon spider we just hunted. It tastes delicious and there should be enough here for the three of you.¡±


    ¡°Uhhh?¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say, but trust me and try it. You can find me tomorrow if you want to buy some more for the road.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I will.¡± He says sarcastically.


    ¡°Alright, let''s empty my cart. My family is expecting me.¡±


    Before I can start pulling everything out, Kervin stops me. ¡°Let my men do it. You can help me finish the tea.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡± I pause when I hear one of his bodyguards call out to Kervin. He looks worried about something.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You owe Aaliyah an apology. Empty the cart for her, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kervin grabs my arm and drags me back to their campfire.


    He pours me another cup of tea and I figure I¡¯ll check my stats while I¡¯m waiting for my cart.


    LV: 61 Experience: 57,248/ 449,563


    Health: 2,030/2,030


    Stamina: 1,178.21/1,343


    Mana: 942.81/1,000


    Vitality: 203.00


    Endurance: 80.08


    Strength: 120.02


    Dexterity: 113.02


    Senses: 60.20


    Mind: 62.27


    Magic: 100.28


    Clarity: 75.19


    Status Points: 10


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV70), Axe Skills (LV55), Blacksmithing (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV48), Chanting (LV45), Mining (LV42), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Trading (LV32), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Sword Skills(LV14), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV77), Double Step (LV53), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV39), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV30), Increase price (LV13), Lower Price (LV12), Dagger Arts (LV12), Marching (LV5), Sword Arts (LV3), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV55), Mana Manipulation (LV47), Precise Strike (LV27), Double Strike (LV26), Weighted Strike (LV12), Flash Step (LV10)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV41), Mana Skin (LV40), Mental Resistance (LV38), Extract Mana (LV11), Magic Blacksmithing (LV5)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV28)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV55) 2,750exp


    Chanting (LV45) 2,250exp


    Trading (LV27-32) 8,850exp


    Sword Skills (LV10-14) 3,000exp


    Double Step (LV53) 5,300exp


    Measurement (LV39) 3,900exp


    Intimidating Shout (LV30) 3,000exp


    Increase price (LV8-13) 6,300exp


    Lower Price (LV5-12) 6,800exp


    Sword Arts (LV2-3) 500exp


    Shout of Valor (LV1) 100exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV47) 7,050exp


    Precise Strike (LV26-27) 7,950exp


    Double Strike (LV24-26) 11,250exp


    Weighted Strike (LV9-12) 6,300exp


    Flash Step (LV9-10) 2,850exp


    Mental Resistance (LV38) 9,500exp


    Extract Mana (LV7-11) 11,250exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV3-5) 3,000exp


    Sense Soul (LV28) 14,000exp


    Skill Experience: 115,900exp


    Crafting Experience: 19,702exp


    Fighting Experience: 8,643exp


    Total experience Gained: 144,245exp


    I reached level 61 and gained a new skill. Shout of Valor, probably won¡¯t use it often. I got 19,702exp for making the spears and helping with Ronald¡¯s bow. I got a decent amount of experience for killing the spider, I wonder if I¡¯ll earn close to the same amount of experience every time we kill one?


    My merchant skills also shot up like crazy after I disregarded Kervin¡¯s skills.


    I¡¯ll have to distribute my stat points when I get home. A huge smile comes to my face.


    <hr>


    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    Watching Aaliyah smile at a blank space makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. She must have gained some levels after whatever she did to my skills.


    I was able to lessen her skills against me but it seemed like she completely ignored mine. She¡¯s obviously stronger since I saw her last but she couldn¡¯t have heavily invested in her Mind stat as well, did she?


    I¡¯ve known how amazing she was since she first came to trade with me. Her rate of growth is staggering but I can barely recognizer her since I saw her last month. Behind her smile I can see the weight of battle and a look that resembles the same one Lurte and Ryiba have.


    Speaking of which, I glance over at the two. They¡¯re rushing to empty Aaliyah¡¯s cart but both of them are taking turns keeping an eye on me. I haven¡¯t had a chance to ask them about the young woman sitting in front of me.


    Aaliyah¡¯s eyes refocus, she must have finished looking at her stats. ¡°Would you like some more tea?¡± I offer her the kettle.


    ¡°No thank you. Sorry for spacing out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Judging by your grin you must have leveled a few skills.¡± I try to pry some info out of her. I need to know all I can about what skill she used on me.


    ¡°A few, want to renegotiate our prices?¡± I feel like a beast is looking at me when she smiles and offers to renegotiate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait until next time.¡± I look over her shoulder and see Lurte and Ryiba dashing back to my side. ¡°Looks like your cart is empty.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the tea.¡± She stands up and moves in front of me too quickly for me to react. Does she not notice how she moves? Her physical stats have to be all over 100.


    I notice she¡¯s holding her hand out for me. I slowly rise and move to shake her hand. Lurte and Ryiba reach my side as our grips lock into place. Her once smooth hands are grittier now. She doesn¡¯t put too much force into the shake but her hands guide mine in a precise motion. If I tried to shift my hand at all I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to move one of her fingers.


    ¡°See you next month.¡± She offers me one last smile and moves over to her cart. She effortlessly pushes it off into the distance, that¡¯s another thing that changed in only a month.


    Lurte and Ryiba relax a few minutes after she vanishes out of sight.


    ¡°How bad was it?¡± I ask my faithful bodyguards.


    Ryiba steps closer to me. ¡°She¡¯s extremely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Oh?!¡± That¡¯s surprising. ¡°Can you guess her level?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°High 50¡¯s, maybe even 60.¡± I pale when I hear him.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, she¡¯s only 15!¡± I can¡¯t help but disagree with Ryiba. Then again, he¡¯s rarely wrong.


    ¡°Her mana has expanded a great deal alongside her physical stats.¡± I assumed she practiced some form of magic being an apprentice to a Stone Kin but Ryiba sounds shaken. It was amazing I found a free-lance mercenary that had a slight talent for sensing magic.


    ¡°Are you sure?!¡± I double-check.


    ¡°She¡¯s not guarding her mana pool. Anyone who knows the technique can feel the magic radiating out of her body. It didn¡¯t matter last time we saw her but her presence has changed, it¡¯s sharper. She¡¯s actively looking for threats around her and judging by her stance she was ready to draw her blade. She was focusing on the tree line but she was making us nervous.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you believe she killed the horned hob in single combat?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Both of them look at me seriously.


    ¡°Then that means I found the brightest gem around.¡± The two of them don¡¯t look like they comprehend what I said.


    ¡°That girl will become someone great in the near future. All high leveled people need a reliable merchant under them.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you agreed to get her the materials?¡± Lurte asks.


    ¡°Exactly! If she or her master need materials like that, they must be doing something special with them. That girl will make me rich¡­ so, neither of you better ever draw your swords on her again! Do I make myself clear!?¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    They both loyally salute me. ¡°Continue to follow me and I¡¯ll make sure to reward both of you handsomely.¡±


    They smile while I sit back and drink the rest of my tea. This village is turning out to be the greatest boon I¡¯ve ever had.


    A rising star, villagers clamoring for food, and a headman who will be asking for bigger deliveries.


    The only downside is I¡¯ll need to downplay this at headquarters. Aaliyah¡¯s threat wasn¡¯t to far off the mark. If one of the senior merchants catch wind of this I¡¯ll be booted from this route.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll give up the opportunity before me. I¡¯ll be an executive in the Silver Heard Trading Company soon enough.

 Ch: 40

    Focus.


    I feel my mana envelop my body. Mana Skin activates and I focus my senses on how it conveys the mana to perfectly cover my frame. Mana Skin has been stuck at level 40 for three weeks now and I need it to reach the next level.


    I¡¯ve tried compressing the barrier Mana Skin makes but the barrier only weakens after I compress it a certain degree.


    I took today off to give myself the extra time needed to pass the test. Things have been hectic over these last three weeks and my magic training has sadly been reduced to almost nothing.


    Six days ago, the first chameleon spider was spotted by Ronald¡¯s hunting group. It took the spiders slightly longer to reach our hunting grounds than we originally thought but they showed up none the less. We slew the beast the next day but we saw signs that others weren¡¯t far behind the first one.


    The village has been scrambling to cut down as many trees as possible since Camden laid out his plans to defend the village. The villagers got behind the idea and even now we have an alternating team of people cutting down as many of the surrounding trees as they can.


    The village has cleared nearly thirty feet of the forest surrounding our village and even the rain turning into slush hasn¡¯t stopped people from working like they¡¯re possessed. Any of the trees that can be safely burned have been processed to help reduce how much wood father needs to gather in the forest. With his free time, father has been spearheading the deforestation project and only goes into the forest once a week with me.


    The fields have been prepped for winter leaving the farmers open to help remove the many stumps surrounding our village. They¡¯re focusing near the fields that way when this disaster finally passes, they can expand the workable farmland.


    With the village working so hard, master and I have been swamped with work. We needed to forge nearly twenty axes to help with the tree felling and we¡¯ve been sharpening axes every day.


    My average day in master¡¯s forge starts with us sharpening as many as five axes before we get to any real forging. Ronald even commissioned another two bows for Hayk and Arash.  Ronald brought the two men over to Del¡¯s after they went hunting with him and witnessed his new bow in action.


    Neither could afford the price I insisted on. Our small village works mostly through barter but everyone has a few coins stashed somewhere. I wanted five silver and that was with a huge discount. I would normally give them the bows and have them slowly pay me back but our current predicament has made things difficult.


    I have maybe two weeks before Kervin comes back with the materials I ordered. The mithril and magic gem are the main components master needs to forge me an engraving pen. I¡¯m confident I can cover his broker fee by the time he gets back but I still need to order magic tools so I can study their runes.


    I was set to turn them away when Ronald offered up his share of future chameleon spider hunts to cover the cost of their bows. I don¡¯t know why he would pay for them but I couldn¡¯t turn down a request from Ronald.


    Customizing two bows took up a lot of Del¡¯s and my time. When we started making the bows, the spiders weren¡¯t yet spotted in our hunting grounds, meaning we were working off of good faith instead of the promise of payment. And of course, once we finished Arash and Hayk¡¯s bows Braddon came to us with a request of his own. Thankfully he had the coin from his family.


    I had to change my schedule to accommodate the influx of work. I spend six days with master forging bows, spears, and everyday items like nails for the village every week. The last day I spend helping father to gather wood in the forest and spending time with mother.


    Master has been complaining about his lack of sleep as of late. He leaves the forging to me while he mines and smelts the huge amount of steel we need.


    If that wasn¡¯t enough for us to do, we had to hunt the spider that was spotted close to the village when it showed up. We stuck with the same tactics as the last two times but instead of using a torch to light the magnesium, Ronald prepared an arrow that we could light on fire. The arrow was ruined but it proved much safer for us to use.


    The last five days the hunting group has come across two more spiders hidden in the woods. The falling snow has helped outline the creatures, preventing any casualties so far. It¡¯s become more apparent the beasts are spreading out.


    Each day the hunters find less and less game in the woods. Rumors are spreading through the village that the hunters spend their days following tracks only for them to suddenly disappear leaving behind a few drops of blood and nothing else.


    The snow is starting to stick on the ground and everything is only going to continue to get harder.


    I¡¯m thinking too much, I need to start practicing. Tomorrow will be busy. We need to hunt down another spider. The beast was spotted only an hour away from our village and must be dealt with before it gets any closer.


    To prepare for tomorrow I decided to take today off¡­ well, not a full day off.


    I haven¡¯t had a chance to pass the Mana Skin test and it¡¯s arguably one of my most important skills. Mana Skin is my most important skill in battle. I may use the skill every day but that¡¯s not enough for it to reach the next level.


    I talked to my parents and Master Del, warning them that I planned to spend the day meditating. Master jumped at the opportunity for a break while my parents were sad, I wasn¡¯t doing the same. They know how busy I am and though they don¡¯t like it they understand why I can¡¯t take more time off.


    Even now, I can¡¯t settle down. If I keep worrying about everything I need to do, I won¡¯t be able to focus on the task at hand. I get up from my bed and prop my window open. The fresh cold air invigorates me.


    I move back to my bed and try to relax my body, adjusting my breathing as my body slowly relaxes. Looking around my room, I focus on sensing my mana and the mana surrounding me. My room lights up around me as I concentrate on my Sense Mana skill. I¡¯m used to seeing mana but the finer more intricate currents the mana moves in only become visible when I focus on them. I watch the wind attuned mana gently drift through my open window and mix with the stagnant wind mana surrounding me.


    The small amount of fire mana shrinks away as the wind carries the cold in from outside. I inspect my floor and watch the slow-moving mana inside the stone react in its own way to the new wind mana. The fire mana around the room is swept away as it emigres from my furniture. Watching the heat being sucked out of the room is oddly relaxing.


    I move my gaze down towards myself and notice a small amount of fire mana leaking from my exposed skin. As the mana trickles away, I feel the bite of the cold around me. I try to use Mana Manipulation to keep the heat from leaving my body but the notes of fire mana are too small and too resistant with my current skill level to have any effect.


    I close my eyes and check my mana pool. The mana inside my body is practically bursting at the seams. My mana pool is fully charged and working on purifying the mana I absorbed from my surroundings. Keeping my mana pool full and forcing my body to purify the excess mana I absorbed has slightly increased the growth rate of my Magic stat.


    I activate Mana Skin but instead of using Mana Manipulation to help the barrier form, I use the skill to slow its activation. The skill tries to pull my mana out of my skin, so I use Extract Mana at the same time pulling it back in.


    The two skills fight each other over my mana. I slowly reduce the pull of Extract Mana and watch the barrier form. In slow motion, mana bubbles out of my skin and merges together to make a barrier. While the barrier forms, I compress it like I usually do. Even with my extra concentration, I can¡¯t reduce the barrier any further than normal.


    If I pump more mana into the skill, I can make the barrier bigger but it will cost me exponentially more mana without a noticeable increase in barrier strength.


    I¡¯ve been contemplating this problem for the last few weeks and I think I have an idea on how I can improve the skill. One barrier is good, but two is always better than one. Instead of wasting my mana trying to make the barrier bigger, I decided, why not layer them?


    My first Mana Skin barrier is ready, now I need to make another one. My skill is already activated, so I can¡¯t just use it again. Can I manually form another barrier on top of the old one?


    This time I don¡¯t hold myself back with Extract Mana and instead use Mana Manipulation alongside Expel Mana to try to form another barrier.


    As soon as the mana is released from my body it collides with my existing barrier. I try to make a gap in the barrier for the mana to move through but my skill refuses to comply with me. I know how to adjust the thickness of the barrier around different parts of my body but intentionally removing the barrier over any part of my body seems to clash with the skill.


    My mana just gets absorbed by my barrier and Mana Manipulation loses its finer control over it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to start over,¡± I mumble to myself.


    I use Extract Mana to pull all my mana back into my body. I have to say, Extract Mana is turning out to be just as overpowered as Inject Mana. Thanks to the skill I can practice my magic skills without losing a significant chunk of mana in the process.


    After all my mana is safely absorbed, I refocus on my skill. If my mana won''t pass through my skill neatly to form another barrier on top of my first one then I¡¯ll have to form another one along the bottom of it instead.


    I activate Mana Skin again but I use Mana Manipulation to push the barrier off of my skin while it¡¯s forming. The barrier takes longer to stabilize but I successfully form the barrier half an inch off of my skin. The mana bubble looks funny around me and I¡¯m reminded of a good witch from a classic movie. I wonder if I can fly somehow with this? Probably not, and I don¡¯t want to chance a bunch of munchkins worshiping me either.


    I have the first barrier up, now I need to manually make the second one below it. My skills activate and I carefully sculpt my mana into a new barrier covering my skin. The barrier neatly fills in the gap I left behind, did that do it?


    I pull up the skill.


    Mana Skin (LV40) (99%)


    Why didn¡¯t it work? I focus back on my barriers, trying to figure out what is wrong.


    I don¡¯t see anything wrong with them?


    The outer barrier is strong and looks exactly like my usual barrier only farther from my skin. The second barrier is nestled between the first barrier and my skin and they aren¡¯t merging together.


    I slowly swing my legs over my bed and move to grab my knife. I need to test the strength of the overlapping barriers.


    I push up from my bed and almost face plant onto the floor! My hands quickly move in front of me bracing myself before I hit the floor. My hands covered in the barriers slide off of the stone floor, leaving me sprawled out like a starfish. My limbs seem to have little traction while covered in my new barriers.


    What¡¯s going on!


    I turn my head and look at my feet. I move my leg to try and stand up but my eyes go wide when I see what happens. The outer barrier isn¡¯t in sync with my movements. The inner barrier is conforming to my body but the outer one is lagging at least two seconds behind. I move at a snail¡¯s pace and prop my body up with my hands. If I move too fast, I¡¯ll lose my grip on the floor.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I watch the barriers carefully and realize I can¡¯t change the thickness of the outer barrier. I usually reduce the barrier below my feet as small as I can make it, so it doesn¡¯t interfere with my walking. My new barriers are keeping me suspended an inch off of the ground and not responding properly to my movements.


    It takes me five minutes to stand up and I wobble with each movement. My first step almost has me back on the ground. I slowly inch my way over to my nightstand and move to pick up my dagger.


    Again, my new barriers make the task more tedious. The barriers around my hand make it so my fingers can¡¯t properly grasp the handle. Luckily the blade is still sheathed. Using both of my hands in a cupping motion, I carry the dagger back to my bed.


    I slip again when I try to get on top of my bed. When I pushed off with one of my legs I tumbled to the side. My hands naturally went out to grasp something but the barriers prevented me from grabbing my bed to break my fall. My dagger went flying and is the only thing that made it on top of my bed.


    It takes another seven minutes this time for me to make it to my feet.


    I look down at my bed and try to picture how I¡¯m going to do this.


    ¡°To hell with this.¡± I decide to let gravity do the work.


    I let my body fall forward and plop face down on my bed. It would be so much easier if I could just disperse my skill and try again once I¡¯m situated but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to make the barriers exactly the same again.


    Like a snake, I slither into position before I sit-up. I look down at my sheathed dagger and frown. This is going to take forever.


    Moving like a sloth, I manage to unsheathe my dagger and hold it in a reverse grip. I move the blade over to my arm and slowly push down against the outer barrier.


    My barrier has always worked best against blunt damage not cutting edges. I move the knife back and forth, slowly cutting into the mana. I put just enough pressure on the knife to breach the skill without accidentally stabbing myself.


    I watch the knife saw through my first barrier and reach the second.


    I freeze my hand when the knife makes it through the outer barrier. I watch as mana escapes the punctured outer shell like a tire with a hole in it. I retract my knife and seal the gap before I lose any more mana. The inner barrier wasn¡¯t a barrier at all, it was insulation.


    Focusing back on my arm, I watch how the inner mana helps seal the barrier and slowly fills back up replacing the mana I lost when my skill was breached.


    No wonder the outer barrier isn¡¯t conforming to my body. The mana in between my skin and the barrier is acting as a buffer. My body is putting pressure on the mana which isn¡¯t moving the force to the barrier. I never made two barriers in the first place.


    I got close but that¡¯s why the skill didn¡¯t level up.


    I sheath my knife and move it off to the side. Thinking back, when I earned my Mana Skin skill the barrier formed almost on its own when I gained the skill. It started off being permeable like the inner part is now.


    The inner barrier needs to be stronger. I start pumping more of my mana into the softer area and compress it before adding more.


    I have 300 mana compressed in the inner barrier compared to the 75 I have in the outer one. Using Mana Manipulation, I slowly change the structure of the clump of mana to resemble the outer barrier.


    Once the barriers structures match and rest up against one another I feel it click. The sensation of a skill advancing reverberates throughout my body. Just like with Inject Mana, when a higher tired skill passes a test you immediately feel the difference.


    I use Extract Mana and absorb the barriers covering my body. I shiver when I feel the cold air brush up against my skin.


    I jump off of my bed to close my window and almost trip. I overcompensated as if I was still surrounded by my skill. I chuckle to myself thinking back on how I was flopping everywhere. I¡¯ll need to practice moving with my leveled skill.


    I close the window and move to the center of my room. I activate Mana Skin and watch it form a Barrier around my body. I¡¯m worried nothing changed but once the mana covers my body in a one-inch shell the barrier splits and forms two separate halves. I check my mana and see that Mana Skin now uses 200 mana to activate.


    The stronger barrier lifts me off of the ground an inch. I flail my arms, finding a new sense of balance. I move my limbs and see the barrier mimicking my movements.


    A huge smile crosses my face. It works!


    I move over and sit on the edge of my bed. I pull up my status page that I¡¯ve neglected over the last few weeks.


    LV: 61 Experience: 391,445/ 449,563


    Health: 2,050/2,050


    Stamina: 1,298.18/1,363


    Mana: 789.82/1,000


    Vitality: 205.00


    Endurance: 80.08


    Strength: 124.01


    Dexterity: 117.00


    Senses: 60.41


    Mind: 62.47


    Magic: 100.59


    Clarity: 75.36


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV71), Axe Skills (LV55), Blacksmithing (LV58), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV50), Chanting (LV46), Mining (LV46), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Trading (LV32), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Sword Skills(LV19), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV55), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV40), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV30), Intimidating Shout (LV30), Increase price (LV13), Lower Price (LV12), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV6), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV56), Mana Manipulation (LV49), Precise Strike (LV30), Double Strike (LV30), Weighted Strike (LV17), Flash Step (LV12)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV43), Mana Skin (LV42), Mental Resistance (LV40), Extract Mana (LV19), Magic Blacksmithing (LV15)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV29)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV71) 3,550exp


    Blacksmithing (LV56-58) 8,550exp


    Hammer Skills (LV49-50) 4,950exp


    Chanting (LV46) 2,300exp


    Mining (LV43-46) 8,900exp


    Sword Skills (LV15-19) 4,250


    Sense Mana (LV78) 7,800exp


    Double Step (LV54-55) 10,900exp


    Measurement (LV40) 4,000exp


    Sword Arts (LV4-6) 1,500exp


    Expel Mana (LV56) 8,400exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV48-49) 14,550exp


    Precise Strike (LV28-30) 13,050exp


    Double Strike (LV27-30) 17,100exp


    Weighted Strike (LV13-17) 11,250exp


    Flash Step (LV11-12) 3,450exp


    Inject mana (LV42-43) 21,250exp


    Mana Skin (LV41-42) 20,750exp


    Mental Resistance (LV39-40) 19,750exp


    Extract Mana (LV12-19) 31,000exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV6-15) 26,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV29) 14,500exp


    Skill Experience: 258,000exp


    Crafting Experience: 70,803exp


    Fighting Experience: 5,394exp


    Total experience Gained: 334,197exp


    It¡¯s becoming abundantly clear that though my lower tired skills play the most part in my everyday life but it¡¯s my tier 4 and 5 skills that give the most experience these days.


    I also used to consider my gains from fighting the chameleon spiders as a huge bonus but when compared to my crafting it¡¯s almost a moot point now. I earn around a 1,000exp for each spear I make and 36 of them gave me over half my crafting experience. I earned approximately 3,300exp for my part in each of the bows. Master did the finer details, so I¡¯m assuming he earned much more experience than me.


    I¡¯m close to level 62 and two more of my skills reached their first test. I have a feeling Mental Resistance will be the hardest skill I¡¯ve ever had to raise and most likely I won¡¯t be able to pass the test until Sense Soul finally reaches level 30. The time I can spend in my previous memories is expanding but I still can¡¯t choose which memories I relive. I hate to say it but 70% of my previous life would be considered boring to anyone watching.


    Hammer Skills has been leveling slower ever since I started focusing on swordsmanship. I¡¯ll have to ask Del if he has any idea on how I can pass its first test.


    ¡°I need more free time.¡± I rise and stretch my limbs, getting a better feel for my stronger Mana Skin.


    Ha, I go from complaining about a boring past life to not having enough time in a single day for everything I need to do.


    Glancing at my closed window, I can tell by the rays of light seeping between the shutters I still have four hours before the sun goes down. That should be enough time for me to train moving around with my skill activated.


    I don¡¯t bother putting my jacket on, focusing more on securing my sword and dagger in place. It¡¯s a lot harder securing them through my stronger barrier.


    I push my door open and walk out into our living space. Mother is sewing in her chair while father is carving what I assume is a figure of a farkas. Both of them glance up at me and notice the weapon at my side.


    ¡°Where are you going, sweety?¡± Mom questions me while her hands gracefully move through the fabric in front of her.


    ¡°I need to test out how to move properly with a new skill.¡± I motion down at my feet. Mother and father¡¯s eyes enlarge when they realize I¡¯m hovering in place.


    ¡°You can fly!?¡± Mother puts down her work and springs towards me. Father follows her equally curious.


    ¡°I wish.¡± I flatly state. ¡°I improved the skill that helps me defend against taking damage. It¡¯s a lot thicker now, making it more difficult to move with. I need to go with master and Ronald tomorrow to hunt that chameleon spider that¡¯s closing in on the village. I¡¯m safer with the skill but using it in battle without knowing its effects can be dangerous.¡± I explain to them.


    ¡°You going into the woods?¡± Dad asks.


    ¡°Just far enough away that no one will see me practice.¡± I smile at the two of them. I walk over to the front door and start putting my shoes on.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Mother sends me a look that says she knows better.


    I smartly choose not to rebut her. I start trying to pull hard on my shoes but they refuse to slip over my feet. I¡¯m stupid, my feet are two inches wider and longer when they¡¯re covered in my barrier. When I activate my skill it usually envelops my clothes, guarding them from the elements, but I don¡¯t usually change clothes with it still activated.


    ¡°Having trouble?¡± Father looks down at my feet.


    ¡°Sort of. I don¡¯t want to waste my mana deactivating my skill just to put my shoes on.¡± I frown at my footwear. Maybe I can use dads?


    ¡°Do you need to wear shoes?¡± Father¡¯s question makes mother and I look at him funny.


    ¡°She needs shoes.¡± Mother points out to father.


    ¡°But does she?¡± Father turns to me and gives me a questioning look.


    I don¡¯t plan on running into anyone in the forest and my barriers are definitely stronger than my boots. The cold won¡¯t affect me either, so do I really need to wear footwear?


    I stand up and hop around with my bare feet. ¡°Guess I don¡¯t.¡±


    Mother has a sour look like she wants to say something but decides to hold it back. She¡¯s been really cool about supporting my decisions lately.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± I move to open our front door.


    ¡°Make sure you stay safe and be back before the sun goes down.¡± Mother throws out some ground rules before I can leave.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m a big girl now, right?¡± I playfully jab at her.


    ¡°And?¡± She crosses her arms.


    I raise my hands in surrender. ¡°You got it, boss!¡± I shout as I make my way out of the doorway. As I close the door behind me, I shout a quick, ¡°Love you,¡± before the door is fully closed. I¡¯m sure I saw a smile on mother¡¯s face.


    The winter clouds are rolling overhead fighting with the sun trying to heat up the ground. It¡¯s just warm enough for the small piles of snow around the village to melt. My feet sink into the mud but not as deep as my shoes would normally go. The barrier keeps my feet spotless in the muck.


    I round our house and jog the thirty feet into the forest. It feels weird to move like this. I might not be wearing shoes but the barriers surrounding my feet keep me from feeling anything I step on. A few Double Steps and a Flash Step gets me deep enough into the woods no one will see or hear me.


    I stop under a large tree on top of a pile of snow. The snow is hidden from the sun by the canopy giving me a glimpse of what¡¯s to come soon. In only a few more weeks the snow will stop melting and will cover the forest in a sea of white. I stop thinking about the coming weather and focus on my practice.


    Let¡¯s see how well I can move with Mana Skin activated. I take up a starting position facing deeper into the forest. I raise my hand into the air, making a gun with my fingers. I imagine a bang and take off. This time I don¡¯t stop using Double Step. As I sprint through the trees Mana Skin slowly feels more natural again. I have to use Flash Step to dodge some trees but I can¡¯t stop now. The speed is intoxicating.


    I¡¯ve had to cut back on my morning runs, using the time to practice swordsmanship with Camden, and even then, I couldn¡¯t go all out like this. The trees are keeping me from reaching my top speed but being able to run 40mph in the forest feels amazing.


    My arms pump back and forth while I keep my breathing even. I run across some snow here and there but with my speed and Mana Skin activated my feet barely sink into the slush.


    A hear a large branch snap off to my left. I don¡¯t take any chances and use Flash Step to give myself some distance.


    I let out a sigh of relief when I see a Karhu stumble out of a den, I didn¡¯t notice I was passing by. The beast that once terrified me doesn¡¯t even make me feel an ounce of danger. After facing a bigger and more dangerous beast he might as well be a cartoon bear.


    ¡°Go back to sleep!¡± I use Intimidating Shout.


    A surprising amount of confusion crosses the beast''s face before its expression turns to one of rage. I check behind the creature and see there¡¯s nothing in its den. There¡¯re no cubs or even a mate. This big guy isn¡¯t defending a family and he should be hibernating already.


    As the top half of the karhu rears up on its back legs I see why it¡¯s attacking me. The beast¡¯s ribs are showing through its fur.


    It must not have found enough food to hibernate. If the rumors around the village are true then even the karhu must be having trouble with finding enough prey with the chameleon spiders roaming about.


    ¡°RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAA!¡± The beast lets out a huge roar.


    When I was a kid that was enough to freeze me in place, now it just makes me mad. Did the village hear that?


    I need to finish this beast before anyone arrives.


    I take my stance and grab my katanas handle. The big beast charges me while I wait at the ready. I adjust my grip trying to accommodate the thicker barrier around my hands. This will be a good test run for tomorrow.


    Once the karhu is close enough it swings it¡¯s two right paws at me. I easily side-step the strike and draw my blade. The sword cuts the air and slashes the two arms that are now within my reach. The cuts are deep but I almost lost the grip of my sword. I adjust my hands to better hold the sword.


    I decide not to inject mana into my sword, if I burn its hide mother would be pissed at me. The beast''s fur turns red as it tries to backhand me. I jump back to dodge the wild swing and circle the beast making use of its blind spot.


    I activate Double Strike with my sword and deliver two deep cuts on its two left hind legs. Using my smithing skills with a sword still gives me a weird feeling but they make my sword even deadlier.


    ¡°Aaaaaaarrrrrrrr!¡± The beast wails again but this time it¡¯s a cry of pain.


    ¡°You were probably just hungry, huh? I¡¯m sorry, but you chose to see me as prey. If you backed off earlier, I would have let you go. I¡¯ll give you one free shot as an apology.¡± I need to see how strong my new skill is.


    The beast sends one of its remaining good claws at me. I feel its dagger-like nails slice through the first barrier but catch on the second. The force of the beast¡¯s strike knocks me back a few feet out of its range. I take a knee and assess the damage.


    That strike was weaker than when I was struck by the chameleon spider but its claws did more damage compared to the blunt force damage of the spider¡¯s legs. If I took another strike from a chameleon spider I could probably recover immediately now.


    I rise to my feet and repair my Mana Skin skill. ¡°People in my village are hungry and your hide will help keep someone warm.¡± I make up my mind to finish this.


    I run straight at the beast.


    All four claws come at me in what can only be called the scariest bear-hug ever.


    Before the beast can trap me in its grasp, I use Flash Step one last time to reach its side. I switch to Double Step launching myself up onto the back of the creature.


    ¡°You can rest now.¡± I raise my sword and activate Precise Strike. My blade cleanly delivers a deep cut to the Karhu¡¯s spine. Blood erupts from the injury and the karhu falls to the forest floor. I jump off before the unmoving body falls to the ground.


    I offer a silent prayer for my vanquished foe. This wasn¡¯t a murderous goblin or dangerous magical beast; this was just a hungry bear.


    I look down at the lifeless body, ¡°How do I dismantle a karhu?¡±


    I¡¯ve never participated in a real hunt before. Ronald is the one who processes the spiders we kill; master and I just carry everything when he¡¯s done. I¡¯ve watched Ronald dismantle the spiders but he¡¯s not very forthcoming when it comes to teaching.


    I guess I¡¯ll start skinning it? I flick my sword and wipe the remaining blood onto the beast¡¯s fur. I sheath my sword and draw my knife.


    ¡­¡­


    How do I skin a beast?


    I¡¯m going to have to get someone, aren¡¯t I?


    I turn around to make my way back to the village and panic when I realize something is standing in front of me.


    My mind is racing. I don¡¯t have enough time to draw my sword again. My dagger is already in my hand, so I take a step forward and thrust with all my strength. I feel my hand being knocked away and a strong pressure on my shoulder.


    Something sweeps my leg out from under me and I¡¯m lying flat on the ground.


    I¡¯m about to spring to my feet when I hear, ¡°You ok?¡± Ronald¡¯s short and even question irks me.


    ¡°No! I thought you were another beast!¡± I shout at the stone-faced man. He offers me a hand that I reluctantly take.


    I hear laughter behind Ronald. Once I¡¯m back on my feet I see today''s hunting party in formation behind their silent leader.


    I might be surprised at how easily they snuck up on me if I wasn¡¯t so angry about being tossed on the ground.


    ¡°Why did you throw me?¡± I narrow my eyes at Ronald.


    ¡°You attacked.¡± I almost try to stab the man again after his nonchalant answer.


    I can¡¯t argue with this man, so I turn my attention to the giggling hunters behind him. ¡°Are you going to let the beast rot away or are you going to process it? I already did the hard part!¡±


    Arash and Hayk are the first two people who take the hint and move towards the slain beast to start processing it. I would be happier if they weren¡¯t trying to hold back their laughter as they pass me.


    The other hunters move to help them all snickering in their own way. The last person to pass me and Ronald is Lucas. He¡¯s the only one who isn¡¯t laughing at me and surprisingly gives me a respectful head nod before he quickly moves over to help his senior hunters. When did he start treating me like that?


    ¡°Blood.¡± I look back at Ronald wondering what he means. He points at my shirt causing me to scrutinize my appearance.


    ¡°There¡¯s no blood on me.¡± I retort to the man.


    Crap! There¡¯s no blood on me. It must have looked like I slew the karhu effortlessly but easily got flung on my back by Ronald. No wonder they¡¯re all laughing at me.


    I turn away from Ronald so he can¡¯t see the embarrassed look on my face. ¡°You can handle the rest, right?¡± I question Ronald without looking at him.


    He doesn¡¯t respond and I¡¯m forced to turn around. He nods once to me before he starts walking over to his fellow hunters. He doesn¡¯t make a sound as he walks away from me like a ghost amongst the trees. I glance at his feet hoping to see how he moves so silently. His shoes look like their dancing around anything that would make a noise.


    Could I do that? I look down at my own feet. My eyes enlarge when I remember I¡¯m not wearing any footwear. Did anyone notice? None of the hunters are looking at me strangely.


    I take the opening to start jogging home. My embarrassment and worry about the hunters fade away as I think about my fight with the karhu. I¡¯ve reached another milestone. I can single-handily face beasts that give the average person pause.


    Someday I¡¯ll do the same to those damn spiders.

 Ch: 41

    ¡°How is the processing of the chameleon spider from this morning coming along, Nicolas?¡± Everyone in the drawing-room turns to Camden¡¯s son.


    The poor man wipes a bit of sweat from his brow and straitens his posture before he answers his father. ¡°Because the creature was slain on the outskirts of the village, I gathered as many spare hands as I could to dismantle the beast. The carapace and salvageable materials are being set aside as we speak and should be ready by the time our meeting ends.¡±


    I sit back in my chair and sip from my cup of tea that Misses Downs brewed for all of us. I send a worried glance at Ronald and master sitting close to me. Both men are sweaty and have dried blood on them from earlier today.


    The village let its guard down and we paid for it with the attack this morning.


    ¡°How are the injured doing?¡± Sarette questions her son.


    ¡°Delbuc lost an arm and two others suffered extensive wounds. If Mr. Darrius wasn¡¯t there to buy time for everyone to retreat, we would be planning more funerals right now.¡± Nicolas solemnly relays the grim news.


    ¡°How is your husband doing, Silvia?¡± Concerned, Sarette turns and asks mother.


    ¡°It will take more than an overgrown spider to bring down Darrius. We left him sleeping back at our house. He suffered a few small injuries but he should be up and moving around again tomorrow.¡± Mother confidently relays father¡¯s condition but we can all see her teacup shaking in her hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. We now know where Aaliyah gets her bravery from.¡± Mother tries to smile at the headman¡¯s words but gives up and chooses to look down at the cup of tea in her hands.


    Camden doesn¡¯t further comment on father¡¯s situation and instead turns back to his son. ¡°Did you talk to others who were present? Did the beast try to enter the village?¡±


    ¡°Only a few passing villagers were nearby when Mr. Darrius yelled out about the danger. I managed to peace their statements together but I can only guess about the beast¡¯s instincts. According to the people I talked to, the felling team was starting to clear trees for the day and right before they could begin Mr. Darrius noticed the weird trees that weren¡¯t there yesterday. Unfortunately, Delbuc and a few others were already too close to the creature. It attacked and the only reason no one died was thanks to Aaliyah¡¯s father valiantly occupying the beast¡¯s attention, buying time for reinforcements to arrive.¡± I shiver listening to Nicolas¡¯s account of what happened before I could arrive earlier today. I can¡¯t help but to question myself if I did everything right when I think back on how my day started.


    <hr>


    ¡°Aaaaaaa!¡± I shout as I swing my blade.


    I take a step forward slashing upwards with my katana. I dance around imaginary goblins, slaying them until I get to the point, I need to imagine something more of a challenge.


    I get back into a starting position but I let my body move naturally and continue swinging my sword. I only gave myself an hour to practice before I have to get to Del¡¯s and start-up the forge.


    I flick the tip of my sword and try to slash a falling snowflake. The falling snow dodges my sword thanks to the wind pressure of my strike.


    I move to try again but I flinch when a drop of sweat falls into my eye. I sheath my sword and move over to a towel I have resting on a nearby boulder. A quick flick of the fabric and the snow that accumulated on the top of it is sent falling to the ground.


    Slowly, I raise the cold towel to my face and adjust the barrier protecting my head.


    It¡¯s been two weeks since I got Mana Skin to level 41 and I¡¯m finally able to let things pass through my barrier as I need them, though still with some difficulty. I can change clothes without deactivating my barrier and even grip items with my real hands if I need to.


    The ice-cold towel glides across my face providing a cool and refreshing sensation. I¡¯m wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants but I left my jacket at home. Now that Mana Skin is much stronger than before I could probably run naked through the forest and not feel even a slight chill from the falling snow. The barrier works so well it retains most of my body heat making me constantly sweat while training.


    I might be a little paranoid but I keep Mana Skin activated whenever I leave the house these days. We¡¯ve hunted three chameleon spiders in fourteen days all of which were quite close to the village. The beasts appear to be either moving towards our village in search of an easy meal or dispersing into the surrounding forest.


    Master Del, Ronald, and I may no longer have trouble with the beasts but their presence is becoming increasingly bad for the environment. Other than birds, the only beasts the hunters have found remaining in the area are karhu who are more skin and bones than anything else.


    The three of us decided as a group to give the meat from our kills to the village. People didn¡¯t even complain about the origin of the meat after three days of only vegetables. Even with levels and stats, people who live in villages like ours need a large number of calories at least once a day and a good chunk of it needs to be protein.


    Luckily for the village, Kervin should be back soon. Camden and Kervin sealed a deal before the trader left and part of that deal was sending a message once he was coming back to our village. Camden was ecstatic two days ago when he received a letter from Kervin saying he was on his way. We should be getting a delivery of dried meats sometime tomorrow. We¡¯ll have to ration it out but the meat should last us until he can come again next month.


    Kervin should also be bringing me my mana gem alongside my first real fantasy metal, mithril. Food may be important but I can¡¯t help but be more excited about the materials being brought to me. Learning to engrave will take my crafting skills to the next tier. It may eat up all my money for years to come but once I can engrave my work it will jump in price and pay for itself in no time.


    I¡¯m counting my kips before they hatch. I need to center myself.


    I should check my status page.


    LV: 62 Experience: 81,073/ 481,032


    Health: 2,060/2,060


    Stamina: 897.41/1,386


    Mana: 807.64/1,000


    Vitality: 206.00


    Endurance: 80.09


    Strength: 130.00


    Dexterity: 120.00


    Senses: 60.43


    Mind: 62.49


    Magic: 100.62


    Clarity: 75.37


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV72), Blacksmithing (LV59), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV50), Chanting (LV46), Mining (LV46), Drawing (LV37), Cooking (LV36), Trading (LV32), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sewing (LV24), Wood Carving (LV21), Sword Skills(LV21), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV56), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase price (LV13), Lower Price (LV12), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV7), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV56), Mana Manipulation (LV50), Double Strike (LV31), Precise Strike (LV30), Weighted Strike (LV19), Flash Step (LV13)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV44), Mana Skin (LV44), Mental Resistance (LV40), Extract Mana (LV21), Magic Blacksmithing (LV16)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV30)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV72) 3,600exp


    Blacksmithing (LV59) 2,950exp


    Sword Skills (LV20-21) 2,050exp


    Double Step (LV56) 5,600exp


    Measurement (LV41) 4,100exp


    Intimidating Shout (LV31) 3,100exp


    Sword Arts (LV7) 700exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV50) 7,500exp


    Double Strike (LV31) 4,650exp


    Weighted Strike (LV18-19) 5,550exp


    Flash Step (LV13) 1,950exp


    Inject mana (LV44) 11,000


    Mana Skin (LV43-44) 21,750exp


    Extract Mana (LV20-21) 10,250exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV16) 4,000exp


    Sense Soul (LV30) 15,000exp


    Skill Experience: 103,750exp


    Crafting Experience: 32,313exp


    Fighting Experience: 13,128exp


    Total experience Gained: 149,191exp


    As soon as I pull my status page up, I distribute my status points. I dumped 6 into Strength to pull it up to 130 and 3 into Dexterity to make it an even 120. The last point goes into Vitality.


    I watch my soul release the colorful energy and grin when I feel my body becoming stronger. Most of my commonly used skills leveled up once but I choose to focus on the one that matters the most, Sense Soul. Just like I was told its first test was at level 30 and if rumors are to be believed, I¡¯ll have to pass another test every ten levels from here on out.


    I look down at my hands and flex my fingers. I can¡¯t help but feel positive about my future with this new energy flowing through me. I should practice before the feeling of strength becomes normal to me.


    I move to draw my sword again.


    ¡°Aaaaaaa!¡±


    I freeze in place. The wind and falling snow muffles it, but that was screaming I heard!


    Using my new Strength and continuously activate Double Step to run around my house and speed through the village.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    I¡¯m getting closing in the screams.


    ¡°Help! Spider!¡±


    I don¡¯t stop as I pass the woman shouting spider at the top of her lungs. Damn, did a chameleon spider make it into the village!


    A part of me is worried about facing the beast by myself but my blood runs cold when I hear a familiar voice yelling, ¡°Get back!¡±


    That was father! It dawns on me the screams for help are coming from the felling site father was working on yesterday.


    I immediately activate Flash Step. The world slows and villagers¡¯ heads can¡¯t turn fast enough as I zoom past them. ¡°Hold on dad, I¡¯m coming!¡± Please let him be ok!


    I round a house and find myself in a horror scene. Two unconscious men are being dragged away by their arms by blood-soaked villagers. Blood is spattered all over the ground and covering the giant man charging the magic beast. A leg flashes in front of father and sends him skipping across the ground like someone would skip a stone across the water. Father¡¯s wounds open deeper yet he springs to his feet readying another charge.


    I use Flash Step one more time to get in front of my recklessly charging father. Drawing my sword in one smooth motion, I slice into the leg that would have sent father flying again. I don¡¯t have enough time to activate anymore of my skills, so the blade only makes it a third of the way through the spider¡¯s leg.


    The chameleon spider¡¯s leg doesn¡¯t stop with my strike and crashes into me sending me colliding into dad crashing us both to the ground. I tuck and roll before springing back to my feet but father stays on his hands and knees heaving up a mouthful of blood.


    ¡°Stay Down!¡± I shout at dad as he tries to get up once he manages to catch a breath.


    ¡°Derlbuc.¡± Dad wheezes and points towards the base of the chameleon spider.


    I didn¡¯t notice because I was so focused on dad but there¡¯s a man lying face down in a pool of blood missing his arm directly underneath the magic beast. Everything clicks into place when I see the spider repositioning itself over the unconscious man.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Dad was distracting the beast so it couldn¡¯t eat him.


    I have no time to come up with a strategy so I run at the beast just like father tried to do. If I hold back now the man will die. Despite a few villagers watching in the distance I inject mana into my sword and ignite it. I restabilize my Mana Skin barrier and run straight for the injured man.


    The spider hisses at me and clearly understands I¡¯m trying to steal its prey. Two of its ten legs come flying at me trying to deter me from approaching. If I¡¯m by myself I need to get rid of some of these legs.


    ¡°Weighted Strike! Double Strike!¡± In the heat of the moment, I shout out my two skills as I swing at the fast-approaching limbs.


    I feel my sword make contact with the first limb and I put every ounce of Strength I have behind my sword.


    My blade slices cleanly through the first leg and does the same to the second.


    Suddenly missing two of its limbs, the magic beast reels back in pain and produces a high-pitched screech that reverberates through my body.


    Too bad for the spider, I have experience against its scream and use the opportunity given to me to grab the unconscious man with my left hand.


    The spider sees what I¡¯m doing and realizes I¡¯m unaffected by its screech. It stops the horrible noise and instead shuffles towards me at full speed. I can¡¯t outrun the beast while dragging the man behind me.


    I make the choice to face the beast instead of running. Wilding my sword with one hand I try to block a strike coming at the middle of my chest. My sword cuts into the spider slightly but is pushed away by the force. I can¡¯t wield my sword with enough strength to injure the magic beast with only a single hand. The spider''s leg slams directly into me popping the outer layer of Mana Skin.


    A horrible smile crosses my face as I¡¯m launched into the air. ¡°Thanks, stupid, that¡¯s what I wanted.¡±


    My vice-like grip holds onto the shirt of the unconscious man letting me pull him away from the beast using the momentum of its strike against it.


    With my superb senses, I have just enough time to toss the man further behind me before I hit the ground. The inner layer of Mana Skin keeps me from getting hurt from the fall.


    I watch out for my unsheathed sword as I tumble across the snow-covered ground. A few rocks come close to puncturing the inner layer of Mana Skin but I thank the gods that it luckily holds up against the punishment.


    I stumble to my feet and turn towards two men hiding behind the closest building. ¡°You two, grab him and take him to Anastasia!¡± The two men pale at my command and don¡¯t move a muscle.


    ¡°Now!¡± With my shout, they finally dash towards the injured man and start dragging him away.


    I want to have someone carry father away too but I don¡¯t have time to make eye contact with anybody else. I spin around to see the Spider making its way towards me.


    I reapply Mana Skin and pump some more mana into my sword leaving me with only 520 mana left. A quick check of my Stamina isn¡¯t any better. I only have around 670 Stamina left. Fighting this much after my morning training is consuming my Stamina at a rapid pace.


    I move forward closing the distance between the spider and me trying to keep it away from father. I cut the beast as many times as I can no matter how shallow they may be. Thanks to the flames on my sword each cut ignites part of the creature¡¯s wind mana. The flames on each of the wounds spread a few inches before puttering out.


    I focus more on dodging in hopes that reinforcements will arrive soon.


    Waving around the eight remaining legs I get an opening I can¡¯t refuse. The leg I injured when I first arrived is close enough for me to cut.


    I trigger Precise Strike and fully sever the injured limb.


    The spider backs off once again giving me a few precious seconds to catch my breath. Sadly, the magic beast doesn¡¯t hesitate for long and once again shuffles towards me with its remaining seven legs.


    I twirl, escaping the spider¡¯s frenzied attack. I try attacking another one of the legs that the beast is using to keep its balance but the beast is getting used to attack patterns. The spider shifts its weight and strikes at me with the leg I was aiming for.


    Not only does my slash barely cut into the carapace but I¡¯m knocked back again and this time the spider doesn¡¯t wait for me to get to my feet before closing the distance. A rain of spider legs starts falling around me. The sharpened tips of each of the legs combined with the weight of the beast would easily piece through Mana Skin if I¡¯m hit. Without any time to get to my feet, I start rolling around on the ground, trying to avoid being skewered alive.


    The spider is attacking too fast for me to completely dodge everything. The many legs scrape against my barrier and rip holes in my defense. Each cut in Mana Skin requires more and more of my mana to repair it.


    With both my Mana and Stamina bars reaching dangerous levels I need to call it. While continuing to dodge the spider¡¯s legs on the ground I shout hoping any villagers nearby will hear me. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it back any longer! Retreat! Retreat!¡±


    I don¡¯t know if anyone heard my frantic shouting but it¡¯s the best I can do to warn them.


    Before my Stamina bottoms out and I collapse from exhaustion I need to grab father and get us to safety. I take a deep breath and ready to activate multiple skills at once so I can flee with father.


    ¡°AAAAAGGGGG!¡±


    A war cry echoes from behind me and a meteor crashes into the side of the distracted spider. I¡¯m so shocked by the scene I can¡¯t comprehend seeing master fall from the sky and snatching me up from the ground.


    A sense of vertigo overcomes me as he drags me away from the reeling spider. It isn¡¯t until I¡¯m dragged next to father that the situation dawns on me for what it is, a rescue.


    I look up at master standing in front of me with his pickaxe raised. ¡°Master!¡± I cry out with tears in my eyes.


    He doesn¡¯t respond to me instead he watches the spider recover from his body slam. It¡¯s hard to read a spider¡¯s expression but anyone could tell the magic beast was extra pissed that it lost yet another meal to someone interfering with its breakfast.


    I expect master to charge the beast but instead, I hear the loud twang of multiple bows releasing arrows behind me. Two of the beast¡¯s eyes are pierced with my special arrows while others sink into the spider¡¯s leg joints.


    I look behind me and see Ronald alongside Braddon, Arash, and Hayk. All four of them are using the special bows we made for them. Ronald¡¯s arrows pierce the deepest but the other three hunters refuse to be outdone. The four men constantly fire their bows aiming for any weak spot they can find.


    Master hasn¡¯t moved from guarding us yet but I can tell he¡¯s waiting for an opening to strike. ¡°Master, bring your pickaxe over!¡± I shout at the man¡¯s back.


    He doesn¡¯t turn around but instead waves his pickaxe behind himself, positioning it in front of me. I waste no time pouring some of my remaining mana into the weapon. Before I can tell master, his pickaxe is charged, he pushes off of the ground with all his strength. Dirt and snow impact my remaining Mana Skin obscuring my view of master¡¯s attack.


    I wave my hands across the part of the barrier protecting my face in time to see master land on top of the chameleon spider. The beast tries to buck him off but with it missing three of its legs and having arrows in its remaining joins limits its range of movement.


    Master activates his Multi-Strike skill and delivers five incredible blows in a single spot on the spiders back. His last strike leaves his pickaxe embedded in the spider''s bleeding carapace. When he yanks his pickaxe back out a huge chunk of carapace and meat is ripped away with it.


    The four hunters aren¡¯t standing by waiting for master to have all the fun. Two more of the spider¡¯s eyes are blinded by arrows and three of its remaining legs are locking up with all the arrows stuck in its joints.


    The spider¡¯s mouth starts dripping blood and soon the creature topples over onto its side. Master jumped off of the beast at the last moment and lands next to me and father. The monster bleeds out slowly before us. I curse the spider in my mind as I watch the life drain out of its remaining eyes.


    <hr>


    I shiver in my seat, thinking back on this morning. Everything felt like a blur after the spider finally died. Father and I were escorted home to a worried mother while the village fell into a frenzied panic. This was the first time the average villager saw the beasts stalking the woods in their full menacing entirety.


    It took me ten minutes to reassure mother I wasn¡¯t injured thanks to Mana Skin and that I was able to stand. Even though I was tired, I helped mother bandage father up and move him to his bed to rest. We both cried together when we realized, thankfully father wasn¡¯t badly injured.


    An hour after the attack Nicolas came to check up on us and asked if I was feeling ok enough to meet with Camden. Father was fast asleep, so mother and I made our way over to the headman¡¯s house.


    ¡°How much meat do you think we can get from the beast?¡± Camden questions his son.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky if we get fifteen hundred pounds of edible meat from the magic beast. Enough meat to last the village four days, six if we stretch it.¡± Nicolas replies to his father.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Kervin should arrive tomorrow with our order of dried meets. That should be enough meat to supply the village for the next month if we¡¯re careful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good and all but what are we going to do about the village''s safety,¡± Mother asks Camden not concealing her sharp tone.


    ¡°It was my fault,¡± I mumble in a low voice.


    ¡°How could this be your fault, sweety?¡± Mother moves close to me and wraps me in a hug.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t put off my morning run, then this wouldn¡¯t have happened and dad wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡± I choke out the words in between my sniffling.


    ¡°The safety of the village doesn¡¯t only fall on your shoulders.¡± Camden looks me in the eye. ¡°The sad fact of the matter was we became complacent with our logging to spot the chameleon spiders. This just shows we need to have people who can spot the difference with the trees patrolling the forest.¡± Camden moves his gaze over to mother. ¡°When Darrius wakes up, I hope he can teach a few of the villagers with a higher Senses stat to spot the hidden beasts?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him when he wakes up.¡± It¡¯s easy to see that mother is getting tired of our family always being the ones to participate in the dangerous aspects of our village.


    ¡°I know I haven¡¯t said it in a while but we are all grateful for your family, especially over the last two months. This village owes the three of you a debt of gratitude that I fear will only get bigger in the future. And I can¡¯t forget about you Master Del-Razen and Ronald, thank you for protecting the village.¡± Camden lowers his head followed by his family doing the same.


    After a minute of silence, the headman raises his head and addresses Ronald. ¡°I need you and the hunters to establish a patrol around the edge of the village. When Darrius gets better, we can find villagers that can help but until then we can¡¯t have something like this happening again.


    Ronald nods his head in agreement.


    ¡°Good. I want to thank you all again for coming after everything you did this morning. If any of you need anything please find Nicolas or myself.¡± Camden once again lowers his head.


    Mother and I decide now is a good time as any to leave. We offer everyone a farewell and make our way back home to check up on father.


    He woke up when we entered my parents¡¯ room but quickly fell asleep again once we assured him everything was ok.


    I helped mother with dinner and we all ate on top of my parent¡¯s bed. Father had to eat slowly but otherwise, he was healing quickly thanks to his physical stats.


    <hr>


    A sudden feeling of being trapped washes over me. My eyes open and gaze through the darkness. My head is fuzzy but I think I must have fallen asleep at some point?


    The feeling of being constricted doesn¡¯t lessen once I realize I¡¯m now awake. I try grabbing my sheets and slowly pull on them hoping they loosen so I can get more comfortable. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I see the two shapes on either side of me.


    I relax once I see I¡¯m snuggled in between mother and father. Hearing their even breathing is like a metronome that calms my worried nerves. I know mother and father¡¯s bed isn¡¯t that big so maybe I should sneak out and move back to my own bed?


    I slowly start adjusting myself so I can crawl out of the bed but my mother¡¯s hand moves over me, locking me in place. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s ok,¡± she whispers in her sleep.


    I give up any idea of escape and surrender myself to the warmth and comfort of the bed.


    I slowly nod off back to sleep feeling the safest I¡¯ve been in a while.


    <hr>


    ¡°Yes, all of them are for the village!¡± Kervin shouts at the mass of villages swarming his cart.


    ¡°Take them to our house so we can divide them later!¡± Nicolas helps direct the villagers carrying large bags of smoked meats towards the village.


    I¡¯m standing off to the side with my own cart waiting for Kervin to finish with his food delivery. Normally I would meet with him the day after he arrives but I gave master a day off after yesterday and decided to do my trading today.


    ¡­


    And maybe I¡¯m a little excited about getting my hands on the materials I ordered.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have to wait much longer. 80% of Kervin¡¯s cart was stuffed with bags of food while the other 20% are things people asked him to acquire last month. While most of the villagers are unloading the meat, Kervin is selling his remaining goods at an alarming pace.


    One by one the food is hauled off to the headman¡¯s house and the remaining villagers haggle over the remaining goods.


    When the last person leaves, I push my cart next to Kervins and greet the merchant. ¡°Anything left?!¡± I sarcastically eyeball the inside of his empty cart.


    ¡°For you, I have the most luxurious gown enchanted with invisibility, so light you can¡¯t even feel the material.¡± Kervin snickers at me.


    ¡°Have you ever known me to buy a dress?¡± I smile wryly at the man.


    ¡°Sorry, I miss spoke. I have a cart full of invisible ore. Only 100 gold for you.¡±


    We both laugh at his joke. ¡°Good to see you again Kervin.¡± I shake the man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Always a pleasure.¡± He rubs his two hands together giving him the perfect greedy merchant look. ¡°Do you have some weapons for me this time?¡± His grin stretches ear to ear.


    ¡°That depends, do you have my order?¡± My own excitement is hard to hide.


    ¡°Sure do, let me grab it.¡± Kervin moves over to his cart and unlocks his safe hidden under his seat. He pulls out a box a little bigger than my hand.


    He gently carries the jewelry box over to me. ¡°You have no idea how many people I had to get in touch with to get this for you. When I finally met with the person selling the materials, he wouldn¡¯t even let me see his specimens without me showing him proof I could afford them.¡± With both hands, he hands me the box.


    I flip a small latch on the front of the box and with a racing heart, I open the lid. The inside of the jewelry box is lined with fluffy fabric and sitting on top are my materials. A rectangle bar of silver that has a bluish sheen immediately catches my eye. Next to the bar of mithril is a small elongated gem shaped like a piece of rice only twice its size. The uncut gem is mostly clear but has a small amount of white fog swirling around its insides.


    My mana sense shows an entirely different picture than my eyes. The bluish mithril has more mana inside it than any other metal I¡¯ve ever seen before, including the fire iron I bought a few months ago. And even then, comparing the gem to the mithril beside it is like comparing a thunderstorm to a small lake. Both forces of nature but one is more impressive than the other. The mithril is packed with beautiful flowing mana like a tranquil lake while the gem contains a storm of mana that I¡¯ve only seen before in magicite. Both of the materials in my hands are leagues above anything I¡¯ve ever worked with before.


    ¡°Beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± Kervin shows me a proud smile. ¡®If you need to confirm them with your master I don¡¯t mind waiting?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No, I trust you. I can tell how amazing these samples are just by looking at them.¡± I close the box and gently set it aside. ¡°Are you ready to see what I have for you?¡± I motion over to my full cart.


    ¡°Very much so.¡± Kervin and his two bodyguards move beside my cart and look inside.


    ¡°I have 26 spears and three chameleon spider¡¯s worth of materials.¡± I saved the rest of the chameleon spider parts to make more arrows and experiment with the materials more.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for.¡± Kervin eyes everything like a hungry shark. ¡°How much do you want for all of them?¡± His skills flare to life.


    My skills activate in return as I question him. ¡°How did selling the organs of the chameleon spiders go?¡±


    ¡°It was profitable for me. Alchemists will take anything if the price is right.¡± That means it¡¯s worth it to harvest them.


    ¡°Well, I have more set aside. I¡¯m sure we can agree on the ¡®right¡¯ price. I¡¯m thinking three and a half gold for everything.¡±


    Kervin feigns shock. ¡°Do you think I carry that much coin with me to a rural village like this? I¡¯ll give you two and a half gold for everything.¡±


    ¡°Please! Knowing you, you probably have at least five gold on you in case you find something you can make a profit on. Just going off of the prices we agreed on last time I should get at least 2.9 gold for everything in my cart and that¡¯s selling the organs for nothing. I need at least 3.3 gold for my hard work.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say the organs were made out of gold. 3 gold coins and that¡¯s leaving me with almost nothing for a profit.¡± I don¡¯t believe him for a second.


    As usual, his merchant skills easily suppress mine. Thankfully I have Mental Resistance allowing me to further negotiate.


    ¡°What if we come to a different agreement?¡± I test the waters.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kervin rubs the stubble on his chin.


    ¡°I get 3.1 gold for my wares.¡± Kervin immediately tries to disagree but I hold my hand up. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. I want 3.1 gold minus 30 silver for your finder¡¯s fee procuring the materials I needed. I need 10 silver for me but the remaining 2.7 gold I want you buy some more stuff for me. That means you only give me 10 silver right now and take everything with you.¡± Kervin looks surprised by my offer.


    ¡°You need more materials? If so, they can¡¯t be like the mithril or magic gem. I had to run around like crazy to find you those materials. I can¡¯t sacrifice my other stops just to hunt down materials for you.¡± He folds his hands in front of him.


    ¡°You have it all wrong. I don¡¯t need specific materials. This time you have much more freedom in what you buy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t care what I spend your money on?¡± Kervin cocks an eyebrow at me obviously skeptic of my words.


    ¡°Yes and no. I need semi-magical tools and even any cheap magical tools you can get your hands on. Duplicates are ok but I mostly need a variety of magical items.¡± I explain to him.


    He hums to himself while staring at me. ¡°Your trying to copy magical tools, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I flinch at the accusation.


    He notices my reaction and shows me his merchant smile. ¡°While asking around about your materials I also asked what they could be used for. Most people said they¡¯re the basic ingredients for a good weapon but others told me they were needed to make an enchanting pen.¡± I try to keep a poker face when he mentions the pen.


    ¡°Now you want any magical items I can get my hands on. You¡¯re going to start forging magical items, I¡¯m right aren¡¯t I?¡±


    A million thoughts burst through my head with his accusation. Master warned me this might happen. I can¡¯t tell him master isn¡¯t able to teach me enchanting because he doesn¡¯t have any magic. I¡¯ve also denied selling him magical items on numerous occasions in the past, I can¡¯t just say now its ok. How do I handle this?


    ¡­.


    Kervin stands there looking smug, waiting patiently for my answer. A crazy idea pops into my head, lie my ass off with a little bit of truth mixed in. ¡°You got me Kervin but it isn¡¯t what you think.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do tell.¡±


    ¡°After master let me place my makers mark on my work, he said I was ready for the next step. Only the next step comes with a challenge. Stone Kin build off of each other¡¯s work and master said I need to do the same thing. The only problem is I don¡¯t have the resources to do that. Master is giving me the basic knowledge to get started but I need to reach a certain point by myself before he teaches me anything else. If you¡¯re expecting magical items next month or even by the end of winter I¡¯ll have to disappoint you. All I can promise is a lot of business in the future and if you cooperate with me, we can continue trading like we did last month. No need to move a lot of coins to a small village out in the middle of nowhere.¡± I wait for his response.


    ¡°When you do start enchanting your work, will you move to Drey?¡±


    A look of confusion crosses my face. ¡°No, why would I?¡±


    His smile looks like it widens a little if that¡¯s even possible. ¡°I was worried I would lose our partnership if you reached a level like that. Call me sentimental but I consider us friends and I don¡¯t want to lose a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend, huh?¡± I give him my own questionable look.


    ¡°Of course! And as a friend, we need to help one another out. I¡¯ll gladly accept your deal as long as you promise as a friend, you¡¯ll sell all your extra goods to me in the future. In exchange, I¡¯ll help keep your magic skills a secret from prying eyes.¡± He offers me a handshake.


    That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad deal?


    I go to shake his hand but he retracts it at the last second. ¡°Before you take my hand, as a friend, I¡¯ll warn you this will be binding with my Contract skill.¡± He holds his hand out again, offering me the deal.


    It doesn¡¯t take a genius to realize that his skill would compel me to follow our deal in the future. My smile widens and I immediately shake on it. His smile falters into insecurity because of my quick response.


    I feel his skill activate and watch a small sliver of his soul dissipate throughout my own. Unlike Camden¡¯s skill that compelled me to take for the village, Kervin¡¯s skill goes completely dormant after it settles and doesn¡¯t bother me at all.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t waste any time there, did you? I¡¯ll get you what you need and I¡¯m willing to invest in you if you need some extra coin?¡± Kervin motions to his guards to have them transfer all the goods over to his empty cart.


    ¡°Thanks for the offer but my mother taught me to never fall in debt with a merchant. I¡¯ll make sure to keep making more weapons for you and the spiders don¡¯t look like they¡¯re going anywhere soon. I should be able to get my hands on enough coin to fund my enchanting practice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kervin hides his disappointment really well behind his smile.


    Kervin hands me my 10 silver coins and we spend the rest of the time chatting about the village and the problems we¡¯re facing with the magic beasts. He subtly tries to ask about my willingness to agree to his skill which I deflect with some platitudes towards his character.


    Kervin¡¯s two guards appear to be even warier of me than last month. They work fast, trying to finish their job and return to Kervin¡¯s side. Thanks to their rushing everything is moved quickly from my cart over to his.


    ¡°I have to work tomorrow, so I won¡¯t be stopping by but I can¡¯t wait for you to return next month with my delivery.¡± I hold the box with my rare materials in one hand and wave goodbye with the other. I move over to my cart and start pushing the cart into the distance.


    ¡°See you then. You¡¯ll be happy with our friendship!¡± He yells behind me.


    ¡°I know I will.¡± I quietly mumble to myself. Kervin might think because I agreed to his skill, he has me locked into this agreement but sadly for him, I can easily destroy the hold his skill has on me if I need to. His Contract skill feels similar enough to Camden¡¯s skill that I¡¯m confident I can remove it from my soul with enough practice. Tonight, I might just gather all the fragments of his skill scattered throughout my soul and leave them bundled together just in case I need to eject them for some reason.


    If he does try to take advantage of me, I¡¯ll just have to send word to the Silver Heard Trading Co about acquiring a better deal with a more reputable merchant. Of course, I¡¯ll wait until I can properly enchant items before I do that.


    Let¡¯s hope my new friend stays a friend in the future¡­ for his sake.

 Ch: 42

    ¡°See you tonight, mom.¡± I give mom a hug goodbye and walk outside our house.


    For once there aren¡¯t any dark clouds looming overhead. It¡¯s rare to get a clear sky this early in winter. The sun rays of early dawn bounce across the snow-covered ground making everything shine with a new brightness to it.


    I adjust the sword at my side and make my way over to Del¡¯s place. When I reach the path leading to master¡¯s home, I notice the tracks in the snow circling the village. Ronald and the other senior hunters must have already started their patrols hours ago.


    I make my way down the forest path using my mana sense to scan the trees. Now that a chameleon spider was spotted right outside our village, I need to keep an extra eye on master¡¯s clearing. I¡¯ll have to swing by his place even on my days off to make sure nothing is stalking our work area.


    I pass by a particularly large pile of snow that perfectly bounces the sun''s rays directly into my eyes. Mana Skin and my enhanced senses help mitigate the damage but my vision still gets covered in sunspots for a second. I stop in place and use Sense Mana to keep an eye on my surroundings while my vision is impaired.


    I rub my eyes with my right hand trying to lessen the blinding effect. My eyes quickly clear but a pounding headache takes its place.


    ¡°I might have overdone it last night,¡± I complain and use my fingers to rub my forehead.


    I spent a long time in my soul last night gathering all of Kervin¡¯s Contract skill pieces. It took what felt like days to find every sliver of his skill hidden in my soul. Unlike Camden¡¯s, Kervin¡¯s skill was shredded into over a thousand pieces that I had to individually look for. Sadly, all that work wasn¡¯t enough to get Sense Soul to level 31.


    I may be complaining but at least now I have his skill waiting for me in the clearing I normally appear in. It would take less than an hour for me to remove his Contract skill if I need to.


    I smile through the headache and continue towards Del¡¯s house. When I finally make it to Del¡¯s clearing I¡¯m astonished at what I find.


    I move into the clearing and shout at master. ¡°Are you sick or something? Since when do you get up before me?¡±


    Master turns to me and gives me a complicated smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep and I knew you would be coming here early today.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you guess that?¡± I cock an eyebrow at master.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hard to figure out. Let me see the materials that merchant brought you.¡± Master holds his hand out towards me.


    I reluctantly hand master the box containing the materials. I was hoping I could surprise him with the magic materials but I guess master knew I wouldn¡¯t be here this early if I didn¡¯t get them from Kervin.


    I anxiously watch master open the box and stare at the materials. First, master pulls out the mithril and surprisingly bites the small ingot. Placing the mithril back into the box, his face doesn¡¯t betray any emotion after examining the expensive metal. He pulls out the uncut gem and holds it up to the light before bringing it close to his eye.


    Master doesn¡¯t say anything as he places the gem back in the box and places everything on his nearby anvil. I wait for him to tell me what he thinks about the materials but he turns around and starts heading over to one of our sheds.


    I can¡¯t take it anymore! ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?!¡± I shout at master¡¯s back.


    ¡°What?¡± Master pauses and turns back to me. ¡°Why are you shouting?¡±


    ¡°What about the gem and Mithril?¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± Master looks puzzled at my outburst.


    ¡°Will they work for an engraving pen or not?¡± I nervously ask.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. They will work for a basic pen. You¡¯ll need better mithril and different gems in the future but these should be good enough for your first pen.¡± Master shrugs and moves back to gathering something from the inside of the shed.


    I move over to the resting materials on the anvil. ¡°Did Kervin buy the wrong materials? I asked for the exact same materials master told me to.¡± I immediately regret not listening to Kervin about bringing the materials to master for inspection.


    Master walks out of the shed with his arms full of magicite. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Master asks when he sees my downtrodden look.


    ¡°I spent two and a half gold on these and you''re telling me they will only make a basic engraving pen. Do you think I would be happy right now?¡± I scowl at master.


    ¡°No need to be so dramatic.¡± Master places the magicite next to the forge. ¡°You got your money¡¯s worth. I¡¯m actually surprised the merchant didn¡¯t bring you lesser specimens and pocket the extra coin.¡±


    ¡°Kervin didn¡¯t cheat me?¡± I hopefully ask master.


    ¡°Nope, for once a merchant didn¡¯t screw over a crafter. If you were wondering, If I tried to buy these materials myself it would cost me around three gold coins. He must¡¯ve worked hard getting you these materials with your limited budget.¡±


    ¡°Could you please explain to me what¡¯s wrong with these materials that makes them lesser subjects and what I should keep an eye out for in the future?¡± I plead.


    Master rubs the back of his head. ¡°The first thing you need to know is how to judge mithril.¡± Master moves over to the shed where we keep the different logs while explaining about the magical metal. ¡°Mithril is the most common metal used to make tier 3 swords. It mixes with metal really well and lays the foundation for magic weapons. A tier 3 sword will usually be 75% steel, 15% mithril, and mixed with 10% other magical substances.¡±


    Master walks back to me with a bundle of wood we don¡¯t usually use in his arms. ¡°Calculating how much mithril you need to use in anything depends on the purity of the ingot. The one you paid for is around 91% pure.¡±


    I know from working with master that¡¯s a pretty low purity when you¡¯re talking about metals. ¡°How bad is 91% when it comes to mithril?¡±


    ¡°Anything over 90% is good enough to forge into tier 3 weapons. Tier 4 requires the mithril to be at least 95% pure and higher depending on how good of weapon you¡¯re making.¡±


    ¡°If 90% is good enough for a tier 3 weapon then why will it make a basic engraving pen?¡± I glance down at the ingot I bought.


    ¡°Enchanting requires the best tools to engrave runes properly. The purity of mithril mixed with other metals may work for weapons and other things but engraving pens are different. An engraving pen needs to best channel a person¡¯s mana when enchanting, requiring a much higher concentration of mithril. Engraving pens aren¡¯t categized by tiers like everything else because an enchanting specialist will have multiple different pens to enchant different runes. The only way to distinguish how well an engraving pen is made is based off of the mithril and gem used to construct it. The ratios of metal are different in an engraving pen. 80% of an engraving pen is mithril while the rest is steel. The more impurities in the mithril the less it will able to channel mana.¡±


    ¡°Then can¡¯t we reforge the mithril? It will be smaller but at least the impurities will be gone.¡± I can make do with a smaller pen if it channels my mana better.


    ¡°If it was that easy why wouldn¡¯t all mithril be sold in a purer state? Mithril is a tricky metal to purify because of its ability to channel mana tightly bonds it with the other rocks naturally found with it. Unlike other metals you can¡¯t separate mithril from, say steel, once it¡¯s combined even if you melt it back down it won¡¯t separate again. When mithril is mined it takes a special alchemist to use potions to separate the mithril from the surrounding rock and impurities. The purer the alchemist makes the metal the more they need to spend to purify it. Most mithril is purified to 90% and then sold as is. The purer ingots of mithril are much more expensive. If the bar you have was 99% pure it would cost around 70 gold coins and that isn¡¯t even the purest mithril you can get. The master enchanters back where I grew up were known to demand four-nine mithril, that¡¯s 99.99% pure mithril.¡±


    ¡°But how do you tell the purity of mithril? Did you use a skill or something, master?¡± I pull the small ingot of mithril out of its box and examine it for any markings it might have.


    ¡°There are skills that help blacksmiths judge the purity of metals but I¡¯ve never gained one. Noticing the difference in purity takes practice just like blacksmithing. You¡¯ve practiced differentiating metals using your senses and mithril is the same thing. You can judge mithril with your sight, touch and even taste.¡±


    ¡°You tasted the metal?¡± Is that what he did when he bit it?


    ¡°It isn¡¯t common practice but some metals have different tastes. You have to be careful though, as you know some metals are poisonous. Tasting a sample of a metal should be your last resort. When I bit into the metal, I was testing to see how soft it was. The higher the purity the mithril is the easier it bends under pressure. You can use a hammer to test the metal but if you have the physical ability it¡¯s quicker to give it a quick bite-test.¡±


    Looking closely, I see very faint marks left behind by master¡¯s teeth.


    ¡°When I bit it, I also tasted the metal. Mithril has the common metallic taste to it but it has an underlined sweet taste that becomes more pronounced with higher purity. But the easiest way to identify mithril¡¯s purity is by judging the bluish sheen on its surface. Even with a sword being 15% mithril the metal will take on a slightly bluish glow. Once you start dealing with tier 3 gear, you¡¯ll be able to tell how much mithril is in the piece depending on its color. The darker the blue the purer the mithril you have.¡±


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    ¡°What about my sword, master? I never used mithril in it and you said it was a tier 3 weapon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, you didn¡¯t use mithril when you forged your sword. I told you mithril was the most common component in magical swords not that it was needed every time. Though I have to say, if you included mithril when you forged your sword the flames it generates would be slightly bigger and the mana cost to ignite your weapon would be much lower. If you forged another sword with enough mithril you might even make a low tier 4 sword.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that easy to make a tier 4 sword, you made it sound incredibly difficult a few months ago? Turns out you just need mithril.¡± I give master a questioning glare.


    ¡°Mithril is more of a building block for magic weapons. It works well with almost everything you combine with it that¡¯s why it¡¯s used so much in enchanting. A steel and mithril sword may be tier 3 but it¡¯s the enchantments that determine how strong it really is. The steel and mithril combination in magic swords creates a strong base for enchanters to work with. You can take a tier 3 sword and enchant the blade to be stronger or maybe have it secrete an acid, anything is possible. Depending on the person, a mithril and steel sword can be enchanted to suit anybody¡¯s needs. But once you mix other magical materials in there your enchanting options become slimmer.¡±


    I look at my katana hanging at my side. ¡°Like using fire-related ore and wind attribute monster parts?¡± I guess where master is going with this.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Your sword would be destroyed if an enchanter tried to put a water enchantment on your blade. Tier 4 swords may be stronger but they have their own drawbacks. If you come across a fire type magical beast your sword will have very little effect against it. Do you understand?¡± Master stops his explanation to give me a chance to go over everything in my head.


    ¡°I think I do master, but what about the magic gem? It looks incredibly strong to me.¡± I Use Sense Mana to observe the mana storm contained in the small gem.


    ¡°I already explained to you about how mana crystals are crystalized elemental mana that form naturally in nature. Magic Gems are different. While you can find a water crystal inside a lake, you won¡¯t find a water attuned magic gem in the same place. Gems are always formed underground. Your average gemstone will always be attuned to earth mana no matter the color of the gem. That is why earth attuned magic gems are the most plentiful and the cheapest similar to magicite. Of course, just like everything in our world mana can change everything. When a gem is being formed there can be a shift in the flow of mana around it and the gem can form with a different attribute other than earth. Fire and water magic gems are common in places magma was once present or where underground lakes are respectively. Wind attuned magic gems are the hardest to find given the sporadic nature of wind mana making them the rarest and most expensive magic gems.¡±


    ¡°Why did you have me get a wind attuned magic gem then?¡±


    ¡°Wind is a very neutral element. Magic gems with the wind element affect enchanting different runes the least. For your first engraving pen, a wind attuned magic gem was the only choice you have while taking into account your need to figure enchanting out by yourself. In the future, if you decide to become serious about enchanting, you¡¯ll have multiple different engraving pens with different elemental gems in each of them.¡±


    My eyes go wide when I realize how much gold it would take to make that many engraving pens and the better one¡¯s cost way more than two and a half gold. ¡°I¡¯ll need to save up my money for the materials for you to make me a better pen then?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but that isn¡¯t going to happen.¡± Master quickly rejects my idea.


    ¡°Why?¡± My voice comes out whinier than I was expecting.


    ¡°Have I ever bragged about being a jeweler before?¡± Master continues after he notices my uncomprehending expression. ¡°Making engraving pens is done by jewelers not blacksmiths. I know how they¡¯re made but my skills won¡¯t do these materials justice.¡±


    ¡°But you have made one before, right?¡±


    ¡­..


    When master doesn¡¯t answer me, I become nervous. ¡°You¡¯ve never made an engraving pen before!? What if you ruin it?!¡± I accuse master.


    ¡°I know how it works¡­ in theory. By all means, you can go to Drey and spend another gold and a half having a professional craft you one. I¡¯m only making you one for free.¡± Master Del sends me a challenging look.


    If I went to Drey and commissioned an engraving pen people would take notice and master knows that. Del looks at me like he wants an apology.


    ¡°I know, I know. Thank you for helping me master. I know you can do it!¡± That last part held a little bit of sarcasm but I am praying he doesn¡¯t ruin what amounts to my lifetime of savings so far.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry my dear apprentice; it might not look pretty but I¡¯ll make you a workable engraving pen.¡± Master puffs out his chest looking confident about his claim.


    ¡°Ok, what do we do first?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Hand me the gem.¡± I hand master the small magical gem and follow him over to our workbench.


    ¡°Come over here and look at this.¡± Master motions me over to his side. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing the sun is out today.¡± Master holds the lumpy stone up to the light. ¡°Your merchant friend brought you a small but good gem. I¡¯ve only cut a few stones back when I lived in Truset but I can show you the basics. The hardest part with gems is spotting the inclusions either on its surface or on the inside of the gem itself. Just like microfractures in our work, these imperfections can destroy the gem if you aren¡¯t careful.¡±


    I stare at the gem in the sunlight and look for any imperfections in its structure. Hold on, if it¡¯s the same concept as microfractures then couldn¡¯t I use Sense Mana to check its structure just like I do when I forge something?


    I focus on using Sense Mana on the small gem. The storm of mana is as beautiful as I saw it yesterday but the constantly shifting mass of mana makes inspecting the gem¡¯s structure hard.


    Master lowers the gem and starts walking over to our grinder. ¡°Wait, master.¡± Master freezes and looks back at me. ¡°Can I see the gem for a second? I¡¯m trying to use my skills to see if there are any imperfections in the gem.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t consider that.¡± Master hands me the gem.


    I intently study the unpolished gem in my hand. If we make a mistake with this magic gem, I¡¯ll have to beg Kervin to procure me another one before he leaves tomorrow and it won¡¯t be cheap.


    I watch the storm inside the gem shift around and study the structure in the small gaps that naturally form in the mana. I work my way up from the bottom of the gem stopping the longest at the center of the gem where the mana naturally accumulates the most.


    As I travel up the structure of the gem, I think the gem might be a piece of white quartz. When I asked for a magic gem, I pictured a diamond in my head. I hope this will be strong enough to engrave with?


    I¡¯m almost finished inspecting the white quartz when I stop near the top of the gem. It¡¯s less than half a millimeter long and thin enough even master couldn¡¯t see it with his stats but that¡¯s definitely a microfracture in the gem.


    ¡°Master, I found a microfracture in the gem. Does that make the gem unusable?¡± I look worriedly at Del.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fracture located, is it in the center of the gem?¡±


    ¡°No, the fracture is at the top of the gem and goes down half a millimeter.¡± I point out the area where the imperfection lies.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. You had me worried there. Come over here and watch me polish it.¡± I walk with master over to our grinder we use to sharpen blades.


    ¡°Grab a bucket of water for me with a ladle.¡± I follow master¡¯s orders and grab the supplies he needs.


    When I have everything ready and come back to master, I see him changing the grinding stone to a rougher grit.


    ¡°Where exactly does the imperfection stop?¡± I point master to the area directly below the microfracture.


    ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll need to make a connection with a jeweler to supply you with the magic gems you¡¯ll need, but for now I¡¯ll show you the basics. First, you need to splash a little water on the grinding stone as it¡¯s moving. You want to keep it damp but not covered in water. Before you grind anything away you need to have a firm idea of the shape you''re trying to work the gem into.¡±


    ¡°Luckily for us, we only need one end of the gem to be a fine point the rest doesn¡¯t matter much. The bottom half of the gem will be used for engraving while the rest of the gem will be hidden inside the pen. Watch how I grind it.¡± Master pumps away on the grinder''s foot-peddle and gently rubs the area the fracture starts against the grinder.


    ¡°We can grind away the part of the gem that has the imperfection. We¡¯ll turn its diamond shape into more of a triangle. Then we¡¯ll sharpen the bottom point.¡± Master carefully grinds away the excess material while I silently stand off to the side.


    Watching master work is always a treat but I have questions I need answered. ¡°Master?¡± I softly call out to him to avoid making him mess up.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asks without looking away from the grinder.


    ¡°Are you able to answer some of my questions or do you want me to wait until you¡¯re finished?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t all that difficult so you don¡¯t have to worry. What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°You said that I would need to make a connection with a jeweler in the future. I know your mining hats don¡¯t use a magic gem but is it different for weapons? Am I going to need a lot of magic gems when I practice enchanting?¡±


    Master flips the gem around in his hands, examining his work. Once content, he starts grinding again and answers my question. ¡°You don¡¯t need to use magic gems in your enchantments when you start off, but eventually you¡¯ll need to work with them. Magic gems help hold and regulate mana injected into an enchantment. Most enchanted weapons have a magic gem and a basic rune embedded in the handle of the weapon. Like the small onyx in the handle of my pickaxe though the way you push your mana into my pickaxe disregards the need for the gem. Normally, a magic gem and what is known as a magic conducting rune are used together to absorb the mana from people using the Expel Mana skill. The magic conducting rune can technically work with the Expel Mana skill without a magic gem but it will make using the enchanted weapon harder to use and less desirable.¡± Master explains while grinding down the quartz into the shape he wants.


    ¡°I see. I assume I¡¯ll need to match the gems with the correct type of enchantment as well.¡± I can probably cut cheaper stones in the future but I¡¯ll need to find an expert jeweler if I ever want to make something truly amazing.


    I watch as the magic gem in master¡¯s hands is slowly whittled down. As the gem gets smaller the storm inside is compressed. ¡°Master, how is something you can grind away like that suitable for engraving?¡± I can¡¯t imagine this little piece of quartz being able to scratch steel.


    ¡°As is, it wouldn¡¯t be,¡± Master adds a little bit more water onto his grinding stone. ¡°As they are, gems and their magical siblings don¡¯t make great cutting tools unless you''re dealing with diamonds or a few other rarer specimens. If you use your engraving pen wrong you could break it with little strength.¡±


    ¡°Then how do I use it properly?¡± I question master.


    ¡°Magic gems have a unique property to them when they channel excess mana. The gems coat themselves with the excess mana making them incredibly durable depending on the quantity of mana they¡¯re channeling. The harder the surface you¡¯re trying to enchant the more mana you¡¯ll need to use as to not destroy your engraving pen.¡± Master gets up from his seat and moves over to our workbench.


    Master Del grabs one of the higher grit sanding blocks and moves over to his favorite bench. A little water on the block and he¡¯s back to polishing the gem. What once was an uncut rock now looks like a gem you might see in a wedding ring just a little lumpier.


    Master takes his time until he finishes working with the magic gem. Master carefully places the finished gem back in the box it came in and swaps it with the ingot of mithril.


    ¡°What¡¯s next, master?¡± I ask as I follow him over to our forge.


    ¡°The hard part.¡± Master boldly claims. ¡°We need to work this mithril with some steel to make the body of your pen.¡±


    ¡°You want me to prepare the crucible then?¡± I offer to help master.


    ¡°If only working with mithril was that easy. Remember when I told you mithril binds with other substances really easy? What do you think will happen if we put the mithril inside the crucible and heat it up?¡±


    I shrug my shoulders and master snickers at me. ¡°The mithril will bond with the ceramic.¡± I can¡¯t believe what I just heard. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate mithril, using different methods people have bonded mithril with clothes, bone, and even paper. To get the mithril to bond with the steel we¡¯ll have to do it a different way.¡±


    Master moves over to the forge which already has a small fire going from before I got here this morning.


    ¡°To get mithril to bond properly with any metal you need heat it up in a forge that¡¯s at a very specific temperature and mana concentration.¡± Master starts putting logs we don¡¯t usually use into the forge. The wood master is using doesn¡¯t burn that hot.


    ¡°The fire can¡¯t be so hot that the mithril melts.¡± In a circle around the logs, master starts putting chunks of magicite into the forge. ¡°We use the wood to heat up the mithril and the magicite to charge the mana in the forge so the mithril bonds with the steel properly.¡±


    Master uses his tongs to place the ingot of mithril in the flames. Instead of the metal turning its usual red color the mithril turns a light shade of blue as the metal gets hotter and hotter. Master grabs a small chunk of steel that was left over from my previous work and places it alongside the mithril.


    ¡°How are you supposed to weld the two metals together properly if the steel won¡¯t get hot enough with the temperature this low?¡± I stare into the forge while questioning master.


    ¡°Magic,¡± Master states in a matter of fact tone.


    Master Del grabs the two chunks of metal and moves them over to his anvil. The soft mithril is easily pounded around the chunk of steel just like you would stick something in clay. ¡°How is that supposed to¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wait and see.¡± Master cuts me off before I can finish my question.


    The abomination of metal is placed back into the fire. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this in a long time.¡± Master smiles into his forge.


    I¡¯m about to ask him what he means by that when my mouth falls open. Inside the forge, the mithril covered steel is moving! The hotter the metal becomes the more the metal comes alive!


    The steel slowly absorbs the mithril and grows in size. My mana sense shows me that the mana in the mithril is being sucked into the steel and then being rearranged into a new structure. What was once two mashed together metals are now a single lump of magic steel. The mithril has lost some of its bluish tint now that¡¯s it''s diluted with the steel.


    ¡°What was that!?¡± I yell at master.


    Master laughs at my shocked expression and ignores my outburst in favor to put the rest of the magicite into the forge. Master leaves the new metal in the forge to heat up and turns to me.


    ¡°That¡¯s how mithril bonds with other metals. You need to be careful when you try this in the future. Once it¡¯s fused with something, you¡¯ll need to make sure your forge has enough mana in its flames to work your new metal. For example, now that the mithril has fused with the steel the fire needs to be hot enough to work steel but also have enough mana in the forge like you are working mithril. You also need to remember though the mithril has taken on the heat requirements of steel it¡¯s much weaker. That¡¯s why you should never use more than 15% mithril in any weapon you make.¡± I nod my head in understanding.


    ¡°Alright, let''s finish this pen.¡± Master focuses back on his forge. It¡¯s hard for me to judge whether the bluish metal is ready to be pulled out now that I can¡¯t recognize the color anymore.


    I take note of the hue of blue the metal has when master moves it over to his anvil. As master said the metal is much softer than steel making it easy for him to work the metal very quickly. First, master gets the lump of fused metal into a familiar ingot shape before he cuts a little piece off the end.


    Next, master flattens the metal into a rectangle which he then proceeds to curl into a shape of a pipe. ¡°Grab the magic gem.¡± Master orders as he moves the new 10-inch blue pen back into the forge.


    I fetch the gem and hand it to master. He once again removes the metal from the forge and over to his anvil. Master switches to a smaller and more precise hammer and sets the gem into one of the pen¡¯s sides.


    Master isn¡¯t finished yet, though. He threads the other side of the new pen and sets the whole thing aside. Then master puts the smaller piece he cut off earlier into the forge and waits for it to heat up.


    When the metal is ready, he beautifully shapes it into a cap that can screw onto the top of the pen.


    Master waits for everything to cool and picks both of the pieces up. The cap perfectly fits onto the pen without a hitch.


    ¡°Take a look.¡± Master hands me my new engraving pen. The pen is an inch in diameter making it pretty big by pen standards. I loosen and tighten the cap double-checking everything. I turn the pen over and inspect the area the gem is secured only to see two small holes on either side of the gem for whatever is supposed to be used as an ink while engraving the runes.


    It may look simple and not all that impressive but I can''t help but feel excited with the engraving pen in my hands.


    I can¡¯t wait to get started!

 Ch: 43

    "So, now that I have an empty pen, what do I fill it with?" I ask Master Del while I clean up our work station.


    Master turns his head to the side, watching me clean up. He took up his usual position on his favorite bench after finishing my engraving pen. "Magic stuff." I''m amazed he can say that with a straight face.


    "I guessed that much already. I mean, what is the ink I''m supposed to use made of?" I might have been angrier at his evasiveness towards my question if I still wasn''t glowing with joy now that I can start practicing enchanting.


    "Herbs, magic crystals, metals, I''m not sure exactly what enchanters use for their engraving pens. We aren''t taught the secrets of enchanting unless we show a particularly special talent for it. The function of different runes, how to draw said runes properly, and especially the composition of their engraving ink are all secrets passed down from Master to student. The only thing I can tell you is that the ink used for engraving pens is supposed to be magically conductive. That''s the extent of my knowledge on the subject." Master closes his eyes and pretends to fall asleep.


    I told myself I wouldn''t get my hopes up, but hearing that from here on out, I''ll have to figure everything out by myself is a little daunting. "That''s ok, Master. You''ve already helped me a lot. Though if it''s not too much to ask, would you answer any questions I have in the future?"


    "Of course, I will. I am your Master, after all." Master huffs after his response but smiles with his eyes closed.


    Master continues to lay on his bench while I quickly straighten everything up.


    "You going home already?" Master finally sits up once I finish with the cleaning.


    "Yeah, I want to check up on mother and father. Make sure they''re ok, you know?" I try to downplay it, but a part of me is still worried about my father. When I think back on yesterday morning and how I found dad, I can''t help but imagine what could''ve happened if I was a little bit slower reaching him.


    "He''s doing better, isn''t he?" Master frowns when I try giving him a reassuring smile.


    I have to drop my fake smile while facing Master''s gaze. "He says he''s feeling better, but I''m not sure if he''s really ok or just pretending to be fine, so mother and I don''t worry about him. As long as mother and I are home, we can at least make sure he rests longer than he normally would."


    "Would you like to take some time off?" I can see Master is being serious towards me about taking time off and not just trying to get another rest day.


    "Thanks for the offer, but I can''t afford to stop working right now. I have magic tools coming from Kervin next month, and I''ll need more coin along with his help to get materials I can turn into engraving ink. We make a lot from the chameleon spiders, but who knows how long it will last? I''ll be back tomorrow ready to forge more arrows and spears."


    Master doesn''t tease me and instead nods his head in understanding. "Does that mean you''ll wait until that merchant returns to practice with your new pen?"


    "I sort of have to. I can''t study magic tools I don''t have yet." I raise a questionable eyebrow at Del.


    "Wait there." Master stands up and walks over to his house.


    He only vanishes into his house for a few minutes before he walks back out with one of his ''light'' hats in hand. "Use this." Master tosses the semi-magical hardhat at me.


    I catch the magical tool with both my hands. I look down at the hardhat until Master coughs into his hand, grabbing my attention. "If you break it, you''ll have to buy me a new one!" Master exclaims.


    "Thank you, Master Del. I''ll make sure to buy you a new one once I''m able." I smile at Master. I have no intention of returning it in one piece.


    "Cheeky brat." Master narrows his eyes and tries to look like a disappointed teacher, but I can see him hiding his smile.


    "See you tomorrow morning." I give Master a final wave goodbye and make my way down the forest trail and back to my house.


    As I leave the forest and enter the village, I consider stopping by Kervin''s cart one more time to ask him if he can get his hands on some engraving pen ink. If I can see the finished product, then maybe I can then figure out a way to synthesize my own formula.


    Using my movement skills, I quickly arrive at Kervin''s campsite only to find it empty. After he dropped off the food for the village and our transaction completed, I can understand why he would want to head back early. Hovering around the edges of our village isn''t the wisest move for a merchant these days. I''ll just have to ask him for help with my problem once he returns. We are ''friends'' after all.


    Without the need for sidetracking, I run home to my parents.


    When I make it home and open the front door, I''m surprised not to find mother in her chair sewing.


    While I''m still in our entryway, I clean myself with magic. "Ahyt ls weem appiss!"


    I absorb the mana from Mana Skin and let the filth trapped against my barrier fall to the floor. I slip my house slippers on and set the ''light'' helmet on our dinner table. I then make my way towards my parent''s bedroom.


    Sense Mana lets me see two distinct masses of mana close together on their bed. I don''t see them moving, but I make sure to take extra loud steps to give them a warning that I''m home.


    "You guys better be decent!" I shout through their door, giving the wood a few knocks to cover all my bases.


    I open the door and walk inside my parent''s room. Cuddled together, mother and father look like they both just woke up from a nap. Mother is still in her clothes from this morning, and dad only has bandages around one of his arms and his chest.


    "You''re home, Aaliyah?" Mother wipes at her eyes and suddenly jumps like she just realized something. "What time is it? I need to get dinner started!"


    Mother flings her covers to the side before I can say anything. She''s already rising to her feet by the time I get a word in.


    "You don''t have to worry, mom. I came home early today. You don''t need to make dinner for a few more hours. You can rest a little longer with dad." I hold my hands up in a placating gesture and get her to sit back down on the edge of her bed.


    "It''s not dinner time?" She asks me one more time to make sure.


    "Nope, just home early," I confirm.


    "That''s not like you." Dad sends me a look like he knows why I''m back so soon.


    Instead of trying to hide it, I decide to acknowledge it. "Is it wrong that I wanted to check up on you? I was terrified when I saw you charging that chameleon spider. I wanted to see if you''re doing better." I fold my arms in front of me.


    "I''m feeling much better. Your mother only let me leave the bed to use the outhouse. I''ll be fine by tomorrow morning."


    "I''ll be the judge of that." Mother doesn''t seem like she''ll let dad have a say in it. Mother tries scowling at father, but it melts away to a more concerned look. Mom shimmies back under her covers and gently moves up against dad.


    It looks like they''re going to take up my offer to return to their naps, so I move to leave their room. "I''ll wake you closer to dinner time, sweet dreams." I blow the two of them each a kiss and close their door behind me.


    I stash my sword in my room and then walk back to our dinner table to examine the magic tool master gave me¡­ lent me, I mean.


    I pull out my chair and place my new engraving pen off to the side. I pick up the helmet and examine it for the first time in years. Ever since Master helped me learn the simple light spell, we haven''t had to use them in the mine.


    I open the metal container on the top of the helmet and examine the intricate lines running throughout the compartment you''re supposed to place magicite. The lines running everywhere make discerning any actual runes from squiggles impossible with the naked eye. Sense Mana allows me to see that each line has the same mana composition but nothing else.


    Am I going to have to tear the helmet apart to examine it easier? Tracing the engraving lines is impossible as it is with the material used in the enchanting process. The dark silvery substance used in the runes blends in with the steel. If only it glowed like Master''s pickaxe.


    A lightbulb goes off above my head. What if I inject some of my mana into the runes? The Magicite is supposed to fill up the area to power the helmet, but directly injecting my mana should have the same effect.


    I slowly use Inject Mana on the runes inside the helmet. The runes light up almost simultaneously, producing an orb of light on top of the helmet just like I remember. With my superb mana sense, I was able to track the path my mana took as the runes absorbed it. Even if all the runes appeared to activate together, I could see my mana being consumed by four runes on each side of the box.


    Each of the runes absorbed the mana in the same way, but each has a different structure of engraving lines. Once absorbed by the first four runes, I noticed my mana is channeled to the rune at the bottom of the box. Tracing some of the lines, I see each of the four runes that absorbed my mana are all connected to a single rune but not each other.


    I send another pulse of mana into the runes and follow the mana as it is directed to this bottom rune. Once the mana reaches the bottom rune, it''s converted into a slightly different mana signature and then sent to the rune at the top of the box.


    It''s hard to see with the light the helmet is producing in the way, but I can see the third type of rune expelling the mana, making the light obstructing my view.


    I stop injecting my mana and watch the mana in the runes run dry.


    I didn''t have the skills to observe the mana this carefully back when Master and I were using the ''light'' helmets. Master said the primary rune for engraving is the one used to absorb mana. The semi-magical item isn''t considered expensive by magical item standards, so the four rues engraved on the boxes sides must be the beginner magic absorbing runes.


    Master taught me that most tier 1 magic has long since spread around the lands. The basic tier 1 mana absorbing rune should be the same no matter who is engraving it. Then why are all four of the runes different?


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I try injecting my mana again, but this time I only focus on one rune at a time. It happens incredibly fast, but I notice the mana I insert into the first rune all starts at a single point. The mana follows the lines in a swirling pattern and branches off into certain connecting lines but avoids the others. "That''s weird," I mumble to myself.


    I move on to the next rune and again find a single point my mana enters the rune. I carefully follow my mana and am shocked when I realize the same pattern emerges when I pretend the deadlines don''t exist.


    The other two runes reveal the same thing after a few more tests!


    I move over to a drawer next to mothers sewing equipment and grab the writing supplies she keeps there. I uncork the small bottle of ink and start sketching the design I found hidden in the engraving. I continue to inject my mana into the rune with the least dead ends and copy the rune onto the paper.


    When finished transcribing the rune, it looks like a small circle with a whirlpool connected to it and two triangles around its outermost line. The two lines off of the triangles connect to the rune at the bottom of the cube.


    I examine the lines that appear to do nothing and notice they only serve to gather a small amount of extra mana from the steel the runes are engraved on. The lines are so close to the rune it looks like they''re connected, but in reality, they aren''t.


    I question why they''re placed where they are when I remember what Master told me about people trying to prevent others from deciphering their magic. Without my higher leveled skills, I would''ve never been able to tell the added lines weren''t a part of the rune in the first place.


    After sketching the best that I can and removing the unneeded lines, I came up with this.


    I''ll have to test what happens to a wrongly drawn rune when I get my hands on some engraving ink. Until then, I''ll have to clean up the other two runes I have access to.


    The rune at the bottom of the cube is much harder to analyze. It has eight connections to the four mana-absorbing runes and has a much more detailed structure. Tracking the mana inside the bottom rune was more difficult due to the constant conversion of the mana flowing through it. The structure resembles multiple rectangles overlapping one another. The top of the rune sends mana up to the rune, producing light.


    After struggling for thirty minutes, I managed to sketch its design correctly.


    To think I can copy runes this easy. I know it''s easy for my high-level mana skills to observe the working runes, but Master, Kervin, and even mother made it sound like it was a lot harder to learn enchanting.


    Putting my doubts aside, I study the last rune. It has different shapes mixed into the design, but it''s still not as complicated as the last rune.


    Now that I have the three runes sketched out, I can examine the lines connecting them. The gathering runes run their two lines from their two triangles to the smaller triangles on the sides of the rectangle rune.


    The large triangle on top of the rectangle rune has a single line that leads to the bottom of the light rune. Blinding myself a few times, I managed to watch the light rune activate. The arrow juxtaposed with the triangle body produces the light ball at the tip of the rune.


    I can''t help but see some similarities to computer hardware when I stare at the mass of lines and runes in the cube. Mana acts as the power supply and fed into a processor and finally expelled in a light show. I''ll need to see more complex runes and enchantments to understand everything better.


    Now that I have the runes sketched out on paper, I need to practice using my engraving pen. I get up from my seat and walk over to where we store the firewood. I might not be able to make working runes without engraving ink, but I can still practice carving the runes I have onto some wood.


    I grab the pieces of firewood that father had cut earlier, which have the evenest surfaces.


    I sit back down with a small stack of firewood next to my chair. I place a piece of wood on the table in front of me and grab my enchanting pen. The large metal pen feels as light as a feather in my hands.


    I first try to use Expel Mana to see how my pen reacts. I stop channeling my mana when I notice the pen isn''t absorbing 40% of the mana I''m expelling. I can''t imagine enchanters would waste that much of their mana. Maybe the engraving pen is supposed to have its own enchantment? That would explain their ridiculous prices and the need to have professionals make them.


    Good thing, I have the skills to disregard the need for an enchantment on my pen. I inject mana directly into my new pen.


    I marvel at its structure. Master can''t use a single speck of magic, and yet he was able to make this pen without any microfractures or kinks in the metals mana structure. It''s an even more impressive feat when you consider this was the first engraving pen master has ever made.


    The mithril steel alloy hungrily devours the mana I inject into it and starts glowing with a soft blue light. A steady stream of my mana enters the magic gem, and I watch in fascination as the gem forms a barrier of mana around its edge.


    With a little bit of pressure, I point the tip of my pen up against the wood. There is a little resistance from the wood, but the quartz digs easily into the surface. Master said the more mana I use, the stronger the magic gem will become.


    I pump even more of my mana into the pen, making sure to keep an eye on the material. It would be tragic if the alloy disintegrated after the work master put into making it.


    100 mana.


    200 mana.


    400 mana!


    The greedy pen doesn''t start reacting to my mana until I use nearly 550 of my mana to charge the pen. I try poking a hole in the wood again to see how sharp the engraving pen is while charged with this much mana.


    The tip of the pen touches the surface of the wood, but I don''t feel any resistance as I push the pen further in. The pen sinks two inches into the log before I pull it back. The magic gem is amazing. Imagine if I could make a chisel with a large enough magical stone or even a knife might be possible. How would a blade made from a magic gem stack up against a tier 5 weapon?


    I stop daydreaming about crystal weapons and focus back on the log in front of me. Let''s see if my Drawing skill helps me engraving the runes on the wooden surface.


    My hands feel awkward with such a big pen. I start off trying to copy the swirling design of the mana absorbing rune. It should be the easiest one to start with, but quickly I find myself making the lines uneven in depth.


    I copy the rune five times on the first piece of firewood and another seven times a little smaller on a second piece. I try injecting some of my mana into the runes I carved, but the wood just stores my mana like it usually does. The empty runes do not affect the wood''s ability to absorb mana.


    It seems like I''ll need to find something to fill the runes in with to test them out properly.


    "I thought you were going to wake us up?" Mother''s voice startles me. I look up from my work and see mother and father walking down the hall.


    "I would''ve woken you up closer to¡­." I stop when I see the color of the sky outside the window. I was too absorbed in my work to notice the diminishing light.


    Mother walks up to my side and looks at the two logs I have sitting on the table. She runs her fingers over my trial runes. "Are these runes?" Mother asks, as her attention shifts to my three drawings.


    "They sure are." I proudly say. "I managed to copy them from master''s ''light'' helmet. I was practicing drawing them on the firewood before I try it on something more important."


    "I can''t believe you made it this far already. You got your engraving pen today, didn''t you?" Mother gives me a skeptical look.


    "I didn''t think I could copy the runes this quickly either."


    "I shouldn''t be surprised by you anymore. Can you please clear off the table and help me with dinner?" Mother starts cutting up the vegetables for tonight''s stew. Now that we have a working grill, I don''t hate having the stew as much as I used to.


    I carefully move my sketches of the runes off to the side along with my engraving pen. I carry my wood carvings over to the fireplace and use the wood as kindling.


    "Why are you burning them, sweety?" Dad asks as he watches me throw my work into the growing fire.


    "They''re just copies of the runes I carved for practice. They won''t do anything, so why waste the firewood?" I explain to my father.


    Once the fire is strong enough to leave unattended, I move next to mom to help her prepare dinner.


    While cutting up some of the meat that Kervin brought for the village, dad questions why my runes won''t work as they are.


    "I was able to use some of my special skills to copy the runes'' shapes, but I don''t have the ink required for my engraving pen to make working runes. Until I figure something out, I''ll have to make do with practicing carving skills. I''ll ask Kervin about getting me some ink when he returns." Father nods his head in understanding.


    While adding ingredients into our stew pot, mother joins our conversation. "I don''t think that will work, honey."


    I give mom a questioning look. "You don''t think Kervin can find me some engraving ink? Or is it too expensive?"


    "It''s not that it''s expensive, more like that it''s not sold on the open market. You would need to contact a black-market merchant, and it would almost certainly be a trap set by the kingdom." Mother drops some incredible information without changing her neutral expression.


    Dad and I look at mother like she grew another head. She doesn''t take any notice of us and focuses on preparing dinner.


    "How do you know so much about it?" I curiously ask mother.


    "I told you before; my family was a prominent merchant household in Aurorast. One of my father''s best clients was an enchanter whose workshop was close to our house. Father helped arrange everything he needed for his work. My siblings and I were schooled in which materials we needed to keep an eye open for. Everything to do with enchanting is silver and gold, so we were expected to know our stuff."


    Mother finally looks my way and smiles when she sees my look of shock. She giggles into one of her hands and continues talking about her experience as a child.


    "Dealing with such expensive goods, there''s a lot of secrecy that comes with the territory. Enchanters¡­ real enchanters¡­ are an exclusive lot in Olebert and other kingdoms. You may have people producing the cheaper magical items, but enchanters like my father''s acquaintance are all monitored by the kingdom. They''re able to enchant weapons with horrifying power that can kill dozens of people in the right hands. The ink they use for their enchantments is considered just as important as the runes themselves. More than once, my father was approached by those in the underworld trying to get him to sell them either a list of the materials he was selling or the outright finished product if possible."


    "Did he take the bribe?" I enthusiastically ask. This sounds like a crime show I would have watched in my past life.


    "He did." Mother gives me a toothy grin and pauses for effect. "He took their money and arranged a drop-off. Of course, at the drop off point, the buyers wouldn''t find what they were looking for, only a platoon of the lord''s soldiers waiting for them." This is the most I''ve heard mother talk about her family.


    "You see, trading engraving ink is banned thanks to the pressure the mage community put on the royal family long ago. The materials to make it are fine to trade, but exchanging engraving ink itself is outlawed. That way, other mages and other kingdoms are less likely to steal an enchanter''s secrets." Mother reaches over to my side and dumps the ingredients I cut into the pot. I was so entranced in her explanation I barely helped her prep anything.


    Mother moves over to our fireplace and places the stew close to the crackling flames. "Does that mean you know how they make enchanting ink?" I hopefully ask mother.


    "Sorry I don''t." Mother laughs again when my hopeful smile falls into a frown. "I do, however, know the four most common ingredients enchanters use. That should be enough to get you started."


    "Yes!" I shout out loud. "I mean¡­ yes, please." I correct my self and blush at my outburst.


    "Don''t thank me yet, sweety. The cheapest of the ingredients cost half a gold coin. The four ingredients we were taught to keep an eye out for and get at the lowest price possible were magicite, mithril, eathrosse, and devil''s poke made up 70% of our business with the local enchanters."


    "I know about the first two, but what are eathrosse and devil''s poke?"


    "I know those, they''re rare plants found near higher mana zones," Father says from his seat at the table.


    "Your father''s right. Both eathrosse and devil''s poke are plants with high magical components. I don''t know how they''re used in enchanting, but every enchanter in Aurorast was trying to buy more. Special high leveled farmers mostly grow them, but magic beast hunters call them green gold. I don''t know the local prices, but eathrosse sold for 98 silver for a half-pound bag. Devil''s poke sells for even more at 1.2 gold for half a bag."


    And I thought mithril was expensive. "Are either of them found near our village?" I hopefully ask father.


    "Every so often a magical plant is found by the hunters, but it isn''t common. The only magical plant I''ve found was the arc tree. There might be some closer to the higher mana zone part of the forest, but I don''t think you would want to go there right now." Father gives me a warning look.


    "What''s with that look? You think I would try to go there right as winter started?" I turn my head away from dad, not wanting him to see that he hit the nail on the head with his warning.


    Mother steps in front of my gaze and gives me a look much fiercer than fathers. "Don''t even think about it." She says with a cold voice that.


    "I wasn''t." I totally was; I need to change the subject. "If they''re that rare, will Kervin be able to get me some samples?"


    Mother''s face says that she knows what I''m trying to do, but she answers me anyway. "He''ll need to go through his company''s superiors, but he should be able to get you what you need. But are you sure that''s what you want?"


    "What do you mean, mom?"


    "Kervin may be able to get you the ingredients that you need, but in doing so, the Silver Herd Trading Company will learn about you and Del. Eathrosse and devil''s poke are particular herbs. They''re only used in higher forms of alchemy, for the most part, enchanting. Even someone who can make basic enchantments are highly sought after by merchants. And it won''t be long before the local lord sends an envoy to investigate as well." Mother gives me a somber look.


    It''s a good thing mother knew so much about this. If I had talked to Kervin before he left, he probably would''ve invariably blown my cover looking for the ingredients I need.


    "Don''t worry about all at once." Mother moves over to me and hugs me. "You have a month before Kervin comes back to decide how you want to handle it. No matter what you choose, your father and I will support you."


    "She''s right. And don''t you worry, your father here can knock around anyone who comes to cause trouble." Dad boldly claims and flexes his arms.


    I decide not to point out that I saved him a few days ago.


    "Yes, we know how strong you are, Darrius. We can talk about this more later. The stew is ready now. Aaliyah, can you get the utensils?" Mother moves the pot of stew over to the table while I grab our bowls and silverware.


    Dinner with my family is always a great way to finish the day.


    While we''re all eating, I pull up my status page.


    LV: 62 Experience: 177,680/ 481,032


    Health: 2,060/2,060


    Stamina: 897.41/1,386


    Mana: 807.64/1,000


    Vitality: 206.00


    Endurance: 80.09


    Strength: 130.00


    Dexterity: 120.00


    Senses: 60.44


    Mind: 62.50


    Magic: 100.63


    Clarity: 75.38


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV77), Running (LV72), Blacksmithing (LV59), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Hammer Skills (LV50), Chanting (LV46), Mining (LV46), Drawing (LV39), Cooking (LV37), Trading (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sewing (LV24), Sword Skills(LV24), Wood Carving (LV23), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV57), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase price (LV16), Lower Price (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV8), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV57), Mana Manipulation (LV51), Double Strike (LV31), Precise Strike (LV30), Weighted Strike (LV20), Flash Step (LV15)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV45), Mana Skin (LV45), Mental Resistance (LV40), Extract Mana (LV22), Magic Blacksmithing (LV16)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV30)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Drawing (LV38-39) 3,850exp


    Cooking (LV37) 1,850exp


    Trading (LV33-37) 8,750exp


    Wood Carving (LV22-23) 2,250exp


    Sword Skills (LV22-24) 3,450exp


    Double Step (LV57) 5,700exp


    Increase price (LV14-16) 4,500exp


    Lower Price (LV13-15) 4,200exp


    Sword Arts (LV8) 800exp


    Expel Mana (LV57) 8,550exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV51) 7,650exp


    Weighted Strike (LV20) 3,000exp


    Flash Step (LV14-15) 4,350exp


    Inject mana (LV45) 11,250exp


    Mana Skin (LV45) 11,250exp


    Extract Mana (LV22) 5,500exp


    Skill Experience: 86,900exp


    Crafting Experience: 2,443exp


    Fighting Experience: 7,264exp


    Total experience Gained: 96,607exp


    Most of my gains this time were from fighting that spider by myself for so long and trading with Kervin. I earned nearly 2,000 more experience from the chameleon spider than I usually do, and I didn''t even participate in the final strike. And all my merchant skills went up after striking that deal with Kervin.


    I didn''t earn an enchanting skill, but my Drawing and Wood Carving both leveled, which should be a big help in the coming months when I practice drawing runes.


    As I shovel a spoonful of stew into my mouth, I think about everything I have to do in the coming month.


    I need to practice the three runes I can draw. I need to set time aside for my sword practice. I also need to figure out a way to level Sense Soul. If that wasn''t enough, I need to make more spears for Kervin and arrows for the hunters. All that work while also hunting down any chameleon spiders that get too close to the village.


    I wish I can complain about my work schedule, but I need to do everything and continue to grow stronger. If mother is right, some influential people might take notice if I continue to practice enchanting. I need to be strong enough that I won''t be intimidated by whoever shows up to our village.


    I have around four months before Richard and Sandra return to the village, and if the lord keeps to his promise, a subjugation squad won''t be far behind them.


    The future should be getting more interesting from here on out.

 Ch: 44

    Kervin''s Point of View:


    "From road to road, from trail to trail."


    "Merchants roam, searching for a sale."


    "Everything has a price, anything for gold."


    "Our carts are full; everything must be sold."


    "How did that sound?" I glance at my two guards Lurte and Ryiba.


    "We''re nearing Teeburn. It would be wise for you to remain quiet. We need to listen for Scholl spies that could be hiding nearby." Lurte warns me from my right with a straight face.


    "I had no idea!" I pretended to look shocked. "We should warn everybody else." I wave to the other carts tightly packed around us, all heading the same direction. "If you don''t like my singing, you can just tell me. I promise I won''t be mad."


    "We don''t like your singing." Ryiba dryly says from my left.


    "The two of you should be praising my singing for all the gold I pay you guys." I humph to myself and pretend to act insulted.


    "We aren''t paid to be tortured." I give Ryiba a quick scowl. The two of them are always criticizing my singing.


    I won''t get anything from arguing with Ryiba, so I look to my right at Lurte and switch conversation topics. "Lurte, how far from the city are we?" I can''t see anything past the cart in front of me. The merchant I''m tailing has his cart stacked fifteen feet tall with crates. Judging by the smell, the boxes are probably filled with produce.


    Lurte walks a couple of feet from our cart, pushing his way through the bushes and weeds outlining the road.


    The plants and weeds should''ve died when winter arrived, but the war weather has changed the local ecosystem. Everything is wet and muddy due to the snow that falls one minute and then melts when sudden heatwave rolls in over it.


    Bang!!


    The sound of thunder echos overhead, as a flash of light streaks between the dark clouds above us. I''ve heard stories from older merchants about war weather, but this is the first time I''m experiencing it myself. It''s said the weather around major conflict sites becomes more unpredictable, depending on the size of the battle.


    The excessive use of magic in one area affects the weather leading to sudden downpours of hail, heat waves that scorch the earth, and gale-force winds that sweep carts on to their sides with little warning. If you have devil''s luck, you can even be stuck by lightning that randomly discharges overhead.


    How many spells are the two army''s throwing at each other to change the weather this much? At least being nestled so tightly between the other carts helps reduce the weather''s effect.


    The closer we got to Teeburn, the more carts seemed to join us on the narrow road. Even now, my cart is hanging a few feet off the right shoulder to give room to the empty wagons leaving the nearby city.


    "Not much longer. I''d say another 30 minutes before we''re in the city proper." Lurte tells me when he takes up his previous position close to my cart.


    "I bet every person with a few levels in Trading is here looking for some quick coin," I complain because of our slow speed.


    This line would be moving faster if people were still going to the fort to trade their goods. Ever since Scholl started their attack a few months ago, only the craziest merchants would risk their lives bringing their products directly to the fort.


    Now everything for the fort is purchased in Teeburn by the supply corps. The soldiers stationed in the city communicate with the fort and deliver all the goods they buy during lulls in the fighting.


    "Is it ok for us to be here right now?" Lurte asks as we slowly shuffle forward.


    "What do you mean? Why wouldn''t we be allowed here?" I ask my faithful bodyguard.


    "After the delivery to Spotted Creek Village, you wasted a week sending messages from Drey before you had us gather every weapon we''ve been storing at your house, and then we came here. How are we supposed to finish our route and find the magical items for miss Aaliyah in time? The company is going to reprimand you for not sticking to your assigned route." Lurte gives me a worried look.


    "There''s no need to worry." I calmly explain to Lurte and Ryiba. "The reason we wasted so much time in Drey, as you stated, was because I had to get in contact with some of the people who owed me favors in Silver Herd. Other merchants will make my stops for me while we''re here. After we sell everything, we''ll relax in Drey and gather the food for Spotted Creek Village and the items for Aaliyah. I have everything planned out." Lurte and Ryiba relax when they hear my explanation.


    As we inch forward, I think about all the planning I''ve put into this trip. Ever since there had been whispers of war, I''ve been using my spare coin to buy weapons from my contacts. Trading under Silver Herd means I use their connections and coin to move goods around. Every three months, I have to submit a report on how much I traded and how much coin I made. All the profits go to Silver Herd, and I receive a bonus depending on how well I did. Of course, that only applies to the goods I bought and sold using Silver Herd''s money.


    Small deals here and there, and thanks to my trading with Aaliyah, I had enough coin to amass this cart full of weapons. I turn my head and look inside my cart at the overwhelming pile of arms neatly packed underneath a canvas cover.


    The thirty spears I''ve bought from Aaliyah over the last two months and a few other pieces from her earlier work are my finest pieces. The rest are works I''ve picked up for cheap coin during my trade route. Overall, I''ve spent nearly five gold coins of my own money on everything. I should be able to quadruple my money by just selling Aaliyah''s weapons alone.


    I stop counting my future coins when I see the wall surrounding Teeburn come into view, cresting the cart in front of us. The line starts to pick up because the city guard is directing smaller carts over to a quicker inspection point. My cart isn''t considered small, so we have to stay in place.


    A soldier tells us to stop while the cart in front of me rolls forward and is inspected. The men checking the cart look tired, and many are dragging their feet. I''ve heard the city''s population was dwindling the last two decades, and I doubt they have the human resources to properly handle the sudden influx of people.


    The city was nearing its last leg, and if it weren''t for the infrastructure invested in the city during the previous war, this place would''ve wholly fallen apart these last few years. Despite it being a large city, the population could barely classify this place as a medium-sized town.


    Years of neglect can see everywhere, from the guards to the walls and the surrounding buildings. We''ve made it through the gate only five minutes, and I can see multiple builders trying to patch up the decaying infrastructure around us.


    The war might be considered the luckiest thing to happen to Teeburn in nearly a century. The amount of money flowing into the city will only grow if our forces can hold the fort until springtime and more soldiers arrive.


    After waiting ten minutes, the cart in front of me pulls onto the main road of the city, and the guards signal us forward.


    "Name and goods being hauled." A city guard with a silver emblem of a tree on fire approaches us and asks for my information in a monotone voice.


    "Certainly captain, my name is Kervin, and I''m with the Silver Herd Trading Company. I have weapons for the fort." I offer him a merchant''s smile.


    The captain raises an eyebrow at me. "You have identification on you? I know the three silver Herd merchants that make regular trips to our city, and they haven''t told me about a fourth that would be coming."


    I reach to my side and pull out my company-issued plate. This is the first time someone has asked to see my plate before. The people I usually meet are happy just to see a merchant and don''t care who they work for.


    "Here you go." I hand him the metal plate that has our company''s logo along with my information on it.


    While he''s examining my plate, I explain why I''m here. "I managed to get a good deal on these weapons, and I decided to come here on my own time, so it''s not surprising you haven''t heard I was coming."


    The captain nods his head in understanding. "Your identification checks out. I shouldn''t be surprised by an ambitious merchant. You said you were hauling weapons, what else?"


    "Only weapons here."


    "No, kidding. Let me see the goods really quick." I hop off of my carriage and signal my guards to stay where they are.


    I follow the captain to the side of my charge and untie the canvas hiding my cargo.


    "Gods." The captain''s eyes go wide when he sees the pile of weapons filling my cart. "This is the largest weapons delivery I''ve seen yet." That''s good news for me. "Usually, people mix their cargo unless it''s someone selling food. Give me a second."


    I tie up the loose canvass while the captain stamps an entry permit for me. I''m confused when he hands it to me without asking for any taxes. "You don''t need an entry fee?" I ask.


    "We aren''t collecting it due to the situation of the city. After a quick inspection, all merchants, laborers, and crafters are encouraged to enter and stay in Teeburn. We need all the help we can get. The city earns more money letting everyone in than we could with a gate toll. You''re all clear, enjoy your stay in Teeburn." I give the captain a polite nod and usher my bivol forward.


    "Do you want one of us to find an inn for the night?" Lurte offers as we make our way down the city''s main road.


    Each building we pass is either a cobbled together inn or a building being converted into another inn. "I don''t think it will matter much in the end. No matter which one we choose, we''ll have to be careful the sudden winds don''t blow it down in our sleep." I point out the horrendous looking buildings as we pass them. Only a quarter of them look like they should be standing.


    I steer my bivol, following the signs pointing us towards the location the army is purchasing goods from. "We''ll sell everything and worry about the inn later. Who knows, maybe I''ll make enough for us to rent out a house instead of one of these cramped inns."


    "Like you''d ever waste your money on something like that. Just buy us the first-round tonight." Ryiba knows me too well.


    "Sounds fair." I agree with him. And it''s cheaper too, I think to myself.


    We follow the signs through the city until we reach a clearing next to a sealed gate that leads to Fort North Ridge. The clearing is pure chaos with soldiers directing carts every which way while others empty the goods from other carts. Everything is being sorted into piles and loaded into heavy-duty steel carts with the Olebert symbol on their sides.


    I see a soldier close to us, flagging us over to a spot between two other merchants parked off to the side.


    After we pull into our spot, a different female soldier with a writing board in her hands approaches us.


    "You with the Sliver Herd Company?" She asks me after she notices my bivol.


    "Yes, Mam, the names Kervin. I have some goods you might be interested in." I use my most charming smile when I address her.


    "Don''t we all!" The man sitting in the driver''s seat of the cart next to mine erupts in laughter at his own joke.


    The female soldier ignores the man''s outburst and focuses on writing on her board. She quickly jots my information down with little expression on her face. "And what are you selling today?" She asks me, finally looking up from her board meeting my gaze.


    "Weapons¡­ just weapons." I smile down at the woman.


    I see only the tiniest bit of shock cross her face before her expression turns neutral once again. The man, still howling at his joke, chocks and looks at me in shock. From the corner of my eye, I see the man waiting on the other side of me is also sending me a curious look.


    "Is that so. We''ll have someone over here in just a minute." She informs me before turning around and walking off.


    "Just like that! I''ve been waiting for over an hour, and he gets to go first!" The man in the cart next to mine starts throwing a fit. My guards tense up and slightly move closer to me. It''s subtle, but I feel multiple angry gazes looking in our direction. I''m about to panic when I notice the murderous looks are directed at the man yelling to our side and not at us. The stupid man obviously doesn''t notice the angry gazes the surrounding soldiers are giving him and continues to curse out loud.


    "We''ll get to you when we have the time. Until then, I suggest you silence yourself." The voice cuts short the man''s whining and the surroundings go quiet. I search for the origin of the voice and notice an older man in an officer''s uniform walking towards us from across the clearing.


    "Certain goods take priority." The man is over 50 feet away from us, and yet his voice sounds echoes clearly in my ears without him needing to shout. The man carries himself like a golem, each movement precise and calculated. The medal on his uniform designates him a captain, but it''s the embroidered crest next to it that draws my attention. Three arrows piercing a heart, that''s the Pitz house crest. This man is a direct subordinate to General Emily Pitz.


    The man finally notices the predicament he''s in and pales in his seat. "I''m¡­I''m¡­. sorry." The man stutters as the captain nears him.


    He doesn''t even acknowledge the man as he passes him. I quickly dismount my cart and greet the captain before his ire turns on me. "I greet you, captain, my name is Kervin. It''s an honor to be in the presence of someone from house Pitz." I don''t dare use any of my skills on the man in fear he might notice and take offense.


    Now that he''s in front of me, I get a better look at him. He''s 5'' 10'''' and has a perfectly straight posture. If you disregard the dirt around his cuffs and the bottom of his pants, his uniform is spotless. His black hair is short and well-trimmed with a few streaks of grey betraying his age.


    "We can offer each other greetings another time. I was told you have weapons to sell?" Lurte, Ryiba, and I all flinch under his colossal gaze. This man has to be over level 70. If he''s not at the fort fighting, he must be in charge of the supply unit here.


    I clear my throat and straighten my back before I have the confidence to answer him. "I do, sir, take a look." I motion to my men to help me remove the canvas covering my wares.


    As we remove the canvas, I notice the captain''s eyes focus on my goods. Once we have the cover lifted, his smooth voice causes the three of us to freeze. "47 spears, 81 swords, 26 axes, 42 bows, and 2,492 arrows, not bad at all." He counted everything in the 40 seconds it took us to remove the canvass! The arrows aren''t even in the open; they''re in boxes!


    "No magical weapons, but everything is of decent quality. How much do you want for everything?" I freeze at his sudden question.


    My Mind Stat franticly tries to help me organize my thoughts. Do I use my skills? Why couldn''t I be dealing with an ordinary soldier instead of this old monster? Will he take offense if I try to haggle?


    I feel the weight on my shoulders, increasing each second I don''t answer the man.


    The gods be damned; I''ve worked too hard to falter now. I active every one of my merchant skills and hope he doesn''t take offense. Trading, Increase Price, Best Deal, Smooth Negotiating, Charm, and my tier 4 skill Loose Wallet all activate together. "It was hard for me to gather all of this. I need 50 gold coins for everything." Every muscle in my body tenses when the captain doesn''t respond to my offer.


    I feel the sweat gathering on my brow as time seems to stop. With all my skills applying their pressure on the man, I anxiously wait for his reaction. I wait to see if his merchant skills will activate or if he has me detained for offending him.


    "That is too much." All at once, I feel the strength behind my skills falter. "30 gold is more than enough for these weapons." Each of his words cuts through my skills pressure, and I start to feel the immense weight behind his skills, rebuffing the effort of my own.


    I feel an overwhelming desire to agree to his counteroffer. I haven''t felt like this since I was a child learning under my parents.


    As my mouth starts to open, I do the only thing I can think of.


    I slap myself across the face.


    The two other merchants watching us look astonished by my actions, but I don''t have time to focus my attention on them. The captain''s gaze is still drilling into me. Before the pain fades, I need to make my counteroffer. "I need 40 gold." It takes everything I have to say those words.


    The man''s stern gaze flickers momentarily, and a soft smile creeps across his face. "I''ll do 35," He offers.


    This time I can''t fight the power of his skills, and I''m forced to agree. "Thank you for the generous offer." I hiss between my teeth as I lower my head in defeat.


    I keep my head lowered, trying to hide the disappointment I''m feeling. I barely notice the captain pull a slip of paper out of his pocket and write something on its surface before offering it to me.


    I reach out for the slip of paper, but it doesn''t budge from his hand. I''m forced to meet his gaze once again, and I''m surprised to see his smile had only grown bigger. "You have quite a bit of talent. You''re the first merchant that managed to offer a rebuttal to my first offer. If you come back again, mention that you''re a friend of Captain Nathanael." Captain Nathanael loosens his grip on the piece of paper before he turns and walks over to another cart in the clearing.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    A few seconds after he leaves, the female soldier approaches me once again, accompanied by ten other individuals in the same uniform.


    She stops in front of me while the others swarm my cart and start to remove everything. "Don''t lose that ticket; you can take it to our barracks in the city and collect your money there."


    "Where exactly are your barracks located?" I halfheartedly ask her.


    "Do you remember passing by a building with a lot of soldiers entering and exiting as you made your way here?" She asks me.


    I vagally remember seeing a building like that. "I believe so."


    "All coin transactions are handled there." That makes sense. It would be hard for them to keep track of every coin being exchanged with it being so busy here.


    I look over my shoulder at the people striping my cart of everything I''ve gathered these last few months. I look down at my ticket and notice the ''35 gold'' clearly written on it. This is what I get for months of my hard work.


    "I would like to thank you." The female soldier''s voice brakes me out of my daze. "You came at the perfect time. Weapons have been getting harder to come by recently, and your delivery will save many lives." She offers me a soft smile and bows her head.


    I can''t say how disappointed I am with my earnings after hearing that. "Anything for the Kingdom of Olebert," I reply, hiding my disappointment in my heart.


    Everything becomes much duller after our conversation finishes. My cart is soon emptied, and we''re asked to leave to make room for other arriving merchants.


    The trip to the barracks to cash out my ticket was slow and tedious. The pouch of gold coins they hand me feels light in my hands despite them counting it twice in front of me.


    Lurte and Ryiba led me from tavern to tavern until we fond a spot for us to settle for the rest of the day with an open room for the night.


    I kept my word and bought the first round, then the second¡­. and third. The cheap mead wasn''t making me feel any better.


    Sipping my grog, I pull up my status page.


    LV:53 Experience: 174,819/229,837


    Health: 1,890


    Stamina: 916


    Mana: 100


    Vitality: 189


    Endurance: 36


    Strength: 39


    Dexterity: 72


    Senses: 119


    Mind: 124


    Magic: 10


    Clarity: 10


    Status Points: 0


    Skills: Running (LV32), Writing (LV34), Mathematics (LV37), Cooking (LV17), Trading (LV61), Driving (LV50), Increase Price (LV53), Decrease Price (LV51), Best Deal (LV27), Smooth Negotiating (LV30), Charm (LV42), Loose Wallet (LV11), Danger Sense (LV25), Contract (LV7)


    I''ve worked so hard to reach where I am today. My parents, bless their hearts, worked their hardest for my older brother and me to earn the skills we needed to be successful merchants. I wonder how brother is doing running our family''s vegetable stall back in Blaiton.


    Even with it also being the headquarters for Silver Herd, it''s been years since I stopped by to see my family. Maybe I should take some of my free time and stop by to say hello.


    I look at the almost empty mug in front of me. Alcohol always turns me sentimental.


    Glancing back at my status page, I think about my run-in with Captain Nathanael. Almost every one of my merchant skills leveled after our deal concluded, but that''s the only good news I can think of.


    Doing some quick math, I noticed I only earned 26,482 experience from selling everything I brought with us. Any other day I would be excited about that much experience, but when you factor in all the work I put into this trip, I was expecting enough experience to push me into level 54.


    The only time a merchant doesn''t receive their proper experience is when they''re screwed out of their deserved coin.


    I can only imagine how much money I lost on our deal. And that old man had the gall to ask me to see him again the next time I come!


    "Another one!" I shout at a passing waitress. The only thing I want to do is drown myself in cheap liquor for the rest of the day.


    **********


    Emily Pitz Point of View:


    The sound of arrows releasing fills the air as I watch siege spells launched from our walls at the horde of Scholl soldiers down below. Their forces are spread out, mitigating their troops'' damage while launching their own spells and arrows in retaliation.


    I scan the horizon looking for their commanders. I spot them at the back of their army. They''ve learned their lesson and have moved all their prominent figures well out of my range.


    Instead of relying on high-level warriors, they''ve spent the last three weeks using their superior numbers to whittle away our supplies with a prolonged siege. We''ve only managed to move the smallest amounts of food from Teeburn in the middle of the night during the lulls of battle. Food, weapons, daily necessities, we''re running low on everything.


    I wonder if Scholl''s new commander planned on his strategy being this effective or if he just got lucky.


    "Cristopher, how many more days can we hold out?" I ask the open space next to me.


    My steward materializes next to me with a somber look on his face. "We have four days of food left if we stretch out our supplies. A few of our men know some minor blacksmithing skills and are frantically trying to sharpen and repair anything they can, but 10% of our forces have either no weapon or an improvised spear. If we don''t get our supplies from Teeburn soon, we won''t be able to hold Scholl''s forces at bay. They''ll take Teeburn, and we''ll be stranded here alone."


    I take a deep breath and contemplate everything he just told me. "It looks like I have no choice," I mutter into the wind.


    "General?" Cristopher gives me a questioning look.


    "Send word to Nathanael that he''s to bring everything he can to the fort at once," I order Cristopher.


    "But general, we can''t push their forces back enough to guard that many supplies! We''ll lose everything!" Cristopher shouts at me while looking pale.


    "I''ll handle it. Hurry along." I firmly order him to go and make the preparations.


    Cristopher disappears in the direction of the closest communication mage. After a few months of us working together, he''s stopped second-guessing me as much. Only at times like these does he second guess my judgment.


    Without taking my eyes off the battle, I adjust my constitution and wait for him to return. Nathanael knows that he would be receiving the order to move out at a moment''s notice, and I''m sure he can handle everything as quickly as I need him to. With the supply units'' skills, the wagon train will make it to the fort in only an hour.


    I have little time to get myself to my most optimum state.


    I reach for the quiver at my side and draw the last of my specialty arrows. Each of the other arrows were used to slay the strongest members of Scholl''s army and have acted as a deterrent against their most powerful forces. They might not know how many more I have, but even an incompetent commander would realize I don''t have many more based on the frequency I use them.


    Cristopher appears by my side again, looking at me restlessly. "The message has been sent and acknowledged; the supply wagons are on their way."


    "Good, spread the word. Every soldier is to be on the walls in thirty minutes." Cristopher looks at the arrow in my hands and noticeably relaxes a little.


    "It will be done." He vanishes once again, and our fort comes alive in a flurry of activity. Every soldier, even the ones sleeping and on their break, start arming themselves with everything they can and moving to the walls.


    Time slowly ticks by as I watch Scholl''s forces react to the growing presence on our walls. They know what''s about to come. The only time we muster this, many of our troops are during supply runs.


    "Shouldn''t we have waited until nightfall, General? We still have a few days of supplies left." Cristopher asks me once he finishes notifying everyone in the fort.


    "If we start rationing out food, it would weaken our soldiers mentally as well as physically. I only have one arrow left, and I need to make it count." I comely tell him.


    "But their commanders refuse to come into range. How are you going to stop them from attacking our supplies with only a single arrow?"


    "With my tier 5 skill, of course," I tell him matter-of-factly.


    "Your arrows are strong, but I don''t see how it will stop their charge."


    "It seems you have forgotten." I give Cristopher a disappointed look.


    "About what, General?" He manages to look hurt a little at my statement.


    "You forgot that I have two tier 5 skills." I ignore his shocked expression and continue to focus my mind. One arrow to change everything.


    As time slowly passes, one of the communications mages joins us up on the tower. "Word from Captain Nathanael, they''re ten minutes out." The mage tells me, trying to hide his nervousness.


    "Is everyone in position?" I ask.


    The communications mage mumbles a spell before he nods his head in confirmation. Scholl''s forces also look ready for a fight. They have squads in formation prepared to intercept our supplies. They have groups of mages prepared to counter any magic we try to throw at them.


    I turn my head and stare into the distance. I see our carts on the horizon barreling towards the fort. "Send word to the wagons to pick up speed and not stop until they''re in the gates," I order the mage behind me.


    "Do you need me to summon the support mages again, general?" Cristopher offers from my side.


    "No, extra magic will only hinder my skill this time." I raise my bow and activate my skills to draw my arrow back.


    I make my final adjustments as Scholl''s army erupts in noise. Those with a high-level Danger Sense can probably feel what''s about to come, or maybe they''re shouting to intimidate our approaching forces. It matters little to me.


    My fingers release, and a shockwave hits my chest from the force of my arrow. All at once, the world becomes silent. Every one of our men in position watch the projectile soar through the air at an incredible speed. Scholl''s forces panic as they try to predict where my arrow will land.


    Once my arrow reaches its highest point and arks toward Scholl''s army, do I activate my other tier 5 skill, Rain of Arrows.


    My mana pool drops to 174 from 1,000, and 60% of my stamina drains away upon activation of my skill. My one arrow shimmers and divides in midair. One arrow becomes two, and then two becomes four, again and again, the arrows divide until the sky turns black as the countless arrows fall.


    My arrow divides 22 times, raining over two million projectiles across 70% of Scholl''s forces.


    Death rains down upon my enemies.


    Pockets of Scholl''s forces survive the bombardment thanks to a few talented mages throwing up shield spells in time, but that only saved a few.


    The dead and dying are too numerous to count. I stare down at the worst thing I''ve ever done in my life. With one arrow, I killed thousands of people.


    My men don''t waste the opportunity I gave them and fire their own arrows and spells at the pockets of survivors. The survivors of my skill are forced to retreat over their dead comrades.


    "Gods!" Cristopher stares dumbfounded at the carnage in front of us.


    "Send word to open the front gate." I breathlessly order the communication mage behind me. I pull out a stamina tonic from my pouch and down the whole thing in a single gulp. I make sure to hide the fatigue that''s quickly settling in.


    I feel a little better as my stamina recovers faster, but inside, my body is screaming in pain. I hear our gates opening below us. I slowly make my way over to the side of the tower and watch our wagon train barrel into the courtyard. Once the last cart passes through our gate, it''s sealed again immediately.


    "How is such a skill possible? You could''ve defeated Scholl''s army when they first arrived if you used that skill then!" Cristopher looks at me in disbelief.


    "It doesn''t work like that," I tell him. "The only reason my skill worked was that their strongest warriors were hiding in the back. My skill doesn''t conjure arrows from nothing. The arrows become weaker the more times they multiply. If any of their high-leveled people were upfront, they could''ve easily negated my skill with a few precise strikes. That''s why the barriers their mages managed to conjure in time saved a few of them." I explain to him.


    "I''m going to rest here a while. Coordinate with the supply team and have everything emptied as soon as possible. Their army will be in shambles for the foreseeable future. We have until they recover to get as many supplies into the fort as possible." I wave away Cristopher and the communications mage.


    As Cristopher rushes to follow my orders, followed by the mage, I move down the ramparts and sit on the stone steps. Rain of Arrows is the more intensive skill of my two tier 5 skills. Even if I had another arrow, I couldn''t use my skill like that again for another month without risking severe harm to my body. Maybe if I was younger, I could risk it, but I''m not a spring Kip anymore.


    I''ve never had the chance to use the skill like that before. I''ve used it to exterminate hordes of low leveled monsters and a few bandit camps, but never on a scale like this.


    I feel the pressure growing in my chest as all the experience I just gained tries to settle in my soul. I just killed thousands of level 30 and 40 soldiers. I haven''t felt experience gain like this since I actively hunted magical beasts. Tonight, I''ll have to distribute the status points I just earned.


    I enter a light meditative state to ease the pressure on my body.


    I don''t keep track of how long I''ve been meditating for and only come out of my meditative state once I hear our gates opening again.


    After my quick rest, I''ve regained enough strength to launch myself towards the gate before the wagon train leaves. I watch as the last empty cart leaves the fort surrounded by their escort. With the gates closing, I turn my attention to the courtyard. Our much-needed supplies are scattered everywhere.


    The food supplies take president, but a few soldiers sort the weapons and necessities while the food is taken inside the fort. I notice Cristopher walking towards me.


    I can tell he wants to ask me how I''m doing, but I don''t give him a chance to ask. "How are the supplies?" I ask.


    He frowns slightly but answers my question anyway. "With the mages preservation magic, we can hold out for another three weeks with what we just got in. But more importantly, we got a larger than usual supply of weapons." Cristopher leads me over to the area the men are sorting the weapons.


    "Apparently, a merchant stopped by earlier today and sold us a cart full of weapons. The manifest says basic weapons, but they''ll be better than what some of our men are carrying now." We watch the men check each sword, axe, and spear individually.


    Most are unmarked goods from low-level blacksmiths, but I notice a maker''s mark on some of the spears. "Not all of them are basic." I point out to Cristopher.


    I walk over to the man sorting the spears and watch him tense up as I approach. "Let me see one of those." I motion to one of the spears with a maker''s mark.


    The soldier carefully hands me the weapon.


    As soon as my hands grip the spear, I freeze in place. After years of testing out different bows, I naturally try to expel a bit of my mana into any weapon I pick up. The ease in which I feel my mana circulate throughout the spear is astonishing.


    "Is something wrong with the spear, general?" Cristopher asks me. Both he and the soldier look at the spears like they''re worried they''re cursed.


    "You have the manifest?" I question my aid. Cristopher hands me the document detailing everything that was delivered to us and who sold it. Because the delivery was all weapons, I quickly find it in the manifest. Nathanael bought them¡­ and for only 35 gold! A rare smile spreads across my face.


    "General?" Cristopher looks concerned and takes a step back.


    "Cristopher, bring our enchanter here. Quickly." He barely waits for me to finish speaking before he''s running into the fort.


    I only have to wait ten minutes for Cristopher to bring me our garrisons enchanter. The young mage looks worriedly at me. "Do you need me to check one of your magical items, mam?" She fearfully asks me.


    "Take a look at this and tell me what you think." I offer the girl the spear in my hands.


    She struggles to handle the weight of the steel spear with her meager Strength stat, but once it''s in her hands, she has the same reaction I had when I first grabbed it. "This is an amazing piece of work!" She exclaims down at the weapon. Her eyes quickly travel from the one in her hands over to the others on the ground. She places the one in her hands down by her feet and moves to the others. Her eyes only get bigger as she inspects each one.


    After she examines the spears, she moves on to the other weapons. It''s clear not all of them were made by the same blacksmith, but she quickly pulls out a few swords and an axe that she claims has the same composition.


    I turn to an astonished Cristopher and explain her enthusiasm. "Each of those weapons has a perfect structure when it comes to their internal mana. Even though they''re made with basic steel, each of them can handle basic enchantments." I focus on our enchanter. "You can enchant them, right?" I question her.


    She freezes when she realizes I was watching her the whole time she was assessing everything. "Yes, mam. I have enough engraving ink to enchant all of them." She replies with a new sense of confidence.


    "See that you do," I instruct her.


    While she asks one of the soldiers nearby to help her bring everything to her workshop, I turn back to Cristopher. "Scholl should be quiet the next few hours; message me if anything changes."


    "What do you mean, General?" He gives me a worried look.


    "I''m going to find the merchant who sold us those weapons."


    "You''re leaving the fort?!" He panics.


    "Just for a moment," I reply. "Those are the best weapons we''ve seen in months. The other high leveled archers and I are running out of good arrows. He might be able to get us some more. I''ll be back in an hour at most. After what I did to Scholl''s forces, now might be the only chance I have to leave the fort."


    I can''t waste time arguing with Cristopher, so before he tries to change my mind, I use my skills to accelerate to my room. I grab my money pouch and switch out my bow and quiver. I have to use a weaker bow and arrows now that I''m out of my special arrows.


    I have to grab one more thing before I leave. Moving over to my small desk, I quickly draft the parchment I might need.


    With everything in hand, I vault out my window and quickly scale the walls of the fort. I jump off our ramparts and silently land below. With my incredible Strength and Dexterity, I sneak my way over to Teeburn.


    I have business with a merchant named Kervin!


    <hr>


    Kervin''s Point of View:


    "Boss, are you sure you should be ordering another mug?" Lurte asks from the seat next to me at our table.


    "I''m fine." I snap at him. "I can handle my liquor, worry about yourself." That''s the problem with high stats. You can''t get drunk when you want to unless your willing to pay for the stronger booze. Not like a shithole like this would have any, I already asked.


    "I know you didn''t get everything you wanted, but you still made a decent profit." Lurte tries to console me.


    I don''t feel like explaining how much coin I probably lost on the deal earlier today. He gives me a worried look and opens his mouth to say something else, but he stops mid-way and turns his head like he''s listening for something.


    Lurte isn''t the only one; Ryiba and a few other patrons in the tavern also stop and try to listen for something. My senses stat is nothing to scoff at either, so I try to focus on whatever they''re listening for.


    It''s hard to tell, but it sounds like the tavern two doors down from us is going crazy with multiple people shouting. What''s also weird is the bar between us is surprisingly quiet.


    The waitress stops by our table and deposits another round of ale for us. I start sipping my drink when I hear the once quiet bar next to us, erupt in the same manner as its neighbor. "Maybe we should move our party next door." I sarcastically suggest to my bodyguards.


    "Maybe they have the good alcohol." One of the passing waitresses scowls at me for a second before moving to help another table. Not like the night can get any worse.


    "I''m looking for a merchant named Kervin." A female voice just loud enough to be heard by everyone in the tavern comes from behind me in the entryway.


    "What now!?" I loudly complain only to notice everyone in the tavern is silent. Lurte and Ryiba sitting across from me, are staring behind me with wide eyes.


    I turn my head and make eye contact with the woman who just shouted my name. As soon as our eyes meet, I immediately raise my hand to my chest and look down.


    It feels like an arrow just pierced my heart and not in the sense bards sing about love. No, it literally feels like an arrow is digging into my chest.


    When my body realizes I''m not injured, the pain slowly fades, but I shiver when I look back up and find the older woman staring down at me.


    "Are you the Merchant Kervin?" I nod, my body affirming the woman''s question before I even know what''s happening.


    Now that she''s close to me, I feel like I''m face to face with the scariest magical beast in the world. She gives off the impression she could kill me with a flick of her hand.


    "That''s good; I was tired of searching so many pubs looking for you. I have questions about the goods you sold earlier today."


    "Emily Pitz."


    "The general."


    "Why is she here?"


    A few solitary voices echo through the tavern from the entryway of the inn. More than one person is trying to get a look at the woman through the entryway.


    Their whispers make me notice the emblem on the woman''s jacket and the bow she has strapped to her back.


    Oh, gods! It can''t Be!


    "Emily Pitz," I mumble to myself.


    "Yes, that''s me. I need to talk to you about your delivery today." The world starts to spin as she repeats her request.


    Was there something wrong with the goods I sold! I''ve heard of merchants being jailed for selling faulty merchandise to the army.


    "Do you have a room here?" Again, my body naturally responds to her question before I can say anything. "Good, show me the way."


    I unsteadily stand up and start shuffling over to the staircase leading to the room I rented. I turn to my bodyguards, pleading for help with my eyes.


    The General follows my gaze and looks at my men. "Your bodyguards?" She questions me. Both of them pale when faced with her powerful gaze. "They can come too." She suggests offhand.


    I watch them slowly get up and start following us upstairs. As we ascend the staircase, the whispers in the tavern begin to grow louder behind us.


    We walk down the short hallway that leads to our room. I gently push open the worn out door that doesn''t even have a lock on it. As soon as the General is inside, she waves my guards in to join me on the far side of the small room.


    They take up position next to me as she closes the door. She then pulls out a necklace with three distinct sones from under her jacket.


    The gem on the right flashes for a moment before she looks up at us. I can''t hear the outside world anymore.


    "I put up a soundproofing barrier so people can''t spy on us." She explains. Now she can kill us without worrying about others hearing our screams.


    I drop to my knees and bow my head. "I deeply apologize to General Pitz! I don''t know what was wrong with the weapons, but I assure you I wouldn''t have sold them to the army if I knew otherwise." I hear Lurte and Ryiba drop to the floor next to me and wonder if she already killed them. I don''t dare look up at her.


    Before I''m about to piss myself, I freeze when I hear laughter coming from across our room. I hesitantly look up and see the general holding her side laughing. I look to my right and left to see Lurte and Ryiba still alive and also clearly confused at the situation like I am.


    "You think I''m here about faulty weapons?" She asks us, still laughing to herself.


    "Yeeeessss?" I cautiously answer.


    The general finally stops laughing and instead shouts me an inquisitive look. "Weren''t you curious as to why you didn''t earn much experience after selling your goods to Nathanael?" She gives me a knowing smirk.


    When I don''t answer her, she confirms my earlier suspicions. "You sold your goods for a coper of what they were worth."


    Being told that to my face gives me enough confidence to talk finally. "Might I ask what you mean by that, Lady Pitz?"


    "Before I do, I wish to apologize." I''m shocked by the sudden apology. "Nathanael has worked under me for years and has an incredible gift when it comes to procuring goods. His only fault is he doesn''t have any talent in regards to magic. He can spot enchanted goods with his skills, but he can''t feel the mana inside an object. That means he didn''t realize the value of the spears you sold him." As she explains the misunderstanding to me, an image of a young blacksmith pops into my head.


    "Some of the goods you sold us were more than good enough to be enchanted. Those thirty spears you sold us, in particular, were worth the 35 gold you were given, by themselves." She laughs once again at the situation.


    "May I ask why Lady Pitz feels the need to rub my failure in my face?" I try to hold my anger back, less she becomes mad at me.


    "You should be happy; I decided to come by. You wouldn''t have realized your mistake by yourself and likely would have continued to sell the weapons at horribly low prices." She says to me with a snarky tone.


    She''s right; if she didn''t explain to me the true value of my goods, I would''ve continued to sell them as I was. Were all of Aaliyah''s goods worth more than what I was selling them for?


    Wait, something isn''t right here! A general wouldn''t leave their fort just to teach me a lesson. She must need me for something else.


    I straighten myself up once I realize she has a job for me. "Lady Pitz is truly generous. Is there something I can help you with as a show of gratitude for your wisdom?"


    "You finally stopped shivering, huh. Are you going to stand up now?"


    I slowly get up from the floor, followed by my two guards, and address the 6th strongest person in the kingdom. "May I ask why the general really decided to pay me a visit?"


    She gives me a predatory look. "The blacksmith you bought the weapons from, who is she?" It takes everything I have not to blurt out the answer to her question while under her strong presence.


    "What makes you think it''s a she?" I hesitantly ask.


    "The maker''s mark is too feminine for a male blacksmith. Is there a reason you''re avoiding my question?"


    "The blacksmith in question and I have a good relationship that revolves around secrecy. I won''t jeopardize my future with them that easily."


    "Future, huh? That means she''s improving. She must be a young blacksmith if no one has heard of her yet. I''m even more curious now. Her work is already top-notch, and she just reached level 50 in her blacksmithing skill." I try not to show the shock on my face. How does she know all of that?!


    "Don''t be surprised; I noticed you sold me her work from before she made her maker''s mark and the spears she made after reaching level 50 in blacksmithing. For you to find a gem like that around here, I''m impressed. Why don''t you tell me where she is so I can send her an offer to come to the fort? She can help us win this war." The look in Lady Pitz''s eyes becomes fiercer.


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you, but I''m sure she has no desire to leave her village." Her eyes widen at the slip of my tong. I curse myself with every obscenity I know in my head.


    "Is that so, then that means I''ll have to have you act as an intermediary for me until I have the chance to meet her in person." She calmly states. Oh crap, this isn''t good.


    The General reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small rolled up piece of parchment and hands it to me. "What is this?" I ask.


    "That is a note I want you to deliver to your company. It has my seal on it and states I want to purchase specific goods from your blacksmithing contact." She had this already filled out before she even came here. Word will definitely make its way back to the company''s headquarters after what happened here today, and I can''t pretend I never received a message from Emily Pitz. If she''s giving it to me in person, she''s forcing my hand, making sure I report everything personally to Silver Herd.


    I''ll have to tell Silver Herd about Aaliyah, making things even more complicated.


    General Pitz sees the difficult look on my face but ignores it. "I need the best arrows your blacksmith can make. You can do that for me, right?" Her face says she knows I can''t refuse her request.


    "I''ll send word to Nathanael about our arrangement. Bring me the best arrows you can, and I have no problem paying you full price for them." Lady Pitz touches her necklace again, and I once again hear the surroundings outside my room. The general flings then door open, sending three men scurrying away, tripping over their own feet.


    Before she leaves my room, she turns to me one last time. "I need the arrows immediately. I expect the first shipment in a month. This matter involves the safety of the kingdom; I hope I''ve made myself clear."


    "Crystal," I grit through my teeth.


    She gives me one last wicked smile before she walks out of sight.


    "Did that just happen?" Ryiba shakily asks me.


    I ignore his stupid question and turn to Lurte. "I need parchment and a quill, now." In a slight daze, he nods to me and rushes out of the room.


    I have to shoo away multiple people who come to ask me questions about why the General was looking for me while I wait for Lurte to return.


    When he makes it back to our room, I shut the door and have Ryiba barricade it with his body. I don''t have an even surface to wright on, so I use the floorboards of my room. I write out a quick note for Aaliyah and address it to Camden in Spotted Creek Village with instructions to pass it on to her. I need her to start making arrows as soon as possible.


    I dig out three gold coins from the pouch at my side and hand them with the letter to Lurte. "Take this to the nearest postal station and pay for an express delivery. It needs to be sent tonight."


    I sit back on the cheap tavern bed and watch Lurte run out the door once again. If it''s sent now, it should arrive at the village sometime tomorrow, mid-day. Paying for a carrier falcon to directly take the message to its destination might be expensive, but I have no choice.


    Tomorrow we''ll have to head for the company''s headquarters to explain myself to the higher-ups. Then I''m reminded about my promise to Aaliyah; I''ll have to explain the situation to her once I see her again.


    I fall backward onto the bed, worrying about what''s to come.


    <hr>


    Emily Pitz Point of View:


    I sit and recline my feet on the table in front of me, sipping a bland cup of tea. I patiently wait for the information I requested to arrive.


    I don''t have to wait long, and soon a man in a faded blue jacket enters the room with a parcel in hand. "Lady Pitz, this is highly unprofessional. If the postal service finds out I did this; I''ll be fired and put on the blacklist!" The man snivels in front of me, pathetic.


    I lean over and slap five gold coins onto the table to shut him up quickly. "The parcel," I demand, holding my hand out.


    He shakily hands me the parchment and explains. "It''s just as you said, soon after you arrived here, a man came and requested an express delivery to a small village in the north known as Spotted Creek Village."


    I smile as I open the tube that is supposed to be attached to one of the postal services birds. I skim the note and memorize the important information. She''s in Spotted Creek Village, and her name is Aaliyah. The wording is vague, but the merchant is asking her to switch her production over to arrows.


    As soon as I have some free time, I know which village I''ll be visiting.


    I down the last bit of tea and stand up. "Send the message on your best bird and make sure it isn''t intercepted. If anyone asks questions, I want you to notify me immediately at the fort. Is that understood?" I use my Intimidating Eye skill on the man, and he nearly falls over.


    "Yes! Yes, my lady, I understand!"


    "Good," I walk past the man and out of the postal office. I use my skills to blend into the shadows cast by the falling sun on the buildings.


    It took longer than I thought to find and talk to the merchant, but it was worth it.


    I smile to myself as I speed back to the fort with the best news I''ve had in a long time.

 Ch: 45

    Del-Razen''s Point of View:


    "What do you think, Master?" I hear Aaliyah''s voice next to me.


    I pretend to wake up and slowly open one of my eyes. In her hands are two ingots that are 1'''' x 1'''' x 4''''. Both of the ingots are steel mixed with pieces of chameleon spider carapace.


    "I think I improved the ratio a little bit better." Her smile is so bright I''m forced to close my eye again momentarily as she shows off her achievement. "This one has a better magic conductivity, with a better flex and strength ratio compared to my old mixture. I dropped the carapace concentration by half a percent to 17.5%. It should make an even better arrow shaft now."


    I pretend I can tell the difference in the alloys and nod along with her presentation. I give a fake yawn to hide my true feelings. "Does that mean you''re done experimenting for the day?" I ask in a relaxed tone.


    "Not yet. I think I''ll try one more mixture, this time with 17.75% carapace." I watch her walk over to our work station, placing her ingots off to the side and scribbling her findings down on a piece of parchment.


    She cocks her head to the side to see if I''m watching her, so I close my eye and pretend that I''m not watching her.


    Ever since I made that engraving pen for her, she''s been trying to make the best magic conductive steel she can without using mithril.


    Secretly watching her work, a whole host of emotions run through my mind.


    The amount of pride I feel towards my disciple can''t be conveyed with words. Of course, that pride only makes the envy I feel towards her hurt me more. Is this what masters are supposed to feel towards their students?


    Master¡­ if someone told me a decade ago, I would have someone address me as master; I would have thrown my hammer at them.


    When I took Aaliyah on as an apprentice, I was sure she would quit after the first day in that mine. If I knew what kind of person she was back then, I would have known that never was truly an option.


    Raising such a talented person is a blessing and a curse at the same time. My greatest fear is the day she realizes she doesn''t need me anymore.


    I''ve slowly faded myself into the background as she''s continued to rapidly improve to try and keep that day from coming. I''m quickly running out of things to teach her.


    Almost every question she asks me these days is almost impossible for me to answer. I may have years of experience on her, but she''s quickly catching up to me at a monstrous pace.


    A talent like hers deserves to be nurtured by someone like one of the grandmasters back in Truset. A stripped dwarf who ran away from home doesn''t have the right to be called master by someone like that.


    Here she is, optimizing alloys all on her own. I have to pretend I know the difference in the metals she''s showing me. Without the ability to sense magic, I''m slowly becoming obsolete. I can still craft better weapons than her with the help of my skills, but at the rate she''s improving, I don''t know how much longer that will last.


    That child is a monster in every sense of the word. People don''t earn as many skills as quickly as she does, and her skills level at an incredible rate that anyone else would say is impossible. It took me three weeks working with metal to earn the first level of blacksmithing. She got the skill after I had her make her first nail!


    Her parents might not realize how ridiculous she is, with humans hoarding information as they do, but it''s understandable for me to see. She excels at everything she does.


    If she chose to pursue a magic profession, I''m sure she would have a star right now. If she wanted to be a knight, she would be serving under one of Olebert''s generals. She could be an apprentice under the owner of Silver Herd instead of trading with one of their traveling merchants if she wanted to.


    But she chose a profession in blacksmithing.


    I don''t know why she earns skills so easily, but I know they won''t stop leveling anytime soon. She pushes each of her skills to the limits each time she uses them and continues to make items someone of her skill level shouldn''t be able to make.


    She asked me how to level her Hammer Skills skill, and it only took me, showing her a few niche techniques and a few days of practice for her to pass level 50. Even with the help of someone who has more experienced than you, passing skill tests should take months or even sometimes years, not 72 hours.


    Thanks to her ridiculous mana skills, she''s able to not only craft easier but tell if her work is flawed in a way I''ve never heard of before.


    And her willingness to try new ideas has her continually expanding her knowledge. From the moment she made that sword, she called a katana; I knew she was getting close to the limit of my teaching ability.


    Two weeks ago, when she called me out on never making an engraving pen before, I thought that was the point she was going to decide to leave my tutelage.


    I''ve already taught her everything I know about the metals I''ve worked with and how to work them properly. Everything I''ve taught her recently has been a theory I learned as a lad in Truset. Because of my inability to use magic, I was never taught advanced techniques or was allowed to practice with magical ingredients. The only other time I''ve worked with mithril was after I first left Truset and tried to make magic items for humans.


    I quickly realized I was only wasting the mithril with my skills.


    At the beginning of her apprenticeship, I may have told Aaliyah that I wouldn''t share Stone Kin secrets to dissuade her, but it''s not like I ever had anything groundbreaking to reveal. The sad fact was, I was allowed to leave so easily because I didn''t know anything that the human nobles didn''t already know.


    I lightly sigh to myself and sneak another peek at Aaliyah. She''s using small wooden measuring cups she carved for herself earlier in the month. I had to help her estimate their sizes accurately, but that''s the only thing I could contribute.


    I can estimate the composition of basic alloys, but changing around the structure by .005% is beyond my ability. With Aaliyah''s skills, she can accurately judge the structural differences between different metals. Aaliyah told me she noticed the mining helmet I lent her had an incredibly small amount of mithril mixed with the steel to help it hold the enchantment. I wasn''t even aware of that.


    She doesn''t even have engraving ink, yet she already knows more about enchantments than I do. Since she figured out metals need a strong magical internal structure, she''s been using her spare time to experiment like she is now.


    She already figured out a way to improve our standard steel''s magic conductivity by changing our steel formula to 98% iron and 2% chameleon spider carapace. I can''t see any difference with the steel, but she says it conducts mana 23% better without compromising its strength.


    I thought she would finally have to challenge herself when it came to learning enchanting, but she''s picking it up at the same speed she''s learned everything else I''ve taught her.


    I have to admit; I cried on the inside a little when she explained how she decoded the runes she found inside the mining helmet. She even carved the enchantment on a piece of wood in its entirety for me to see. Aaliyah told me she hadn''t gotten the enchanting skill yet, but I know as soon as she gets the ink she needs, she''ll quickly gain levels in it.


    Once she gets her hands on some engraving ink, I''m sure she''ll be able to make better weapons than anything I''m capable of.


    Before this time next year, she''ll be almost as good a blacksmith as I am. The only thing she needs is everyday experience with crafting different items.


    I need to tell her I can''t teach her anything else, but I can''t muster up the courage to say it. Watching her grow is the only thing in my life that I''m grateful for.


    I see her turning her head in my direction again, so I shut my eyes and pretend to be resting. I hear her footsteps through the snow on the ground as she nears me. "How are you able to sleep so much? I have a decently high level, and I don''t feel tired as much as you do."


    It''s because you work yourself to death every day that you don''t have a problem sleeping. I complain in my head. "What do you need?" I ask without opening my eyes.


    "I need your help with leveling one of my skills." Tarrow''s forge, another one!


    "Which blacksmithing skill is it?" I grumble as I sit up to keep up appearances, but I make sure to give her the attention she deserves.


    "It isn''t one of my blacksmithing skills¡­" She visibly hesitates. "¡­It''s my tier 5 skill."


    It takes everything I have not to visibly react to her request. I''ve only gained two skills since I took Aalyiah on as an apprentice Teaching and Acting. I''ve found my self using the latter more than the former.


    I give her a stern look. "I don''t know what you think I can help you with? Tier 5 skills are too personal for you to get help from someone else to level them." Not that someone of my caliber has any real knowledge about tier 5 skills.


    She looks down nervously and fiddles with her hands. "It isn''t that I need you to teach me anything about the skill," she says.


    "Then, why do you need me?" I question her.


    "Well, I''ve been trying to pass the level 30 test by myself, but no matter what I try, the skill won''t improve. I spent a long time meditating on it last night, and I think it''s because I need to try using it on other people." She shyly looks up at me.


    I''m reminded of what she told me her tier 5 skill was. It had something to do with sensing souls. A skill that would put her on any kingdoms watchlist.


    I remember panicking when she first told me about it. I can''t believe she trusted me with that kind of information.


    I can''t help but have a nervous look on my face. "That means you want to look at my¡­." I can''t say it out loud.


    "Only if it''s ok with you!" She waves her hands in a panicked gesture. "If you don''t want me to do it, I can wait until our next hunt and try it on a chameleon spider instead."


    "If you can use it on animals, then why do I need to be your first test subject? Why not try it out on some bugs first?" I offer her a quick solution.


    "I tried that this morning on a fly. It didn''t work; I think it''s too small." She says with a disappointed look.


    Part of me wants to help my disciple with the one thing I can still do, but I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t afraid of her skill.


    I study Aaliyah''s face while I debate if I should agree or not. It''s subtle, but I can see a trace of resolve in her expression. That look only comes out when she tries to butter me up.


    "I went to master because you''re the strongest person I know. I can feel safe knowing master is helping me." She puts on a fake look of desperation.


    I bet she thinks I don''t recognize her little scheme, but I''ve been on to her since she first used Charm on me when we meet. Not to say her argument doesn''t stroke the flames of my ego.


    "Is it going to take long? You still need to keep an eye on your crucible." I look at the forge, making it seem like I''m going to decline.


    "It shouldn''t take long and most likely won''t hurt you." She looks at me with begging eyes.


    If only she knew how little I''m able to say no to her.


    "Double check the forge really quick, then let''s get this over with." I make it appear like I barely agreed to her request. I can''t do much for my apprentice, but I''ll still try to help her with anything she asks of me.


    She gives me a hug and a smile before she runs over to the forge adding enough fuel to the fire to keep it hot while she leaves it unattended. Unbeknownst to her, I use the time she''s away to settle the anxiety I feel bubbling up inside.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    After she has fire ready, she runs back over to me and takes up a position on the bench closest to my own. The seven feet between us must not affect her skill all that much.


    "Last chance to back out, master?" She gives me a playful look. Don''t tempt me, girl!


    "By the way, if I pass out, don''t freak out." She reminds me. It¡¯s sad how little that bothers me anymore; my stupid apprentice has knocked herself out so many times it doesn''t even come as a surprise to me anymore.


    "I know, just get to it." I urge her to get it over with before I change my mind.


    "All right, here I go." Her eyes widen, and she stares intently at me.


    ¡­.


    Is something supposed to happen? I was waiting for beams of light to shoot from her eyes or something amazing like that. I just stare back at my apprentice, waiting for something to happen.


    The seconds tick by slowly, with the two of us looking at each other. I start to relax a little, but Aaliyah only looks like she''s concentrating harder as time passes.


    I''m about to ask her if she wants to try again later when I get the sudden sensation that multiple people are looking at me. I flinch and look around our clearing but find no signs of intruders. I look back at Aaliyah and almost stumble off my bench when I look into her eyes.


    It feels like her eyes are physically holding me in place and slowly drilling into me. The longer I hold her gaze, the worse the feeling becomes.


    "Almost there." I hear her mumble. What is she trying to do!?


    A sudden sensation of fear washes over my body. Every hair I have stands on end as I feel like Aaliyah is looking at something sacred inside of me.


    I push off of my bench and launch myself backward, trying to avoid her gaze. The unnerving feeling vanishes as I move out of her line of sight but is quickly replaced with an overwhelming sense of fear. Every part of my body is screaming at me to run away from her!


    I debate whether or not to follow my instincts until I watch Aaliyah fall off her bench, holding her head with both of her hands and screaming through her teeth.


    I suppress the desire to run away and instead move next to my spasming apprentice. The shield she usually envelops herself with is gone leaving her shivering in winters cold winds.


    I scoop her up in my arms and rush her into my hut.


    Her screams slowly fade as I set her on my bed and wrap her in every blanket I can get my hands on. But no matter how many blankets I wrap around her, she continues to shiver. I move over to my fireplace and start to get a fire going when I hear her stutter slowly behind me.


    "I-M¡­F-I-N-E¡­ J-U-S-T¡­ N-E-E-D¡­ M-I-N-U-T-E." She slowly tells me.


    I release a breath I didn''t know I was holding in and watch my struggling student as she recovers.


    "F-O-R-G-E." She points to my front door.


    I can''t help but sigh. Even when you can''t move or speak properly, you worry about your work. I make sure the blankets are tightly wrapped around my student before leaving my hut and attending to the forge.


    While I pump the bellows and add some more coals to the fire, I shiver when I think back on Aaliyah''s gaze at the end. It might have been hard for her to use, but she managed to make someone over 30 levels higher than her want to flee with everything I had.


    "Such a monster," I whisper to the flames.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah''s Point of View:


    I can''t focus on anything with this pounding going on inside my head. If that didn''t level Mental Resistance and Sense Soul, I don''t know what will. I complain to myself.


    I can''t stop shaking because of the image seared inside my mind. Mental Resistance is fighting it, but it''s taking forever. Usually, when I look at the core of my soul, I''m knocked unconscious and brought inside it, but when I looked at the center of master''s soul, I was assaulted by the eyes immediately.


    It happened in the span of a second, but I can''t forget the image I saw. Instead of the two eyes that usually repel me from my own soul, a third eye appeared and helped the other two shield me from master''s soul.


    I''ve gotten much more used to being kicked out of my own soul, but to have it happen when I''m in the real world is more painful than anything I''ve ever felt before. The pain isn''t physical; it''s more like every thought I try to form becomes scattered by the eyes that remained seared into my mind. The forceful scattering of my thoughts feels like someone is scrambling my brain. I could barely say a handful of words to master in my curet condition.


    I constantly try to focus on the memory of seeing master''s soul from before the eyes attacked me. I need to ask master what he felt when I looked at the colorless wisps surrounding his soul. He started looking around, trying to find something, after I was able to focus on the wisps surrounding his soul. After seeing the outer parts of master''s soul, I was able to confirm the wisps are the accumulation of experience and skills.


    It was hard to decipher his soul wisps, but I noticed two things. Master has more of the energy surrounding his soul than I do because his level is higher than mine, and though I couldn''t decipher any of his individual skills, I noticed master had less of them than I do.


    The most important thing I saw before I was rejected by the eyes was that the core of his soul is smaller than my own. I don''t know why, but my soul was almost three times the size of his by comparison.


    If I continue to level Sense Soul, I''ll probably be able to see someone''s status page. The outer parts of master''s soul weren''t hard for me to look at, and it was only when I tried to look at the core of his soul that I was met with the backlash.


    Thinking about the backlash, the pain in my head is finally fading away. Was the pain worse because of that third eye? I''m used to seeing the first two, but that third one felt different. I try to hold on to the memory of the third eye as the mental image fades away.


    Once the image completely disappears, I can only remember a vague sense of the third eye. My shivering eventually stops, and I regain control over my body. The first thing I do is stand up and clean myself with magic before I reactivate Mana Skin.


    "Ahyt ls weem appiss!"


    Clean, and with my skill reengaged, I open up master''s front door and walk over to the forge.


    Master notices my approach and turns toward me. When our eyes meet, he flinches and lowers his gaze away from me. Oh, gods! What did I do? Master always taught me it was a sign of respect for Stone Kin to look each other in the eyes, and now he refuses to meet mine!


    "You feeling better?" He asks me, refocusing his attention on the forge, avoiding my gaze.


    "Yeah, I''m feeling a lot better now. How long was I resting in your cottage?" I ask from behind him.


    "An hour, maybe two. Your skill has some strong effects." He responds in a hollow voice, refusing to look at me.


    "What happened when I used my skill?" I hesitantly ask master.


    Master''s voice shakes a little as he tells me. "At first, nothing. Then it felt like I was being surrounded by people staring at me, and in the end, it felt like you ripped open my chest and looked inside at something I never knew existed. I¡­ felt violated and scared. If you didn''t collapse when you did, I might have run away."


    My skill did all of that! "I''m sorry, master. I didn''t know my skill would do that." I sincerely apologize to master''s back. No wonder he doesn''t want to look at me.


    "There''s no need for you to apologize. It was my own decision to help you."


    "You say that, but you''re scared to look at me." Master flinches at my comment.


    Slowly, he turns around and meets my gaze. I can tell he''s struggling, but he refuses to look away. "I just need some time to recover, that''s all. Or do you think your master is that weak?" I shake my head no, but I still feel bad for asking for master''s help.


    His expression tightens. "Listen good, Aaliyah. Until you decide you no longer need me as your teacher, I will always help you to the best of my abilities. I''ll admit your skill had some effects I wasn''t ready for, but you are my student. Even if you need help to continue practicing your skill, I''ll always offer you a hand. Just give me some time to recover, ok?" He actually manages to give me a small smile.


    "Thank you, Master Del-Razen. I wouldn''t be where I am today without your help." I give master my biggest smile and turn away from him. I could see he was struggling to maintain eye contact.


    I move to the farthest bench away from master and sink into a meditative state.


    I pull up my status page, checking on the changes to my skill levels.


    LV: 62 Experience: 411,020/ 481,032


    Health: 2,060/2,060


    Stamina: 1,152.61/1,386


    Mana: 583.41/1,000


    Vitality: 206.00


    Endurance: 80.09


    Strength: 130.00


    Dexterity: 120.00


    Senses: 60.46


    Mind: 62.55


    Magic: 100.74


    Clarity: 75.46


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV73), Blacksmithing (LV61), Axe Skills (LV55), Hammer Skills (LV52), Cleaning (LV50), Chanting (LV47), Mining (LV47), Drawing (LV42), Cooking (LV37), Trading (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Wood Carving (LV27), Sword Skills(LV25), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV58), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV43), Axe Arts (LV36), Hammer Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase price (LV16), Lower Price (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV8), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV58), Mana Manipulation (LV52), Double Strike (LV33), Precise Strike (LV33), Weighted Strike (LV23), Flash Step (LV16)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV46), Mana Skin (LV46), Mental Resistance (LV42), Extract Mana (LV24), Magic Blacksmithing (LV17)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV31)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Meditation (LV78) 3,900exp


    Running (LV73) 3,650exp


    Blacksmithing (LV60-61) 6,050exp


    Hammer Skills (LV51-52) 5,150exp


    Chanting (LV47) 2,350exp


    Mining (LV47) 2,350exp


    Drawing (LV40-42) 6,150exp


    Sword Skills (LV25) 1,250exp


    Wood Carving (LV24-27) 5,100exp


    Double Step (LV58) 5,800exp


    Measurement (LV42-43) 8,500exp


    Expel Mana (LV58) 8,700exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV52) 7,800exp


    Double Strike (LV32-33) 9,750exp


    Precise Strike (LV31-33) 14,400exp


    Weighted Strike (LV21-23) 9,900exp


    Flash Step (LV16) 2,400exp


    Inject mana (LV46) 11,500exp


    Mana Skin (LV46) 11,500exp


    Mental Resistance (LV41-42) 20,750exp


    Extract Mana (LV23-24) 11,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV17) 4,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV31) 15,500exp


    Skill Experience: 172,400exp


    Crafting Experience: 56,741exp


    Fighting Experience: 4,699exp


    Total experience Gained: 233,840exp


    It''s shocking to see how much experience I got for leveling Sense Soul, but I''m still a ways off from my next level. Going over my skills that leveled up, I can see how I''ve shifted my focus over the last two weeks. My running and sword training skills have fallen to the side in favor of increasing my crafting skills.


    I''ve been practicing carving runes into our firewood every night and spending almost all my extra time here at the forge. I''ve made 54 spears, 26 for Kervin, and my measuring cups to improve my arrow shaft composition.


    Then there are the levels I just gained. That head-splitting attack raised Mental Resistance by two whole levels! I managed to get Sense Soul to level 31, but I don''t know how I''m supposed to train it from here. If what master said was true, then I''ll have to pass another test once the skill reaches level 40. Plus, after how master reacted to my skill, it''s not like I can just use it randomly on people to practice it.


    Master said the worst part of my skill was when I tried to look at the central part of his soul. If I avoid the center of people''s souls, then maybe I can practice the skill by judging what level people are. I can say it''s a simple observation skill or intimidation skill if I have to.


    I could also try using it on a chameleon spider, but that won''t give me much of a chance to use it.


    I''m afraid to say it out loud, but it looks like the chameleon spiders are spreading out. We only had to slay one these past few weeks, and it wasn''t even that close to the village. The hunters rarely go out these days other than to do perimeter checks, and they haven''t seen any close to the village. The spiders have chased almost all of the local game away, leaving us reliant on Kervin''s meat deliveries.


    Many of the villagers are happy the spiders are leaving, but that''s not necessarily a good thing. Camden has sent word to the surrounding villages that the spiders might be coming their way, but he hasn''t received a reply yet.


    With the spiders leaving, I''ll also have to ration out the carapace I use for my work. We have plenty stocked away, but it isn''t an endless resource. Now that I can''t sell the extra parts of the spiders to Kervin, I need to make more spears, or I won''t be able to afford the supplies I need.


    I need the extra capital to discuss with him obtaining the herbs I need to practice engraving, and that''s not even including the mithril.


    Donating half the spears I make to the village hurts my profits, but I still believe the village needs to be prepared for the future. I''ve donated over 50 spears so far, and It has gotten to the point Camden has commissioned Salus to make a village armory. The spears need a big building, so Salus needs to wait for spring before he can make a strong foundation.


    I think he''s just waiting for brother to come back to help him.


    "Aaliyah!" I suddenly hear my name being called from the path towards the village.


    Del notices it too, and we both watch Braddon emerge from the trees, waving his hand at me. He quickly closes the distance between us.


    "Chameleon spider?" I ask.


    "No, nothing like that. My father sent me to give you this letter that just arrived for you." He shows me a piece of parchment.


    "Is it from Richard and Sandra?" I excitedly ask and motion for him to hand the letter cover to me.


    "Nope, not them. They only send letters through Kervin and never by carrier falcon." He hands me the letter.


    "Carrier falcon, like the bird your father raises to communicate with the surrounding villages?" I ask as I take the parchment.


    "My father wishes he had a carrier falcon. The bird my father uses is a trained forest thresher, it''s big enough to carry a few messages small distances but nothing like a carrier falcon. Think of a bird five feet tall with a seventeen-foot wingspan."


    "That''s a big bird. Is it still here, I would like to see it?" I ask.


    "Sorry, it flew away once we removed the message from it," Braddon tells me.


    Master who''s standing next to me decides to explain further. "Carrier falcons are magic beasts bred to deliver small packages at incredible speeds. The bigger the bird, the faster it flies. It costs a lot of coin to hire one, and based on his description of its size, I''d say whoever sent you that letter paid over 5 gold for it to be delivered to you fast."


    "5 gold to deliver a letter!" Now I''m really curious as to who would send me something like this.


    I unravel the parchment and skip past the delivery information noted at the top.


    Dear Aaliyah,


    This is Kervin, writing to you from Teeburn. I sold your weapons, and people were impressed by your work. Though the spears were appreciated, I was approached by someone who wished to buy some arrows made from you. I''ll still purchase any spears you''ve made, but please switch to making arrows before I return.


    I was asked for the best arrows you could make, so quality, not quantity, is needed. If this letter reached you on time, then I''ll be back to your village in precisely two weeks with the goods you ordered. A lot of gold is riding on this deal, so I know you''ll do your best.


    Sincerely, Kervin.


    He shelled out gold just to tell me to make him some arrows before he returns! How much gold are we talking to get this kind of treatment?


    Master reads the letter next to me and frowns. "You need to be careful, Aaliyah," Master warns me.


    "What do you mean, master?"


    "If I had to guess, he pissed someone off. Maybe scammed someone he shouldn''t have. If he''s willing to shell out the gold to have this message delivered to you in under a day, something has to be wrong. Next time you see him, you should be careful." Master warns me one last time before he walks back to the forge.


    "This is why I asked father if I could deliver the message." I turn back to Braddon. "It''s always something interesting with you." He stands there laughing.


    This would be an excellent time to practice using Sense Soul on someone without warning.


    I activate my skill and look at the wisps surrounding Braddon''s soul. He immediately stops laughing and draws his bow scanning the clearing''s edge. He seems more panicked the longer I look at his soul.


    He''s young but one of the best hunters in the village. Comparing the amount of experience around his soul, his level should be in the high 40''s, maybe even 49.


    His eyes meet mine, and I deactivate my skill. I smile at him, and he pales a little bit. "Sorry, practicing a new skill. Works best on people who are laughing at me." I give him a Cheshire grin.


    "That''s an oddly specific skill you''ve got there. I''ll have to watch out for it." He gives me a quick wave goodbye and moves for the safety of the tree line.


    I was right, as long as I don''t try to look directly at someone''s soul, I won''t be attacked by the eyes. And it seems like the person I''m using Sense Soul on won''t be affected as severely as master was, though it does seem like I finally managed to intimidate Braddon.


    From the corner of my eye, I see master looking at me from the forge. When I turn towards him, he waves me over.


    Is he mad that I used the skill so soon on someone else?


    I reach his side in time to watch him remove the crucible from the forge. He sets the hot ceramic off to the side and turns to me with a severe look. "You used your skill on him?"


    I shyly nod in confirmation. I try to come up with an excuse. "I thought I could control it better without hurting the person I used it on. It worked, by the way."


    Master nods his head, "I understand." I wasn''t expecting that, I was ready for him to judge me.


    "I know you won''t use your skills to purposely hurt others, you''re not that kind of a person. I have to give you a warning and some advice as your teacher. Skills like yours are considered dangerous by a lot of people. Remember when I told you about sacrificial skills? It''s the same thing. If the true nature of your skill is revealed, it could put you in danger. If you decide to practice your skill, I recommend you ask for help from either your parents or myself. And especially make sure people can''t see you when you''re using it. The way you look at people when you use your skill is a dead giveaway." He''s telling me to practice it secretly.


    I nod in understanding before smiling at him. "Thank you, master."


    "You shouldn''t take this so lightly." He berates me because of my smile.


    "I''m not taking anything lightly," I correct him. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you as my master." His serious scowl fades away quickly.


    "If I didn''t have you as my master, I would have done something stupid years ago, and a noble would''ve come and snatched me up in a heartbeat. I''ve never left the village before, and yet you''re able to teach me about the outside world. Mother taught me how to interact with merchants, but she had a pretty sheltered life before she met dad. And don''t get me started on father, I love him to death, but if it isn''t trees or mother, he can''t help me when I have questions. Take that carrier falcon, for example, not even Camden''s son knew how much it was to hire one." I start to tear up a little bit.


    "Why are you crying?" He asks, bewildered.


    "It''s just, I felt like you''ve been distancing yourself from me even more than usual these last two weeks. And the way you looked at me after I used my skill on you. It felt like you were about to fire me from being your apprentice. I don''t want to lose my apprenticeship. Master Del."


    I watch Del awkwardly scratch the back of his head. "You say that now," Master Del says with a complicated look on his face.


    "Does that mean you don''t want me to be your apprentice anymore?" I tentatively ask.


    "No," he quickly answers. "I still wish to be your teacher. It''s just I don''t know what else I can teach you."


    "What, are you talking about? You''re still teaching me loads of things. What makes you think you don''t have anything else to teach me?"


    "I''ve already taught you everything I know about blacksmithing. The only thing left for you to do is to continue practicing. I can''t teach you to work with metals I was never allowed to touch or how you''re supposed to find magical metals in the wild. I''ve been answering all your recent questions with answers I''ve only read in books and taught as a child. I have no real experience with everything you''re trying to do." Master tells me while looking dejected.


    "And you think you haven''t helped me learn how to work with mithril? What about the basics of enchanting, if you and mother hadn''t helped me figure out the basics I wouldn''t have figured out as much as I already have."


    Master shakes his head in denial. "It might have taken you longer, but you would''ve figured it out on your own. The only questions I''ve been able to fully answer are the things I''ve learned traveling Olebert. You''ll soon realize I can''t answer any more of your questions and that it''s time for you to find a better teacher."


    "Ok, it''s a deal!" I cheerfully reply, drawing a questioning look form master. "You should know me by now, I always have questions to ask. Tell you what, you can kick me out of my apprenticeship once I stop asking you questions, alright?"


    Master looks at me with a surprised look. He straightens his back once he realizes I have no intention of going anywhere. He finally looks me in the eye without any of the fear or doubt that was previously there. "If you insist that stubbornly, what kind of master would I be if I threw my best student out?"


    "I''m your only student." We share a laugh together at the horrible joke.


    Master looks over at the crucible he removed earlier and then looks back to me. "Why don''t you show me your latest alloy? It should be cool enough by now."


    "I would like that," I reply. "You can help me bounce around some ideas on how to improve my arrows tomorrow. They need to be good enough; I can charge Kervin for the rushed job."


    Both smiling, we get back to work as master and apprentice.

 Ch: 46

    Kervin''s Point of View:


    I snap the reins controlling my bivol, ushering them to pick up more speed. Bivol are brisk walkers on a good day, and it''s only due to the selective breeding the Silver Herd Company experimented with in their early days that mine are trained to keep a steady pace.


    Depending on what happens in the next few hours, I might be promoted and awarded some of their prized bulls, or I might be looking to buy my own after being fired.


    Lurte, Ryiba, and I took turns driving the cart, pushing my poor bivol to their breaking point, trying to return to Blaiton as fast as possible.


    We haven''t stopped for more than a few hours to let the beasts rest for four days. While one of us slept in the back of the empty cart, using our canvass covering as a makeshift bed, the other two kept the cart moving.


    This is all that damn general''s fault! Giving me only a month to deliver her the arrows she requested. If my message didn''t reach Aaliyah for whatever reason, or gods forbid she ignores it, I''m screwed.


    I steer my cart alongside the walls of Blaiton, heading for the gate reserved for Silver Herd Company members. The company is the biggest provider of income for the city, and the mayor''s family unofficially serves the company''s interests. The gate was funded by the mayor''s family and reserved for our company as a sign of goodwill.


    The current head of Silver Heard, Giovanni Turrini''s father, established the company after he bought a small farm outside Blaiton that raised the best bivol this side of Olebert. Using the stronger and more striking bivol to haul his goods around, he quickly made a name for himself and grew the company to encompass the major trade routes between Blaiton, Drey, and Teeburn.


    Once he passed the company down to his firstborn son, Giovanni wasted no time continuing to expand up into Yleles, making Silver Herd the fourth biggest mercantile company in Olebert.


    Giovanni Turrini has always been aggressively expanding the company ever since he took over and even sent his daughter to join the military''s healing order to develop his contacts. Ever since his daughter quit the military, he''s been searching for other avenues to expand his reach.


    He probably thanked the gods Scholl decided to attack us. For him to be committing three of his carts towards regular deliveries to Teeburn shows how aggressively he''s trying to attract the military''s attention.


    There''s no doubt in my mind he''s already heard about my encounter with General Pitz. I don''t want to think about what might happen if I tried to pretend nothing happened in Teeburn.


    I see the gate leading into town just ahead of us.


    The gate is guarded by two of Blaiton''s guards, but they''re there just for show. The people really in charge of the gate are the four people with the Silver Herd emblem on their coats.


    We''re quickly flagged down and directed to stop in front of the gate. I don''t recognize the man who''s approaching us; I try to avoid coming here unless I need to submit my income reports.


    He doesn''t have any striking features and has most of his face covered to combat the winters chilly wind. "Plate," he demands in a cold tone. He holds out his hand towards me but directs his gaze into my cart. Even with most of his face covered, I can see his judging eyes questioning why my cart is empty.


    No self-respecting merchant doesn''t have anything in his cart; we''re expected to be continually hauling goods to make a profit. I''m sure he''ll send a message to headquarters, but that''s the least of my problems right now.


    I hand him my plate and wait for him to inspect it.


    He looks up at me again, but this time his eyes look much more severe. "You''re, Kervin?" He waves my plate at me.


    "Yes," I hesitantly respond, taking my plate from him.


    "The boss is waiting for you. I''ll send word you arrived." I shiver in my seat and not because of the cold.


    "I''m aware." I try to sound more confident than I am.


    I snap my reins, trying to get my bivol to move forward. They reluctantly continue on, and we enter the city. I turn around as we leave and watch the man pull his left sleeve up and talk into his bracelet. It''s a communication''s bracelet; those cost 150 gold or more depending on its range! He''s probably sending word that I arrived.


    The main road leading to the company''s headquarters is lined with perfectly placed stones, and you can see traces of where it''s been shoveled to make the trek for the carts easier. I''ve heard rumors Giovanni''s father paid for a group of earth mages to lay each stone with magic, so it''ll last for generations.


    As we work our way down the street, we pass multiple storefronts with our logo on the side of their buildings. We even pass an inn that offers discounts to us traveling merchants when we''re in town.


    We round a corner and come into view of the Silver Herd Trading Company headquarters. The small castle of stone and wood is designed to look like a noble''s residence. The stone arches draw the eye to the beautiful masonry while the woodwork accents the windows with exquisite panes of clear glass in them.


    I steer my bivol to the left of the building, towards the stables.


    The stables are divided into two sections; one area is used to store carts while the other is a fenced-in area the bivol can be left to roam freely. I park my cart, leaving my valuables in the safe built into the carriage. There are plenty of guards walking around, and Silver Herd doesn''t take kindly to thieves. I once heard the boss walked into the city''s jail and cut the hands off of someone who stole from the company personally. Only a fool would steal anything on this property.


    I walk my bivol over to their enclosure, sliding over a latch that secures the short gate shut. The gate is only three and a half feet tall made from beams of thick steel. Bivol don''t jump or climb, but they''re incredibly strong, so the fence is short but very sturdy. The lock isn''t designed to keep people out; it''s only to keep the bivol in.


    Once everything is secure, we make our way inside the building. As soon as we step through the door, we remove our coats. The building has heating runes installed somewhere, keeping the building warm, a luxury that only someone with money to burn can afford.


    The three of us walk down the corridor connecting the stable entrance to the reception area in the front of the building.


    We pace by a few people carrying stacks of paper who pretend we don''t exist. This entire building is for the accountants to monitor the company''s holdings. I''ve heard rumors from older merchants that there''s a secret vault somewhere in the building that holds the truly expensive items and the company''s treasury, but no one is sure if it exists.


    When we enter the front receptionist area, I walk to the main attendant flanked by Lurte and Ryiba. The woman operating the front station has beautiful straight blond hair and is wearing cosmetics, showing off how much she''s paid to do her job. Her deep green eyes evaluate me for only a second before she addresses me. "Mr. Kervin, Giovanni Turrini is waiting for you in his office. Straight back to my left and up the stairs. His office is the room with the double doors."


    Whether she has nothing more to say or she''s swamped, she turns her attention back to the papers in front of her ignoring our existence. I look behind me at my bodyguards and notice they''re just as nervous as I am. The whole, everyone knows who you are without you saying anything is unsettling.


    We follow the receptionist''s directions and make our way to Giovanni¡¯s office. I start to sweat, the closer we get to his office. I haven''t spoken to the man since I was hired years ago, and I''ve never stepped into his office even once before. I still clearly remember the day I was hired.


    After my parents left our stall to my older brother, I spent a year working under him before deciding I didn''t want to work in Blaiton my whole life. Funny how now I''m trying to be promoted to a more stable position.


    I asked around town and had the fortune to be recommended to Silver Herd by one of their stores my family regularly did business with.


    For my interview, I was grouped with six other applicants and told to wait in a small room with no furnishings.


    We waited for two hours, silently sizing each other up when Giovanni Turrini finally entered the room, followed by his bodyguard. "Let''s get this over quick!" He said to us. "I''m busy and can''t waste much time here. You each have two minutes to tell me your qualifications and why I should hire you. You first!" He thankfully pointed to a man on the opposite side of the room.


    I was the last to be called on. I waited twelve grueling minutes, listening to the other applicants try to stammer out their qualifications in the allotted time. Each one of them was cut off by Mr. Turrini when their time ran out.


    When he finally turned to me and told me to go, my mind almost shut down due to the pressure. It''s funny; I can still remember my answer word for word and what happened after.


    "Kervin, I grew up helping my family''s produce stall. I want to become a better merchant and make more money!" I practically yelled out my response by instinct.


    ¡­¡­


    "Is that all you have to say?" He glared at me after a few seconds of silence.


    "Yes, sir. You said you were busy, and time is money. I thought I''d keep it short and sweet." The other applicants looked at me like I was crazy, but everyone flinched when Giovanni Turrini laughed.


    "You''re hired, kid. Come back tomorrow to start your training. The rest of you can leave." A few of the other applicants advanced on him, trying to protest their dismissal. They were quickly stopped in their tracks when his bodyguard released a wave of bloodlust that made everyone collapse to their knees. Not one of them was able to get within five feet of Mr. Turrini.


    That was the first and last time I met the boss of Silver Herd Trading Company. The rest is history.


    Standing in front of the two wooden doors leading to Giovanni Turrini''s office, I hesitate to open the door myself or knock first? Everything that''s happened until now gives me the impression he''s waiting for me, but a part of me is screaming not to touch the door.


    I decide to knock first, but before my hand touches the beautifully carved wood, green lines glow across its surface, and they swing open by themselves. I end up standing in the doorway with my hand raised frozen like an idiot. The large office is decorated with shelves on either side of the walls with different pieces of artwork and statues, some of which have precious gems embedded in them. At the far end of the room is a large desk with Giovanni Turrini staring at the three of us. Behind him, off to the side, is his bodyguard, standing like a gargoyle ready to pounce.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    In front of his desk are two seats with a table in between them. "Don''t keep me waiting, come in and sit down." Mr. Turrini''s authoritative voice breaks me out of my paralyzes.


    Once the three of us are through the doorway, Mr. Turrini waves his hand behind his desk, and the doors behind us shut by themselves.


    Having already been told to sit, I take a seat in the right chair while Lurte and Ryiba take their usual positions behind me.


    I silently wait for Mr. Turrini to make the first move.


    "You made it here quicker than I thought you would." He looks down at a piece of parchment in front of him. "It''s a good thing you¡¯re smart and chose to come back here on your own free will. I was happy to hear you were heading straight back here from Teeburn. It would have been a hassle if you decided to try and avoid me."


    "You knew we were heading here?" I timidly ask.


    "Of course, I have my ways to track my employees. After I heard about your run-in with the esteemed general, I immediately had people figure out where you were and which direction you were heading." He casually explains to me.


    "I assumed you would want to see me." Mr. Turrini gives me a grin that looks positively vicious.


    "Of course, I would. It''s not every day I receive news General Emily Pitz leaves Fort North Ridge to meet with one of my merchants. And right after she single-handedly slaughtered thousands of Scholl''s soldiers too. Imagine my surprise when I learned the merchant, she met with wasn''t even supposed to be anywhere around Teeburn." She what, she found me after slaughtering an army!


    "I made sure my route was covered." I try to explain.


    "Oh, I know. I already messaged those who helped you pick up your slack. Each one said they did it because they owed you a favor. I was told you sold a whole cart of weapons to the army; how much did you make?"


    I hesitate to answer his question. He isn''t using any skills on me, but that can change quickly. I gather all my courage before answering him. "That is none of your business, sir." I immediately feel the tension in the room growing thicker.


    "That''s funny; you work for me, so I believe it is my business."


    "I mean no disrespect, Mr. Turrini. I only meant I conducted the trade on my own time with the goods I purchased with my own personal coin. I started using my profits to buy weapons when the rumors we were going to war with Scholl started floating around." I carefully explain.


    "I see. You took the initiative to earn yourself some extra gold; I can respect that." The pressure in the room fades a little. "That said, explain to me why the general sought you out. You might not have broken any of our rules, but you still identified yourself as a Silver Herd merchant. If you did anything to jeopardize the army''s image of my company, we''d have a problem." The pressure that was decreasing a second ago returns even heavier than before.


    I slowly reach to my side as not to aggravate Mr. Turrini''s bodyguard and pull out the parchment the general gave to me. I stand up and gently place it on Mr. Turrini''s desk. As he grabs the rolled-up parchment, I once again cower in my seat.


    Mr. Turrini unravels the parchment and scrutinizes the contents.


    His expression relaxes halfway through the note and turns into a smile by the time he finishes reading it. "A special order from the general herself, this is excellent news! Finally, we have a direct commission from a high-ranking military officer." The boss looks like he''s ready to jump for joy.


    "Tell me, Kervin. Why did she place the order through you? I have my three best traveling merchants constantly bringing goods to Teeeburn. What did you sell them that got you noticed by the general?" Mr. Turrini questions me.


    "Apparently, some of the spears I sold them were of a higher quality than I realized. The general wanted to place an order for some quality arrows based on the spears I brought them." I deliberately try to be vague, but the look in Mr. Turrini''s eyes says he''s not falling for it.


    "Did you purchase the spears through one of our affiliated blacksmiths? Tell me, and I''ll send our best negotiator to them to draw up a deal." I knew this would happen.


    "They aren''t one of our affiliates or a known blacksmith."


    Mr. Turrini''s eyes widen. "A new talent, are they? That''s even better; we can get a better deal for their work if they''re an emerging blacksmith."


    I have to be careful how I proceed. If I screw this up, I''ll lose everything I''ve done to establish myself with Aaliyah. "I''m afraid that won''t work, Mr. Turrini."


    The giddy look he just had falters. "Explain," he demands.


    "I''ve been in contact with this blacksmith for a few years now and know them personally. They have deliberately tried to stay obscure. I fear if you send a negotiator, they''ll vanish."


    Mr. Turrini narrows his eyes. "You make it sound like the person is hiding from something. Why would they hide their abilities, every truly great blacksmith needs a backer to grow properly?" He gives me a look that says I better explain.


    I''m not making it out of here if I hold back now. "I believe it has something to do with her master." I drop my first hint. "Is this room secured?" I ask, trying to entice him more.


    "My office is warded. Stop being suspenseful and tell me." He says that but his ire has slowly faded, and I need to properly establish why I''m needed.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Turrini. It''s just that the information is sensitive. The blacksmith I bought the spears from, her master is a Stone Kin."


    "What!?" Mr. Turrini stands up from his chair. You''ve been buying good from a Stone Kin and haven''t reported it to the company!"


    "No, not the Stone Kin." I hastily defuse his anger towards me. He retakes his seat while I explain. "The Stone Kin has refused to talk to me, let alone trade with me. From what I gathered, he wants to be left alone. He has however, taken on a human apprentice, who I regularly trade with. I wasn''t aware of her goods'' quality and sold them to the army for a dirt-cheap price. It''s her goods the army is interested in, not her master''s. She might not be as secretive as her master is, but she has multiple times told me to keep their existence a secret. If you try to establish contact with them, they''ll likely leave." I make sure to emphasize her willingness to leave.


    "I see, and I bet you just happen to be the only one she''s agreed to trade with, is that right? I''m sure someone with higher levels and skills could come to an agreement with her." He sends me a challenging look.


    "That might work?" I acknowledge his underlining threat. "It''s a shame I''m the one who was acknowledged by General Pitz and Captain Nathaniel. It also helps I already established a contract with the blacksmith." I was hoping to see some shock on Mr. Turrini''s face, but he doesn''t look perturbed by my revelation at all.


    "The Contract skill is a staple for any good merchant. I wonder what level yours is at? Is it above 40, judging by your expression it isn''t, is it? Though it makes things more annoying, a contract can be broken in many ways if its user isn''t a high enough level. Did you specify who takes over your contact if you suffer an unexpected accident? Many contracts automatically cancel when the user of the skill dies, did you know that?" I pale at his threat.


    "You did a good job making sure you formed a contract with her, but you should never boast about it unless you have the ability to back it up. We''ll have to discuss another time, but for now, we need to move on. Did you already send word to her that she needed to craft arrows for you? I heard the general only gave you a month to fulfill her order before she left the inn you were staying at." He even heard about that! The general''s privacy magic was only deactivated for two sentences, and he somehow captured what she said? It''s a good thing I sent the message to Aaliyah with a courier falcon, or someone probably would''ve intercepted it if I sent it by normal means.


    "I''ve already sent a message by courier falcon. She should have enough arrows for me by the time I''m scheduled to return to her village. General Pitz made it sound like she wanted the best arrows possible, and hopefully, she''s satisfied with what we can procure on such a tight schedule."


    "Your blacksmith is in a village, is she? It makes sense if they''re trying to remain low key. Which village are they located in?" Mr. Turrini shuffles a few papers around before finding the one he''s looking for


    "Spotted Creek Village," I answer him. He freezes in his seat with a surprised expression.


    "Where my daughter is?" He probably would''ve heard about Aaliyah sooner if he remained in contact with his disgraced daughter.


    "That''s right, the same village your daughter moved to. I was lucky to be assigned a backwater location only to discover a future master craftsman." I take the chance to brag a little.


    "The gods work in mysterious ways." I hear him mumble to himself before he decides to move on. "When are you due back in their village?"


    "Roughly ten days from now."


    "You should gather some supplies and leave immediately. Your deal with the general takes precedent over your previous route. I''ll have your route be distributed to other merchants while we fill your previous position."


    "You''re firing me!" I panic.


    "You''ve made it abundantly clear I need you to negotiate with your blacksmith friend, so no, I''m not firing you. This matter is highly sensitive, so I''m promoting you to a Specialty Sales Merchant. You won''t need to worry about your previous route."


    Specialty Sales Merchant, I''ve never heard of that position before? "What kind of position is that?" I hesitantly ask.


    "They''re the department of the company that deals with the movement of specialty materials and high-class goods with selective clients. You''ll start off catering to your blacksmith, and if you prove to be adapting to your new position, you''ll be given other clients in the future. But right now, I want you to focus on working with your blacksmith and regularly delivering whatever the general requests of you."


    I''m almost afraid to ask about my pay. "Mr. Turrini, what is the pay like for my new position?"


    He gives me a merchant''s grin that has me reaching for my coin pouch. "Still thinking about your profits, that''s good. Specialty Sales Merchants receive different salaries depending on their actions. You''ll be dealing with much more expensive goods from here on out and working with a select clientele. Depending on what you need from the company, we take a flat fee for procuring the item you need, and from then on, the item technically belongs to you. You decide how much you want to charge your client. If you want to charge a higher price to make more of a profit, we won''t take any of your earnings. However, if you lose us any of our clients, you''ll be immediately fired, and the only merchant job you''ll be able to get is selling manure from a farm."


    I''ve never been so excited and so afraid at the same time. "That means I need to pay for my goods outright from now on."


    "Correct. The position of a Specialty Sales Merchant is different from being a simple traveling merchant. For all intents and purposes, you''re still a traveling merchant under our company, but because of the nature of the items your hauling, you should hide your new position and maybe hire a few more guards." He grabs a blank piece of parchment and starts writing on it.


    He puts his seal down at the bottom and hands it to me. "That is your reference letter, take it to our main store in Drey and give it to the store manager. He''ll be your contact with the company from now on. You simply need to ask him for whatever you need and have the coin ready. He''ll keep track of your business and relay it back to a special department here. For whatever reason, you might find yourself in trouble. You can seek help through him. Any questions?"


    "If you have a direct line of communication to him, can I send a list of things I need ahead of me?" I cautiously ask.


    "I suppose we can do that. What do you need?" Mr. Turrini gives me a curious look.


    "May I?" I motion to a stack of blank parchment on his desk.


    He slides a piece of paper across his desk to me and hands me an enchanted pen that expels a perfect amount of ink from the tip. I can''t afford to waste time being impressed with his expensive writing utensils. I quickly scribble out everything I need and hand the paper back to him.


    He quickly scans through what I wrote down and looks back at me, confused. "Crates of dried food and a bunch of cheap magical tools? I give you full access to our company, and you want to order a few gold worths of stuff? Why so much dried food?"


    My eyebrows rise in exclamation. "Sir, did you not read the report I sent you on the status of Spotted Creek Village?" When I was assigned to my route, I was told to write up a brief letter detailing anything I heard regarding his daughter every time I visited the village. I must have mentioned the threat the village is facing at least three times now.


    "What''s wrong with the village? Your letters are analyzed by one of my aides; I''m only told about direct dangers to her life."


    Does he not care about his daughter at all? I spend the next thirty minutes explaining the threat the village faced with the goblins and what they continue to face with the chameleon spiders. The whole time he merely nods along with my explanation with a look that says he could care less about what I''m saying.


    "I see, it doesn''t sound like my daughter is in any real danger at the moment. The village head knows the price he would pay if he made my daughter participate in anything hazardous. If anything, this is a great opportunity for you." I send him an uncomprehending look.


    "With the village in chaos, they''ll be more reliant upon your deliveries. Focusing on delivering food to the village will be a great cover for you. Besides, it sounds like the village is strong enough to repel the beasts. And if the local lord is already notified, the issue should be resolved soon. He''s notoriously known for the magic beast hunters, he employs. Once spring rolls around, he''ll be looking for a place to train new hunters depending on his losses at the fort." Is this the callousness one needs to run a mercantile company?


    "Your order will be sent within the hour. I suggest you hurry to Drey and plan out your immediate future. You better pray your blacksmith is up to the general''s task. You can leave now." He waves his hand behind his desk, and I hear the automatic doors open behind us.


    I don''t have to be told twice. The three of us move as quickly as we can without appearing disrespectful. The doors once again close behind us as we move towards the exit.


    We¡¯re alive, and in the end, I was promoted. I never imagined it would happen like this, though. Let''s hope the gold is worth it.


    What am I saying, of course, it''s worth it! The money I''ll make from the army will make what I''ve earned up until now look like a dirty copper coin you find on the side of the road.


    Giovanni Turrini may have tried to be threatening, but I won''t buckle under the pressure.


    It''s time to head for Drey, levels, and gold coins are waiting for us to claim them!


    <hr>


    Giovanni Turrini''s Point of View:


    I watch Kervin and his guards scurry out of my office like it''s on fire. I quickly seal my doors again and sit back in my chair, exhaling deeply.


    "Remind me, Marshall, to find the person in charge of going over the letters regarding my daughter. I should have been notified the minute a goblin tribe was spotted near her village. To think I wasn''t told about such dangers around her." I slam my hand against my desk.


    "Sure thing, boss. You want me to send a hunting party to the village to exterminate the magic beasts?" My close friend and bodyguard, offers his brand of help.


    "No, it sounds like most of the danger has already passed. I''m just angry I wasn''t notified about something so serious beforehand!"


    "You could try writing her once in a while if you''re so concerned about her safety." I narrow my eyes at Marshall.


    "You know very well I can''t do that. There are too many people watching my movements, trying to hinder the growth of the company. If people thought I still cared about my daughter, she could be abducted or have something worse happen to her. Better even my employees think I no longer care about her."


    I close my eyes and surrender my full weight to my chair. This is the price I must pay to expand my family''s company. Throwing my daughter out into the wilderness and moving my three sons around constantly to avoid assassination attempts.


    Sometimes I wonder if the coin is worth it?


    I can''t sit here moping. I turn to Marshall. "You started serving my father a few years before he passed the company to me. What do you think, is it the same dwarf who wasted my father''s money trying to make magical weapons?" I ask.


    "Probably, Stone Kin live much longer lives than we do, and not many leave their mountain fortresses." He gives me a lighthearted answer.


    "Father told me it was one of his greatest regrets in life, investing money in that dwarf. Before he grew his company and learned that the dwarf city''s never let their people leave unsupervised unless they''re not worth the effort to supervise. The fact he was traveling by himself was all the indication someone needed to know he must have been a reject. At least it sounds like his apprentice has true potential."


    "You want me to have our people look into her?" Marshall asks to my left.


    "Please do. We already have our spies silencing information regarding my daughter living the village. Have them find out the blacksmith''s name and tell them to look out for any information regarding her or her master. As to the rumors flying around about Kervin, make something up about us punishing him for selling faulty equipment to the army and that the general approached him demanding reimbursement. That should buy us some time to see how things play out."


    "Are you worried about her skills not being up to par with the general''s demands?"


    "No, that''s not it. The general herself asked for arrows after inspecting the blacksmith''s work. I wouldn''t dare claim to know more about weapons than she does. It''s just that I''ve heard rumors about General Emily Pitz. She leveled quickly, making her name through hunting strong magical beasts. She was known for finding the scent of strong creatures and mercilessly tracking them down. It''s rumored she does the same for talented individuals." I run my hand through my hair, a nervous gesture I picked up as a kid.


    "There was a reason I promoted Kervin to oversee the transaction with the army. Should something go wrong, we won''t lose one of our senior merchants. And on the off chance he succeeds, we''ll have a new battle-tested Specialty Sales Merchant. Speaking of battle-tested, how strong were his bodyguards? Should I warn him to hire better ones?"


    Marshall thinks to himself for a moment. "They were level 57 and 59 respectfully. Higher leveled than the bodyguards I usually see for traveling merchants. They''ll either rise to the occasion the first time they encounter any real danger or die horrible deaths. It all depends if word gets out about the cargo they''ll be carrying. Bandit activity is increasing in rural areas while the main roads remain clear with all the soldiers moving towards the fort."


    "A trial by fire, then," I ask the level 88 warrior.


    "Isn''t that what you were going for in the first place?" He smiles down at me.


    We both share a laugh.


    Things are about to get interesting. This might be just what Silver Herd needs to reach its next level and compete with the big three trading companies.

 Ch: 47

    ¡°You guys know the plan, right?¡± I whisper to master and Ronald. Leaning around the tree I¡¯m hiding behind; I use Sense Mana to confirm the chameleon spider hasn¡¯t moved.


    "We''re ready to cover you," Master says from a tree to my left. I look to my right at Ronald, and he gives me a nod of confirmation.


    Here goes nothing.


    I stealthily make my way closer to the hidden magic beast. This would be incredibly dangerous by myself, but with master and Ronald watching my back, I can test Sense Soul on a magical beast without worrying about being eaten.


    I move just close enough to see the spider''s body without entering into its striking range. Over the past 12 days, I''ve tested Sense Soul on master twice and secretly scanned a handful of people in the village, making sure I only look at the outer parts of their souls. I started calling the scanning of the outer part of a soul a casual scan while looking into the soul''s center is regarded as a deep scan.


    When this spider was spotted by the hunters yesterday, I hatched this plan with master and Ronald to see what happens when I use the skill on something other than a human.


    I activate Sense Soul and focus on the central part of the spider''s body. The first thing I''m going to test is how the creature reacts to a casual scan.


    As the wisps surrounding the spider''s soul become visible, the magic beast starts to freak out. The camouflage on the carapace fades away, and the massive spider starts shifting in place and slamming itself into the nearby trees.


    I activate Flash Step and jump back next to Del and Ronald.


    The spider starts to screech as I continue to look at the outer parts of its soul. Judging by the amount of experience around its soul, I can estimate its level is around 77 if monsters level the same way humans do. That¡¯s a lower level than I initially thought it would be, is this one just weaker than the others we¡¯ve fought so far?


    The spider finally notices us and madly charges. People usually feel like they¡¯re being watched; I guess a spider that spends most of its time invisible doesn''t care for that kind of feeling.


    I drop Sense Soul and draw my sword, getting ready for part two of our operation.


    Ronald quickly fires three arrows at the spider¡¯s joints while master and I rush forward towards its two front legs. I activate Weighted Strike and swing my katana with my 130 points of Strength. For the first time, my sword cleanly slices through a chameleon spider¡¯s limb.


    I dodge another leg coming from my left by using Double Step to move backwards. Master, being the powerhouse he is, severs the limb he was aiming for and steps forward, cutting off a second leg before he has to dodge the flailing spider.


    The three of us move as a fine-tuned machine and dismember the spider one leg at a time. We''ve developed a sort of rhythm after hunting so many of these beasts. We usually focus on removing the five legs on one side of the monster before concentrating on the main body that can''t move after half its limbs are removed.


    This time is different. We remove the five legs as usual, but then we add insult to its injuries and remove the other five, leaving the body''s central part to bleed out in the snow.


    It may be cruel, but this is the safest way to deep scan the magic beast. I can''t look at the center of its soul during a battle because the beast might try to flee, and the eyes might incapacitate me if the soul of the spider acts like a human¡¯s.


    I sheath my sword and sit down on the snow-covered forest floor. Ronald and Master Del stand behind me, ready to guard my body if something should go wrong.


    I reactivate Sense Soul and once again look at the spider''s soul. The floundering body of the spider starts twitching, and its screams become more frantic. I only hesitate for a moment before I go from a casual scan of its soul to a deep scan.


    I quickly take note of its soul''s size before the two eyes appear and immediately shatter my focus on the creature. I''m ready for the backlash this time.


    I can fight off the searing headache enough that my Mana Skin skill doesn''t collapse on me. I still have to grind my teeth together to prevent myself from screaming out in pain.


    Unlike when I looked at master¡¯s, only two eyes are guarding the spider''s soul. The poor limbless creature lets out a new kind of scream we¡¯ve never heard before. The sound isn''t one of anger or pain like we''ve listened to in the past.


    No, this is a scream of fear.


    A fear that goes beyond the fear of death.


    I once more try to look at the core of the chameleon spider''s soul. I pushed through the pain and look at the soul guarded by the eyes. I prepare for them to reject me again, but the pain never comes.


    The two eyes suddenly turn towards the center of the spider¡¯s soul and blink.


    Their blink only lasts a tenth of a second, but a deep wave of primal fear overcomes my body in that second. As soon as the eyes blinked, the soul inside the spider disappears. The body of the spider stops twitching and lays before us dead. The two eyes look back at me one last time before vanishing themselves.


    Is that what happens when something dies? The eyes that guard the soul take it somewhere, or do they devour it?


    Before I can start to panic, something else happens inside the body of the spider. The chameleon spider looks like it¡¯s starting to steam.


    I look at master and Ronald, hoping to ask if they also see what¡¯s happening. Only when I look at them, I see their souls. I still have Sense Soul activated!


    I quickly look away before I suffer another backlash. Looking back at the dead spider, I watch what I now realize is the wisps formerly surrounding the spider¡¯s soul diffuse into the surroundings.


    Most of the wisps of experience seem to vanish quickly, but three streams flow towards us, passing through trees into our chests.


    I watch dumbfounded as a part of the experience that used to belong to the spider merges with my own soul space.


    Is that how everything gains experience when they kill other creatures?


    Del and my parents always told me people gain experience from battle because of the effort they put into the fight. I''m not sure how much effort plays a part in the amount of experience I get from killing something, but now I know experience comes directly from whatever you killed.


    Another important fact I learned was that most of the experience from killing something is lost to the surrounding area when the soul leaves the body.


    I feel like I just witnessed something important! We take in a part of the soul of whatever we kill.


    ¡°Are you ok, Aaliyah?¡± I quickly jerk my head towards master. He takes a half step back and looks at me concerned.


    His worried look knocks some sense into me. I¡¯m suddenly aware of the radiating pain in my head and the fact I¡¯m covered in sweat. I blink my eyes, aware that my eyes were wide open in shock the whole time I observed the spider¡¯s death.


    "I need time," I whisper through my clenched teeth.


    ¡°Ok, rest up while Ronald and I start processing the spider.¡± Master and Ronald move to start dismantling the spider while I wait here and recover.


    When the headache recedes enough for me to contemplate what happened, I remember only two eyes appeared. Does that mean master''s soul is somehow different from mine and the spider''s?


    I''ll need to perform another deep scan on someone else to be sure of the difference.


    I cross my legs underneath me and enter a meditative state. I need to digest everything that just happened.


    <hr>


    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± I shout as I burst through our front door.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I activate my cleaning spell and shut off Mana Skin.


    I quickly notice my mother sitting in her chair, sewing a pair of father¡¯s pants.


    She looks up at me and smiles. ¡°You¡¯re back, already? I thought the chameleon spider spotted was miles away from the village?¡±


    I brush off a few of the remaining dirt flakes leftover from my spell. "We finished pretty quickly. The spiders aren''t a challenge for us anymore. The only reason it took us this long to get back was that it took longer than usual to butcher the beast and haul everything back.¡±


    "Did you let your father know you''re safely back in the village?¡±


    I kick off my boots and change into my slippers. "I stopped on the way home to see how he''s doing. At the rate the deforestation crew is working, there won''t be any trees left in sight of our village.¡± I joke to mother.


    ¡°I noticed yesterday when I went to visit Sarette, now that your father is in charge of removing the surrounding trees that might just happen. They¡¯ve cleared nearly 100 feet around the entire village.¡± Mother tells me offhandedly.


    "I know what you mean. I''ve never seen the village this active during winter before." I walk over to mother and hug her.


    She¡¯s momentarily caught off guard by the action but embraces me the same way. As we separate, she gives me a questioning look. ¡°Did something happen on your hunt?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t a hug just be a hug?¡± I try to give her an offended look.


    She quirks an eyebrow at me. ¡°Alright, fine. You don''t need to give me that look." I sigh in defeat. "I tried using a different skill on the spider than I usually do," I tell her.


    ¡°Did it not work, or did something go wrong?¡± She asks.


    ¡°Not necessarily. The skill answered questions I never thought about before and left me with new ones I¡¯m not sure how to solve.¡± I tell her my dilemma without revealing what skill I¡¯m talking about. Master said I should avoid mentioning the particulars of Sense Soul to anyone, including my parents.


    ¡°What does the skill do?¡± Mother questions me.


    ''It''s a skill that lets me judge somebody''s level." I lie by telling a partial truth. "The problem is every time I use it on someone, they feel like they¡¯re being watched, and they feel outright fear if I focus on them too deeply. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, for me to use the skill to its full potential, I would suffer a backlash in the form of a splitting headache." I explain our fight with the spider earlier.


    ¡°And who else have you used the skill on?¡± Mother sends me a reproaching look.


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡± I feign ignorance.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s been rumors around the village of people suddenly feeling like they¡¯re being watched. Does that sound familiar to you?¡±


    ¡°I may have briefly practiced my skill on a few people." I try to downplay what I did.


    ¡°Over thirty people swear they were being watched this last week. Sarette told me her husband promised to look into the matter.¡± Mother crosses her arms.


    Damn! That¡¯s what I get for practicing my skill in a small village like ours.


    Mother notices my dejected look and sighs. ¡°I¡¯ll let the headman know it was you testing out one of your skills when I visit Sarette tomorrow. He''ll reassure people the feeling was all in their heads, but you need to stop testing your skill on our neighbors. People are still worried about the spiders, and feeling like something is watching them is not helping." Mother quickly comes up with a solution to my problems.


    ¡°Thanks for the help, mom.¡± I still feel down after thanking her.


    "When you thank me with that look on your face, it doesn''t feel sincere."


    "Sorry, I''m thankful for your solution, but that still leaves me with the problem of practicing my skill."


    ¡°Have you only practiced it on the villagers and the spider this morning?¡± Mother asks me.


    ¡°Master Del has let me use it on him a few times, but as I said, people become paranoid and afraid when I use the skill too much. Master and I decided I would only use the skill on him once a week, and I have to wait at least five days before I use it on him again."


    ¡°And why does it only have to be Del you use your skill on?¡± Mother gives me a challenging look.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t thought about asking you and dad.¡± I can see where this is going.


    ¡°So why haven¡¯t you asked us for our help?¡±


    I turn my head to the side, refusing to look mother in the eye. "It''s just that master has a really high level, and even he was disturbed by my skills effects. The first time he helped me practice, he wouldn''t look at me for hours after using it on him. I don¡¯t think I could handle seeing you or dad be that scared of me.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Mother closes the gap between us and gives me another hug. ¡°Silly girl, we could never be afraid of you. When your father gets home, and after we''ve had dinner, we can help you practice your skill."


    ¡°Ok,¡± I mumble in her arms.


    ¡°How long has it been since you practiced your Sewing skill?¡± She asks while I¡¯m still trapped in her arms.


    I choose to plead the fifth. My silence says everything she needs to know. "Come help me stitch up your father''s shirts; he''s so busy he''s been ripping them every other day." Mother practically drags me over to her work station.


    I can craft a sewing needle if I have to, but ask me to use one, and I¡¯m all thumbs.


    <hr>


    I helped mother stitch up father''s clothes and helped her with dinner before father came home for the night.


    We chatted about our day during dinner, and father agreed with mother that I should ask them for help more often. I tried to steer the question towards Kervin arriving any day now with the magic items I ordered, but neither was falling for it.


    Now the three of us are sitting on our living room floor on top of an old blanket.


    ¡°Are you sure you guys want to do this?¡± I hesitantly ask my parents again.


    ¡°What, you think your old man can¡¯t handle an intimidation skill?¡± Father boasts.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I give in to them. ¡°Who wants to go first?¡± I look back and forth between mother and father.


    Mother gives dad a look and tries to egg him on. ¡°Go on, Darrius. Show her you can handle it.¡±


    Mother knows what''s going to happen. I tried to warn father about what it will feel like during dinner, but he cut me off, saying he can handle anything I can throw at him.


    Father straightens his back and looks me in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m ready, bring it on!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± I activate Sense Soul.


    As soon as I look at the outer parts of father''s soul, his confident expression vanishes. A side glance at mother reveals she''s surprised how quickly father looks uncomfortable.


    I can see by the amount of experience around his soul he¡¯s around level 42. I¡¯m not surprised by his level; he¡¯s been working incredibly hard this year and did a lot during the goblin extermination.


    Usually, people look around, searching for whoever is watching them. Because father was already staring into my eyes, he knows where the feeling is coming from.


    ¡°Is this what you were worried about?" Father pretends that he isn''t feeling uncomfortable. "I guess that makes me better than Del, then!" He boasts.


    I hope he can say that after what happens next.


    I take a second to prepare myself mentally for what''s about to happen, and it''s not just the eyes I''m worried about.


    I look at the center of father''s soul, and everything changes. His fake bravado immediately shatters as he tries to stumble to his feet to get away from me.


    It only takes a few seconds for my father to make it to the other side of the room, and I''m lying on my side, trying to endure the two eyes that kicked me out of his soul.


    Mother looks scared and keeps looking between me lying on the floor and father breathing heavily across the room, trying to decide who she should go to.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ ok¡­¡± I hiss through my teeth.


    Once mother hears me, she moves over to comfort father who¡¯s shivering in place.


    It takes ten minutes for her to coax him back over to our blanket and for me to recover enough to sit back up.


    "That''s what I was worried about." I solemnly say.


    Father looks at me for a moment before hanging his head in shame. ¡°That was worse than I thought it would be. The first part was unnerving but bearable. Whatever happened at the end, there had all my instincts telling me to flee. You said it was a skill that let you estimate someone''s level?¡± He looks directly at me without any fear in his eyes.


    I¡¯m about to cry.


    Father is still shivering slightly, but he sees my teary eyes and looks concerned. "What''s wrong!? Are you still hurt?"


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy,¡± I mumble. ¡°Master couldn¡¯t look at me for hours after I first used the skill on him.¡±


    Dad leans over and gives me a hug. ¡°Your skill might have frightened me, but I would never be afraid of you."


    "Thanks, dad." We embrace each other until my headache fades away, and father stops shaking. "I think its time for bed." I let go of my father and start to get up.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going.¡± Mother¡¯s voice stops me in my tracks.


    I give her a confused look. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that was enough for today?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn next.¡± The serious look on her face throws me for a loop.


    ¡°After you saw what happened to dad, you still want me to use my skill on you?¡±


    ¡°I told you earlier today that both of us will help you with your skill. Are you trying to make me a liar?¡± She narrows her eyes at me.


    ¡°Alright, if you insist.¡± I give in to mother¡¯s request and sit back down.


    I re-center myself; this will be the first time I''ve performed two deep scans back to back.


    I use sense Soul on mother, and I¡¯m surprised to see she doesn¡¯t look that uncomfortable when I look at the outer part of her soul. If she isn''t reacting as bad as father and Del, I''ll move straight onto the deep scan.


    As usual, I only get a second to look at my mother''s soul before the two eyes appear yet again and sear my brain. I deactivate the skill and notice mother isn''t running across the room to get away from me.


    She¡¯s amazingly still seated in front of me. She¡¯s pale, but she still has her motherly smile plastered across her face. Father and I both look at her in astonishment. I must have leveled Mental Resistance because the pain is fading quicker this time.


    Mother wipes at her face as a single bead of sweat drips from her forehead. "That was pretty bad," She remarks.


    ¡°How were you able to resist the urge to run away?¡± I hastily ask through my lessening headache.


    Mother ponders my question. ¡°Well, I expected the worst after I watched how your father reacted, so I prepared myself. It was bad, but not the worst thing I''ve ever felt. Giving birth to you and your brother was much more painful, and it lasted a lot longer. Also, every time I level, I put a few points into my Mind stat. I bet that helps counteract the effect your skill has on me.¡± Mother¡¯s explanation gives me a lot to think about.


    Mother scoots right next to me. ''So, did your skill work? Can you tell me what our levels are?"


    I smile at mom. ¡°You¡¯re level 38, while father is level 42.¡± I look between them.


    Mother looks astonished. "Your skill doesn''t give you an estimate of our level, but the exact number! Skills like that are scarce."


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain. I don¡¯t technically see your level; I see your experience.¡± I tell them. ¡°After comparing your experience with myself, master, Ronald, and the people I''ve secretly observed around the village, I can accurately guess your level. Most of the adults I''ve looked at are around level 35. Compared to the other villagers, you guys are strong.¡± I proudly tell them.


    ¡°Of course, we are!¡± Father exclaims.


    "Not so loud, dear. It''s late, and you and Aaliyah said you have lots of work tomorrow. Help me fold the blanket, and let''s get to bed." Mother reprimands dad for his shouting.


    We quickly straighten up and retire to our rooms.


    In bed, I think about everything I''ve learned about souls these last couple of days.


    First, the wisps surrounding the soul are the manifestations of experience and the place our skills are housed. Looking at that outer part of the soul doesn¡¯t seem to anger the eyes guarding the soul. Considering how I¡¯ve seen other people¡¯s skills affect my soul, the outer part is very malleable and susceptible to influence.


    It¡¯s the center of people¡¯s souls that remains a mystery. After examining myself, Del, and my parents'' soul center, then comparing it to the chameleon spider, I''ve come to one conclusion.


    My soul is abnormally large.


    My soul is almost three times the sizes of master¡¯s and his is bigger than mother''s and father''s by 65%. I can''t say every soul is different because mother and father¡¯s souls are very similar in size. Father''s may be a tiny bit bigger, but I''m not sure if that''s because he''s slightly older than mother or if other factors come into play. The chameleon spider¡¯s soul was the smallest at only half the size of father¡¯s soul.


    I''ll need to look at a child''s soul if I want to get another baseline to compare what I''ve seen, but I don¡¯t want to scar a child with my skill.


    I raise a hand to stifle a yawn. I need to check my status page before I go to sleep.


    LV: 63 Experience: 188,119/ 514,704


    Health: 2,090/2,090


    Stamina: 1,072.33/1,403


    Mana: 351.87/1,000


    Vitality: 209.00


    Endurance: 80.13


    Strength: 132.00


    Dexterity: 125.00


    Senses: 60.56


    Mind: 62.72


    Magic: 100.89


    Clarity: 75.71


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV73), Blacksmithing (LV65), Axe Skills (LV55), Hammer Skills (LV54), Cleaning (LV50), Mining (LV48), Chanting (LV47), Drawing (LV44), Cooking (LV38), Trading (LV37), Dagger Skills (LV31), Acting (LV30), Wood Carving (LV29), Sword Skills(LV25), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV59), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV45), Hammer Arts (LV38), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase price (LV16), Lower Price (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV8), Steady Hands (LV7), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV59), Mana Manipulation (LV52), Precise Strike (LV35), Double Strike (LV34), Weighted Strike (LV24), Flash Step (LV17)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV48), Mana Skin (LV47), Mental Resistance (LV45), Extract Mana (LV26), Magic Blacksmithing (LV19)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV32)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV 62-65) 12,700exp


    Hammer Skills (LV 53-54) 5,350exp


    Mining (LV48) 2,400exp


    Drawing (LV43-44) 4,350exp


    Cooking (LV38) 1,900exp


    Wood Carving (LV28-29) 2,850exp


    Double Step (LV59) 5,900exp


    Measurement (LV44-45) 8,900exp


    Steady Hands (LV1-7) 2,800exp


    Hammer Arts (LV37-38) 7,500exp


    Expel Mana (LV59) 8,850exp


    Double Strike (LV34) 5,100exp


    Precise Strike (LV34-35) 10,350exp


    Weighted Strike (LV24) 3,600exp


    Flash Step (LV17) 2,550exp


    Inject mana (LV47-48) 23,750exp


    Mana Skin (LV47) 11,750exp


    Mental Resistance (LV43-45) 33,000exp


    Extract Mana (LV25-26) 12,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV18-19) 9,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV32) 16,000exp


    Skill Experience: 191,600exp


    Crafting Experience: 62,812exp


    Fighting Experience: 3,719exp


    Total experience Gained: 258,131exp


    As soon as I saw that I leveled again, I distribute my status points. 5 points into Dexterity, 3 into Vitality, and 2 into Strength. I¡¯ve noticed how Dexterity has become more important since I started practicing engraving and crafting the arrows Kervin ordered.


    I also gained a new tier two skill, Steady Hands. It¡¯s a passive skill, but it''s helped not only with my wood carving and Drawing skills but also with my blacksmithing.


    My mental fatigue is getting to me. I think tonight I won''t go into my soul and instead try to get a good night''s sleep for tomorrow. I only have two more days to finish everything before Kervin arrives.


    I peacefully slip into unconsciousness.


    <hr>


    I roll out of bed and shake the soreness from my limbs. Master and I have been running ourselves ragged the last two days, making sure everything is finished and packed in our cart for Kervin¡¯s arrival today.


    I throw on my clothes and put up my hair.


    I make sure to kiss mom goodbye before I make my way outside.


    I perform my morning stretches and watch the villagers carry crates of food over to the headman¡¯s house. Kervin returned precisely two weeks after he sent me the letter. He¡¯s never kept to this tight of a schedule before; I wonder if something is wrong?


    I perform my usual loop around the village to make sure nothing is hiding in the trees.


    I stop near our village''s entrance, not to watch everyone unloading Kervin¡¯s cart, but to stare into the trees at a spot that has suspiciously little mana. It almost looks like a small section of the forest is repelling mana away from it.


    I take a mental note of the spot and run to Del¡¯s house to get the cart we prepped yesterday.


    I quickly make it to Del¡¯s place and start pushing the cart to Kervin¡¯s campsite. While I¡¯m pushing the cart through the path that leads towards the village, I stop once again when I spot another area that''s also repelling the mana away from it. I stare in its direction and estimate the place to be only five feet in diameter.


    Whatever''s in the mana-less area, hopefully, I can use it to craft something.


    As I exit the pathway leading towards Del¡¯s house, I pass by the area; I previously noted the unexplained mana phenomena. The site looks normal now, did whatever caused the phenomena move closer to Del¡¯s house?


    I debate whether I should inspect it now before it moves again, but Kervin¡¯s cart looks almost empty, and I can''t wait to see what he brought me.


    I wait for the nearby villagers to leave before I pushed my cart next to Kervin¡¯s. ¡°Where¡¯s the fire?¡± I ask him.


    He looks at me, confused. "Fire, what fire?"


    ¡°I mean you came back to our village really fast this time, I assumed something must be wrong," I smirk at him.


    ¡°Funny,¡± he dryly states. ¡°You have my order ready, right.¡± He sends me a hopeful look.


    He¡¯s just asking for it now. ¡°What order?¡± I use all my acting ability to feign ignorance.


    He quickly pales and starts to sweat. ¡°Did you not get my letter?! I paid for a courier falcon to deliver it!¡±


    Whoa, I wasn¡¯t prepared for his panicked reaction. I quickly raise my arms and try to calm him down. ¡°Chill, man. I was just joking with you; I got your message two weeks ago. I have the arrows you ordered in my cart.¡±


    I expect him to be mad at my joke, but instead of anger, it''s relief that washes over his face. He forces a laugh, "That''s a good one. You had me going there."


    Was master, right? Is he in trouble with someone? "Is everything ok, Kervin?¡± I ask him.


    He suddenly becomes aware of himself at my question and quickly straightens himself up. "Everything''s fine. It''s just that I received a request from the army, and it''s a big opportunity for me. Even headquarters is keeping an eye on me now. They told me to focus on getting anything the army asks for, so now I have a lot more freedom to move as I wish.¡± He gives me his merchant smile.


    ¡°What does that mean for me and the village?¡± I ask.


    "Don''t worry; I''m doing my best to keep your existence hidden. I commissioned arrows from multiple blacksmiths in Drey to cover up where I¡¯m getting my supply from. I told Silver Herd about how much money I''m making delivering the food here each month, so they agreed to let me continue my route here as long as it doesn¡¯t affect my trading with the army." I don''t know what it is, but something is irking me about what he''s saying.


    I pretend not to be suspicious and ask him what he brought me. ¡°You have some magical tools for me, right?¡± It¡¯s not hard to fake a huge smile.


    ¡°I bought five different items with the coin you gave me.¡± He moves over to a crate he has sitting next to his cart with its lid leaning up against it.


    He reaches in and pulls out the first item. "This is a firebox. You put magicite inside of it, and it produces a strong flame on the top to cook with." A portable stove for the rich, at least it probably has a fire rune on the inside.


    He sets the metal box off to the side and pulls out the next item. "Here, I have a water purifier." It looks like an hourglass made out of metal welded on top of another metal box; I''m seeing a trend here. "You pour water in the top, add magicite into the bottom, then hold your waterskin down by this nozzle in the middle, and you have clean drinking water." I''ll have to be careful with that one; we can use that in our home.


    Kervin places it next to the firebox and picks up the next item¡­ and it¡¯s another box. Kervin notices the disappointed look on my face. "I know they don''t look like much, but keep an open mind. If you want better magical items, you need to spend a lot more money. This is a cold box, you place it in a small room or carriage, put your magicite in, and it chills the air on hot days.¡± I feel like I¡¯m watching a bad infomercial.


    Seeing that I¡¯m unimpressed, he moves onto the fourth item. Is that a knife stuck in a box?


    "This is the fourth and fifth item together." He pulls on the knife handle sticking out of the box. The knife looks basic, but using Sense Mana; I can see the runes hidden on its surface.


    "This kitchen knife is enchanted to stay sharper longer; I thought this would be the most appealing to you." .He picks up a twig sticking out of the snow and cleanly cuts through it with the knife.


    ¡°And the box?¡± I question.


    "Not everyone is blessed with your magic talent. Items that recharge magic by themselves are expensive. This box uses magicite to charge any knife you can fit into its opening. The box allows restaurants with higher-level chefs to use magical items for a short time without needing any magical talent."


    None of the items are too awe-inspiring, but Kervin did an excellent job getting me a good variety. It doesn''t matter if some of the runes inside the items overlap, that will just help me see how universal they are.


    "What do you think about everything?" Kervin probes.


    "Not bad," I say. "I''m not going to lie; I thought magical items would be more impressive. But like you said, in my price range, I shouldn''t have expected too much."


    "If you want a better magical item, next time, I can use all your coin to purchase the best item I can find." He offers.


    "That''s ok, there''s something more important I need help with. Have you heard of Eathrosse and Deli¡¯s Poke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be a terrible merchant if I haven¡¯t. What do you need them for?¡±


    He doesn''t know? "They¡¯re both ingredients to make engraving ink. I need help finding information about them along with purchasing some more mithril.¡±


    ¡°Sure, how many bundles do you need? I¡¯ll get you anything you want.¡± He cheerfully replies.


    ¡°What?¡± I freeze in place. How¡¯s he so confident he can get me those items? Mother told me that the merchant companies monitor the sale of those herbs so the country officials can monitor enchanters. Since when does he have the clout to guarantee me that he can get them!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Aaliyah? They may be expensive, but I¡¯m sure I can get them for you.¡± He doesn¡¯t realize what he¡¯s telling me. He¡¯s a traveling merchant out in the middle of nowhere, how does he have the connections to buy them for me?


    ¡°Did you tell someone about me," I ask, not concealing the malice in my voice.


    His two guards move up to his side and pull him away from me while drawing their swords.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean?¡± He lies straight to my face.


    I infuse Intimidating shout into my voice while using Sense Soul on the three of them. ¡°A merchant of your caliber shouldn¡¯t be able to get Eathrosse or Devil¡¯s Poke, not unless it¡¯s through a black market. I never expected you to buy them for me. I wanted your help in finding out where they grow in the wild or any other useful information. You would need to explain to Silver Herd who it¡¯s for if you were getting it from them. So, I¡¯ll ask one more time Kervin. Who did you tell about me?¡±


    I place my hand on my katana while looking at their souls. His two bodyguards are level 57 and 59. Kervin is surprisingly, level 54. His bodyguards already have their swords drawn; it would be difficult if I had to fight all three of them at once. I''ll have to break our contract later.


    My skills must have been working because the three of them look terrified of me. If they attack, I¡¯ll deep scan their souls, that should have them running for the hills.


    ¡°Please wait!¡± Kervin steps forward, not looking as perturbed as his guards. Being a merchant, he must have a high Mind stat. ¡°Give me a chance to explain! There¡¯s no need for us to fight.¡±


    I deactivate Sense Soul for a moment. ¡°Your men drew their swords first. I only defended myself.¡± I look from Kervin to his two bodyguards. I need them to think I''m stronger than I am. "You two may be level 57 and 59, but that doesn''t mean anything to me. Are you going to attack me or put your weapons away?" I offer them an ultimatum, ready to use Sense Soul if they choose wrongly.


    Kervin turns his back to me. ¡°Sheath your swords now. You know how important she is.¡± On Kervin¡¯s order, the two of them finally put their weapons away.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all sit down and I¡¯ll explain everything.¡± Kervin motions over to the fire at their campsite.


    I sit across from the three of them, ready to use Flash Step to gain some distance if they try anything funny.


    ¡°Last month after I stopped here, we went to Drey¡­¡± I listen to Kervin¡¯s story of what happened to him this last month.


    <hr>


    ¡°After I settled everything in Drey and loaded up my goods, I came back here." Kervin finishes recounting his tale.


    We spend a minute in silence while I digest what I was just told.


    "So," I sigh. "Not only is your boss aware of master and me, but a general with a power level of over 9,000 is interested in me." I clarify with Kervin.


    "I don''t know what a power level is, but yes, both of them showed an interest in your goods," Kervin confirms.


    This changes a lot; I rub my eyes with my hands. People might come looking for me soon. I wish I could be mad at Kervin, but he¡¯s in almost as bad a spot as I am.


    I look up at Kervin, who''s nervously waiting for me to speak. If I tell him to get lost, his company will most certainly send someone else.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sell you what I have today.¡± Kervin looks like I just saved his life. ¡°But tomorrow," I cut short his enthusiasm. "We need to renegotiate our contract after I talk to my master and family."


    He gives me a sorrowful look. "I completely understand, but I don''t have the skill level to adjust our contract, and I can''t form another one with you right after I break the first one. I can get someone from the company to come with me next month if you would like?" He offers.


    I give him a callous look. ¡°It should be fine if I do it then, I¡¯ll sever our contract tonight. We¡¯ll make a fresh one tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You can do that!¡± He looks at me in disbelief. ¡°So, any contract we make¡­?¡± It¡¯s left unsaid that a contract between us is solely for my benefit.


    ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No,¡± he hangs his head in defeat.


    ¡°Good, now on to how much I want for my spears and arrows. I want 30 gold coins.¡± I activate my merchant skills first.


    Kervin flinches at my demand and quickly activates his skills to rebut me. ¡°That¡¯s outrageous!¡±


    I completely disregard his skills and give him a look that says he has no choice. ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice how you left out how much my spears are really worth. I made you 28 spears, and I want half a gold for each, that''s 14 gold there. I made you 400 of my finest arrows after you sent me that letter. I want 4 silver for each of them, that''s 30 gold in total.¡±


    "That''s way too¡­" He tries to negotiate again, but I''m having none of it. I have all the power in this situation, and though I know my current situation isn''t entirely his fault, I still hold Kervin partially responsible.


    ¡°We¡¯re not negotiating today.¡± I cut him off. ¡°30 gold, or send me your replacement. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find some way to make a profit.¡±


    "Alright, deal." He surrenders, and I feel our skills fade away. "Do you want me to take that 30 gold and get you the materials you need?" He smiles at me like he''s trying to be helpful.


    "We''ll talk about it tomorrow," I say to him in a severe tone.


    Kervin looks at me confused, so I explain it to him. "Tonight, I''ll be discussing everything you told me with my loved ones. Depending on how everyone feels, we might part ways tomorrow." I stand up, ignoring Kervin¡¯s look of panic.


    I walk over to the crate he brought my magic tools in and put everything back in the box. I pick the container up in my arms and turn to Kervin one last time. ¡°I¡¯ll leave my cart here tonight. See you tomorrow morning.¡±


    I don¡¯t look back as I make my way home. I stop when I notice the same type of spot a dozen feet into the tree line. I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about that shifting spot.


    I''ll drop off the magic tools at home and then get Del. The two of us can check the area before we all have a meeting to discuss what will happen next.


    My peaceful village life looks like it might be coming to an end.


    <hr>


    ?????????? Point of View:


    I watch my target slip into her house. With the amount of magic she''s radiating, I can track her movement inside the building.


    I feel her senses shift away from me. I take the opening and run.


    That monster found me three times, and I still don¡¯t know how she did it.


    As I run through the trees, I check each of my magical items. All of them are functioning correctly, so I can''t tell how she noticed me every time I got close to her.


    It would only be a matter of time before she came to investigate me. And if she brought the stone kin with her, I¡¯m not confident I could escape.


    This is going to be a pain to explain to the boss.


    At least I''m not leaving completely empty-handed, I have her and her master''s name.


    I glance behind me to make sure I¡¯m not being followed.


    I wouldn''t put it past her to be chasing me. Just thinking about the way she shut down those three with her skills terrifies me. Thanks to Body Language, I could tell all three of them were scared of even approaching her.


    You hear origin stories of high leveled people, is that what this is? I might have witnessed a future monster.

 Ch: 48

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Master questions me as I pull him through the trees still surrounding our village.


    I scan our surroundings for any hidden beasts and try to spot the abnormality I witnessed earlier.


    Whatever caused the mana to react the way it did must have already vanished amongst the trees. Usually, I would be sad about missing a possible magic material to work with, but I have bigger things to worry about right now.


    ¡°Something happened with your merchant friend, didn¡¯t it?¡± I look over my shoulder and give master a complicated look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything when we get to my house. I asked mother to get dad, so the two of them should be waiting for us when we get there.¡± I lead master through the forest.


    We don''t emerge from the trees until we''re close to my house. I scan our surroundings and sneak Del into our home when no other villagers are nearby. I''m not ashamed of master, but the extra effort will keep even more rumors from spreading around the village.


    I see mother and father waiting for us at our dinner table, both clearly wondering why I needed to gather everyone.


    I swap out my boots for my slippers. Master follows my example by kicking off his muddy shoes and moves over to where my parents are sitting, pulling out a chair he takes a place at the table.


    Nobody says anything as I take my seat.


    I lean my elbows on the table and bury my head in my arms.


    I hear the table creak as mother leans across and rests her hand on the top of my head. ¡°What happened, sweety?¡±


    I quietly sigh to myself before I sit up and explain everything I heard from Kervin. From the general asking about me to Silver Herd knowing about master and me.


    The three of them just sit there silently listening to everything I say. They may not interrupt me with questions, but their looks of concern speak to me loudly.


    When I finish telling them everything, a heavy silence crushes all four of us. None of us know where to start.


    Mother asks the first question. ¡°You said you''re meeting with Kervin tomorrow morning to renegotiate the contract between you two. What are the details of the contract you have now? Depending on his skill level, you won''t be able to change too many of the details."


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, mom. I¡¯m forcefully canceling our contract tonight. Depending on what we decide tonight, our new contract is to force him to comply. He needs me a lot more than I need him,¡± I tell her.


    "You''re able to break his contract skill without his input?" Mom looks at me with her eyes wide open.


    "One of my skills helps me break compulsions. It takes time to set up, but I only need a little bit of time tonight to break his skills hold on me."


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so quick to throw away your relationship with Kervin. It sounds like he¡¯s the only thing keeping Silver Herd from coming straight to our village to recruit you.¡± Mother advises me.


    ¡°Your mother is right, honey,¡± Dad speaks up. ¡°You can use him as a shield in the short run.¡±


    Both of them make a good point. I look at master who still hasn¡¯t said a word. ¡°What do you think, master?¡±


    Del looks between the three of us. ¡°This isn¡¯t good, but not completely unexpected.¡± The three of us are shocked by what Del says.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask him.


    "It happened quicker than I was expecting, but I always knew someone would eventually notice you. The weapons you forge are top class for your skill level. That said, I didn''t think you would be noticed this soon and by a general no less. This severely complicates things." Master grumbles out that last part.


    I''m afraid to ask, but master always told me what he would do if someone came looking for him. "Are you leaving?" I hesitantly ask. Mother and father are shocked by my question.


    Master stares deeply into my worried eyes. "I already told you that I wouldn''t leave you until you asked me to; that hasn''t changed. Besides, they aren''t exactly looking for me, are they?¡± Master gives me a complicated smile.


    I sigh in relief. This would be much scarier if master told us he was running away. ¡°Thank you, Master Del.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like running was truly an option.¡± Master tries to pretend staying isn¡¯t a big deal for him.


    Mother and father nod in agreement. "This is our home, and you haven''t done anything wrong. Why would we leave?" Mother exclaims.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re marching an army here to capture you,¡± Father chuckles.


    The support from everyone at the table chokes me up. No one comments as I wipe the water from my eyes.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t have a lot to discuss.¡± Mother gives us a calculating look.


    "Agreed," master nods his head to mother and then looks at me. "You need to be careful about how you handle what happens next. If you use that merchant properly, it should be enough to appease Silver Herd for now, knowing you''re going to continue to make goods for them."


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mother agrees with master. ¡°As long as they¡¯re making a profit, and have means to contact you, they should leave you alone.¡± Mother¡¯s face brightens like she just got an idea. ¡°In fact, this could be good for you. You can use them to get your hands on the rarer materials without putting yourself in any danger.¡±


    ¡°Kervin did offer to get me Eathrosse and Devil¡¯s Poke. But if the general is looking for me, won¡¯t buying those items lead her straight to me?¡± I ask the table.


    Father and Del think about it, but everyone looks to mom for her opinion. "The kingdom only investigates when enchantments start to appear in the wrong places. They can''t investigate everyone buying those herbs. It''s usually left to the merchant company to report anything suspicious, and I doubt Silver Herd would turn in a budding enchanter."


    "You mustn''t forget that the general is still tied up at the fort." Master makes a good point. "Almost every able-bodied person is converging on the fort. The general shouldn''t be able to spare sending troops to our village for a single blacksmith, no matter how good you are. She may have noticed you, but it could be years before she can leave the fort.¡±


    That means every second I have needs to be spent getting stronger!


    ¡°Let me stop you now.¡± Master interrupts my train of thought. I wasn¡¯t even saying anything! I notice mother and father also giving me a concerned look.


    "That look on your face tells me you¡¯re planning on training like crazy before the general comes looking for you." Mother and father agree with Del''s assessment. "I know your speed of improvement is inhuman, but not even you could possibly train to reach her level that quickly. Once someone nears level 100, the experience required to level is in the millions. Raising your skill levels will get you close, but eventually, they will reach a level that it takes a lot longer for them to improve. Your crafting will overshadow the experience you gain from your skills increasing."


    "What Del is trying to say is that you can''t kill yourself for an unachievable goal. You need to live your life, and not spend every minute training. Remember what happened after the goblin extermination?" Mother says, concerned for my wellbeing.


    She¡¯s right, I can¡¯t spend my time worrying about what might happen, and my days are already busy enough as is.


    "I won''t make that mistake again," I promise to myself as much as I am to mother.


    "That settles it, doesn''t it?" Master asks everyone at the table. "We''ll continue as we have, but Aaliyah will use the merchant to keep her distance from Silver Herd. We''ll deal with the army together, whenever they come.¡±


    I¡¯m surprised how accepting everyone is of the situation. I was worried we would have to abandon the village.


    We discuss how I should deal with Kervin tomorrow, and Master Del stays for dinner.


    Later that night, while in my bed, I enter my soul.


    Looking around the clearing my body manifests in, I spot Kervin¡¯s skill right where I left it. His contract skill fits in the palm of my hand. I toss the skill back and forth in between my hands like a baseball.


    Time holds less meaning here, and since Sense Soul broke through its first test, the feeling of being immersed in my soul has become gentler. I''ve always been able to spend long periods of time here, but I could never feel comfortable.


    I think my soul is rejecting me less.


    Well, part of my soul.


    After looking at everyone''s souls, I think I truly know what this forest is now.


    I may be connected to my soul, but this forest isn''t a part of my true soul. I leave my clearing and start heading towards the sea.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I''m almost positive this is actually the surface of my soul, and everything around me is made up of the experience I''ve gained so far. That''s why I''m able to single out other people''s skills here. Their skills are made out of their experience and are connected to them; that''s why they stand out.


    I look down at Kervin¡¯s skill again as I pass into the rocky terrain. It¡¯s almost imperceptible because of my warped sense of time here, but the forest has definitely been growing as I gain more experience.


    I make my way over to the familiar cliff and stare out at the beautiful calm sea of memories stretching into the distance. I look out at the moons hovering overhead.


    They no longer attack me just for getting close to my true soul. I''m positive that''s what this is; the sea before me is my soul''s core. Every memory, making me who I am today.


    I cup Kervin''s soul fragment in my hands and let my body fall over the cliff''s edge. There''s no splash, only my body being dragged to a random memory.


    A new world appears around me.


    I''m in my mom''s Ford Escort''s back seat, looking over at a younger version of my past life.


    This was back when I was seven and still sitting in a booster seat. Everything is blurry outside the car as my mom drives to work early in the morning before the sun rises.


    "Country road, take me home. To the place, I belong. West Virginia. Mountain momma, take me home. Country road." I listen to little me sing along with my mother.


    When was the last time I listened to John Denver? We would sing this song every morning before I was dropped off at my grandparent¡¯s house.


    It¡¯s just another inconsequential moment buried in my memories. I sit back in my seat and close my eyes, letting the song permeate my being.


    The song fades, and I feel the eyes burn through my memory and focus on me. Couldn''t they let me hear one more song?


    I open my eyes and gaze up at the ceiling of my room. I say a quick prayer for my family I left behind and roll over in my bed. I don''t feel the need to enter my soul again.


    I quietly hum Country Road until I fall asleep.


    <hr>


    Kervin¡¯s Point of view:


    "Oh, gods!" I cry out, tossing and turning in my sleeping bag. Ryiba wakes up and looks at me, concerned while Lurte quickly runs over to my side from where he was on lookout.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lurte helps me sit up while I¡¯m clutching at my chest.


    ¡°My contract with Aaliyah was just broken,¡± I hiss. I¡¯ve had my Contract skill broken before, but never like this.


    Whether breaking a contract is consensual or forced, it feels like a rope snapping, and the backlash is divided between those the skill connects. Whatever Aaliyah did to cancel the skill, it forced everything onto me.


    Both Lurte and Ryiba frown. "She wasn''t lying about her ability, then," Lurte says while patting my back, trying to help me catch my breath.


    I doubt she gained whatever skill she used just now in the last month. That''s why she accepted my skill so quickly last month. She could break my skill whenever she needed to.


    I need to do everything in my power to appease her tomorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± I tell my guards. ¡°Sorry for waking you up Ryiba, I hope you can get back to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a stressful day.¡±


    I roll over and hide my concerned look from my men. I face the prevailing winds and feel the sweat on my face start to freeze in the winter breeze.


    The pain in my chest from the backlash is fading slowly. I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep, but I don''t think I''ll be getting any more sleep tonight.


    As soon as the first rays of daylight appear over the horizon, I''m up and preparing for the battle to come.


    I look towards the village. "She''ll be here soon." I hope my secret weapon works.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of Views:


    I make my way over to Kervin¡¯s campsite the first thing in the morning.


    I don''t use any of my movement skills and, instead, choose to strut up to Kervin''s campsite, with a beast''s grace on the hunt.


    Kervin and his two guards are moving around their campsite, packing up everything they no longer need. I guess they plan to leave after our meeting.


    Kervin''s two guards spot me approaching and point me out to him. He pats his sides, dusting off his clothes before looking at me with a merchant''s bright smile.


    So, he¡¯s prepared too.


    Once I''m a few feet from their campsite, he calls out to me. "Good morning, Aalyiah. How was your night?"


    "Fine," I give him an uncaring look. I may have already decided to use him, but I have no intention of letting him know that yet.


    He doesn¡¯t look perturbed in the slightest at my behavior and maintains his smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come over here and join us? I have tea brewing to drive away the morning cold.¡±


    I try to think of the most intimidating thing I can say. ¡°I don¡¯t feel the cold.¡±


    He and his guards cringe, but Kervin catches himself and chuckles. "I should''ve guessed; I never see you shivering even when the wind is blowing like it is.¡±


    I wonder if any of the villagers have noticed the same thing?


    I take the same seat as I did yesterday, and I smell it.


    A fragrant smell wafts from Kervin''s teapot next to the fire.


    He notices me looking at it. ¡°Allow me.¡± He pours me a cup of tea but doesn¡¯t hand it to me. He reaches into a small bag sitting next to him on the log and pulls out a small brown cube.


    Kervin places the cube in my tea and swills the mixture before handing it to me.


    I take the cup and raise it to my nose, and a fruity smell overpowers my senses. I have to carefully adjust Mana Skin to allow the liquid to move through my protective barrier.


    As soon as the mixture reaches my lips, I let out a small moan of pleasure. The taste resembles strawberries with hints of other fruits I can''t place. The thing that makes my eyes go wide is the distinct flavor of chocolate that perfectly compliments the brew.


    My eyes immediately fall on the little bag beside Kervin.


    "I''m glad you enjoyed it." I realize my stoic facade is gone. Damn you, Kervin. You found the weakness I left back on Earth.


    I try to confirm that it was chocolate he put in my tea. "What was that you put in it?"


    "It''s called Tarick Paste, and it''s usually sold in these small cubes. It''s a luxury good I was recently introduced to. I heard women enjoyed it, so naturally, I thought to bring you some. It slipped my mind yesterday; I hope you can forgive me?" He isn''t subtle with the double meaning.


    ¡°How expensive is it?¡± I ask as I take another sip of my tea.


    "Around 2 silver for the cube, I put in your tea." I almost do a spit take, but my mouth refuses to lose a single drop of the delicious beverage. "Would you care for another?" The devil offers me the bag.


    It¡¯s been 15 years since I had a piece of chocolate. I can¡¯t pass up this opportunity.


    I take the offered bag and fish out another cube of chocolate. I nibble on the side of the cube, tasting the rich flavor. It''s comparable to the darkest chocolate I ever tasted back in my past life. I wonder if there are more sweets in Drey?


    I put the rest of the cube in my mouth and savor the flavor as it melts, thinking about the sweets I had back on earth.


    "You can eat it straight? That''s way too sweet for me." Kervin''s words pull me out of my chocolate covered daydreams. "You can have the rest of the bag if you want?"


    ¡°You think you can bribe me with, what did you call them again?¡± I ask.


    "Tarick Paste, and it''s not a bribe. We''ve been doing business for almost four years now, what''re a few sweets between friends."


    I set the bag of Tarick Paste next to me and look at Kervin with a severe expression. "We have known each other for a long time, but our relationship will never come between my family or master."


    His confident smile fades away. ¡°What did you decide?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep using you for now.¡± He lets out a deep breath in relief. ¡°I¡¯ll need assurances for the future,¡± I interject before he can thank me.


    ¡°Of course, we can form a new contract right now.¡± He hastily agrees.


    I lay out my terms. "From now, I want you to handle everything regarding Silver Herd and the army. I want you to do your best to keep them away from the village and my family. I know your superiors are going to ask you questions; I won''t tell you to lie to them, but make sure they know I wish to remain anonymous right now."


    ¡°I can do that, anything else?¡±


    ¡°Just one more thing," I stand up and walk over to where he''s sitting. I look down at him and stare into his eyes. "I want you to swear to me you will never betray my trust and always keep my interests in your heart." I don''t include anything about our business relationship. If I force him to pay me more money for my goods, my merchant skills won''t level. I need him to deal with the army''s orders and supply me with the materials I need.


    Kervin stretches out his hand towards me. I grasp it in a firm handshake, careful to apply the right amount of pressure without breaking his hand. "I, Kervin, agree to your terms. I will serve your interests and show you I deserve your trust."


    I feel his Contract skill activate again; only this time, we both exchange wisps of experience. I watch a new skill form around my soul. Focusing on it, I can see that it is my own Contract skill.


    ¡°Congratulations on gaining the skill.¡± He rubs his chest. So, he can feel the difference too. ¡°Our contract will be stronger with us both having the skill.¡±


    I nod in agreement and move back over to my spot. Despite the one-sided terms, Kervin looks happier now that we have a new contract.


    While I sip my tea, Kervin goes back into business mode. ¡°Now that that is taken care of, you still need to tell me what you want me to do with your payment.¡±


    Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the money he owes me. ¡°We can continue with our previous arrangement. Use the coin to buy me the materials I need.¡±


    ¡°You want some of those herbs, right?¡±


    ¡°Devil¡¯s Poke and Eathrosse, yes. I want ten bundles of each.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware of how expensive they are?¡± Kervin asks me.


    "My mother warned me how expensive they are. Ten bundles of each should be around 22 gold. The other eight you can use to get me as much mithril as you can, preferably the same purity as last time." Hopefully, that will be enough for me to experiment with. I need to figure out how to combine everything to make engraving ink.


    "Your mother knows how much they cost? I knew she had a few merchant skills, but I wasn''t aware she was that knowledgeable."


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate my family.¡± I give him a cocky grin.


    ¡°You would think I know better by now.¡± He hangs his head and gives himself a pity chuckle before looking back up at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with everything as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask.


    "I told you yesterday; I was given a new assignment. My only two stops now are your village and Teeburn. I''m essentially your own personal merchant, now. First, I''ll deliver your goods to the army, and then I just need to get my hands on everything you ordered. Depending on how hard it is to get everything, it might only take me two or three weeks to make it back here." That''s good news for me and the village.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± I stand up and grab my chocolate bribe. ¡°I better get back to work if you¡¯ll be back that soon.¡± I move over to the cart I left here yesterday.


    "I''m sure it won''t be a problem for you," Kervin remarks as I start to push the cart towards Del''s house.


    I stop after a few feet and look back at Kervin, who''s watching me leave. "This is your last chance, Kervin. Don''t mess it up." His cheerful face turns to one of worry in a split second.


    I turn back around and start pushing the cart forward again. "You won''t regret it," He yells back at me.


    It¡¯s hard to keep myself from laughing out loud. Mother suggested that line to me this morning before I left. Maybe I should let mother deal with Kervin if he messes up again?


    Pushing the cart back to Del''s, I think about what I need to do next. Father is waiting for me back at home to take me logging for more Blacksmithing trees. Then tomorrow, I need to start the next batch of arrows.


    Kervin never did ask me about my arrows design, I wonder if he noticed?


    Oh well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll figure it out. I laugh to myself now that I¡¯m out of sight.


    <hr>


    Giovanni Turrini¡¯s Point of view:


    I finish going over the documents detailing this month''s profits. The deliveries to Teeburn bring in a lot of coin, but our profit margin has only risen by 4%. The war has many people frightened and spending less. If we weren''t delivering so many goods to the army, our profit margin would be down nearly 12%.


    We¡¯ll see if Kervin¡¯s relationship with the general can help us in the future.


    That reminds me. I look at Marshall, ¡°Has there been any change recently?¡±


    My bodyguard looks at his armguard that has seven magic gems embedded in its surface. Four of them are dark, signaling which of our operatives are out of range.


    "It looks like he just made it back in range. Do you want to connect with him?" Marshall asks me.


    I don''t waste time answering him. I activate the ward runes on the side of my desk, sealing off the room. I lean to my side and push a panel that conceals a secret drawer that blocks magic from escaping it when closed.


    I pull out the plate covered in intricate runes that lead to its center and a magic gem the size of a pomme.  My father bought this communication tool three years before he retired. It can connect to smaller communication magic tools attuned to its signature as long as they''re within 200 miles.


    Magic tools like this are supposed to be reported to the kingdom, but my father paid to acquire it quietly. It cost him 2,000 gold coins to buy and another 300 for the seven smaller communication tools connected to it.


    I adjust the device and send a signal to our operative, who is supposed to be watching the girl. It''s only been around 50 hours since I last talked to him. He was supposed to observe her for a week before moving back in range to reporting what he learned.


    I watch the crystal flash, confirming the connection has been made. ¡°Report in, Four. The sun is moving backwards.¡±


    "This is Four. The seasons don''t match." We confirm each other''s codes to make sure our signal wasn¡¯t faked by someone else.


    Now that we¡¯re both authenticated, I can ask him what he¡¯s doing. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you watching the village?¡± I growl into the magic tool.


    "Apologies, boss, but I couldn''t stay near the village." I can hear the frustration in his voice.


    ¡°And why was that!?¡± I exclaim.


    ¡°I was spotted.¡± I freeze in my seat.


    Marshall moves next to me. ¡°Four, explain yourself,¡± He commands.


    We both hear him grumble on the other line. ¡°It¡¯s that monster you wanted me to watch over. Every time I got close to her; she would immediately focus on the area I was hiding.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. Even Marshall looks dumbfounded by Four¡¯s report. ¡°How is that possible?¡± I ask him through the device.


    "I don''t know. I checked each of my magic tools, and everything should have been working perfectly. It was like every time she moved a certain distance from me; she noticed me immediately. After the third time, I decided to retreat." I slam my fist down on my desk.


    Marshall puts his hand on my shoulder to calm me down before turning back to the communications tool. "Were you able to find anything else out before you retreated?"


    "I''m not that incompetent. Luckily, she never inspected the areas I was hiding; I listened in on a few of her conversations before I left. Her name is Aaliyah, and she addresses her master as Del." Four reports to us.


    ¡°At least you were able to find out that much.¡± Every bit of information helps.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Four¡¯s tone of voice becomes more serious. ¡°Using my skills, I was able to observe her interaction with Kervin. She found out our interest in her and accused Kervin of betraying her. I don''t know what skill she used, but she was able to intimidate all three of them in a matter of seconds. I estimate her level to be in the 60''s already."


    ¡°And her age?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    ¡°Young, she has a lot of vitality for someone her age, so approximating her age is hard. My instincts tell me she¡¯s not even 20 yet.¡±


    Level 60, and she''s not even 20 yet! Not even nobles can spur their child''s growth to that degree.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Four asks.


    I lean back in my chair, tilting my head towards Marshall. ¡°What do you think about this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one your father left in charge,¡± He smirks at me.


    ¡°Let me rephrase that then, what do you think my father would do?¡±


    Marshall raises his hand to his beard and runs his fingers through his hair. "He''d probably think of her as an investment. Whatever effort you put into her now, the more she''ll payout in the future. Plus, it doesn''t sound like you''d have to wait long before she turns a profit." I nod along with his assessment.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Four, I want you to go to Drey.¡±


    ¡°Ok, and do what?¡±


    "I''ll send you a letter for you to give to Kervin, naming you his third bodyguard. If you can''t secretly get close to her, you''ll have to do it out in the open. I also want you to protect Kervin; you should be able to handle the hidden threats he might run into."


    "Understood, boss, I''ll take care of it. Is that all?"


    "Yes, you can go now," I tell him.


    ¡°Four, moving out.¡± The connection between our magical tools cuts out.


    I carefully place the magical tool back in its hiding place.


    I shift a few papers across my desk. ¡°I want to be informed about everything Kervin asks Grey to gather for him.¡±


    ¡°It will be done,¡± Marshall responds to my left.


    ¡°And tell Grey to lower the prices he charges Kervin by 10%. We¡¯ll keep this Aaliyah happy and make it easier for her to improve.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a smart decision,¡± Marshall agrees.


    "We''ll get her to owe us a favor without her realizing it." I smile, leaning back in my chair.


    This might just be what I need to compete with the big three.

 Ch: 49

    Sitting on top of my bed, I look at the various magical tools scattered across my sheets. I have my three best sketches of the runes I found in the light hat pinned to the wood to my left on the wall next to my bed.


    Since Kervin brought me the magic tools a week ago, I''ve been too busy to analyze them properly. I''ve already injected mana into each of them, and mother was thrilled when I showed her the water purifier and the enchanted knife.


    I brought home a small crate of magicite for her to use if I''m not around, but I usually inject my mana into them around dinnertime to keep them working.


    If Kervin was right about his new schedule, he should be back with the materials I need in another two weeks. I need to practice drawing more runes before he returns.


    I scan the five magic tools laid out in front of me. I start with the fire box first. I haven''t noticed any damage to master''s light hat since I started probing it, but I don¡¯t want to start with one of the tools my mom has grown accustomed to using first, just in case.


    I tuck my legs underneath one another in a cross-legged position and move a flat piece of wood onto my lap. I grab my engraving pen and channel my magic into it.


    Once my pen is charged, I start injecting my mana into the fire box. Using my mana sense, I look at the runes hidden inside the box.


    I follow the route my mana takes and single out the individual rune sections.


    I start where my mana is entering the runic structure and quickly find the same primary symbol I deciphered in the light hat. There are different lines hiding the structure, but it''s easy to trace the rune hidden in the mess now that I know what to look for. I find two of the runes on opposite sides of the magic tool¡¯s sides.


    I¡¯ll have to see how many of these items utilize the same runes and compare them later.


    I move on to the next section, following my mana, expecting a repeat of the regulating rune I found in the light hat.


    I smile when I can¡¯t find the rune I¡¯m looking for. There must be a new rune; I jump into deciphering the many lines to find the rune hidden underneath.


    Using the flow of mana as a guide, a new rune slowly becomes discernable under my eye.


    The two mana absorbing runes feed into each side of this new regulating rune. The rune slightly changes the mana''s frequency like the rune I already copied out of the light helmet. I''ve studied the light helmet a lot this past month, and I can tell the converted mana is similar but not the same frequency.


    Different runes must need various frequencies of mana to activate them properly.


    After I think I¡¯ve found all the dead ends hiding the rune, I carve it into the plank of wood in my lap.


    I¡¯ll practice drawing it later and add the best representation to my wall of runes.


    I move on to the last part of the runic structure near the top of the cube. The rune is positioned up against a small metal tube that leads out the top of the box. The flame coming out of the magic tool isn''t very impressive, but it¡¯s strong enough to cook on it.


    The fire rune proves much harder to decipherer. It looks like whoever made the magic tool focused on hiding this rune over the regulator. The whole thing is covered in random lines and dead ends meant to conceal the rune from prying eyes.


    I was a little disappointed the final result turned out less complicated than I imagined.


    Mana flows in from the bottom, and the rune produces its flame at the top of the structure. That¡¯s two new runes for me to practice.


    I set the fire box off to the side and grab its sister, the cold box. As soon as I inject my mana into the magic tool, I quickly find the swirling patterned mana absorbing runes I''ve seen in the other two tools.


    I track my mana and find the mana absorbing runes heading into the familiar regulating rune I just deciphered in the fire box. Everything leads to an area that I assume holds the frost rune that¡¯s producing cold air out of holes in the box.


    I take my time tracing the mana flow in the rune and slowly figure out its design.


    The circular rune is emitting chilled mana that gathers inside the box and escapes through holes in its top, merging into the surrounding atmosphere. The cold mana blends into the surrounding space; it has little effect on my already cold room.


    I carefully carve its structure down onto another piece of wood before moving onto the next magical tool. That¡¯s three new runes so far.


    Because everything is going swimmingly, I decide to look at the water purifier next. I start at the bottom of the device, knowing the cube has to hold the mana absorbing runes. I inject my mana into the tool''s base and pause when I notice the difference in the runes structure.


    Instead of broad lines, these mana absorbing runes are a third the size of the other tools I''ve looked at. I can tell whoever made this magic tool is a higher caliber enchanter. The runes are small enough that my eyes can''t make out the fine details of the structure.


    I close my eyes and focus purely on Sense Mana. The runes'' size would be enough to deter the average person from copying the structure but not me.


    Unlike the last two boxes, this magic tool has four mana gathering runes like the light hat. I follow the lines from the gathering runes and trace them to two independent regulating runes I found in the boxes. Those regulators both lead to yet another regulating rune, changing the frequency of the mana again.


    This tool shows me the regulators can be stacked to change the mana''s frequency to a finer degree.


    After the regulators, I track the mana to a new rune. It¡¯s ironic that thanks to these runes'' smaller size, it''s easier for me to decipher them. Whoever engraved this tool couldn¡¯t add in as many false lines without compromising the rune''s detailed structure.


    Judging by the mana, the next rune is expelling; it has to be a water rune.


    Though the water rune isn¡¯t where this enchantment ends, another line breaks off the top of the water rune and goes to another new rune.


    The rune is engraved near the magic tool''s middle, where the water passes from the top part to the bottom. This rune has to be what purifies the water of its impurities. The rune releases a magical aura only half an inch wide but resembles the magic I feel when I cast my cleaning spell.


    It doesn''t take me long to copy down the two new runes. I move the wood planks next to the other three runes I copied and grab another piece of wood and refocus on the water purifiers enchantment.


    The last three tools I''ve looked at have all been relatively simple. I feel like I should copy down the water purifier''s entire runic structure to reference how runes can be mixed and matched.


    The enchantment uses nine runes total to purify the water. I''ve noticed different runes connect at various points, but they mostly join at triangles or near them.


    When I transfer the design to paper, I''ll put notes around it detailing the insights I think I gained. It won''t be until I figure out how to make engraving ink that I can test any of my hypotheses, though.


    I still have two more tools to examine. I shuffle the magic tools around and move the charging cube and knife in front of me.


    I start with the cube first.


    I''ve charged the cube every night for mom, and I already know this cube is different from any other of the magic tools. I''ve already pinpointed were inside the runes are, and from what I can tell, there''re only three runes total.


    Though all the tools I''ve examined have three different types of runes, they have multiple mana gathering segments. The fire and ice boxes had the least number of runes so far. They had two gathering runes, one regulating rune, and a rune that emits the magic for four runes each.


    I know master isn¡¯t an expert when it comes to runic knowledge, but I''m sure he said enchantments need at least four runes to function correctly. I start to decipherer the runes and watch what happens to my mana as it works its way through the enchantment.


    I think the person who made the water purifier might have also made this charging box. The runes are small and incredibly hard to perceive, just like the water purifier. It takes me fifteen minutes to figure out the first rune, and that''s only thanks to its shape resembling the other mana absorbing runes.


    As I pour my mana into the rune, I notice it absorbs the same amount of mana as four of its smaller variants. It looks much more complicated to draw, so I wonder why this one is used instead of the others. Each triangle on each of the swirls leads to the next rune.


    The regulator is the same as the one used in the boxes and the water purifier, so I move on to the third and final rune.


    The last rune is the most puzzling because it doesn¡¯t have a single triangle in its design. The line leading from the regulating rune is simply attached to one of the corners of this rectangle shaped rune.


    All the mana I pour into the cube is ending up trapped inside the last rune. I stop supplying the magic tool with my mana to see what happens.


    The enchantment finishes processing my mana, and most of the runes become inert. The last rune still glows in my mana sight, holding onto the mana I pumped into the tool.


    Why doesn¡¯t every magic tool have one of these runes? The rune acts like a battery, so I assume every enchantment would be better off with one.


    I continue to examine the rune and notice a difference in the amount of mana contained within it. The mana contained inside the rune is leaking. I watch the rune continue to dim until all the mana I fed it is gone.


    After pumping 50 mana into the enchantment to study it, the rune could only hold the mana for twelve minutes.


    I don''t understand the point of this rune. Never the less, I diligently carve it onto a piece of wood. Maybe after I look at the knife, I''ll try examining the two magical items together.


    I set the charging cube off to the side and carefully pick up the kitchen knife.


    Gripping the handle, I start feeding the knife a part of my mana. I immediately notice something is wrong.


    There are no gathering runes on the knife¡¯s handle. All the mana I inject into the knife¡¯s handle is drawn to the tip of the blade. The entire sharpening enchantment is inverted on the face of the knife.


    The gathering runes are near the knife''s tip, while what I assume to be the sharpening rune is etched close to the handle. The slight glow on the knife''s edge means the enchantment is working as intended despite the inversed enchantment.


    I start studying the runes and quickly find the same gathering rune that was used in the charging box. The gathering rune leads to another regulator that matches the previous magic tools before connecting to a new rune.


    As the mana passes through the new rune, it takes on the properties of earth mana. I know a fire and frost rune can conjure a flame or chill the surroundings; I wonder what an earth rune does by itself?


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    I make a mental note that I need to test the rune when I¡¯m able to.


    I follow the converted earth mana into the final rune.


    The line channeling the earth mana is connected to the triangle with the star shape in it. One more line comes out of the rune and stretches across the knife''s edge. It''s the mana leaking out of that line that produces the glow on the knifes edge.


    Kervin said the knife had a sharpening enchantment on it, but looking at it with my mana sense, I don''t think that''s accurate.


    The enchantment isn¡¯t sharpening the blade; it''s merely strengthening the already sharpened edge. The knife is decently crafted, and someone put real effort into honing it, but the enchantment is only protecting the knifes edge.


    If the knife were used without the enchantment activated, it would dull like any other knife. And once the blade is dulled, the enchantment would be worthless. Strengthening a dull knife won''t help you cut any better.


    I soon notice another flaw in its design. If the knife becomes dull and needs to be sharpened, won''t the enchantment line along the blade''s edge be worn away?


    I don''t know if you can modify an existing rune. You can draw a new line across the freshly sharpened edge that would fix it if you can. But if you can''t, the knife is reduced to a simple tool with scribbles etched onto it. I¡¯ll need to warn mother not to use the knife unless its enchantment is activated.


    I decide to make a quick carving of the knife¡¯s enchantment to compare with the water purifier later.


    Now I need to see how the two magical tools work with each other.


    I slip the knife back into its charging box and start injecting my mana. I watch, fascinated by what happens.


    The charging box takes in my mana and stores it in its last rune. The knife''s blade tip rests up against the rune holding all the mana.


    Even though they aren''t connected directly, the mana inside the battery rune is drawn out by the knife''s gathering rune. Part of the mana is lost, but the knifes enchantment activates as it should.


    The charging cube doesn''t do anything meaningful by itself but acts as an extension on the knife''s enchantment. Maybe different items can hold segments of enchantments that only work when they¡¯re placed together?


    I look over the many wood carvings scattered across my bed. I learned nine new runes from the magic tools bringing my runic library up to 11.


    The only tool I still need to look at is master¡¯s pickaxe. I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t break it; I just hope he doesn¡¯t consider the runes as Stone Kin secrets.


    After looking at the five tools'' finer details, I think two people are responsible for making all of them. The style of the runes inside the fire and cold box were too similar to be a coincidence. Also, a lot of the fake lines were used in a similar fashion to hide the runes'' structures.


    The other three tools are much more complex and obviously made by someone with more skill. If all of them were made in Drey than these might be the work of a local enchanter and their apprentice.


    I gather up everything I can fit in my arms and carry it out of my room. I walk down our hallway and into our living space. I set my wood carvings on the table before putting the water purifier next to our water barrel and the knife and charging cube back on the kitchen counter.


    ¡°Are you finished practicing, sweety?¡± Mother asks from her sewing station.


    "Not yet, I still need to copy everything to parchment," I explain to mother as I approach her.


    "And you''re going to draw out here." Mother already knows my plan. She fiddles in the cupboard she keeps all her supplies in and hands me a small stack of parchment along with some ink and a quill.


    "You need to start buying your own parchment and ink if you''re going to be drawing on a regular basis." Mother knows how much I''m making from selling my goods to Kervin and that I can afford it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll order some from Kervin when he returns. I¡¯ll make sure to replace everything I use,¡± I assure mother.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that big of a deal. I just can¡¯t have you using up all of it in case we need to write to your brother."


    ¡°I understand,¡± I say as I move over to our table.


    I shift in my seat until I feel comfortable. It will take me a few hours to copy the runes onto the parchment. I need each rune to be perfect, so I don¡¯t have to reexamine each magic tool in the future.


    I dip my quill into the inkpot and wipe the excess ink on its rim. When I have some free coin, I need to ask Kervin if he can get me a better writing tool.


    He should be back in another two weeks. He must be in Teeburn by now. I wonder if the arrows I made were good enough for the army?


    I quickly banish any negative thoughts from my mind. I''ll worry about it later; right now, every bit of my focus goes into my drawing.


    I settle into my own little world and start copying each rune onto the parchment in front of me.


    <hr>


    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    I try to pick out the small changes in Teeburn¡¯s surroundings as I guide my bivol towards the army¡¯s trading clearing. If you look closely, you can see the city slowly coming back to life. It¡¯s been less than a month since I was last here, and the number of inns has multiplied.


    "Gods, your beasts are slow, can''t you prod them a little harder?" A whiny voice interrupts my sightseeing. I turn and look at the culprit.


    "They''re moving fine. If you want the cart to move faster, you can help them pull." I scowl at our new companion.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you should ask headquarters for a pair of their finest bulls now that you¡¯ve been promoted.¡± Reel continues to complain.


    I ignore his protests. He¡¯s been complaining about their speed since he joined us in Drey. I would fire him if I could; sadly, we all know why he¡¯s here with us. He had a note signed by the boss himself informing me he was to join my guards.


    He told me he would follow my orders, but I take everything he says with a grain of salt. It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s here to watch me and gather information for Giovanni.


    Behind his annoyed fa?ade is a dangerous man. Lurte and Ryiba both agree he''s stronger than them. More than once, he''s vanished into thin air, only reappearing twenty minutes later saying he had to take a leak. The two daggers at his side are hidden in plain-looking sheaths, but when goblins attacked us on the road, we noticed they were enchanted.


    What''s disturbing the most is how plain he appears. Light brown hair, green eyes, no distinguishing features on his face, even his bone structure is so common you wouldn''t look twice at him if you passed him on the road.


    ¡°Maybe in a few months. I want to see how the business with the army pans out before I ask headquarters for anything.¡± I tell him, knowing anything I might say might be reported to the boss.


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s your decision. Are we almost there yet?" All three of us glare at him, but he pretends not to notice.


    I chose not to dignify him with an answer. The clearing the army is buying goods in is just up ahead.


    The familiar clearing comes into view, and we''re immediately flagged to an open spot by a soldier with a clipboard. Knowing what he¡¯s going to ask of me, I hold out my Silver Heard plate. ¡°Kervin, from Silver Herd Trading Company. I was told to ask for Captain Nathanael?¡±


    The soldier looks at my plate before looking up at me with surprise. ¡°Mr. Kervin, we aren¡¯t expecting you for another week. Wait here while I grab the captain.¡± The man says as soon as he hands me my plate back.


    "Wow, didn''t know you were such an important guy." Reel laughs, aware of how uncomfortable I am. The last time I was here, I encountered many problems; I would be stupid if I didn¡¯t expect the same to happen again.


    I spot Captain Nathanael approaching my cart with a big smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± He shouts when he notices I¡¯m watching his approach.


    I hop off of my cart and wait for him to reach my cart before I greet him. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Captain Nathaniel.¡± I lie through my teeth.


    "Is it now? I would think you would be mad at me for shorting you last time you were here." He gives me a look that says my fake smile does not fool him.


    "I would be lying if told you I wasn''t a little disappointed after our transaction." I keep up my friendly smile, but I''m sure he knows how I''m feeling.


    "As you should be," he acknowledges my disappointment. "Your goods were a blessing for the army, and the general told me to keep an eye out for your delivery." He looks around us, focusing on Reel for but a moment before addressing me again. "Follow me; we''ll discuss your cargo in a more private spot."


    I hop back up onto my carriage and usher my bivol to follow the captain. He leads us around the army¡¯s wagon train, to a secluded alley between two fallen buildings.


    We¡¯re out of view from the other merchants.


    I park my cart and hop down. ¡°Lurte, Ryiba, Reel, start unloading the crates," I order them. For once, Reel does his job without any snide remarks.


    I turn to Captain Nathanael, ¡°I have 28 spears and 400 arrows. I need 80 gold for everything.¡± I try to get a jump on him this time and activate all my skills, ready to face the captain¡¯s suppression.


    He smiles at me, and all the hair on back of my neck stands up. ¡°No need to rush, I already contacted an expert to meet us here to look at the arrows.¡±


    "An expert?" I get a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°Yes, she should be here soon. She was quite happy to hear you made it back early.¡± There¡¯s only one person he could be talking about!


    ¡°Talking about me, Nathanael.¡± Everyone jumps except for the captain as a chiding voice echoes between the buildings.


    I hurriedly look for the general, but I can¡¯t spot her. Lurte and Ryiba aren''t having any luck either, but I notice Reel looking up with a concerned look on his face. I follow the direction of his gaze and finally see General Pitz standing on top of a section of a crumbling wall, looking down on us.


    Her powerful eyes scan each of us, narrowing on Reel before she focuses on me. ¡°Did you bring what I ordered?¡±


    Before I can answer her, she vanishes from my sight. I feel a slight breeze next to me; she reappeared, standing four feet away from me!


    I feel sweat start to form on my brow. ¡°I got you the best arrows my blacksmith could make.¡± I nervously reply.


    "Is that so; how many did you bring me?" I feel like I''m being interrogated under her piercing eyes.


    "400 Lady Pitz," I quickly respond.


    ¡°And 28 more spears,¡± Nathanael says from the side.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at them then.¡± The general walks past me as I struggle to stand on my weak knees.


    She walks over to a crate Lurte just placed on the ground. He offers her a crowbar, but she uses her bare hands to rip the lid off with her incredible strength.


    With her back to me, she reaches inside the crate and removes an arrow.


    ¡°What is this?¡± She asks without turning around. Lurte, who can see her expression, looks like the life is being drained from him.


    "Is something the matter?" I ask. My heart feels like it''s about to burst from my chest.


    She turns around, facing the rest of us. In her hands is an arrow shaft¡­


    ¡­ just an arrow shaft. Did Aaliyah sell me faulty goods?!


    Oh gods, because of our fight, I forgot to check the arrows! We headed straight here, and this is the first time we opened the crates!


    ¡°There must be some mistake,¡± I stammer.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious how you plan to explain yourself?¡± The general slowly walks towards me with the arrow shaft in hand. I feel like the Goddess Ebeon is coming to collect my soul.


    ¡°It must be a bad batch!¡± My excuse sounds pathetic even to me; the rage on her faces only intensifies.


    I don''t have time to think of a better excuse, so I double down. "Check the rest of the crates! I''m sure the others are fine!"


    Sensing the impending doom, my three bodyguards use crowbars to start prying off the lids of the crates. The general casts a sidelong glance at them and watches Reel remove another lid.


    When his expression drops even further, I start praying for a miracle. He holds up yet another unfinished arrow for everyone to see.


    "It looks like you and your blacksmith had a falling out. It¡¯s quite a shame.¡± Bloodlust washes over me with each of her words.


    She starts walking towards me again.


    I start to make peace with my life once she''s within armlength. She raises her hand and¡­


    ¡°Arrowheads!¡±


    Her open hand freezes inches before they¡¯re about to grab my neck.


    She tuns towards Ryiba, who''s standing over an open crate. She starts walking towards him, and my legs give out from under me.


    Sitting on my knees, shaking, I watch her stand over the open crate. She reaches down and removes a shiny arrowhead from the box. It looks flatter than the arrows I usually see sold by blacksmiths and has a weird triangle design.


    (Helix Arrowheads Link)</a>


    "What do we have here?" The general asks curiously. Her bloodlust vanishes as she looks from the arrow shaft in her left hand to the arrowhead in her right one.


    We watch in suspense as she examines each in great detail. She pays special attention to the base of the arrowhead before looking at the arrow shaft again.


    ¡°I get it now,¡± She says to herself.


    She holds the arrowhead to the shaft and starts twisting it. The two pieces fit together perfectly. She glances at the other crates and walks over to one that hasn¡¯t been opened yet.


    She places the arrow in her hands in her quiver and rips open the crate with brute strength.


    I manage to get back to my feet and start to walk closer to everyone else. I begin to sway, but a strong arm wraps around me, helping me stand.


    I look to my side to see Nathanael helping me closer to the crates.


    As we approach, I can see inside the crate she just opened. A different type of arrowhead than the one Ryiba found was in there. Aaliyah made two types of arrowheads for the army. The second type of arrowhead has three sides to it made from solid steel.


    (Link for image)</a>


    ¡°What a clever design! Look at this Nathanael,¡± General Pitz redraws the arrow from her quiver and holds it up for us to see. "The arrowheads twist into the arrow shaft so that you can change them out." She says with an excited smile. You couldn''t tell she was just about to kill me.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite interesting, Miss Emily. But is the composition to your requirements?" Holding me up, the captain smoothly directs one of the strongest people in Olebert.


    "Always to the point, Nathanael." She smiles before staring at the arrow one more time. Her smile grows wider the longer she looks at it. I can''t tell if she''s using a skill to examine it or if she''s just that knowledgeable.


    ¡°Your blacksmith didn¡¯t disappoint; you should introduce her to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy with the product. She should be making more for you as we speak.¡± I try to ignore the carnivorous look she¡¯s giving me and deflect her question. ¡°Do you have any specific requests for her, anything she needs to change?¡±


    General Pitz laughs like she just heard a good joke. ¡°Good job underappreciating her work yet again. You should be happy I don¡¯t have the time to find her and steal her from you.¡±


    I''m shocked at her words. "Let me tell you what you brought me," She holds the arrow up to her eye level. "This arrow is quality steel mixed with some sort of wind nature magic beast parts. Not only does the material have a good magic conductivity, but its internal structure is perfect for channeling magic. Do you see where the arrowhead and shaft are connected? She forged both materials, so their internal magic matrices align perfectly when the arrowhead is screwed in. Not even my houses best blacksmith could replicate this if I asked him to; these arrows are unique. With basic ingredients, she forged arrows good enough for a level 75 archer."


    I can¡¯t believe what she just told me.


    ¡°You asked me if I have a request?¡± The general gives me an almost manic look. ¡°Tell her I want the best arrow she can make me with 10 gold coins. I want her very best!¡±


    She looks at Nathanael, "I want these delivered to the fort immediately." She moves back to the crate, and with lightning-fast movements, assembles twenty more arrows. With her quiver full, she pushes off of the ground and soars into the distance.


    "Let''s set you down." Now that his general is gone, Nathaniel moves me up against my cart. He fishes a note out of his pocket that looks like the one he gave me last time I was here.


    "You said 80 gold, correct? I''m sure you''re aware of where you need to cash it." I watch, slack-jawed, as he scribbles on the parchment.


    ¡°Wait, that isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°What your goods were worth?" He cuts me off. "I was surprised by the general''s assessment, as well. It''s a shame you already gave me a price, and I know no self-respecting Silver Herd merchant would renegotiate after their price was accepted." The old man has a sly smile plastered across his face.


    He whistles, and five soldiers quickly rush over to my cart. With a few hand signals, they''re moving the crates of arrows and the spears out of sight.


    "I hope you understand why I can''t stay longer. I''ll be waiting for your return, Mr. Kervin." He gives me a friendly salute and walks away.


    I slam my hand up against my cart. It happened again!


    Damn it, Aaliyah. You couldn¡¯t warn me about your new design!


    I sigh out loud. It''s not entirely her fault. I never checked the arrows she sold me, and I was too quick to offer that crafty bastard a price.


    To make matters worse, I¡¯m sure Reel will report this to Giovanni.


    I need to get back to Drey and hope they were able to gather the materials I ordered. I need to get back to Aaliyah and discuss the general''s request.


    I look up at the conflicting sky. Dark snow clouds are hovering overhead, but it¡¯s so hot it feels like we¡¯re in the middle of summer. We won¡¯t rest in the city tonight; we''ll hit the road as soon as I collect my coin from the barracks.


    I hop onto my cart as soon as the soldiers finish removing everything.


    I swear, the next time I come here, I''m asking for triple whatever I think I should quote them.


    I never thought I could be this mad after earning 80 gold coins. Why would Giovanni want to work with the army in the first place!


    I steer my bivol out of the clearing, ready to leave this cursed city.


    <hr>


    General Emily Pitz Point of View:


    I watch Kervin, and his bodyguards leave the clearing from my hiding place, watching the young man retreat with a fire in his eyes.


    That fire will drive him further, Nathanael will have to be careful when he returns with the next order.


    I push off the ground with my powerful legs, and the world becomes slower in my eyes as my body moves with incredible speed. I stop directly next to Nathanael.


    He notices me out of the corner of his eye and doesn''t look perturbed by my sudden appearance. ¡°What do you think, my lady?¡±


    "His new bodyguard is definitely a spy," I confirm his suspicions.


    "I thought so; I already sent a message to Silver Herd asking for confirmation that he''s theirs. If they don''t acknowledge his existence or say he''s not theirs, I''ll have him dealt with if he''s stupid enough to return."


    I smile at Nathanael. "I doubt it will come to that. I can tell by Kervin¡¯s body language that he despises the man but has resigned himself to put up with it. The only reason he would be acting like that would be if he received orders from his company telling him to do so.¡±


    The two of us watch the entrance of the clearing, seeing cart after cart being shuffled around.


    ¡°How long before you can have the goods ready to be transported?¡± I ask Nathanael.


    ¡°My men are preparing as we speak. The cart should be ready in five minutes.¡±


    "That''s good; we need those arrows."


    ¡°Is Scholl recovering faster than you expected, my lady?¡±


    ¡°No, but that was never my worry. We¡¯ve been fighting them for months now and have continuously driven them back despite our numbers. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they send someone to counter me.¡±


    ¡°You need more suppliers before they come, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy I don¡¯t have to explain myself to you. This will be the last time I leave the fort before our reinforcements arrive," I solemnly tell him.


    ¡°We were lucky you were able to cripple their army as you have. Who knows, maybe the arrow you commissioned will be strong enough to handle your skills and your worrying is for naught.¡± Nathanael playfully laughs.


    "I''m not getting my hopes up. The blacksmith can do wonders with magic conductivity, but I doubt her skills are high enough for what I require. If she can create an arrow that can withstand my bow¡¯s force without any of my skills, it will be a miracle."


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy for the challenge and the chance to work with premium materials.¡±


    "Happier than Kervin, I imagine. I thought I told you to give him a good price?" I give my subordinate a questioning look.


    ¡°He already gave me a good price before you got here, my lady. What would you have me do, renege on such an offer? We don¡¯t have the luxury to do that.¡± Nathanael¡¯s playful look becomes serious.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± I ask in a low tone.


    "Our treasury is running low. I told everyone to be stricter with their negotiating, but we can only stretch our reserves so far. I sent word to the local lords again, but I suspect their willingness to help us is fading.¡± He says with a scowl.


    ¡°Use my name if you have to. We need to be ready for Scholl¡¯s retaliation.¡±


    ¡°It will be done, my lady.¡±


    ¡°I trust you to handle it, Nathanael. I have to return to the fort; I leave everything in your capable hands.¡±


    ¡°My lady,¡± Nathanael salutes me.


    I nod my head in farewell. I activate my movement skills and launch myself back towards the fort, back towards the battle.¡±

 Ch: 50

    Taking steady steps forward, I swing my sword in a horizontal slash.


    Camden brings his sword up and blocks my strike. The sound of our wooden swords clashing reverberates across the village.


    Our swords stay locked together, both of us looking for an opening.


    I lean in and use my strength to push him back. Camden clenches his jaw and tries to match me. He takes a step back, and I gain the upper hand.


    I take a step forward and swing my sword in a chopping motion. Camden again blocks my strike but is forced back.


    With each of my swings, he''s forced further back. I keep pressuring him, waiting for my chance.


    His arms start to shake, and he doesn''t block my next strike properly.


    With a swish of my blade, I knock his sword wide and expose his unguarded body. I change my stance and send a stab straight at his gut.


    I halt the tip of my sword an inch from his clothing.


    ¡°You got me,¡± Camden drops his sword and raises his hands in defeat. I lower my sword and the crowd watching us claps.


    Over twenty people are braving winter''s winds to watch us spar. We only use our stats, Sword Skills, and Sword Arts, and no other skills to keep things fair. Camden has the experience, but I match him with my higher physical stats.


    ¡°Did you ask me out here just to beat me up?¡± Camden playfully jokes while rubbing the wrist that was holding his sword.


    "It''s been a while since we sparred, and I was worried I might be getting rusty." I smile at him. I can''t remember the last time I took the time to practice with the headman. I¡¯ve spent almost all my time blacksmithing, and every second I''m not blacksmithing, I have other things I need to take care of.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel like you¡¯re rusty. It feels like you¡¯re much stronger than the last time we sparred.¡± He gives me a knowing look. Now that I think about it, how many levels have I gained since I last fought him? Was it two or maybe three?


    Either way, my Strength and Dexterity have gone up almost 10 points each.


    The fact of the matter is, I was rusty. I was able to push Camden back thanks to my stats, but I should''ve won quicker.


    "I need to make more time to practice with you if it''s ok?" I ask.


    "It should be fine. Things have finally started to quiet down again; the hunters haven''t spotted a chameleon spider in over three weeks." Even though he says that to me, I can tell it''s meant for our onlookers.


    "Even if I keep knocking you down?" I send him a challenging smirk. A few of the villagers closer to us laugh at Camden''s forced smile.


    ¡°I won¡¯t make it easy for you.¡± He returns my challenge.


    I need to take some time to practice now that people have started to notice me. Who knows what tactics Silver Herd or the army will use to secure my cooperation?


    ¡°How about we practice in the morning every three days?¡± I offer Camden.


    "I can do that," Camden gives me a reassuring smile. I used to worry about what Camden would do when he discovered my abilities, but he''s been nothing but supportive. Maybe I''m worrying too much?


    I wipe the sweat from my face before it chills in the wind. I can¡¯t have Mana Skin activated with so many people watching me.


    ¡°Sir, sir!¡± Camden and I turn to a villager running towards us.


    ¡°What is it, Mathew?¡± Camden asks the man.


    ¡°Kervin just arrived at the village.¡±


    "What," Camden is surprised by the news, and he isn''t the only one. It''s only been nineteen days since he left the village. I know he said he would try to get back early, but this is ridiculous.


    Camden starts walking to the front of our village, followed by myself and most of the crowd watching us. When we make it to the front of the village, I see Kervin¡¯s cart parked in the snow and his bodyguards shoveling the frost from their campsite.


    I notice a fourth figure helping them set up and almost trip over myself when I get close enough to scan him with Sense Mana. I¡¯m immediately put on guard when I can''t see the mana inside his body. I''m forced to focus on him until finally, Sense Mana overcomes whatever is shielding him. He lights up like a Christmas tree before my eyes.


    His swords, the two rings hidden underneath his gloves, boots, and belt buckle, and something inside the pouch attached to his belt all radiate mana signatures. Unlike the cheap magic tools I¡¯ve examined so far, each piece of his enchanted gear has a magic gem embedded in it.


    His right hand''s ring is already activated, forming the barrier around him that kept his mana trapped around his body and hidden from my casual scan.


    I try to blend in with the crowd to observe him more, but once we approach the campsite, his eyes seem to pick me out of the group instantaneously. He winks at me before turning back to his work.


    Shit, there¡¯s no way Kervin just happened to hire this guy!


    I watch Camden walk over to Kervin and greet him. "Kervin, welcome back. This is quite the surprise; we weren''t expecting you." The headman smiles at Kervin, but those with a keen eye could tell he knows something¡¯s up.


    "I''m surprised myself," Kervin directs his charming smile towards the crowd more than Camden. "My superiors at Silver Herd were devastated to hear about your food shortage. They told me to make frequent runs to make sure no one starves." The villagers become elated at Kervin''s supposed magnanimity. Only the headman and I seem to realize his words are a smokescreen.


    ¡°I have less than usual, but I¡¯ll be back in two weeks with more supplies.¡± A few people gasp at the news. "My men are busy prepping our campsite. Can I get some help unloading my cart?" Most of the people in the crowd are men who quickly volunteer.


    Kervin directs the villagers to which crates are food. Camden orders the supplies to be taken to his house for distribution.


    A few people still crowd Kervin asking him if he has any other goods to trade. "I''m sorry to disappoint, but I didn''t bring much to trade this time other than the food. I need to discuss some private business with your headman, but you can come to see me tomorrow morning for any order requests."


    I listen to Kervin politely shoo everyone away while keeping Sense Mana trained on his new bodyguard. The man is continually stealing glances at me.


    Disappointed, everyone starts walking back to the village. A few people give me a curious glance for staying behind but choose not to question it.


    Once everyone is out of sight, Kervin walks towards Camden and me. "You''re here for Aaliyah, aren''t you?" Camden accuses Kervin.


    Kervin doesn''t deny the accusation, "That may be true, but I can help your village while I''m here. If you don''t mind, I have private matters to discuss with her.¡± The two men lock eyes, and a silent battle unfolds.


    After a minute of intense stares, Camden is surprisingly the one to give in. ¡°Would you like me to stay?¡± He offers to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, thanks for the concern.¡± He nods his head in understanding before walking back towards the village.


    Now that we''re alone, Kervin focuses on me. "We have a lot to discuss." He looks at me with a severe expression, but I need answers first.


    ¡°It can wait,¡± I walk past Kervin over to his new bodyguard. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He doesn''t look surprised by my approach and gives me a lighthearted smile. "The name¡¯s Reel, miss. No need to be worried, I was assigned to Kervin by Silver Herd now that he''s hauling precious cargo." I get the sense he''s telling me the partial truth.


    ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± I don¡¯t fall for his tricks and use Intimidating Shout in my voice. His other two guards flinch, but Reel doesn''t so much as bat an eye at my display.


    ¡°Of course not, I would be the fool if I couldn¡¯t recognize your potential. Silver Herd respects your request to do business solely through Kervin. You could say my job is to make sure all parties remain safe. I work for you as much as I do for Silver Herd.¡± His smile feels so reassuring, too bad for him Mental Resistance negates whatever skill he¡¯s using.


    I pretend to relax and even give him a small smile. ¡°Really, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re so forthcoming with information.¡±


    Kervin walks next to me, and I notice his surprised look directed at Reel. ¡°I was told you¡¯ve spent your whole life in this village, if you have any questions for me or Silver Herd, I¡¯d be happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°Really, anything?¡± I give him a dubious look.


    ¡°Anything at all,¡± he confirms with a bigger smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s so nice of you,¡± I pretend to be overjoyed. ¡°In that case, what skill are you trying to use on me?¡± I drop my fake smile.


    For once, Reel''s smile fades away, and I stop feeling whatever compulsion skill he''s trying to use. "I thought you said you would answer any of my questions," I say in a dry tone when he doesn''t answer. "Alright then, next question. What do all those fancy magical items you have hidden do?" If my previous question threw him off, my second downright makes him nervous.


    He stands in front of me, completely still and silent. His face is blank and betrays little emotion.


    ¡°Silent again, I see.¡± I walk past him and move over to the logs Kervin''s group uses for chairs. I make it look like I want to sit down, but I really want to gain some distance from him.


    "How about you tell me your level instead then?" I fold my hands in front of me, looking like a B movie villain. I''m ready to draw my sword if I have to. His eyes narrow, but he remains silent.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need you to tell me that.¡± I activate Sense Soul and quickly scan him.


    His hands move to his daggers, but he doesn''t make a move. He doesn''t look significantly affected by my skill. I deactivate my skill after seeing everything I need. "Level 72, that''s pretty impressive," I smirk at him.


    Suddenly my hair stands on end, and I feel like I should flee. Mental Resistance helps me suppress my sudden sense of dread, but it can''t nullify it altogether. Reel''s face morphs into a vicious smile, and I can sense the blood lust surrounding him.


    My hand moves to my sword, but the feeling vanishes before I can draw. Reel raises a hand to his face obscuring his expression. "Dear me, I almost lost control there." He lowers his hand, and his previous soothing smile is back on his face.


    He looks at Kervin, who flinches. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a leak.¡± No one says anything as he walks into the woods and disappears from my senses.


    I haven¡¯t felt anything like that since master attacked me, only Reel¡¯s bloodlust felt much more terrifying. I could tell he¡¯s killed to earn his level.


    I made a mistake; if he decided to attack me, I don''t think I would''ve stood a chance against him. I tried poking an unknown monster, and I almost died for it. He has more than just ten levels on me; he has experience fighting other people. Could I even swing my sword at another human with the intent to kill?


    ¡°I apologize for his behavior,¡± Kervin slowly approaches me. He mirrors the same nervousness I felt against Reel. Does he think I would attack him?


    I wanted Kervin to respect me, but I used fear to do it. I cast my eyes down at the ground. "It''s fine, I got what I deserve for antagonizing him. He might have tried to use a skill on me, but I didn''t feel any malice until I looked at his level."


    I look up at Kervin. "I''m sorry, I did the same thing to you the last time you were here. I should''ve talked to you instead of threatening you and your guards. I can''t use violence to solve my problems with Silver Herd or the army, I''m not strong enough to do that."


    Kervin¡¯s worried expression softens. ¡°I¡¯m thankful to hear you say that, but we¡¯re both to blame for what happened. I let my greed overcome me, and I rushed to sell your goods to the army. Because of my hasty actions, I drew too much attention to us, now we have to deal with the consequences. You were right to be mad at me; even after my screwup, I made the same mistakes with my last delivery." Kervin sits down across from me.


    ¡°What happened,¡± I ask.


    "After I went to Drey, I was assigned Reel as a bodyguard by Silver Herd. I know he was sent to watch me, but I couldn''t turn him away. After you agreed to work with me, I wanted to earn back the money I lost last time I sold your goods to the army. I rushed there and demanded what I thought was a high price for your spears and arrows. It turns out your work is worth more than either of us expected."


    ¡°How much did you get?¡±


    "I asked for 80 gold coins, and that''s what they gave me."


    ¡°80!¡± I can¡¯t believe he sold my work for nearly triple what he paid me.


    "Yep, I was just as surprised as you are now. I thought to aim high and settle for 50 gold, but in the end, they were too happy to give me what I asked for. The general personally told me the arrows you made for them were good enough for level 75 archers. Though she didn''t tell me how much your arrows are really worth, only that I underestimated them." He gives me an apologetic look.


    I guess I never did explain my arrows to him. ¡°I probably didn¡¯t help you with that.¡±


    A dark look crosses Kervin''s face, and he rubs his neck. "It was an awakening for me. I realized what my actions have cost me in my haste. If I wasn¡¯t so secretive with you, our confrontation might not have happened, and I wouldn''t have gone to the army blind."


    ¡°We have been divided recently. Everything was easier when I was selling pots and pans.¡± I agree with Kervin.


    "It''s funny, I''ve been missing those days too. I have more coin in my pocket than I''ve ever had, and yet more things have gone wrong for me these last two months than in my entire merchant career. If something doesn¡¯t change soon, I fear I might lose more than my coin.¡±


    I see a fire in Kervin''s eyes. "Even if I say that words only mean so much. Actions speak louder than words. Lurte, Ryiba, bring the crates over.¡± Kervin waves his hands at his bodyguards.


    The two men nod, and each picks up a crate, bringing them over to Kervin and me. They open the boxes for me to see bundles of herbs in one and bars of mithril in the other. I see fifteen bundles of each of the herbs and 17 small bars of mithril. Isn¡¯t this too much for 30 gold coins?


    ¡°I take it you noticed,¡± Kervin gives me his first genuine smile, slightly catching me off guard. ¡°I decided to switch your share and my profits.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s 50 gold worth of materials here?¡± I ask in disbelief. Kervin decided to pay me more after we agreed on a price!


    Kervin nods in confirmation. ¡°We need more transparency between us. You deserved more coin for what you sold me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredibly generous of you.¡±


    ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to have people undercut your goods. You can think of this as me showing my sincerity. Until we find out how much your goods are really worth, I''ll bring you more materials based on how much I get from the army."


    I¡¯m left speechless. What happened to make him change so suddenly?


    "I need us to be more open if we''re to succeed. Going forward, I need you to tell me everything you can about your arrows.¡±


    "I can do that, but I have to ask, why the rush? I''m happy you want to cooperate, but that doesn''t explain why you came back so fast."


    ¡°I received another request from the general,¡± Kervin somberly says. ¡°She wants you to make the single best arrow you can with 10 gold as a budget.¡±


    "10 Gold for a single arrow, that''s crazy! I can''t make something like that."


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you get whatever materials you need.¡± Kervin waves his hands in a grand gesture.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem,¡± I frown.


    "What do you mean?" Kervin asks me, concerned.


    "I haven''t worked with that many magical materials. Even if you help me get expensive materials, I have no idea how to use them. The composition of my arrows took me weeks of experimenting to perfect. To make the kind of arrow, the general wants would take me over a month to make and cost me tens of gold coins in materials. I can make more of the arrows I already sold you, but I''ll have to turn down her request."


    Kervin gives me a worried look. ¡°This isn¡¯t a request either of us can turn down.¡± He hangs his head.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°If I try to turn away a request from the great Emily Pitz, the best outcome I could hope for is to be fired from Silver Herd. What if you ask for help from your master?¡± He hopefully subjects.


    I scan our surroundings again to make sure Reel isn''t hiding nearby. I''m positive he isn''t spying on us. "I''ll ask master, but I don''t want you to get your hopes up." Kervin gives me an uncomprehending look.


    "I can''t share secrets that aren''t mine, but I''ll tell you master probably can''t help us." I break the bad news to him. Master told me about the times he failed working with magical materials.


    ¡°You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± He sounds like he¡¯s grasping at straws.


    I stand up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry just yet.¡± I try to sound confident. ¡°If we can¡¯t deny her request, we¡¯ll just have to figure something out.¡± I start to walk out of his campsite.


    ¡°Where are you going?!¡± Kervin asks.


    ¡°To talk to my master. I¡¯ll be back soon, hold onto my delivery until then.¡± I leave Kervin behind and run to master¡¯s clearing.


    Using Double Step, I quickly make it through the forest.


    I scan our forge and find master resting on his favorite bench. He opens one of his eyes as I approach him. "Where have you been? The extra rest is appreciated, but I was starting to worry."


    "Sorry to keep you waiting, but something came up," I apologize. I know master cares in his own way.


    ¡°Oh, what happened?¡±


    I sit down on the closest bench and explain everything that happened with Reel and Kervin. Halfway through, master''s passive mask fell away, and he sat up attentively listening to me explain.


    After I explain everything, I ask master if he has any ideas.


    "I can give you the names of some of the materials I tried to work with in the past, but I''m not sure if any of them are what you need. Unless you¡¯re willing to spend the coin and purchase a variety of materials, I can¡¯t think of anything else.¡±


    "So, I''ll have to leave it in Kervin''s hands." Kervin might be able to get me some top-class materials, but who knows if he''ll grab the type of materials I need to make a decent arrow.


    ¡°You can ask him to buy certain types of materials. You need a good strong metal for the arrowhead and a strong yet flexible alloy for the shaft.¡± Master points out a possible solution.


    "I don''t think that will work," I tell him. ¡°Even if I give him the parameters I''m looking for, he can''t see inside the metal like I can. If I ask for ore, he won¡¯t be able to see how much magic is inside each specimen or how it interacts with other people¡¯s mana. And if I ask for already forged ingots, not only do I face the same problem, but who knows what structural issues could be hidden inside the metal. You told me many magical metals are incredibly tricky to re-forge; I can''t trust other''s work."


    ¡°You make a good point,¡± Master rubs his chin. ¡°And you can¡¯t ask him to bring every raw material Silver Herd has to you.¡±


    Master¡¯s offhand remark reminds me of a possibility neither of us considered.


    I''m stupid; because master and I are so used to staying hidden in our village, neither of us thought of the easiest solution. If Kervin can''t judge which materials I need, I''ll just have to do it myself!


    "You make a good point, master. Kervin can''t bring me everything, and I have to personally inspect their ore options before I decide what I need. The only option I have left is to have Kervin escort me to Drey and show me my options in person."


    Master¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. ¡°You want him to take you to Drey!? You¡¯ll leave the safety of the village?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any other options. I told you I can''t turn down the general''s request."


    ¡°We can find another way,¡± Master¡¯s face tenses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can. You didn¡¯t see Kervin¡¯s reaction when I told him I couldn¡¯t agree to her request. I think something bad happened to Kervin when he went to the army. He didn¡¯t tell me in words what happened, but he had the same look I had after I survived the Hobgoblin. I think his life was threatened.¡±


    "I don''t care about his life!" Master boldly proclaims. "You are the only one I worry about. If you leave the village, I can''t protect you. You told me that this Reel fellow almost attacked you; how can I let you leave with them!" Master clenches his fists in frustration.


    I can¡¯t help but smile at master¡¯s concern. "How are you going to protect me when you never leave your clearing? Are you going to go with me to meet Kervin?" I laugh at the idea, but master nods seriously.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going with you to meet them.¡±


    "It means a lot that you said that, but that''s a horrible idea. Reel is working for the boss of Silver Herd, everything he learns about us will be reported back to his higher-ups. As much as I would like you to go with me, we can¡¯t let them learn anything about you.¡± I point out to him


    ¡°But what if he tries something again?¡±


    ¡°Reel never actually attacked me even after I looked at a part of his soul. I¡¯m too important to Silver Herd for him to harm me. Now that I think about it, he would probably prioritize my safety over Kervin¡¯s if it came down to it. You need to stay here, master.¡±


    Master grits his teeth in frustration. ¡°Are you sure this is what you want to do?¡± He asks through his clenched teeth.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I firmly tell him. Standing up, I look into the distance. "I''ve always been worried about the outside world and people discovering my abilities, but I can''t solve every problem hiding here. I need to do this!"


    Master finally unclenches his jaw after he sees my resolve. ¡°Ok, but I want you to promise me you¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    "I promise," I tell him. I make my way towards the forest path leading back to the village. "I''ll stop by before I leave tomorrow," I say over my shoulder.


    "Ok," Master sounds defeated. I wish I could stay and try to convince him everything will be ok, but now that I''ve made up my mind, I have a lot of preparations to make, including telling mother and father I''m going on a trip. If master was that opposed to me leaving, I''m afraid of breaking the news to mother.


    I again use Double Step to quickly make my way through the forest and head back to Kervin''s campsite. I was gone for maybe an hour, and they already have the snow cleared and a fire going. Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba are sitting close to one another, snacking on some dried meat. My eyes travel past them and focus on Reel, who''s watching my approach, noticing me long before the others.


    His previous passive smile is back on his face. Remembering the bloodlust he''s concealing behind his features makes the hairs on my neck stand on end.


    When I get closer to the campsite, Kervin¡¯s other bodyguards finally notice my approach and inform him that I¡¯m back. He stands up, not concealing a look of hope now that I¡¯ve returned. He gives Reel a sidelong glance before focusing solely on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back! Was your master able to provide a solution to our problem?¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°No, master wasn¡¯t able to come up with a solution.¡±


    Kervin hangs his head in defeat. A small smile forms on my lips, ¡°But I did.¡± Kervin and his bodyguards look invigorated by my news. Reel simply continues to remain in place, acting like nothing matters to him.


    Kervin waits for me to explain myself. "I''m going with you to Drey." Finally, Reel''s stone smile cracks, and he gives me a surprised look like the others.


    ¡°What,¡± Kervin asks like he didn¡¯t understand what I just said.


    I place my hands on my hips, giving them a confident pose. "It would take me months to teach you what I look for in my materials. If I''m to make a quality arrow for the general, I need to pick out my materials in person. That means I need you to escort me to Drey and take me to whoever you get your supplies from. After you escort me to Drey and help me get my materials, I can run back by myself and start figuring out how to work whatever materials I get."


    ¡°Even if I agree to take you to Drey, you want me to let you return to your village by yourself?¡± Kervin focuses on what he thinks is the most dangerous part of my plan.


    ¡°It will be fine,¡± I assure him. ¡°You only know about my blacksmithing and merchant skills. I''m a very avid runner, and with my skills, I can make it back to my village in under two days if I''m by myself."


    ¡°If I¡¯m taking you to Drey, I can escort you back home.¡±


    "You forget something important; we don''t have that much time. I don''t know how fast your bivol is, but I''m guessing it takes around five days for you to take me to Drey. How many days has it been since you promised the General her arrow?"


    "Nine days," he answers my question. After answering me, his face changes to one of surprise; he must have realized what I''m trying to tell him.


    "It took you nine days to make it back to my village. I don''t know how long you spent gathering the supplies for our village, but it couldn''t have been longer than a day judging by how fast you made it back here."


    "So, we take on another eight days for you to travel back to Teeburn once I''m done making the arrow. We''ll waste another five days traveling to Drey, which means all our traveling will take up twenty-three days of the month. If I take two days to run back by myself, that leaves me exactly seven days to forge the arrow. We¡¯re on a time crunch from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Either you agree with my plan, or you start thinking of an excuse for the general.¡± I present him with an ultimatum.


    While Kervin thinks over everything I just told him, I make plans of my own. I painted a workable future to Kervin, but it''s not that simple. It will take us at least a day to look over all the materials, and each delay we suffer cuts down on the time I have to complete the arrow.


    ¡°I see your point,¡± Kervin¡¯s words draw me out of my thoughts. ¡°We don¡¯t have many options. I take it you want to leave tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°We should leave as soon as possible. You already promised to take orders from the villagers tomorrow morning, and I need time to prepare for the trip. I¡¯ll be here as early as I can.¡±


    ¡°What about your materials?¡± Kervin asks, motioning to the two crates.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take them to master in the morning. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to face tho one thing that can ruin my plan.¡±


    I turn towards the village. ¡°And what¡¯s that,¡± Kervin worriedly asks.


    ¡°My mother,¡± I say in a serious tone.


    I start walking back home. I pray to the gods, asking them to bless me for the battle to come.


    <hr>


    Reel/ Four Point of View:


    The other three look confused at Aaliyah¡¯s back as she walks away.


    So, her family is important to her. That''s useful information to have.


    "I''m going to take a leak." I get up and leave before Kervin can say anything. He has to know what I mean when I say that. It''s no secret I''m sending information back to headquarters, but I doubt he could ever dream I''m able to communicate directly with the boss.


    Judging by the position of the sun, I run in the direction of our headquarters. I activate the enchantment on my boots, causing me to levitate a few inches off the ground. Thanks to my boots, I can run faster, and I don''t need to worry about leaving tracks behind.


    I push my skills and stats to their limits. If I run in a straight line far enough, I can enter the boss''s range.


    It takes me twenty minutes before I stop up against a tree with a four carved into it. I pull my communicator out of my pocket and pour my mana into it. I alternate pulses of my mana, signaling I¡¯m trying to reach him.


    ¡°Report in Four, the sun is moving backwards.¡±


    "This is Four. The seasons don''t match." I reply to my communicator.


    "Why are you contacting me, Four? You should still be watching Kervin; you aren''t due to report in until you head out of the village."


    ¡°Circumstances have changed, boss. Aaliyah is leaving the village for Drey.¡±


    ¡°Repeat that!¡±


    "She''s leaving the village to purchase materials for the arrow she needs to forge. Apparently, she needs to inspect the materials herself to match the general''s specifications. Not only that, but we''re running out of time. I need you to contact Drey and have them ready to help her find the materials she needs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Marshall handle it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± I Hear Marshall confirm on the boss¡¯s end.


    ¡°Anything else to report, Four?¡± The boss¡¯s curious voice comes through my magical tool.


    "The girl is monstrous," I tell him. "I don''t know how she did it, but she was able to see past my magical tool that hid the magic signatures on my body. She pointed out each of my hidden items, including the communicator, which has almost no signature when it''s not in use. Then she used a skill that put even me on edge, I almost attacked her." I report in a dry tone.


    ¡°You what! Not a hair is to be harmed on her head, do you understand? What caused you to lose your composure?¡± He shouts through the device.


    ¡°I think she used an identification skill on me, only it didn''t feel like any skill I''ve felt before. She was able to see my exact level, meaning her skill level was either extremely high, or it''s a tier 5 skill."


    Only silence comes through my communicator.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± The boss finally asks.


    ¡°I would stake my life on it.¡± I confidently reply.¡±


    ¡°Understood, make sure to remove any nuisances you might encounter in Drey. If you need any cleanup, contact me, and I''ll send Three to take care of it. Aaliyah is to have nothing but the best experience in Drey and dealing with our company. You can return to Kervin now."


    "Four signing out." I stop supplying the communicator with my magic, and it goes silent.


    I pocket my tool and turn back towards the village. The next few days will be perfect for observing Aaliyah better. She''s young, has a high level, and already has a tier 5 observation skill. What other secrets is she hiding?


    I can¡¯t wait to find out!

 Ch: 51

    ¡°How do you deal with having a sore ass all day?¡± I roll onto my side and complain to Kervin.


    ¡°My cushion helps a little, but you eventually just get used to it.¡± He tells me while keeping his eyes on the forest path.


    "Maybe I should invest a few stat points into Endurance," I grumble under my breath.


    ¡°That won¡¯t help you in the least.¡± I turn over and face my new unwanted best friend. Reel chuckles at the murderous look I give him. As usual, he doesn¡¯t look deterred by my open hostility. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of warriors with defense builds complaining about the same thing. Kervin¡¯s right, you¡¯ll just have to suck it up.¡± Reel laughs even harder at me.


    ¡°Like your mom,¡± My rebuttal causes him to choke. Who would have thought a middle school comeback would be so effective.


    Reel narrows his eyes at me and goes back to watching my every movement. I roll over facing away from him but hiss in pain as Kervin hits another divot in the dirt road.


    We¡¯ve been traveling for three days now, and I quickly realized how much I loathe traveling by cart. After we left the village, it only took me three hours before I tried to bail out of the cart and walk with Lurte and Ryiba. Sadly, as soon as I hopped out of the cart, I was asked to get back in.


    Kervin and his men are taking this escort seriously, despite my level of strength. I¡¯m only allowed outside the cart during our pitstops or to water the flowers when the urge arises. Kervin said I might be allowed to walk beside the cart when we leave the forest, though. Apparently, bandit activity has shifted to remote roads like this one, since the war began.


    Being confined to this shaking cart has left me irritated the whole trip. I tried working on my Meditation skill, but every pothole Kervin hits jolts me out of my concentration. The only skill I''ve managed to work on is Mana Skin, and the only thing I''ve learned is a flaw with my skill.


    Mana Skin protects my body with two barriers of mana. After repeated use, I''ve learned that my barriers are great against blunt force trauma and temperature but weak against piercing attacks. Now I know about another weakness I have to watch out for.


    The continuous vibrations from the cart can seep through my mana shields. Just like when I''m standing next to the forge, and I can still feel a portion of the heat, the vibrations are reduced but still affect my shielded body.


    Mana Skin is apparently weak against continuous assault. Because of the vibrations, the cost to keep Mana Skin activated has tripled. Because of the new expenditure, I can''t keep my skill activated all day like I usually do. I need to keep enough mana set aside if we encounter any danger, so I can only keep Mana Skin activated for four hours each day.


    The four hours I guard myself is the only time the vibrations are reduced enough for me to meditate correctly. I tried keeping Mana Skin activated while I sleep, but once I nod off, the skill would deactivate, and the sudden exposure to the cart¡¯s vibrations would immediately wake me back up.


    Being sleep-deprived, sore, and bored are only the beginnings of my problems. Reel has taken it upon himself to be my personal travel companion.


    Because of the time crunch, we haven''t stopped since we left the village. The bivol only needs to rest for a few hours a day, keeping us moving continuously. Kervin does most of the driving, but one of his guards takes over when it''s his turn to rest in the back with me. There''s always a guard on either side of the cart, and the fourth person rotates a rest schedule in the back with me. While Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba prefer to rest, Reel uses every chance he gets to make small talk with me.


    Even when he¡¯s walking beside the cart, he watches me closely like I¡¯m going to escape as soon as I get the chance.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about?" Reel asks beside me.


    ¡°When I should run away from your pestering,¡± I joke.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try. I¡¯m sure I could use the short exercise.¡±


    ¡°Will you stop messing with her already. It¡¯s time for us to switch.¡± Lurte says from our right.


    ¡°Too bad, I was just about to relax to,¡± Reel gracefully vaults over the side of the cart and switches places with Lurte. How does he still have so much energy? I haven¡¯t seen him sleep once this whole trip.


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss Aaliyah.¡± Lurte carefully crawls into the cart and gets comfortable underneath the canvas. He rummages through his belongings inside the cart and withdraws his sleeping sack.


    I''m amazed at how quickly he can get comfortable and easily fall asleep. I''m sure I could knock myself out by looking at my soul, but I can''t take the chance that Reel would notice something. I look over at him and see him still watching me with his creepy smile.


    ¡°Ignore him, Aaliyah,¡± I whisper to myself. I should focus on something else, something productive.


    It¡¯s been a while since I looked at my status page.


    LV: 63 Experience: 413,030/ 514,704


    Health: 2,090/2,090


    Stamina: 1,243.71/1,403


    Mana: 522.93/1,010


    Vitality: 209.00


    Endurance: 80.15


    Strength: 132.00


    Dexterity: 125.00


    Senses: 60.64


    Mind: 62.83


    Magic: 101.07


    Clarity: 75.79


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV73), Blacksmithing (LV67), Axe Skills (LV55), Hammer Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV50), Mining (LV48), Chanting (LV47), Drawing (LV46), Cooking (LV38), Trading (LV38), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sword Skills (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV60), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV40), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase price (LV17), Lower Price (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV10), Steady Hands (LV10), Marching (LV5), Gourmet (LV2), Shout of Valor (LV1),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV60), Mana Manipulation (LV53), Precise Strike (LV37), Double Strike (LV35), Weighted Strike (LV26), Flash Step (LV18), Contract (LV2)


    Tier 4:


    Inject mana (LV49), Mana Skin (LV49), Mental Resistance (LV47), Extract Mana (LV28), Magic Blacksmithing (LV20)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV33)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV66-67) 6,650exp


    Hammer Skills (LV55) 2,750exp


    Drawing (LV45-46) 4,550exp


    Trading (LV38) 1,900exp


    Wood Carving (LV30-31) 3,050exp


    Sword Skills (LV26) 1,300exp


    Double Step (LV60) 6,000exp


    Measurement (LV46) 4,600exp


    Hammer Arts (LV39-40) 7,900exp


    Increase price (LV17) 1,700exp


    Lower Price (LV16-17) 3,300exp


    Sword Arts (LV9-10) 1,900exp


    Steady Hands (LV8-10) 2,700exp


    Expel Mana (LV60) 9,00exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV53) 7,950exp


    Precise Strike (LV36-37) 10,950exp


    Double Strike (LV35) 5,250exp


    Weighted Strike (LV25-26) 7,650exp


    Flash Step (LV18) 2,700exp


    Contract (LV1-2) 450exp


    Inject mana (LV49) 12,250exp


    Mana Skin (LV48-49) 24,250exp


    Mental Resistance (LV46-47) 23,250exp


    Extract Mana (LV27-28) 13,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV20) 5,000exp


    Sense Soul (LV33) 16,500exp


    Skill Experience: 187,250exp


    Crafting Experience: 37,661exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total experience Gained: 224,911exp


    Almost to level 64, I smile to myself.


    ¡°Looking at something good? Did you gain a level, or are you close?¡± My smile fades when I hear Reel¡¯s question.


    Damn, why does he have to be so perceptive!? I dismiss my status page and send him a foul look.


    The offender just continues walking next to the cart, smiling like he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world. I need to knock him down a peg. The next time he steals a look at me, I mouth five words to him, ''My mother will get you.''


    Reel freezes mid-stride and looks away from me, hiding his expression. What did mother say to him before we left the village?


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    <hr>


    Four days ago, after I left Kervin¡¯s campsite, I went home to inform my family I was going on a trip. I was already expecting to receive a lecture and prepared myself to defy their wishes if need be, but I wasn¡¯t ready for the reactions I got.


    "I agree with Del; this sounds like the merchant''s problem. You shouldn''t have to leave the village." Dad was surprisingly the one to deny my departure while mother just stood there, thinking over everything I explained to them.


    I tried to convince him there was no other way, but he remained firm.


    Everything changed when mother stepped in. ¡°You¡¯ll only be gone for eight days, right?¡± Mother gives me a pointed look.


    I was caught off guard by her sudden question and could only nod in confirmation.


    What she said next stunned both my father and me. "I think we need to support her, dear. She said she would be back relatively quickly, and I don''t think she was exaggerating the danger of offending the general. She can''t stay in the village forever."


    ¡°Why can¡¯t she!?¡± It was one of the few times I¡¯ve seen dad interrupt mom.


    Mother just gave him an understanding look. ¡°We both knew she would eventually outgrow our little village. That said, she isn¡¯t leaving forever just yet. She¡¯s just going to buy materials in Drey and come back home. This is an important milestone for her.¡± Dad was never good at arguing with mother.


    Father agreed to support my decision, and both said they would see me off the next day.


    The following morning, I gathered the last bit of my supplies and moved my materials to Del¡¯s clearing.


    Master wanted to see me off too, but after telling him my parents were enough, he reluctantly agreed to stay home. He told me three times not to trust Silver Herd before he hugged me goodbye, which caught me off guard.


    By the time I made it back to Kervin''s campsite, my parents were already hounding him to keep me safe. Besides my parents, Camden and his wife had also shown up along with a quarter of the village. Many were shouting well wishes and telling me to come back safe and sound. They were throwing so many flags at me; I wouldn''t be surprised if a dragon attacked us on our trip.


    It was during all the commotion I noticed something peculiar.


    Father continued to hound Kervin about my safety while mother slipped off to the side. She walked up to Reel and had him lean in so she could whisper something in his ear. I couldn¡¯t hear their conversation because of the crowd, and my mother was facing away from me.


    All I know is whatever she said to Reel smacked the smile from his face and made him go pale. Reel tried to recover, but his smile stayed strained until we left.


    I tried to ask mom what she said to him, but she only told me, ¡°I Just wanted to make sure he was aware of how precious you are to us, and that he¡¯s to take good care of you on your trip.¡±


    I spent the first few days of our journey trying to think of whatever mother could¡¯ve possibly said to him to make someone like Reel feel nervous. I know mother could be frightening to me as a parent, but I can''t think of a single thing she could have said to a spy/assassin above level 70 to throw him off his game.


    I wonder if it¡¯s true mothers can rain hellfire on their enemies?


    Knowing my mom, I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.


    <hr>


    Now, every time I mention my mother during Reel¡¯s small talk, he changes subjects, avoiding any questions that involve her.


    I lay back and try to remove the tension from my body, surrendering myself to the shaking cart. I shouldn''t waste my time speculating about mother. She does her best to support our family, and I trust her completely.


    I close my eyes and focus on Sense Mana the best that I can.


    I can''t fully use my skill without entering meditation, but I can use it to see beyond the ocean of trees surrounding us. The mana flowing around us is tranquil. Steady blues from the snow and winter winds, dark brown slowly shifting in the earth, and each tree has its own unique mana flow, making a beautiful shifting painting in my eyes.


    This world is truly amazing. Untouched by an industrial revolution and filled with power, few can truly tap into.


    The forest is silent as we pass through it, but my extraordinary sight shows me the forest''s hidden animals. Small rodents burrowing through the snow-covered ground and multiple types of birds tucked away in their winter homes.


    I''m reminded of when I was little, and I asked dad why the birds don¡¯t migrate during winter. Dad didn¡¯t know what the word migrate even meant. I explained the word to him, and he ended up chuckling at my question.


    He taught me most non-magical animals have evolved to stay in place rather than change their habitats with the seasons. Father couldn''t scientifically explain why, but I bet it¡¯s due to the high mana zones scattered around the world. I''m sure there have to be high mana zones in the atmosphere, and any migrating birds flying through that minefield most likely died out.


    Only magical beasts could survive the harsh conditions mana zones create. Though, according to master, mana zones are teeming with materials every crafter dreams about. And as luck would have it, there''s a mana zone close to our village.


    Mother made me promise not to go into the mana zone during the middle of winter, however, she didn''t say anything about exploring it after spring arrives. Kervin can buy me all sorts of materials, but that would cost me bags of gold coins just to experiment with my crafting in the future.


    I''ll soon have to find a substitute for the chameleon spider carapace. The hunters haven''t spotted a spider in over three weeks, and at the rate I''m turning out arrows for the army, I''ll use up my supply of carapace in two more months or so.


    This trip isn¡¯t only for me to find materials for the general¡¯s arrow. I need a better understanding of the materials Silver Herd has on hand if I can¡¯t find a local substitute for the carapace.


    Time slowly slips by as I scan our surroundings, and I grow increasingly bored.


    I shuffle closer to the front of the cart, so I can talk to Kervin without disturbing Lurte¡¯s rest. "What do you do to pass the time? The boredom is killing me."


    Kervin chuckles, "Usually, a merchant''s route has more stops than this. We only stop at your village for a certain reason, well two reasons now. Other than your village, all of my previous stops were within a day or two from each other.¡±


    "That''s interesting to know, but you didn''t answer my question. What do you do to pass the time while steering the cart all day?" I ask again.


    ¡°Well, I prefer to sing to pass the time. It even helps the bivol move faster.¡± Kervin looks over his shoulder and gives me a smile before turning back to the road.


    ¡°Is it a skill you have,¡± I question him.


    ¡°Not even close,¡± Ryiba cuts in. "It isn''t a skill that makes the bivol move faster; they''re trying to escape from his singing."


    ¡°You¡¯re just jealous that I have talent.¡± Kervin scoffs at Ryiba.


    ¡°Talent in making a person¡¯s ears bleed,¡± Ryiba quips.


    I can''t help but giggle at their banter; it reminds me of when I was little and argued with Richard. Maybe if I''m lucky, I''ll see him in Drey.


    ¡°It appears you¡¯ll have your excitement in a moment.¡± Reel¡¯s ominous words silence Kervin and Ryiba.


    Reel continues to stand next to the cart, but he''s keeping his eyes trained on a section of the forest a hundred feet in front of us.


    Listening to Kervin and Ryiba made me lose my concentration. I refocus Sense Mana towards the area Reel is watching. The hidden monsters¡¯ mana signatures light up in my eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you consider entertainment?¡± I frown at Reel.


    "Better than walking down a lonesome road, isn''t it." He smiles to himself.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Kervin asks with a hint of fear in his voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s just six goblins hiding up ahead.¡± I point out their position to Kervin.


    Kervin nods in understanding. ¡°If it¡¯s only six of them, then Reel and Ryiba can handle it without bothering Lurte.¡± His two bodyguards draw their weapons and walk directly in front of the bivol, guarding them against the goblins.


    "Hold up just a minute," I say to everyone. I grab my sword resting on top of my bag and quickly hop out of the moving cart.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ignore Kervin and run up to his guards.


    Ryiba looks at me with a worried expression, while Reel seems happy to see me. "Miss Aaliyah, please return to the cart," Ryiba asks me.


    "Sorry to disappoint you, but that''s not happening." I step in front of the two and draw my sword. "You''ve kept me locked in that cart the last three days, and it''s driving me insane. I''ll take care of the goblins; I''m sure he can step in if something should go wrong." I send a pointed look at Reel.


    I ignore Kervin and Ryiba¡¯s pleas for me to return to the cart and dash ahead of the moving bivol. I scan the surroundings for any other hidden goblins but only spot the six waiting in ambush.


    I slow down when I get closer to their hiding spot and calmly walk towards them. When I''m this close, I can see the mana inside their weapons, helping me identify them, four wooden spears and two stone knives, nothing to worry about.


    Being the goblins that they are, they all rush out of their hiding spots as soon as I reach a few feet away from them. I''m reminded of the hoard of goblins we faced in the forest, and the scene in front of me is almost comical in comparison. Not even one of the goblins is a hob.


    I wait for the closest goblin to enter my striking range before I step forward and flick my sword in a quick slashing motion. I ignore the goblin as it falls to the ground grasping at its throat.


    I don''t want to get blood on my clothes, but I can''t activate my swords flames with Reel watching me.


    I pivot on my front leg and cut open the next goblin''s stomach with a horizontal slash. The goblin collapses, screaming as it holds its spilling entrails.


    I notice a goblin to my left freeze in place, watching his tribesmen die. A goblin to my right tries to stab me with his spear while I''m looking at his comrade, but I easily deflect his weak strike with my sword. Before the goblin can recover his balance, I remove his head from his shoulders.


    I jump back before any of the blood can spray onto my clothing.


    The goblin to my left is now paralyzed with fear along with the goblin furthest away from me.


    The third remaining goblin snarls at me; he is the last goblin with the will to fight. He brandishes his stone knife and charges at me in a frenzied manner. The goblin waves his knife in his left hand, cutting the air in front of him like a madman.


    As soon as the goblin is close enough, I bring my hind leg up and deliver a devastating kick to its exposed head. I feel the goblins skull crack under the strength of my kick. The goblin collapses to the ground, unmoving.


    I glance at the remaining two goblins, and they flinch backward. Both drop their weapons and turn to run.


    I see a flash of metal to my side, and I activate Flash Step to move out of the way. Reel is standing close to where I just was. He ignores my wary look and walks over to the two goblins that tried to run away. Each has a dagger embedded where their spines meet their skulls.


    From where Reel was standing and the goblins'' position, I realize his daggers would never have hit me, though they would¡¯ve come close.


    "Why''d you step in?" I ask him as he yanks his blades out of the goblins. Not a single drop of blood sticks to Reel''s enchanted blades.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you let two of them escape?¡± He sheathes his blades and retorts with a smile.


    ¡°They¡¯d given up already. Why would I kill a fleeing enemy?¡±


    Reel slowly walks closer to me. I grip my sword tighter in my hands. ¡°You would give up on experience just because they decided to flee? They¡¯re goblins, roaches, the trash of the world. You¡¯d show mercy to them?¡± He asks, standing three feet in front of me.


    I take a small breath and meet his powerful gaze. ¡°Life is a precious thing; I don¡¯t feel the need to snuff it out for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Then what would¡¯ve happened if those two did escape and came back as hobs?¡± Reel continues to challenge my conviction.


    ¡°Then I would end them the same way I would to any other threat. But how would you know what they would do, are you a god?¡± My question surprises him.


    I take a step forward. "For all you know, I put the fear of humans into them. They would''ve disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again. I stand by my convictions. I''ll defend those I care about, I''ll hunt for food and materials, but I''ll never kill merely for the sake of experience. Everything deserves a chance to live." I channel a sliver of my mana into my sword as I flick it, removing the blood from my blade. I sheath my sword and turn away from Reel, walking back to the waiting cart, listening to Reel''s manic laughter behind me.


    I refuse to let that man shake me.


    I silently climb back into the cart, ignoring Kervin and Ryiba¡¯s looks of disbelief. I lay down and close my eyes.


    I don''t want to admit it, but a part of me is disappointed. I don''t feel good about killing the goblins, just empty inside. They attacked me, but their deaths felt so pointless. Reel talking about experience, I bet I didn''t even earn 500 experience killing those weak goblins.


    But I can¡¯t deny I was hoping for a challenge, something to make their deaths meaningful.


    I feel the cart start to roll forward again, as I ponder these conflicting feelings.


    <hr>


    A day and a half later, and I can finally see Drey''s walls growing bigger as we approach them.


    We left the forest a day ago, and the trip became much smoother. Endless trees opened up, and I saw a new world. My entire life, I''ve stayed in our village surrounded by trees.


    We traveled next to the first river I¡¯ve seen in this world and past snow-blanketed hills. I finally saw new landscapes for the first time in fifteen years.


    Kervin wanted me to stay in the cart, but I convinced him to let me walk for a few hours each day. Right now, I¡¯m in the cart, but surely I can get out once we enter the city.


    "What do you think, Aaliyah, amazing, isn''t it?" Kervin asks me when he notices me staring at the growing walls.


    "It''s quite a sight," I softly respond. As we approach, the enormity of the city''s walls becomes more apparent.


    I¡¯d say the walls are at least 50 feet high, made from massive blocks of stone. The wall is a testament to what people can do without machinery. Though the wall''s appearance is breathtaking, it''s the wall''s insides that truly captivate me.


    There''re no secret enchantments or anything like that, but the wall is saturated in mana. Each massive stone that makes up the wall''s foundation has its own mana signature, meaning magic played a large part in their construction. Some blocks give off the same signatures while others stand out due to being one of a kind.


    The patchwork of mana must be from all the mages who''ve helped build the wall and maintained it over the years.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± I say to myself.


    "Drey''s ruler does a good job keeping its walls maintained, only Blaiton and the regional lord¡¯s castle can boast of having a superior defense this side of Olebert.¡± Kervin points out to me.


    We continue on our path leading towards the nearest gate. We pass by fields covered in snow but only a few farmhouses. ¡°Does everyone live inside the city? I thought there would be more houses out here.¡± I point out the oddity.


    ¡°The houses you see out here are on properties leased from the city''s lord. A family will lease the land for a few years and give a percentage of their profits to the lord. The family who leases the land is in charge of managing their fields. Families who own leases compete with one another for the best farmers. The houses you see are onsite housing for the workers. While a farmer''s family stays inside the city, the farmers stay here for as long as their contract states." Kervin explains.


    "Wouldn''t it be better for the farmer''s families to live closer to the farm?¡± I question.


    "No one wants to live outside a city," Reel says off to the side.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± I ask.


    Kervin explains to me. "Living outside a city is dangerous; you have to deal with monsters and bandits. Cities have guards that keep the peace. Almost every person tries to move to a city if they''re able to."


    ¡°I never noticed anyone in our village talking about moving away,¡± I retort.


    Kervin laughs, "That''s because your village is an oddity. Your village has its own healer and an accomplished blacksmith. With me regularly stopping by, your village has the amenities only a town or city could offer. Even with the danger you''ve recently faced, I doubt many consider leaving your village."


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware we were that lucky. I assumed all villages were like ours.¡±


    ¡°People rarely notice how much they have until they see those who don¡¯t.¡± Kervin offers a bit of wisdom to me. I nod in understanding; going from 21<sup>st</sup> century Earth to Yurilia made me realize everything I took for granted in my past life.


    We travel around the city''s wall until we finally reach a gate leading into the city proper.


    There are few people trying to enter the city, mostly other merchants bringing in goods. While we¡¯re waiting for the line to move forward, I examine the gate leading into the city. While the wall is made up of a patchwork of magical signatures, the whole gateway oozes a single strong magical signature. Many people must have helped build the wall, but a mighty mage single handily made the gate and the immediate walls around it.


    While I''m admiring the work of a strong earth mage, we finally make it to the inspection area. A few guards in armor and fur coats flag us over.


    The guard who flagged us over looks at Kervin''s bivol before giving him a friendly smile. "Your bivol look like shit, Kervin. Didn''t you leave the city nine days ago? Hey Lurte, hey Ryiba.¡± The guard addresses each of Kervin¡¯s guards.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my identification, Maz. Let us through; we''ve been traveling in the cold for a while now." Kervin clearly knows the guard.


    ¡°Obviously, you¡¯ve been coming and going a lot more recently.¡± He looks over to me. ¡°And what¡¯s with the girl, got yourself another new bodyguard?¡± The man joyfully laughs at his own joke.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing a favor for a friend. She has business in the city but will only be staying for a little while.¡± Kervin downplays our relationship.


    ¡°Is that so. Is this your first time to Drey?¡± The guardsman offers me a sincere smile, unlike Kervin''s business smile and Reel''s fake smile.


    ¡°It is, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the city.¡± I return his smile to make a good first impression.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get you going then.¡± The guard turns back to Kervin. ¡°Five people then, minus your residence pass and Silver Herd credentials, I need 6 large bronze.¡± He holds his hands out to Kervin.


    Kervin pulls a small coin bag and fishes out the money for the guard.


    After Kervin hands over the coins, Maz, the guard, waves us through. As we start to roll away, Maz yells at Kervin, "I have a day off in two days, I''ll stop by your place, and we can get a drink." Kervin just waves his hand goodbye. Judging by Maz¡¯s face, he took that gesture as a sign of agreement.


    And just like that, we entered the city of Drey.


    I shiver in excitement; I can¡¯t wait to get my hands on some new magical materials.

 Ch: 52

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would have friends.¡± I playfully poke at Kervin.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call him a friend, more like a drinking buddy. I met Maz when I first started trading in Drey. His family owns a good bar that I frequent when I¡¯m in town, and he noticed me from our lines of work. We usually spend time complaining about our jobs and drinking ourselves under the table. I can''t think of a time we''ve hung out, and we weren¡¯t drinking.¡±


    I''m surprised how talkative Kervin has been lately. He said he wanted us to be more open with each other, but the change of character is a little unsettling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet up with him after you leave for your village.¡± Kervin trails off, and I turn my attention to my new surroundings.


    Drey is the first city I''ve visited in this world, and it doesn''t disappoint. After we crossed through the wall, it was like entering a new world. Snow-capped buildings stretch as far as the eye can see.


    The street we¡¯re driving on is narrow, only three carts wide, made from grey stone that matches the city¡¯s walls and buildings.


    The city is more interesting because it lacks the symmetry of my previous world''s counterparts. The buildings are crammed together with people''s houses mixed in with businesses. Small alleys are the only thing separating the buildings, and none of them have a yard.


    The buildings are made of stone and wood, and all look different with varying designs. I stare up at the biggest building on the street as we pass by it. The sign on the front of the building reads ''The Sleepy Traveler'' I chuckle at the generic name but can''t take my eyes off the building.


    Most buildings we¡¯ve passed are limited to a single floor with only a scant few reaching higher. The inn towers over its neighbors, reaching four stories tall. As we pass by the building, I hear loud voices coming from the entrance; someone''s having a good time.


    To the right of the inn is a stable crammed with bivol and even a few jelen.


    ¡°Are we going to be staying in an inn like that?¡± I ask Kervin.


    He smiles at my question, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I told you I have a house here. There¡¯s no need to waste good coin on a cheap inn like that.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t look that bad to me,¡± I say in defense. I forgot that Kervin mentioned in passing that he stores his extra goods in his home here.


    "It''s not the worst inn in the city, but we''ve barely left the wall.¡±


    "Then does that make this the slums?" I ask Kervin. The buildings look similar to the ones in our village, and though there''s some animal waste on the side of the road, it doesn''t scream filthy.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call this the slums. Drey has a few areas you wouldn¡¯t want to walk through at night, but this area is fine. The houses and businesses closest to the wall are some of the cheapest, and become more extravagant the closer you get to the city¡¯s center.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± I curiously ask.


    ¡°What do you think happens when the city is attacked?¡± Reel says to our side.


    Kervin continues to explain. "He''s right; if anything happens to the walls, it''s these houses that will suffer the most.¡±


    "How often does that happen?" I turn back and look at the massive gate we went through. It''s hard to imagine something getting past such an enormous fortification.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare, but it does happen. The most recent incident was four years ago during a particularly dry summer. A flock of scorch-wings was flying by and tried to nest here.¡± Kervin tells me with a grimace.


    ¡°Scorch-wings?¡± I¡¯ve never heard of them before.


    "They¡¯re a fire-based magical creature. Think of a bird mixed with a lizard four feet long that likes to light itself on fire." Reel explains with a cocky look on his face.


    I ignore him and instead ask Kervin, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Scorch-wings build nests out of charred wood. They gather lumber into a pile and light it on fire with their bodies, using the charred remains to make a nest. They aren''t very aggressive to humans, but the flock ripped apart homes and caused more than a few fires."


    "That sounds like a problem for the whole city, not just the homes closest to the wall." I point out.


    "Buildings closer to the city''s center are made with fire-resistant materials and earth magic, some wealthy individuals even have enchantments guarding their homes. The only usable wood for the scorch-wings to scavenge was the houses built around the walls,¡± Kervin explains.


    I nod in understanding. Flying enemies would make the wall a moot point. I bet some enchantments could help with that, but that would be incredibly expensive. It''s easier for rich people to fortify their homes instead of reinforcing the entire city.


    ¡°But do monster attacks happen that often?¡± I question.


    "Not like that. Goblins sometimes are spotted near the city, but the local guards take care of them whenever they pop up. Unless something unusual happens, the city goes years without being attacked.¡± Kervin reassures me.


    ¡°That is if we don¡¯t factor in the war,¡± Reel ominously reminds us. ¡°If the fort falls, Scholl¡¯s forces could be here in under a week.¡±


    ¡°You should say that to the general next time we see her.¡± Lurte flashes Reel a daring look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like dying just yet.¡± Reel looks away.


    A lull in our conversation gives me time to turn my attention back to the city. Plenty of people are walking through the snow, wearing simple coats. I spot two men with shovels clearing the snow from the walkways while a third is shoveling a frozen pile of crap into a wooden pushcart.


    Those walking by the men laugh and point at them.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± I point at the workers. ¡°Why would people make fun of them for cleaning the streets?¡±


    "It''s their punishment," Kervin tells me. "You can''t see it, but they have shackles on their wrists and ankles. Those who commit crimes are sentenced to menial work to pay back their debt.¡±


    ¡°What happens if there aren¡¯t enough criminals to clean the streets?¡±


    ¡°And what if bivol can fly?¡± Reel laughs at me.


    Kervin gives Reel an annoyed look before answering my question. ¡°Sad to say, there¡¯s never a shortage of hands to clean the streets. Even if someone has the coin to pay off whatever fine the guards give them, the lord requires every criminal to help clean the street for a set amount of time. Steal a pomme, and you¡¯re charged double the price and have to spend a day shoveling snow and shit.¡±


    ¡°Why not lock them up? Couldn¡¯t they just run away?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The only people held in cells are those being investigated or waiting to be executed.¡± Kervin points to the men working, ¡°The shackles on their limbs will shock or detonate them if they try to leave the city, depending on their crimes. The same thing happens if they don¡¯t check in with guards every day to receive their work orders.¡±


    Holy crap, that takes ankle monitors to a whole new level! "But wait, if they''re working for the city all day, how do they earn money for shelter and food?"


    "They''re still allowed to go home every night and eat whatever they can afford. Those who don''t have the means, like vagrants or people with long term sentences, can claim a free meal at the end of the day and a cot to rest for the night. A few of the destitute willingly work for the city during the winter for a place to rest and a hot meal."


    As our cart passes the working men, I make a mental note not to break any laws.


    We turn down a street and head deeper into the city. The distance between the buildings starts to open up, and I can see a gradual change in their designs. We turn down another street and pass by another cleaning crew; only this one is different.


    Three men and a woman are shoveling snow and scooping up the waste around the street, but my eyes are drawn to two women in robes and fur jackets. The women are standing next to a large pile of snow and melting it with fire magic.


    ¡°No way, there¡¯s criminal mages!¡± I shout in disbelief.


    One of the women turns toward us and scowls.


    ¡°Apologies, this is her first time in the city.¡± Kervin quickly steps in. The woman scoffs at us and turns back to focus on her spell.


    Kervin snaps his reins and tries to get his bivol to move faster. Once we''re out of sight, Reel bursts into laughter. "I can''t believe you called them criminals!"


    I can feel my face starting to blush. I turn towards Kervin and demand an answer, ¡°You said the city uses criminals, why are there mages melting snow?¡±


    Kervin rubs his face and takes a deep breath. "Only for the physical work. Hauling the snow and ice out of the city would take too many hands; it''s much easier to melt it into the sewers."


    "Why would a self-respecting mage take the time to melt the snow?" I ask inquisitively.


    ¡°To earn money,¡± Kervin¡¯s short response fries my brain.


    ¡°Why would mages need to melt snow for money?¡±


    ¡°Technically, they aren¡¯t mages yet.¡± Kervin takes a side glance at me and sees the uncomprehending look on my face. He looks back to the road and asks me a question, ¡°What do you think makes someone a mage?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mage once you can cast a spell?¡± I know my simple answer isn¡¯t what he¡¯s looking for.


    "Being able to use magic is a start, but that doesn''t give you the qualifications to call yourself a mage. When someone introduces themselves as a mage, then they''re saying they can use at least ten spells above tier2."


    ¡°What does that have to do with money?¡± I ask Kervin.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°You know that your friend Sandra is studying to be a mage, right?" I nod to Kervin. "Are you aware of how she got her apprenticeship?" His second question stumps me.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she¡¯s talented?¡± I quietly reply.


    "If that were the case, then there would be more mages in the world," Kervin tells me with a cynical tone. "The one thing that gets you an apprenticeship with a mage is money. Your friend''s family paid a lot of money to send her here and practice under a mage.¡±


    ¡°So, talent means nothing?¡± I ask in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Kervin says. ¡°If a noble wants to spend their money for their child to try and learn magic, a mage doesn''t care if the child has any talent or not. A few lessons a week, and the mage walks away with gold in their pockets regardless of if the child can cast a spell or not. Mages charge for each spell they teach their disciples, and the time it takes to teach them. Depending on the teacher, I¡¯ve heard of families shelling out over 200 gold for a member of the family to learn enough spells to qualify as a mage.¡±


    "If that''s the case, then why were those two melting snow?¡±


    "You asked me how talent plays a factor in who a mage teaches, that''s what happens when a mage accepts a student on credit. Those two women were deemed talented enough for the mage to teach, but they owe him every coin they would have had to pay upfront. The city pays mages to melt the snow in the wintertime, which they delegate to their unpaid students. The exact details of the relationship with the different mages staying in the city is a secret. Still, many believe their indebted students are only given a fraction of what the mages receive for the job."


    ¡°Does that mean Sandra is out here melting snow as well?¡± I hastily ask.


    ¡°Now, don''t worry, I already said her family paid. I helped to deliver the money before she left your village. She¡¯s probably studying at home right now while your brother is working; do you want me to take you to their house?¡±


    ¡°You know where they live?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. I stop by whenever I¡¯m delivering a letter from your families. They live on the other side of the city in a house close to the wall.¡±


    I''m tempted to run and see them right now, but that''s not practical. I shake my head at the idea. "We don''t have time, and besides, they''re due back in the village once spring arrives. I¡¯m sure mine and Sandra¡¯s families would rather our reunion be together.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± Kervin has the cart take a left at the next intersection.


    We pass by more people walking around, but I can see the difference in their clothing. Everyone is wearing fancier jackets and looks much more comfortable walking around in the cold. Nicer storefronts sit next to houses that have small yards.


    Moving through a city and seeing the difference in wealth at a glance is a little disconcerting. Mother used to tell me short stories of the city she grew up in, but words can''t do it justice.


    "Looks like we''re here." Kervin drags me out of my thoughts. "Welcome to my home." He gives me a soft smile, obviously a little proud of his home."


    We stop at a corner lot, and I take a good look at Kervin''s house. The house is two stories and is made from black stone and lumber that''s been treated with a dark brown polish. I can see the area to the side where he usually parks his cart based on the grooves in the ground. Attached to his house is a small stable meant to hold his two bivol. With him using his space to store his cart and bivol, he has no garden like his neighbors; in fact, I spot quite a few big weeds thriving around his property. His neighbors must love him.


    "Isn''t it beautiful?" Kervin raises his hands, showing off the grandeur of his two-story town-house.


    "It''s pretty nice," I off-handedly remark. Kervin looks disappointed at my reaction. It''s not that I don''t think it''s a lovely house; it''s just it can¡¯t compare to the homes I''ve seen on tv and the internet in my past life. Maybe if his house was hovering or made out of magical materials, it would tickle my fantasy heart, but the place in front of me is only slightly bigger than those in our village and made with slightly better materials.


    Not letting my lack of reaction get to him, Kervin draws a key out of his pocket and moves to unlock his door. "You must be tired from the trip here; come inside and rest, while I send Reel to contact the local Silver Herd branch."


    ¡°That sounds nice,¡± I follow Kervin through his open door, deactivating Mana Skin as I enter.


    As soon as I enter Kervin''s house, my eyes start to adjust to the lack of light. I watch Kervin''s silhouette shuffle around until he finds what he''s looking for. I hear a match strike, and a small glow illuminates Kervin''s face. He lights a lamp sitting on top of a table, and the room I just entered becomes visible.


    Oh, gods! I immediately regret shutting off my skill.


    ¡°Careful where you step." Kervin sidesteps a few small crates and starts walking into the next room. As the light begins to fade, I''m forced to follow him.


    I walk through an obstacle course of crates, barrels, and miscellaneous goods scattered everywhere. And the room I follow Kervin into isn¡¯t any better. What I can only guess is his kitchen, judging by the stove, is filled with different pots, pans, and utensils covering every inch of his countertops.


    "Can you hold this for me?" Stunned by everything around me, I take the lamp by instinct.


    Kervin undoes a latch and pushes hard on the shutters of a window. Grunting, Kervin manages to force the shutter open, and fresh air breathes new life into his house.


    The light from outside filters in, and I can better see my surroundings. Everything looks new, but different items have varying levels of dust coating them. I rub my finger against a pan and am appalled when I see it has turned grey.


    Kervin sees the dissatisfaction and offers an apology. ¡°Sorry for the mess, I haven¡¯t been here for almost a month.¡±


    I have to bite back a retort. This much dust can¡¯t gather in only a month! If mother was here, I¡¯m sure she would choose to burn the place down to the ground and start over rather than try cleaning it, after she strangles Kervin, of course.


    Lurte and Ryiba walk into the kitchen, holding Kervin¡¯s and their supplies and place them in an open corner.


    ¡°Did Reel leave already?¡± Kervin asks his men.


    ¡°Yeah, he left,¡± Lurte answers him.


    ¡°He seemed happy to go,¡± Ryiba huffs.


    "That''s good; once he gets back, we''ll go out and get an early dinner.¡± I¡¯m happy to hear Kervin say that. I wouldn¡¯t trust anything he has resembling food in this house.


    ¡°Where will I sleep?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You can take the first room upstairs. The staircase is around the corner,¡± Kervin directs me.


    I leave the three men behind and head to my room while they continue to open more windows. As I move through his house, I notice the only place he hasn''t crammed stuff is the stairs. I see a few items I might have to come back for if my intuition turns out to be correct.


    I make my way up the stairs and see my room as soon as I reach the top. I unhook the simple latch keeping the door closed and walk into my assigned room.


    ¡°I was right,¡± I sigh. This room is like all the others, completely covered in dust. Clothes are thrown everywhere, and a pile is hiding the bed. I look down and see my shoes have left dust imprints on the floor.


    I''m tempted to waste some of the coins I brought with me and rent a room at a nearby inn.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m too cheap for that,¡± I mumble to myself.


    I stretch out my body and throw my things on top of a pile of clothes. I move over to the wall and open a window, hoping to remove the stale air.


    I leave my room and walk back downstairs. I quickly find the items I spotted earlier, a cobweb-covered broom and an overturned bucket. I see a rag lying under a crate and take everything I found back into the kitchen.


    Kervin and his men are sitting on a few chairs that I distinctly remember being covered before.


    ¡°What do you have there, Aaliyah?¡± Kervin asks as I enter the room.


    ¡°Where can I get some water?¡± I ignore his question and stifle my desire to throttle him.


    "Need to fill up your waterskin; I can send Lurte to the closest well?¡± Seeing Kervin trying to be helpful makes me want to hit him even more.


    ¡°I need water to clean my room.¡± I hiss through my teeth.


    "Oh! You don''t need to worry about that; you can throw the clothes on the floor, it doesn''t matter."


    I slowly walk up to Kervin, sitting in his chair, and look down on him. "Water¡­ to clean¡­ now," I slowly say to him.


    ¡°I think that barrel has some old water in it, boss.¡± Lurte points at a barrel that has a stack of plates on top of it.


    I leave an astounded Kervin behind and shift things around until I can fill up my bucket. Juggling everything in my arms, I leave the kitchen and Kervin¡¯s guards laughing at him.


    "What did I do?" I hear Kervin ask his men as soon as I leave the kitchen. His men only laugh harder at him. For someone so smart, Kervin can be really dumb at times. I guess we have that in common.


    I make it back to my room and set everything down on the ground. The room is small at only 150 square feet, but for the first time, I have no idea where I should start cleaning. I scratch my itchy forearm and notice it''s covered in dust.


    I know it''s a waste of mana, but I start by cleaning myself first.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I immediately feel better as five days of travel falls away from me. During the trip, I used all my spare mana to keep Mana Skin up for the longest time possible and nothing else.


    When my magic fades away, a small circle around my feet has replaced the dust with the black specks of dirt my spell leaves behind. I check how much mana I have left, 657.21. That¡¯s enough mana for me to cast my cleaning spell over ten times and still leave enough in case of an emergency. If I''m careful with my magic, I can at least make sure my bed is clean.


    I wish I had a higher tier cleaning spell. Should I try making my own?


    No, that would be too dangerous in someone else¡¯s house. I walk over to the bed covered in clothes and start throwing them onto the piles already on the floor. Men¡¯s clothes, women¡¯s, children¡¯s, why does Kervin have all of these stashed in his house?


    I wrap the first sheet on the bed around me and prepare to use my spell. I¡¯ve used the spell so much I can cast it after only a few seconds.


    I start but pause my casting soon after. I haven''t tried to improve my three spells in a long time. Their mana cost reduces as I level my mana related skills, but I haven''t tried improving my use of the spell since my skill levels were much lower.


    Let¡¯s see if I can figure out a way to boost my spell somehow.


    I start casting my spell again, but this time I recite it slowly. I focus on how my mana moves through my body and out through my skin. Using Mana Manipulation, I help the spell structure itself around my body, reducing the cost I used to pay when I first learned the spell.


    When my spell finally activates, I notice the spell converts the mana surrounding me into the glow I¡¯m used to. The area the spell cleans is bigger than the mana I have surrounding me.


    Maybe I can increase the mana surrounding me and use Mana Manipulation to help the spell form despite covering a larger area than intended.


    A huge smile crosses my face; I have to try it!


    I change out the sheet wrapped around me, so even if the spell doesn¡¯t work as intended, I¡¯ll still clean a part of my bed.


    I move to the center of the room and start casting my cleaning spell again.


    ¡°Ahyt,¡± I gather 200 mana just underneath my skin.


    ¡°ls,¡± I expel the mana out of my body and keep it close, so it doesn¡¯t disperse into the surrounding space.


    ¡°Weem,¡± I use Mana Manipulation to structure my magic just like the spell does typically only this time, I make it eleven times bigger.


    ¡°Appiss!¡± The spell completes itself, and the mana structure the spell and I created ignites into a dazzling display of light that fills the room. Everything starts to flake apart, and countless black specks fall to the floor.


    I feel a shift in my soul, and I immediately spot the difference. The experience surrounding my soul increased quickly from leveling three of my skills at once.


    Cleaning (LV51) (12%)


    Mana Manipulation (LV54) (0%)


    Empowered Spell (LV2) (3%)


    Cleaning finally passed its test, and I gained a new tier 4 magic skill!


    The room''s air is no longer stuffy, and the wooden walls look like they were just processed. The ground is covered in the residue of my skill.


    I¡¯m so happy that it worked!


    Now I just need to shake everything out and sweep everything up.


    I move over to the bed and shake off the remaining sheets. Once I''m sure none of the black flakes remain, I remake the bed. Next, I shake out every piece of clothing and throw it on top of the clean bed. I wipe off a nightstand, which was the only other piece of furniture in the room.


    A massive pile of clothes is covering my bed, but now nothing is on the floor. Sweeping up the remaining mess is easy, and I use the rag to make sure nothing remains.


    Now that everything''s cleaned, I move all the clothes back onto the floor, leaving enough room for me to sit down and have enough space for folding everything. I place the broom and bucket full of black sludge in a corner to deal with later.


    Basking in the success of my skills, I enter a light meditation while folding the clothes into neat piles. My high Dexterity makes the task super easy.


    If my mother could see me now, she would be so proud of my cleaning OCD.


    I think it¡¯s safe to say I¡¯ve been officially brainwashed over the years.


    <hr>


    After everything was folded and stacked against one of the walls, I moved to my bed and entered a deep meditative state. Using Extract Mana, I absorbed mana from the atmosphere to increase my regain speed.


    The only reason I''m stopping is that someone came up and knocked on my door. ¡°Miss Aaliyah, may I come in?¡± I hear Lurte ask through the door.


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed. ¡°You can open the door but don¡¯t walk in,¡± I instruct him.


    Lurte pushes my door open, and his eyes become the size of dinner plates when he sees how clean my room is.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡± I ask him, reminding him he came to ask me something.


    ¡°Reel returned; we were asked to take you to meet the regional director as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± I ask in astonishment.


    ¡°Yes, the others are waiting for us downstairs.¡± Lurte moves to the side, making room for me to pass him.


    I slip on my shoes and grab my sword and coin pouch. ¡°Is it ok for me to walk around with my sword?¡± I ask Lurte, who''s patiently waiting for me.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to carry it with you, but there are consequences if you draw it without a good reason,¡± He informs me.


    I walk out of my room, and Lurte closes the door for me. We make our way downstairs, and I activate Mana Skin again before we step outside the house.


    Kervin and Ryiba look surprised to see me clean, while Reel gives me a knowing look. Reel also looks like he¡¯s straightened up since I last saw him. Does he know a cleaning spell as well? I know he''s here to spy on me, but maybe I can extract a new spell from him if I¡¯m careful.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Kervin asks me.


    "I''m ready, but I thought we were meeting your supervisor tomorrow." I give him a questioning look.


    "Apparently he was expecting us," Kervin gives a sidelong glance to Reel. "Not only do they have a variety of materials set aside for you to look at, but we were also invited to dinner afterwards.¡±


    I take a quick glance at Reel as well. How is he communicating with Silver Herd? Maybe one of his magic tools works like a cell phone?


    I look back at Kervin, "Please tell me we''re walking. I don''t think I can spend another minute in that cart anymore.¡±


    "Don''t worry; it would take too long to hookup the bivol. Our local headquarters is only a fifteen-minute walk from here.¡± Kervin assures me.


    We set out with Reel taking position in front of us while I walk next to Kervin in the middle. Lurte and Ryiba walk behind us, completing our little formation.


    Walking on the sidewalk is much more interesting than riding in the cart. Every food and produce stall we pass allows me to see new foods that I''ve never tried before.


    I can see inside the shops we pass, and I regret that we don''t have the time to window-shop. Tailors with colorful designs on their walls, I see a pair of boots inside a cobbler''s shop that immediately draws my attention; I touch my coin pouch strapped to my side and remember most of my money is tied up with Kervin.


    Maybe I should check his house to see what he has before I leave.


    That reminds me, "Hey, Kervin, why do you have so much stuff in your house?" I ask him the question that¡¯s been nagging me ever since I stepped inside his front door.


    "All that ''stuff'' as you call it, is an investment." I resist the urge to call him a hoarder. He continues to explain, "When I was making my rounds to different towns, I would keep an eye out for any deals I could find. Sometimes I would have a bad run and wouldn''t sell as many goods as I should''ve; instead of reporting the bad news to Silver Herd and hurting my reputation with the company, I would purchase my goods at the company¡¯s bottom line and store them in my house. I wait for prices to shift for certain commodities and resell them for a profit.¡±


    That does sound like investing; only he¡¯s working with actual goods instead of stocks. But wait, ¡°That¡¯s cool, but what are you going to do now that you¡¯re only doing deliveries to my village and the army?¡±


    Kervin almost trips over his own feet, and a look of realization crosses his face. His plan would''ve worked if he kept his route, but now that he''s only selling to the army and my village, those goods will probably waste away before he gets the chance to sell them. Our village doesn''t need that many supplies, and over half of what people buy from Kervin are mostly perishables. I¡¯m sure the army isn¡¯t interested in the hundreds of plates he has stacked in his kitchen.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you sell it back to Silver Herd?¡± I ask


    ¡°I would lose too much money if I did that.¡± Kervin hangs his head in despair.


    ¡°You should have a yard sale,¡± I suggest without thinking.


    ¡°A what?¡± Kervin gives me a confused look.


    Are yard sales not a thing here? I try to play it off like I just came up with the idea. "Well, I was thinking why not wait until spring and try to sell a bunch of items in front of your house."


    ¡°How would that work?¡± Kervin eagerly asks me. I notice Reel looking over his shoulder, listening in on our conversation.


    I doubt the concepts of yard sales will break this world, so I better explain the idea to Kervin. "You put up signs around your neighborhood saying you''re selling a lot of random cheap items. You fill your yard with goods and let people look through everything. You let them haggle you down to prices cheaper than they could find in a store. Seeing such an assortment of goods at low prices will bring others in, and you''ll be able to empty your house without losing too much money."


    Kervin looks at me like I sprouted another head. ¡°That¡¯s an amazing idea,¡± He exclaims.


    Kervin would be able to open a convenience store with everything he has in his house. Now that I think about it, I haven''t seen any general goods stores. Every shop is focused on a single type of goods.


    Kervin and I continue to talk about my yard sale idea, going back and forth, discussing the concept''s peculiarities, helping us to pass the time.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Reel announces while we¡¯re deep in conversation.


    We¡¯re stopped directly outside a building even bigger than the inns we¡¯ve passed on the street.


    Made mostly from stone and large logs, the building dwarfs the surrounding competition. If the size wasn''t intimidating enough, the building screams excess money. This is the first building I¡¯ve seen that has glass windows. Both the wood and stone have designs etched in them, and I also sense an excess amount of mana contained in the building.


    I don''t think the whole building is enchanted, but I''m sure some of the rooms are.


    Reel moves off to the side so that Kervin can take the lead from here on out. I follow a few steps behind him and prepare myself to meet Kervin¡¯s supervisor.

 Ch: 53

    As I trail behind Kervin, we reach the double doors making up the entrance to Silver Herd¡¯s Drey branch. Both doors are made from thick slabs of wood with no seams, indicating the doors were cut from a huge tree. Carved into the doors are etchings of bivol pulling wagons.


    The bivol in the design is inlaid with a silvery metal that I haven''t seen before. Sense Mana tells me the metal isn''t silver itself, but I wouldn''t put it past the person who designed this building to use precious metals to make a statement.


    Once we¡¯re a few feet from the doors, they swing open. With Sense Mana, I watch two figures hidden out of sight on the inside pull open the doors. I wonder what skill they used to know when people are approaching the door?


    We enter a large reception area that further shows off the company''s wealth, polished wooden flooring instead of stone, smooth plaster walls, all lit up with a magical chandelier overhead. Cushioned chairs are tastefully set aside for when people need to wait around, accented by potted plants that look tropical. Each feature seems to be designed to capture the eye¡­ and draw your attention away from the guards watching your every move.


    Two, five, six, and the two men who opened the door are armed as well. All of them are decked-out from head to toe in clean, black hide armor. I¡¯m tempted to look at their levels.


    ¡°Welcome to Silver Herd Trading Company¡¯s Drey branch. How may I help you?¡± A bubbly female voice pulls my attention away from the hired muscle and to the front of the room.


    I see three women behind a reception desk, the one in the middle has stood up to address us while the other two continue to work.  All three receptionists are wearing tailored dresses, and I notice they all have small amounts of makeup.


    The receptionist who greeted us looks like she''s about to say her next prerecorded line, but she stops when she gets a better look at Kervin. "Oh, if it isn''t Kervin. Back again to talk to Mr. Grey? And who is this young lady?¡±


    Her trained smile shifts from Kervin to me, so naturally, you''d think I was her target all along. Her smooth voice gives off a feeling of warmth that makes you want to talk to her. I''ve never encountered skills like this before, to think that they could be used in such a way.


    "Yes, I have an appointment with Mr. Grey. I was told he was expecting us." I can tell Kervin activated a few of his skills, giving the receptionist his practiced smile, bringing her attention back to him.


    ¡°I think we did receive a note about that.¡± Her eyes dart down to her desk for a split second before focusing back at Kervin. ¡°Oh yes, Mr. Grey cleared his schedule to meet with you. Your guards and¡­ I¡¯m sorry you didn¡¯t tell me who this lovely lady is.¡±


    The receptionist once again focuses on me, and I see something hidden in her eyes, the gaze of a calculating monster ready to devour its prey.


    Poor Kervin wasn¡¯t prepared for the conversation to move back to me again so soon and freezes in place.


    I don''t know what this woman is after, but she won''t get the better of me. I take a step forward, standing next to Kervin, and introduce myself. "Hello, I''m Aaliyah. Sorry for not introducing myself, uncle Kervin told me I should stay back and watch what he does." I use Acting and Charm to sell my lie further.


    ¡°He¡¯s your uncle?¡± The receptionist asks me with a surprised look on her face.


    I answer her before she turns her attention back to Kervin. ¡°Yep, I was thinking about becoming a merchant, and uncle Kervin offered to take me with him to see how it''s done." I do my best to imitate excitement.


    "But why would you want to be a merchant like your uncle when you can be a receptionist like me. You already have the smile for it." I can''t tell if she''s sincere or if she''s saying she sees through my facade.  "While your uncle talks to Mr. Grey, you can wait here in the lobby with his bodyguards, and I''ll show you who really runs this branch.¡±


    Crap, she backed me into a corner. What do I do now?


    ¡°I already informed Mr. Grey that Kervin¡¯s niece was with him. He said it was fine for her to join them.¡± Reel cuts in with the gracefulness of a politician.


    ¡°That¡¯s disappointing,¡± the receptionist pouts. ¡°Maybe next time then.¡± She switches her attention back to Kervin. ¡°You remember the way to his office, right?¡±


    ¡°I can manage. Let¡¯s go, Aaliyah.¡± Kervin quickly beckons me to follow him to a nearby hallway, desperate to leave the woman behind.


    ¡°Come back and see me again, sweety.¡± I shudder as I hear the receptionist call out to me once more before I¡¯m out of sight.


    ¡°That woman¡¯s scary,¡± I mumble under my breath. She perfectly directed the flow of the conversation even when I tried to throw a curveball in.


    Kervin is close enough to hear me. "All of Silver Herd''s lead receptionists are. They''re the company''s face, and each has to be recognized by all the branch offices and Giovanni himself before being given the position. She¡¯s in charge just as much as Regional Director Grey is.¡±


    I won''t soon forget that woman. Wait a minute. I turn to Kervin. "What was her name?" I ask him.


    Kervin only shakes his head. "I''ve been here dozens of times, and I have no idea."


    I silently follow behind Kervin.


    What is up with this company?! Nameless receptionists, spies, secret positions, is this a merchant company or the fantasy version of the CIA!


    As we are making our way through the building and climbing the third set of stairs, I work up the nerve to ask Kervin. "Is all this really necessary?"


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he looks at me over his shoulder.


    ¡°The way this company is run, why is everything so clandestine?¡± We make our way through surprisingly empty halls.


    "Silver Herd is a fast-growing company, and that makes powerful people take notice. Now that we¡¯re working with such a prominent figure in the military, we''ll be under even more scrutiny." Kervin says with a dark tone.


    ¡°You make it sound like your company is going to war.¡±


    "We''ve been at war. I''ve just been promoted to a captain and have been given a chance to see the bigger picture." Kervin replies.


    ¡°You¡¯re overexaggerating,¡± I roll my eyes at his melodrama. ¡°If a company does good business, it grows, simple as that."


    Kervin gives me a look like he¡¯s pitying my innocence. ¡°Maybe for the small businesses in the city that applies but not to a company of our size. The three big trading companies wouldn¡¯t hesitate to end us if we gave them an opening.¡±


    ¡°And you think the kingdom would let them do that to you?¡±


    Kervin stops walking and turns towards me. "The big three trading companies have been around since the kingdom was formed. In all that time, not one company has managed to reach their level. Many have come close, but all have been crushed under their boot. The families that run the big three all have noble titles. Short of them coming and killing everyone, they can get away with almost anything."


    Kervin turns back around and continues to lead me forward. I¡¯m reminded once again of the differences between this world and my old one. There''s no Federal Trade Commission here, no trademarks; everything is up for grabs for those who take it.


    That''s why Silver Herd is trying so hard to rope me in; results are the only thing that matters to them. And by the sound of it, these other companies will likely find out about me too just by my association with Silver Herd.


    We walk up one more flight of stairs and turn down a hallway that¡¯s covered in paintings. Some of the works are so detailed I¡¯d swear they were from a printer.


    At the end of the hallway lies a door with the same etchings as those on the building''s front door. A plaque on the door reads ''Regional Director Lennard Grey.''


    Kervin walks up to the door and gently knocks four times.


    "Come in, come in. I''ve been waiting for you!" I hear a man shout through the door.


    Kervin opens the door, and we walk inside a decently sized office. Sitting at a desk on the far side of the room is a man who only looks a few years older than Kervin, but he''s glowing with Vitality, so for all I know, he''s in his fifties. Grey has light brown hair cut short with a well-trimmed beard. He only looks at Kervin for a moment before he focuses on me with his sharp green eyes.


    Surrounding his desk and walls are crates with samples of ore and metals resting on top of them. I want to start picking them up and inspecting them, but Grey starts greeting us.


    ¡°Miss Aaliyah, I¡¯m so happy to have you here with us. Can I offer you some tea? I guarantee it will help with the fatigue from your travels. Would you like a cup, Max?¡±


    Who¡¯s¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± a voice answers from behind me.


    I twist around and move to draw my sword.


    With his back to the wall, a man in full metal armor is standing in a corner. I slowly move my hand away from my sword, remembering Lurte¡¯s warning from earlier.


    That was stupid of me; I curse in my head. I lost my focus and stopped using Sense Mana when I was talking to Kervin. I should''ve scanned the room before I ever entered.


    I immediately reactivate my skill and scan my surroundings while Grey starts pouring tea. If everyone in the room wasn¡¯t secretly watching me, I would kick myself.


    Grey has two magical signatures on his person, one already activated. He¡¯s wearing a pendant that masks the magic around him, much like Reel¡¯s ring. Grey also has a magic ring that doesn¡¯t appear activated.


    Grey''s bodyguard has three different magic items on his person. His chest piece and sheathed sword are both magic items, and he''s also wearing a pendant that''s supposed to hide the mana around his body.


    I also see two enchantments hidden in the wall behind Grey''s desk; one is inert while the other is heating the room.


    On top of Grey''s desk are a variety of small magic tools. I see a firebox which he was using to heat his tea kettle. There''s a pen looking magical tool, and Grey has a metal cube that¡¯s linked to the ball of light hovering underneath the ceiling.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The last magical signatures in the room are inside Grey¡¯s desk. What drew my attention to the desk is that a part of it was obscured from my senses. I focus on the area my skill is having trouble piercing, and slowly I''m able to look at what''s hidden inside. The shielded cubby is concealing a magic tool identical to the one inside Reel''s pocket.


    That must be how they¡¯re contacting one another. Depending on the range, Reel might have contacted Grey before we even left the village. That¡¯s how they were able to prepare everything before we got here.


    If I take all the magic tools at face value, I''ve learned a few curious things. Though Grey has a lot of simple magical tools in his office, it''s his bodyguard Max that is the best equipped. And if I follow that logic, Reel is even more important than either of them or at least in more danger than they are.


    "I''m sorry Max startled you; sometimes he scares even me when he remains silent for too long. He meant nothing by it,¡± Grey reassures me with a grin.


    "I''m sure he didn''t; thank you for welcoming me." Yeah, right; didn¡¯t mean anything my ass! I smile back at him.


    ¡°Here, try this, it¡¯s jazel-berry tea. The perfect thing to soothe sore muscles." He stands up and offers me a teacup.


    I take the offered drink and marvel at the wave design on the porcelain cup before I go to take a sip.


    I bring the cup up to my lips and freeze when I realize Grey hasn''t offered a cup to Kervin yet and hasn''t picked up his own. There isn''t something wrong with the tea, is there?


    No, they wouldn¡¯t do something like that. Grey can''t jeopardize our relationship while I''m handling the general''s orders. I tilt my head back and sip the purple tea.


    I can feel the tea as it travels down my throat and into my stomach; a gentle warmth slowly spreads throughout my body, wiping away a part of my traveling fatigue. "This is really good," I tell Grey, who smiles at my response.


    Now that I¡¯ve tried the tea, Grey holds a cup out for Kervin to take without asking if he wants any. Kervin politely takes the cup and starts sipping.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have any place for you to sit. I needed to make room for all the materials.¡± Grey motions to everything strewn around his office.


    I start walking around, looking at all the materials in front of me. ¡°You couldn¡¯t put them in a nearby room, or we could¡¯ve gone to the warehouse directly?¡±


    "I mean no offense, Miss Aaliyah, but this is the first time we''ve met. Few are allowed in our sealed warehouse for security reasons." Grey continues to smile at me.


    I calmly take another sip of my tea. ¡°Well, I should thank you then, for bringing everything to me.¡± I offer some lip service.


    I move over to a crate with a brown ingot placed on top of it and shift the lid. Inside the box are rock samples that match the color of the ingot.


    ¡°We did our best to select tier 3 and 4 materials, and matched the ore samples with their processed counterparts.¡± Grey brags about the effort he put into this display.


    I will admit it makes this more manageable for me. I close the lid of the crate and pick up the brown ingot. It''s a good thing I recovered some of my mana after cleaning my room. I pour a minuscule amount of my mana into the metal to better look at its structure.


    Whatever the metal is called, it has a much purer earth mana concentration even compared to regular minerals. It almost looks like a cross between iron and magicite. It seems stronger than most materials I''ve worked with, but I shake my head in disappointment and put it back down.


    "Is something the matter, Miss Aaliyah?" Grey asks from his desk, clearly wondering why I have a displeased look on my face. "Critidem is a popular metal for magic weapons near the capital.¡±


    "I can tell it''s a good metal, but that''s not why I was disappointed." I move over to the next crate and pick up another ingot, only to have my frown deepen further.


    "Could you explain to me what''s wrong? Maybe I can help you if I know the problem?" Grey finally moves out from behind his desk and stands next to Kervin. He genuinely looks like he wants to help me, but that could be a skill for all I know.


    ¡°I doubt that¡¯s possible,¡± I say as I scan the closest materials.


    "Could you tell us why?" Kervin steps in, "If I''m to get you more materials in the future, I need you to tell me what I''m supposed to look for."


    Kervin doesn''t appear to notice, but Grey is giving him a curious look.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the skills,¡± I flat-out tell him. I pick up the silvery metal ingot I was just examining and walk over to the two merchants. ¡°Tell me everything you can about this,¡± I challenge the both of them.


    Kervin flounders, but Grey steps forward and gently takes the ingot out from my hands. He scrutinizes the metal and periodically flips it around. "Bashite, water attuned metal. It¡¯s soft and easy to work with. Discovered by Elizial Bash sometime a thousand years ago. Ore sells for 4 gold for a hundred pounds or 8 gold for a ten-pound ingot.¡± Grey confidently spouts off a few facts regarding the metal before handing it back to me.


    ¡°I can learn that in time,¡± Kervin quickly tells me, not wanting to be outdone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± I stop Kervin from worrying. ¡°95% of what he just told me was useless." Both Kervin and Grey look dumbfounded at me, and I hear a chuckle from Max in the corner.


    I hold the ingot up and explain to them, ¡°The only useful information he told me was it¡¯s water attuned, soft, and how much it costs, and that information would only cover my broadest searches. I doubt either of you could tell me how good the metal is by yourselves.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kervin asks me before Grey can.


    ¡°If I¡¯m buying already smelted ingots, I¡¯m buying another person¡¯s mistakes along with the metal.¡±


    Grey steps in when he hears me question the quality of his goods. ¡°I assure you, Miss Aaliyah, that we only buy expensive materials like these from reputable dealers. These ingots were all smelted with the utmost care."


    "I believe you," I say to him before he comes to the wrong conclusion. "It''s a decent bar of metal, no major fractures, and the metal looks like it was heated properly."


    ¡°But?¡± Grey urges me to continue.


    I sigh, ¡°But when it comes to the standards I need, it has some major problems. It has no major fractures, but I can see three microfractures that would jeopardize the internal structure when subjected to the forces a woman like General Pitz is famous for.¡± Both men open their mouths in disbelief.


    "And that isn''t all," I continue to explain. "The internal mana structure has been damaged. Most likely, the metal wasn''t folded right, or something happened in the cooling process; either way, it won''t channel mana as effectively as it should.¡±


    A silence falls over the room.


    Grey stares at the ingot in my hand. ¡°You can see all that by just picking it up?¡±


    I knew coming here that I would face this problem. I need to display a part of my abilities without giving everything away, so that they know I''m as good as they think I am.


    If I undersell myself, they¡¯ll think they can walk all over me.


    But if I give away too many of my secrets, then they¡¯ll tighten their hold on me.


    ¡°I was blessed with a good skill, that¡¯s all I¡¯ll say.¡± I evenly look into Grey¡¯s eyes.


    "Fair enough," He peacefully backs down. "If we factor in your requirements, are any of these ingots useful to you?" He doesn''t try to extract any more information from me and moves on.


    ¡°They¡¯re not completely useless,¡± I move to put the ingot back from where I got it and move on to the next one. ¡°With the final products here, I can test the processed metal and decide which ores I need. Mr. Grey appears to know a few particulars of each of the metals, can you help me narrow down my search?¡±


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    I look back at the man. "I need a really strong metal for the arrowhead, a strong yet flexible metal for the shaft, and a few magical beast feathers that are durable. I''ve seen what my arrows can do in the hands of a level 50 archer, and the general told Kervin that my arrows were good enough for someone around level 75. I need materials that won''t break after being launched from a bow using over 200 Strength."


    Mr. Grey rubs his upper lip. "I can think of a few strong metals for the arrowhead, and I have a few feathers from an earth attuned magic beast, but all the strong materials I can think of for the arrow shaft aren''t that flexible.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the arrowhead then,¡± I tell Grey.


    ¡°Give me a moment to gather them.¡± I watch Mr. Grey move around his office and grab three different ingots and a pitch-black stone the size of a large fruit.


    He places the samples on a crate next to me and proceeds to order them to a standard that only makes sense to him. He points at the first ingot, which is dark grey in color. "These are the four best metals I could think of, all earth attuned. I ordered them from the most popular to the least. The first one we have is called Qucroyntine. Mined not too far away, Qucroyntine is the cheapest and most used metal for higher tired smiths around here.¡±


    I pick up the ingot, and Grey waits for me to examine it myself. I don''t have many examples of magic metals, so I compare it to the fire iron I used to make my sword. The mana inside the ingot is slower moving, indicative of earth mana, but at the same capacity as the fire iron. I need to quantify how well these metals absorb my mana, so I''ll again use my sword as an example. I''ll give my sword a four in mana absorption, and by comparison, the qucroyntine is only a three, maybe a three and a half if I¡¯m generous.


    I set the ingot down, and Grey continues. "Next is the critidem, comparable to qucroyntine, only more expensive because it isn¡¯t local.¡±


    Even though I already examined it earlier, I rate the critidem like I did the qucroyntine. Internal mana is slightly more than the Qucroyntine, but the mana conductivity is at a four, making it slightly better.


    I put the critidem ingot back down, and Grey explains the next one. "Third is otrum, a tier 4 metal, unlike the first two. I grabbed this one because blacksmiths use it to craft expensive hammers.¡±


    As soon as I pick up the reddish metal, I know I can''t use it. The ingot is 25% bigger than the other two but over twice as heavy. An arrowhead needs durability, but I can''t make it too heavy, or it won¡¯t fly properly. Even so, I take note of its mana''s quality. Otrum contains 30% more mana than fire iron, and when I pour my mana into it, it''s absorbed with ease. I''d rate its mana conductivity at a six and a half.


    It really is a shame that it¡¯s too heavy, I complain to myself as I set it back down.


    ¡°I brought you the last sample more because I want your opinion on it. It was pulled from the ground in a mana intensive area and sold to my branch a few years ago. According to our appraisers, it''s a tier 4 ore chunk, and it''s extremely durable. We had a smith struggle to break a chunk off to test, only to learn it melts at over 2000¡ãC.¡±


    Mr. Grey reaches into his pocket and hands me a coin-sized chunk of black metal. As soon as it''s dropped into my hand, I can tell the metal is leagues above anything I''ve ever worked with before. Its internal mana structure is messy, but the small chunk of metal in my hand has half the mana as my entire sword does.


    I try to feed the black metal my mana, and it absorbs it like a sponge, a solid nine in magic conductivity.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Mr. Grey asks me.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say,¡± I playfully reply. ¡°How much are you selling this for?¡± I place my hand on the rock, not wanting to let it go.


    Grey glances at the rock and gives me a merchant¡¯s smile. ¡°I hear you make interesting arrowheads that you can unscrew from their shafts. How many do you think you can make from that chunk of stone?¡±


    I''m not surprised he knows about my arrow design, but where is he going with this?


    I scan the ore with Sense Mana to see how much of the ore sample is waste rock. Comparing the mana inside the ore to the chunk of metal in my hands gives me a rough estimate. ¡°I¡¯d say seven if I¡¯m being conservative.¡±


    ¡°How about we trade?¡± Grey makes me a proposition. ¡°This has been sitting around in our storage for years now. You can have the ore, but once you''re done with the general''s order, you make us three arrowheads in exchange.¡±


    He wants something he can sell, and he knows I''ll need every one of the arrowheads in the future. If the general likes the arrow, she''ll want more. The first four would be fine, but to make the last three, I would need to renegotiate with Grey again after their worth is proven. Just because he wants to hand me the ore for free doesn''t mean I won''t pay for it later.


    "Counteroffer," I try to show him I won¡¯t be taken lightly. ¡°I take the ore, and you give me a discount on the other supplies I need. And after I make the first arrow for the general, I make the next two for you.¡±


    ¡°Hugh,¡± Grey thinks it over for a minute before answering. "Wasn''t your budget a large gold coin? I don''t think you''ll make any profit if you use materials like this." He looks at the dark ore.


    "I don''t need to make a profit on this arrow; I just need to break even or go a little over budget." I confidently state. "If she gets an arrow that she can readily use, it would be impossible for her not to order more. Kervin can tell her we spent more than we planned on the project, but we won''t charge more than the quoted budget of 10 gold coins to earn goodwill. It would give her two reasons to be happy with the order and hint that we''ll have to charge more in the future." I lay out my strategy.


    Kervin''s eyes widen at the implications, but Mr. Grey''s reaction is more subdued. "That is an excellent idea, but I don''t want to rush you making our arrows. Instead of the first two you make after the general''s order; I''d prefer the last two. Agree to that, and we have a deal."


    He¡¯s good. The more I work with the new materials and practice; the higher my skills will rise. The first arrows may sell the easiest, but the last ones will be the best and worth more.


    ¡°You¡¯ll give me a good deal on the materials?¡± I raise my eyebrow.


    ¡°The best,¡± Grey confidently replies. ¡°Let me grab the feathers I know you¡¯ll love.¡± He moves over to a different part of the room and picks up three feathers.


    Like a jewelry salesman, he brings the feathers over and shows them off with his hands. ¡°These are Fechin feathers. The birds nest in old mines and are notorious for their defensive plumage. When people hunt them, they die from internal wounds before their feathers are pierced. They''re used in middle-class jewelry because of their appearance."


    I have to agree with Grey; the feathers do look amazing. I pick one up to study it better. The brown feathers have lines that look like a quartz vein you''d find in a mine. The internal mana structure is good, and it¡¯s a solid four for mana conductivity.


    ¡°Can I stress test the feather?¡± I ask Grey.


    ¡°If it¡¯s only one, do what you have to,¡± He readily permits me to beat the hell out of the feather.


    First, I try bending the feather in half. Even with my Strength stat, the feather does a remarkable job of resisting me. Next, I try pulling out individual sections of the feather and encounter the same resistance. It will be hard to work with it, but the feathers should hold up better than my melted carapace fletching.


    ¡°How much for each feather?¡± If they¡¯re cheap enough, I might start using them, so I can reduce the amount of carapace I¡¯m going through.


    ¡°4 silver coins for a feather,¡± I frown at his price. ¡°You should be happy Fechin are hunted solely for their feathers,¡± He tells me.


    I curse in my head. He did say they were used in jewelry. Kervin still doesn¡¯t know how much he should charge for my arrows. If I used these feathers in my arrows, it would bump up their price by at least 6 silver, and for my usual arrows, I don''t think that''s worth it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need ten to work with,¡± I put the mutilated feather down. ¡°Only the best ones,¡± I joke.


    ¡°That should be easy. Now, what do you want to do about the arrow¡¯s shaft?¡± Grey brings us to the hardest part of the problem.


    ¡°Show me every metal you have that¡¯s attuned to earth mana.¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡± Grey asks for conformation, looking around his office.


    ¡°All of them. I hope you¡¯re not hungry; this might take a while." I smirk at Grey. It was his idea to have us come right away. I hope he doesn''t go back on our dinner plans.


    <hr>


    "I thought you were joking that it would take you a while," Grey complains from behind his desk.


    Kervin is sitting on a crate, and even Max is starting to tilt in his corner.


    "You''re the one that wanted to appear all-knowing and invited us here as soon as we made it into the city." I give him a sly grin and turn back to the two ingots in front of me. These two samples are all that remains after me whittling down my choices.


    I started with a modest seventeen different ingots attuned to earth mana. Five weren¡¯t strong enough for my purposes, three had horrible internal mana levels, and another five had a mana conductivity of four or below.


    That left me with four samples I needed to test.


    After borrowing a hammer and seeing how they react to my strikes, I picked the two best metals I think could work for the arrow shaft.


    The one on the right is a tannish-yellow colored metal called kaglese, while the one on the left has the same color as sand and is called baprese. The kaglese has more flex than the baprese but doesn¡¯t have as good a magic conductivity.


    I have to decide which I should go with.


    If I pick the kaglese the arrow will fly better but won¡¯t be as receptive to magic as the baprese. Both are better than my steel alloy, but I can''t predict what the general would prioritize.


    Screw it, I''m hungry, and I can''t stare at these all night, no matter how much I want to.


    ¡°I made my decision,¡± I tell the room. Grey and Kervin sit up in anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ll take the kaglese ore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. How much ore do you need?¡± Grey happily asks.


    "Which crate is it?" Grey points at a box reasonably close to me. As I pry off the lid, I ask him, "You charge by the weight, right?"


    ¡°Yes, kaglese costs 7 gold coins per hundred pounds of ore." Hearing that makes me suspicious.


    I open the crate Grey indicated and pull out a few chunks of kaglese ore. I don''t need much to make the arrow shaft, and on paper 7 gold coins for a hundred pounds of ore is a steal. If only the ore in front of me wasn¡¯t complete shit.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± Mr. Grey asks.


    ¡°This is the worst ore I can possibly imagine,¡± I hold up a chunk for him and Kervin to see. ¡°Over 99% of this rock is waste material. Do you know how long it will take me to process enough for me to craft the arrow shaft?¡±


    ¡°Kaglese is known to be labor-intensive to process; you can always shift to the baprese.¡± Grey sighs when he sees my indecision.


    I stare down at the samples in the crate and notice a chunk a third the others'' size in the corner of the box. I pick up the sample and realize I might have found a solution. "Do you have more kaglese in your storage?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Grey replies, looking confused by my question.


    ¡°Can you have more brought here tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°I can, but why?¡± He looks at me like he¡¯s trying to figure out a puzzle he can¡¯t see.


    ¡°If you¡¯re charging by weight, it should be fine if I pick which chunks of ore I want.¡± Grey and Kervin don¡¯t seem to understand what I¡¯m implying. I hold up the smaller chunk of kaglese in my right hand and the normal piece of ore in my other hand. ¡°This smaller piece of ore has 10% more kaglese in it than the larger chunk. I need to carry my supplies back with me, and I rather get more for my coin while I''m at it." I smirk at the two men.


    Mr. Grey gives me a slow clap like a B-movie villain. ¡°Your skills are truly amazing. I¡¯ll have my people take back everything you don¡¯t need and bring over the rest of the kaglese. We¡¯ll discuss the price tomorrow after you pick out the samples you want.¡±


    Grey stands up and starts walking over to his door. ¡°Let¡¯s go to dinner, my treat. I¡¯m sure poor Alizio is wondering why I haven¡¯t shown up for my reservation.¡± He grumbles to himself.


    Grey politely rushes us, and I can''t blame him; I''m starving too. This will be the first time I¡¯ll be going to a restaurant since I was reborn.


    I hope Mr. Grey is prepared for what¡¯s about to happen.


    I¡¯m going to order one of everything!

 Ch: 54

    ¡°May I get you something to drink?¡± Our waiter asks everyone at the table.


    ¡°Bring us a bottle of dragon blood wine and your freshest juice for the lady.¡± Mr. Grey orders for the table.


    ¡°Right away, Master Grey.¡± Our waiter gives us a crisp bow and leaves our private room.


    ¡°Is this the first restaurant you¡¯ve been to?¡± Grey asks from across the table.


    "The first one ever since I was born," I make sure to phrase it like that in case he has a lie-detecting skill.


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re curious about?¡± Grey continues to make small-talk.


    "The man brings us drinks and food; then you pay him, it isn''t the most complicated profession in the world." I give him a look that says, ''I''m not a child.''


    Grey laughs, ¡°That¡¯s what would happen outside; this is a private room. Instead of picking between the daily options, we¡¯ll be trying everything in small courses.¡± Dang it, I wanted to see the look on his face when I ordered everything on the menu.


    A knock comes from the door, and after three seconds, our waiter comes in, expertly balancing a tray with two jugs and seven wine glasses on top of one of his hands. The man dances around our table, gracefully placing a wineglass in front of each of us before he sets the two jugs in the center of our table with lightning-fast movements, all without spilling a drop.


    "The dragon blood is in the jug on the right, and we have our house juice blend next to it. Does anyone need anything else?" Our waiter scans each of our faces with a professional smile.


    ¡°Everything should be fine. I¡¯d like some privacy until the food is ready.¡± Grey once again answers for the table.


    ¡°Of course, you can signal for me if anything changes.¡± Our server bows again and quickly retreats from the room.


    This restaurant is so fancy. The walls of our room are plastered, and tasteful artwork is hung symmetrically on each wall. Our chairs have cushions that are softer than my bed at home, and the staff all look professional.


    Grey reaches for the jug of wine and pours the deep red liquid into his glass before handing it to Max, who''s sitting next to him.


    I grab the other pitcher and fill my glass; as soon as it''s full, I take a sip of the pink juice. An incredible array of blended flavors lights up my taste buds, and I can''t help but smile.


    "Do you like the juice?" Grey asks me while swirling his beverage in his hand. "Alizo has a room enchanted to help preserve his ingredients. You won¡¯t find fresher juice for at least another two months.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I say before taking another drink.


    ¡°This place is known for having the best food and wine in Drey,¡± Grey continues to boast.


    "In that case, I should ask for another glass so I can try the wine,¡± I remark.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s blood wine is meant for high-leveled people and seasoned drinkers. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re old enough to handle such a drink and especially not with you leaving tomorrow.¡± Grey acts like he¡¯s an uncle admonishing a niece.


    "I''ll have you know; I''m old enough to¡­" I stop myself before let my age slip.


    Narrowing my eyes, I wag a finger at Grey. ¡°Nice try,¡± I enunciate each word. I turn my head away from him and change the subject. ¡°How long until dinner arrives?¡±


    Grey sighs in defeat. ¡°You know, you¡¯re not making this easy for me.¡±


    I look back at him with a confused face. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to be nice, yet you haven¡¯t lowered your guard since you entered my office. What am I supposed to tell headquarters after you leave? She''s good at examining materials; I''ll be laughed at if I can only tell them that."


    I''m shocked by his sudden candid nature. Why is he telling me this? I quickly scan the room with Sense Mana to make sure there are no abnormalities, but other than noting the thick walls and magic items on his person, I can''t see anything that would explain why Grey would suddenly open up.


    "There isn''t anything hidden in the room; you can relax. Alizio has earned his clienteles trust; no one will interrupt us until the food is ready.¡± Grey reassures me after noticing that I¡¯m examining the room.


    I look away from Grey and take note that I¡¯m not the only one surprised by his candid attitude. Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba look just as shocked as I am, and Reel is watching like this is an entertaining play.


    I face Grey and try to harden my expression. "And? Do you think it''s my problem? We aren''t friends; you''ve been trying to extract information from me ever since you meet me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Grey nods his head like he didn¡¯t just admit to secretly watching me. ¡°I was told you could be quite defensive, but I underestimated your paranoia.¡±


    My jaw drops in disbelief.


    "You''re leaving tomorrow, and I haven''t learned anything of significance. My previous tries proved useless, so I decided to try a different approach. I''m sure you have your own questions, so why don''t we make it a game. We take turns asking each other questions, and if we can''t answer, we merely need to say pass."


    ¡°And you¡¯ll skip any questions that mean anything, making the whole thing pointless,¡± I challenge back.


    "You can ask me the first few questions if you''d like? I¡¯m sure my answers will show my sincerity.¡± Mr. Grey takes a swig of his wine, looking confident.


    Everyone in the room is watching the two of us.


    ¡°And you¡¯re fine with Kervin listening in?¡± I remind him that there are other people in the room besides us.


    ¡°That¡¯s a weird first question, but I¡¯ll answer it all the same. Max is my personal bodyguard; I trust him with my life. Kervin is an employee of Silver Herd and has Reel watching his every move; if he starts spilling secrets, he¡¯ll be taken care of along with his bodyguards. That means everything we say in this room will strictly stay between my boss and us; I''d stake my life on it."


    I can''t believe he just said that! I look over at Kervin to see him and his two bodyguards looking at Reel like he''s holding a knife to their throats. He just blatantly stated they''re disposable.


    "What else?" Grey pulls my attention back to him, uncaring how he just spread turmoil throughout the room.


    He was able to answer that question because it didn''t pertain to him. Let''s see how he answers a question no one would answer. "All right then, what¡¯s your level and stat build?¡± I give him a smug look.


    There¡¯s no way he would¡­


    "I''m level 57, and most of my status points went into Vitality and Mind," He tells me without hesitation. ¡°Something else you¡¯re curious about?¡± Mr. Grey sips his wine, looking like he hasn¡¯t a care in the world.


    I underestimated this man. I was so sure that he wouldn¡¯t give me any useful information.


    I bite my lip in frustration. A part of me wants to take Mr. Grey up on his offer, but another part of me is skeptical if I can genuinely trust anything he says.


    While I¡¯m debating the merits of continuing Grey¡¯s game, he sits comfortably in his chair, waiting for me to ask another question. I decide the payoff is worth the risk and continue asking him questions. I use my third question to ask something that¡¯s been making me worried for a while now. ¡°How much danger am I in for working with Silver Herd?¡±


    Mr. Grey leans back in his chair and folds his hands in front of him. "That''s an excellent question. I could lie and tell you everything will be fine, but I''d doubt you''d believe me. The truth is, right now, you''re in little to any real danger. Our competitors are no doubt focusing on the war."


    He looks at me with a serious expression. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s only right now; you haven''t drawn any eyes to yourself yet. Your blacksmithing talent is incredible, but few around here could see the true value of your work. As you further improve your craft, people will start to take notice, and that¡¯s when things will get complicated.¡±


    ¡°And when they do?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Then things will get more difficult for you," Grey honestly answers me. "It will start small, people coming to meet you, you''ll definitely receive offers from influential people, and everyone will try to curry your favor. Depending on how you respond, it will take a while before people start trying to use underhanded techniques. When that happens, it will be our job to help you any way we can. If we¡¯re lucky, it will be another year before people like will start to appear. Until then, I don¡¯t see you suffering any danger from working with us.¡±


    There¡¯s a lot to unpack. He seems confident about his answer, meaning I have one more year to improve myself enough that I won¡¯t be intimidated by whoever comes looking for me.


    "I think it''s my turn now," Mr. Grey smiles at me. "Unlike you, I feel like starting out simple. My first question is how old are you?"


    ¡°You¡¯re asking how old I am?¡± I repeat in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s a valid question. Kervin has continued to remain tight-lipped about your personal details. After how you reacted to the wine issue, it made me curious. How young are you?¡±


    I''m tempted to say ''pass'' to see his reaction, but that would ruin the nature of what we have going. "I turned fifteen at the beginning of fall," I tell him.


    Mr. Grey, Max, and even Reel look at me in wide-eyed shock. Only Kervin and his bodyguards knew how young I was.


    ¡°You just turned fifteen!¡± Grey shouts in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s been five months,¡± I playfully point out while sipping my juice.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even attended your first summer solstice yet; you''re practically still a child."


    I can¡¯t help but scowl at Grey¡¯s remark. ¡°Just because I haven¡¯t had a chance to drink with the village for the first time, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a child.¡±


    Only those above the age of fifteen are allowed to attend the summer solstice banquet that takes place at the beginning of the year. The village celebrates making it through winter, and the banquet also functions as a debut for all the people who reached the age of fifteen during the previous year. Even if a family has a birthday party for someone turning fifteen, they aren¡¯t really considered an adult until the summer solstice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Grey holds up his hands in defense, clearly trying not to laugh at how worked up I am over my age.


    ¡°How old are you?!¡± I ask in my anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m seventy-six,¡± Grey answers. ¡°I believe that it¡¯s my turn again.¡± He doesn¡¯t give me time to ponder his age. ¡°What made you want to be a blacksmith?¡±


    I''m once again surprised by his question. I thought he would use this chance to ask for more personal information from me. "Why do you want to know that?"


    ¡°A lot can be learned from someone based on their career choice. You¡¯re accustomed to bartering, you can hunt magic beasts, and most importantly, you taught yourself magic. It seems you excel at everything you try, so why did you choose blacksmithing?¡±


    I know Grey just asked me a question, but he just said something important that takes precedent. "What do you mean; I taught myself magic? My master¡­"


    ¡°We already know your master can¡¯t use magic,¡± Mr. Grey cuts me off.


    "That," I can''t think of anything to say! I know I need to say something to defend Master Del, but Grey''s confident expression leaves me with no room for me to refute his claims. I ball my hands into fists to keep myself from shaking.


    ¡°Your master¡¯s circumstances don¡¯t concern me; I¡¯d much rather we talk about why you chose to be a blacksmith.¡± Grey tries to steer me back to his question.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Not until you tell me what you know about my master.¡± I lean forward and don¡¯t budge on the issue.


    Mr. Grey rubs one of his eyes. ¡°Fine, you can sit back in your chair, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± He waits for me to settle down before telling me how he has information on Master Del. ¡°Your master did business with the founder of Silver Herd before his company took off. He lost a lot of money, believing a wandering Stone-Kin happened to land in his lap. Unfortunately, your master couldn¡¯t deliver the goods that were expected of him.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it was my master and not another Stone-Kin?¡± I point out a hole in his logic.


    Mr. Grey chuckles at my question. "You''ve spent your life in a small corner of the world, so it doesn''t surprise me you don''t know how rare Stone-Kin are in these parts. Sanctioned crafters from the great mountain cities sometimes travel outside their homes, but special guards always escort them. The only Stone -Kin allowed to leave their cities unescorted are those deemed useless or ''Stripped'' in their own words. The chances that two such individuals happened to end up near here is close to zero."


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Records at the home office say the Stone-Kin went by the name Del-Razen, does that sound familiar?¡± I freeze, and my silence tells Grey everything he needs to know.


    Does that mean Silver Herd has a grudge with master!? This could be bad; I nervously rub one of my arms.


    Seeing my increasing distress, Mr. Grey reassures me that there is no bad blood between his company and master. "That all happened a long time ago, and Silver Herd is more than willing to let the past stay buried on account of our friendship. This was never something you needed to concern yourself with."


    I watch Grey take a large swig of his wine. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to our questions, of which I answered quite a few for you. I hope you¡¯ll return the favor. I¡¯d like to hear your answer now.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± As soon as I start to answer his question, I¡¯m interrupted by knocking coming from our door.


    After a few seconds, it opens, and our waiter walks in, balancing a larger tray. ¡°I have the first course for you tonight." Our server approaches the table and notices the strained look on Grey''s face. ¡°Is something the matter Mr. Grey?¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± Grey says through his teeth, unconvincingly.


    Realizing he came in at an awful moment, our waiter quickly places a small bowl of soup in front of each of us without breaking his courtesy smile. "What you have in front of you is¡­"


    "Excuse me, sir," I catch his attention before he tells us what we''re having.


    ¡°Yes, miss,¡± Our waiter asks me in a professional tone despite my interruption.


    ¡°Can you tell us what we had after you bring in the next round?¡±


    Mr. Grey and everyone else give me a questioning look, but the server''s professional smile softens and is replaced with a genuine smile. "It''s been a while since I served someone so young with the Gourmet skill.¡±


    ¡°Do people with the Gourmet skill ask you that often?¡± I curiously ask.


    ¡°Indeed, Miss. It¡¯s common for people with the skill to ask for discretion when it comes to their food. Is there anything else I can help with?¡± He surveys the table and moves to leave when no one answers. ¡°I hope you enjoy it.¡± He bows towards my direction before leaving the room once again.


    ¡°You have the Gourmet skill; how did that happen?¡± Grey sends me a questioning glance.


    ¡°Which do you want me to answer, how I got my skill, or why I chose blacksmithing?¡± I playfully grin.


    ¡°I think you can answer both after I explained so much about your master.¡± Grey retorts.


    "I got the Gourmet skill after trying to eat a giant spider in the woods, nothing too crazy." Kervin hesitates to lift a spoonful of soup to his mouth.


    I ignore the looks directed at me and try my own soup. As the spoon nears my mouth, I notice it smells like a garden in bloom. I take a bite expecting intense flavors, but instead, the soup is an ensemble of many unique mellow flavors that build off one another. This soup is delicious!


    The few holdouts at the table try their soup when they see the big grin on my face.


    ¡°To answer your other question,¡± I tell Grey in between bites, ¡°I thought it would be cool to learn blacksmithing.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡± Grey gives me a meaningful look. ¡°Most people pick a profession if they have talent in it or they enjoy it over their other options. In your opinion, what put blacksmithing over being a merchant or a mage?" Grey probes for a more profound answer.


    I take a few more bites of my soup while thinking about his question. What were the reasons I chose blacksmithing?


    When I think I have my answer, I focus back on Mr. Grey. ¡°Before I knew about enchanters, I was told mages usually have to join the army to further their craft. When I was little, I was in a hunting accident with my father, and we encountered a karhu. I ran away as my father instructed but ran right into a small group of goblins. I managed to kill them, of course, but it made me realize I don''t want my whole life to be about killing. I have no problem defending my home and family, but I didn''t want a profession where I¡¯m forced to seek out people and creatures to kill. It¡¯s more fun for me to create than destroy. Does that better answer your question?¡±


    ¡°You seemed rather eager to fight the goblins we encountered, to me,¡± Reel utters off to the side.


    Grey quirks his eyebrow at me.


    ¡°I know Reel makes a good point. As I grew stronger, I realized I want to push myself further. I know I can be a hypocrite sometimes, who isn¡¯t? Those goblins were no real threat to us, and I jumped at the chance to fight them just to relieve my boredom. I never said I was perfect," I explain to the table.


    "None of us have the right to criticize you, especially Reel." Mr. Grey sends a knowing look across the table at Reel, who ignores him in favor of his soup. He looks back at me and says, ¡°I believe it¡¯s your turn again.¡±


    I choose to try a broader question, ¡°Can you tell me anything important that I¡¯m missing?¡±


    Mr. Grey chuckles, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t count, but I¡¯ll give you something for trying. The first thing that comes to mind is that you need to hide your mana better. Even if a person can''t sense mana, there are tricks out there that tell a person if you''re a mage or not based on how much magic is leaking from your body. To the trained eye, you''re an uneducated mage with a decent mana pool.¡±


    I drop my spoon in my bowl and immediately activate Sense Mana!


    He¡¯s right!


    The natural diffusion of mana from my skin is plain for me to see, and I can see the same thing happening to Lurte, Ryiba, and Kervin. I glance around the room and notice that Reel, Grey, and Max are all shielded from my casual scan thanks to their magic tools. Only Reel and Max appear to have a talent in using mana, but Grey¡¯s magic tool obscures the mana leaking from his body. Grey might have an average-sized mana pool compared to an average person, but his magic tool hides what little he has.


    ¡°Can you help me get a magic tool like the one you guys use?¡± I quickly ask Mr. Grey.


    Mr. Grey looks at me, surprised, and raises his hand to the top of his chest where his amulet is hidden. "I forgot; I was warned you could see through obscuring magic tools.¡± He looks like he is pondering my request. ¡°I¡¯ll have a few prepared for you to look at before you leave tomorrow. We¡¯ll add the cost to your tab.¡±


    An awkward silence fills the table for a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll tell me how you¡¯re able to see through our magic tools?¡± Mr. Grey tentatively asks me.


    "Will you tell me how Reel can communicate with you?" I retort.


    ¡°I guess that means we¡¯ll each skip this round, bringing it back to me.¡± Grey doesn¡¯t appear to be too affected by me not answering his question. ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡±


    I see he¡¯s taking the same approach I did. ¡°Can you clarify your question for me, please?"


    ¡°I want to know what your short- and long-term goals are. Silver Herd can better help you if we know what you¡¯re working towards.¡±


    I haven''t really thought about my future goals before now. I''ve always found a new goal to work towards, but I''ve never really planned anything out long-term. A few knocks on our door buy me enough time to ponder the question further.


    "I brought your next round; how did you enjoy the mage''s garden soup?" Our waiter listens to everyone mutter pleasantries as he walks around the table, switching out our soup bowls for plates with meat that looks like ribs on it with a lightly toasted piece of bread next to the meat.


    Our server makes sure that I¡¯m the last one to receive the new course. After I have my new plate of food in front of me, he waits nearby, obviously wanting to hear my take on the soup. "The soup was amazing; I¡¯ve never had vegetables so well prepared before.¡± I give him a warm smile.


    ¡°The chef will be pleased,¡± He gives me a short bow before addressing the table. ¡°Is there anything else I can get for you?¡±


    A chorus of ¡®no thank you¡¯s¡¯ ring out across the table before Mr. Grey dismisses him again.


    Once the door is shut, I answer the previous question before I try my food. ¡°I guess my short-term goals are to learn enchanting and increase my skills and level before the army or someone else comes looking for me. Long-term is more difficult for me, but I think I want to travel after I know I''m strong enough. You showed me many amazing materials earlier, and I want to see where they came from for myself. I want to forge armor, weapons, and magic tools that are known across the continent.¡± I surprise not only everyone at the table with my goals but myself as well. It feels like a mental block has been removed after I clearly proclaimed what I want to do with my new life.


    ¡°Lofty goals, indeed. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to do it. Is there anything you wish to ask for, something you¡¯re missing to help with your goals?" The look in Mr. Grey''s eyes has slightly changed, like I''m no longer a talented blacksmith but something greater in the making.


    There is one thing that would immensely help me. ¡°Can you get me directions on how to make engraving ink?¡± I try asking him for the one thing that will save me weeks of trial and error.


    Mr. Grey rubs his face and sighs deeply. ¡°I thought you would ask for some ore samples or maybe a chance to examine some special magic tools. I didn''t think you would ask for something impossible like that. Enchanters keep information like that hidden from their own families; you''d have more luck asking a dragon for its treasure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the whole treasure, just a single coin,¡± I explain to him. ¡°I know I won¡¯t get the private details unless I apprentice under a master enchanter. I¡¯m asking if you can get me the general steps in making engraving ink. Like, crush eathrosse and devil''s paste, then add to water. I don''t need exact details or secret recipes; I need a starting point before I begin experimenting with the materials I bought.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything. I¡¯ll have to contact headquarters and see what we can do, but please don¡¯t get your hopes up. Let¡¯s eat while it¡¯s still hot and continue our questions later.¡± Grey picks up his bread and takes a bite.


    I look down at my food sitting in front of me. I quickly rip off a rib chunk and take a bite. My eyes roll up into my head when I taste the flavor. On the rare occasions mother had made ribs for us; she only used a fraction of the seasoning I taste with these ribs, and the warm pulses of mana I feel coming from my stomach tell me this is magic beast meat.


    A bite of the bread, and I can tell it¡¯s like a mix of sourdough and wheat flavors smothered in butter and something close to garlic.


    As soon as my budget opens up, I¡¯m having Kervin get his hands on as many seasonings as he can get.


    When everyone is almost done with their serving, Mr. Grey continues our conversation. ¡°Has your opinion of us changed at all? I would like to hope the food and conversation have earned me a smidgen of goodwill."


    ¡°Before I answer that, can I ask you one last question for the night?¡±


    ¡°Other than that one?¡± Grey jokes.


    I ignore the horrible play at humor. "Why are you and Silver Herd trying so hard? I understand why Kervin wants to work with me, profits, and all that, but sending Reel, this dinner, wanting to know my goals, I''m only one person." I slightly frown.


    The delight on Mr. Grey''s face fades away, and he gives me a severe look. "You''re the only person in this room that doesn''t understand how special you are."


    I glance around the table and notice everyone is watching me with an expression that matches Grey¡¯s.


    ¡°Your age, your level, your amazing talent with everything you do, a person like yourself comes around once every thousand years. You''re a higher level than me, and I''m over four times your age. You might be used to your master and parents telling you how talented you are, but that doesn''t do you justice. A year from now, maybe two, maybe three or more, people will know your name." The hair on the back of my neck stands up.


    ¡°You are the single greatest investment Silver Herd has ever encountered, and you don''t even realize it. You may be only one person, but in history, kingdoms have risen and fallen by the hands of one person. My boss sees your talent, I see your talent, and even the great General Emily Pitz is aware of your talent. You said it yourself; you want to forge goods that resonate throughout the kingdom, and Silver Herd wants to be the company that helps you do it." Mr. Grey fills up his glass and downs the entire contents in one big gulp.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I freeze in my seat, unable to fully comprehend what I was just told.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your answer right now,¡± Grey tells me from across the table. ¡°You can answer my question tomorrow morning; for now, let¡¯s enjoy the rest of our dinner.¡±


    <hr>


    I lay in bed back at Kervin''s house, staring up at the ceiling, stomach so full I don''t even want to roll onto my side. The rest of the dinner was terrific despite the atmosphere. We had a pot pie dish after the ribs and cookies dipped in tarick paste for dessert.


    Looking for a distraction, I pull up my full status page.


    LV: 63 Experience: 430,186/ 514,704


    Health: 2,090/2,090


    Stamina: 1,243.71/1,403


    Mana: 522.93/1,010


    Vitality: 209.00


    Endurance: 80.15


    Strength: 132.00


    Dexterity: 125.00


    Senses: 60.64


    Mind: 62.83


    Magic: 101.07


    Clarity: 75.79


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV73), Blacksmithing (LV67), Axe Skills (LV55), Hammer Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV51), Mining (LV48), Chanting (LV47), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV39), Cooking (LV38), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV30), Sword Skills (LV26), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV60), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV40), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase Price (LV17), Lower Price (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV10), Steady Hands (LV10), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV1),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV60), Mana Manipulation (LV54), Precise Strike (LV37), Double Strike (LV35), Weighted Strike (LV26), Flash Step (LV18), Contract (LV2)


    Tier 4:


    Inject Mana (LV49), Mana Skin (LV49), Mental Resistance (LV47), Extract Mana (LV28), Magic Blacksmithing (LV20), Empowered Spell (LV2)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV33)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Cleaning (LV51) 2,550exp


    Trading (LV39) 1,950


    Gourmet (LV3-7) 2,500exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV54) 8,100exp


    Empowered Spell (LV1-2) 750exp


    Skill Experience: 15,850exp


    Crafting Experience: 714exp


    Fighting Experience: 592exp


    Total experience Gained: 17,156exp


    It¡¯s only been a few days since I last checked my status page, and I haven''t done much since then, but I need something to take my mind off of what Grey said.


    Looking at the numbers almost makes me want to laugh. I earned more experience trading with Grey earlier than I did killing those goblins, and we didn''t even finalize the deal yet.


    No, stop thinking about deals with Mr. Grey, I shake my head back and forth.


    I refocus on my status page. Gourmet went up five levels after the fantastic dinner we had.


    Damn it, as soon as I think about dinner; my mind goes back to what Grey said! If I keep ignoring it, I won''t get any sleep,


    I wonder if I''m as important as he said? I don''t think of myself as someone with a big head, but I can¡¯t ignore everything he told me. According to him, my life in the village will eventually get hectic, and even if my family moves away, the same thing will only happen again as I continue to level my skills.


    Short of me turning into a hermit, I have to accept that Mr. Grey said about me was true.


    I suddenly wish I was back home to ask mother and father for their advice and maybe a hug. It seems like every day now; things are moving faster and faster.


    Tomorrow morning, I need to meet with Grey once more and immediately set out afterwards for home. If I make it back in time, I¡¯ll have about a week to forge the arrow.


    Winter should be ending soon, and the snow will start to melt in another two weeks. Brother and Sandra will be coming home, and who knows if the local lord will be sending troops to clear out the forest.


    To think it was only about six months ago, the goblin hoard was spotted in the forest.


    This pace feels normal to me now. Defending the village, improving and forging large amounts of goods, now tomorrow I¡¯ll be running a delivery with a timer over my head.


    ¡­


    And I¡¯ve never gained as much experience as I have in the last few months.


    If I¡¯m being honest with myself, I like the way things have been going. Every day is a new challenge, and every order from the general is another mountain to climb.


    In the last six months, I''ve fought incredible beasts and forged my best works ever, and with the materials tomorrow, I''ll try to forge an arrow that someone over level 100 will use.


    And if Mr. Grey is telling the truth, I''m getting the materials for a steal. I came to this city nervous about meeting the man, and my fears were well-founded. Lennard Grey is calculative, shady, and, worst of all, well informed. That said, the man answered questions that were heavily weighing on my mind. He treated our dinner like an interview, and if I weren''t experienced with the process from my past life, I wouldn''t have noticed it.


    He asked questions to judge my character and work ethic, all while up selling his company. I''ll take everything he said with a grain of salt, but I don''t think he lied to me once the whole night.


    Let¡¯s see if I have the same opinion of him after we haggle prices tomorrow.


    I pull the sheets up and close my eyes and enter my soul space. I need to rest, but I''m too excited about tomorrow. Thank the gods I can calm myself in my soul while my body relaxes.


    <hr>


    Lennard Grey¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Was everything Four told us about her true?¡± Giovanni¡¯s voice comes through my communication device.


    "Everything and then some. She puts every fifteen-year-old girl I''ve met in my life to shame." I laugh in my quiet office. Max stands perfectly still in his corner, listening through the wall, making sure no one is eavesdropping. Once Aaliyah starts turning out unique goods, I''ll be able to afford to enchant my office like Giovanni has.


    ¡°Fifteen!¡± Giovanni¡¯s surprised voice brings a bigger smile to my face.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t even attended her first Solstice party yet,¡± I tell him. I¡¯m sure he can tell I¡¯m smiling at the absurdity of it all.


    ¡°How did your meeting go?¡± He tries to steer the conversation, hoping to hide how shocked he is.


    "It was challenging, to say the least," I complain. "Even with a room full of precious materials to look over, she never let her guard down around me. I had to change tactics for our dinner, which proved much more fruitful. She''s driven, and most importantly, not filled with leveling bloodlust. If we send people to interact with her, I doubt she''d kill them even if they offended her."


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. What about her skills, could you figure anything out?¡±


    ¡°She has skills that let her see the detailed intricacy of mana inside objects. I think that¡¯s why our magic items didn¡¯t work against her and the reason she¡¯s able to teach herself enchanting.¡± I tell him my theory, making sure he knows I¡¯m doing my job.


    "That''s crazy, how many mages in the kingdom do you think have that kind of skill in seeing mana!? If you''re right, we severely underestimated her magic potential. Did she ask you for anything? If we can find a way to make her feel like she''s in our debt, the better our position will be.¡±


    ¡°She did ask for one thing,¡± I can¡¯t help but tease.


    ¡°Whatever it is, do it, no matter how difficult it might be!¡±


    ¡°She wants instructions to make engraving ink.¡± The line goes quiet. I wait for Giovanni to pick his jaw off the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing she asked for?¡± Giovanni hopefully asks.


    ¡°That and a mana shielding magic tool I already promised her,¡± I inform him. ¡°She did say she only needed an outline of the process and not an enchanter¡¯s private recipe. I warned her I couldn¡¯t make any promises and told her it would take a while.¡±


    ¡°Tell her the information will be ready in a week. Kervin can deliver it when he goes to pick up the arrow.¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± I ask


    "I''ll have to call in multiple favors, and even then, I might need to use unconventional channels, but it will be worth it. Enchanters hold a monopoly on their goods. If Aaliyah can copy runes straight from the magic tools as we believe, then we can have her replicate the items at a fraction of the cost!¡± Giovanni exceedingly shouts through our magic tools.


    ¡°She can¡¯t engrave yet,¡± I hear Marshall remind Giovanni on the other end of the line.


    Giovanni coughs, collecting himself. ¡°Did you ask her about her ties to the Panetta family?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a good time to ask her, without risking the goodwill I was earning. I¡¯ll make sure to ask tomorrow morning when her guard is lowered,¡± I inform him.


    ¡°See that you do. With all the coincidences around Spotted Creek Village, I¡¯m starting to believe the gods are playing tricks with us.¡±


    "You can count on me, boss. I''ll get the information we need." I try to sound patriotic towards Giovanni.


    "I know you will, and if something should go wrong, you can always send your lead receptionist to handle it." I grit my teeth at his suggestion.


    ¡°Do you want to hear the exact details of our dinner?¡± I asked, clenching my fists.


    ¡°No need! I¡¯ll get everything I need from Four. We''re done for tonight; contact me when she leaves for her village. Water raven taking off."


    ¡°Burning river stopping,¡± I quickly reply. The magic tool goes dark, and I hope he didn''t hear the anger behind my voice.


    ¡°I get that man the best intel he has on the girl, and he threatens me! Does he think I¡¯m afraid of that whore at the front desk!?¡± I slam my fists down onto my desk.


    I¡¯ll show him; I just need a little more time.


    I¡¯ll help the girl reach new heights and make sure she knows it¡¯s me who¡¯s really helping her. Once she grows a little more, I¡¯ll use her as a bargaining chip to get everything I deserve and more.


    I started working under his father, and my branch brings in the most income for the company, and my profits have only grown as I help manage the Teeburn deliveries.


    I¡¯ve built up everything I need in this backwater city to make my move into greener pastures, and Aaliyah is my ticket to opening the gate.

 Ch: 55

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that one.¡±


    ¡°And that piece.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good one right there,¡± I exclaim.


    I move between crates, picking out the samples of ore that have the highest content of kaglese. The size of the sample doesn¡¯t matter; as long as the rock has a higher content of the ore I need, I set it off to the side in a pile.


    Once I pick out the best samples I can find from each crate of ore, I further narrow down my ore choice so that I¡¯m taking back only the best pieces with me. I eventually end up standing over a pile of ore that weighs roughly 100 pounds.


    ¡°Are you sure that will be enough ore for you to make the general¡¯s arrow?¡± Mr. Grey asks from behind his desk.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it work,¡± I confidently proclaim. ¡°The amount of kaglese in this pile of ore is the same as three hundred pounds of the other stuff. I''m used to helping my father carry large loads of timber, but I need to be able to move fast, so I can''t carry more than a hundred and fifty pounds or so. And I¡¯m already close to that limit,¡± I look at my travel pack sitting off to the side.


    When I started this journey, my pack carried around twenty pounds of supplies; now, it bulges at the seams. Kervin took me to a stall this morning to buy more dried rations for my trip home, and he let me grab a few pairs of pants and a shirt from the clothes I folded. I ''convinced'' him that I shouldn''t have to pay for the clothes after I took the time to clean part of his house.


    I quickly move the chunks of kaglese to a sack Mr. Grey provided for me. I''ll secure the pack to a wooden frame that will help me carry the load, just like when I help father.


    "Do you need to weigh this or something?" I ask Grey after all the kaglese ore is in the sack.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s close to what you said it is,¡± He smiles at me. Damn, I should have kept the extra chunks of ore after all!


    I place the unknown metal for the arrowheads in with the kaglese ore and tie the sack shut. ¡°And the feathers?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Right here,¡± Mr. Grey stands up and hands me a ceramic tube, sealed by a piece of fabric and some twine.


    I untie the string and move aside the fabric to reach inside and pull out a feather. The Fechin feather sparkles just as beautifully as the one I saw yesterday did. I count ten feathers inside the tube, including the one in my hands.


    Smiling while I seal the tube back up, I move over to the rest of my supplies and start strapping everything down.


    I use a part of my Strength to tug in a few spots to ensure everything is secure. Confident in my work, I move in front of Mr. Grey¡¯s desk. ¡°I think everything is secure, ready to show me what¡¯s in the box?¡± I motion to a spot behind his desk. The hidden box caught my attention as soon as I stepped into his office.


    ¡°Some might call that a breach of privacy,¡± He grumbles.


    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you,¡± I sarcastically retort. ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t notice a box holding multiple enchanted items?¡±


    "Yeah, yeah," Mr. Grey leans over and pulls the hidden box onto his desk and opens it. One by one, he pulls out bundles of fine cloth and spreads them across his desk. He unwraps each bundle of fabric to reveal a different piece of jewelry. "Each one is enchanted to obscure a person¡¯s mana.¡±


    ¡°May I?¡±


    Grey waves his hand over the jewelry, giving me free rein to inspect them.


    ¡°Are there any differences between them?¡± I ask, looking between the two rings, an amulet, and a bracelet, all of which have a mana gem embedded in them.


    ¡°These pieces came from the capital. See the makers mark on them; they come from a workshop specializing in mana obscuring magic tools. The two rings are low-tier 3 items, the bracelet is mid-tier 3, and the amulet is a high-tier 3 magic tool." He explains to me while I¡¯m holding one of the rings.


    ¡°What separates them in the same tier?¡± I question.


    Mr. Grey goes full teacher mode on me. "Magic items are classified by many factors. The most important deciding factors on a magic item''s price are the enchantment and the magic gem used. How much mana the runes need, how well it utilizes the mana, and the effect of the runes combined with different qualities of mana gems, decide the tier and price of the item."


    ¡°What about the item itself?¡± I ask.


    "You''d be surprised how little that matters to most people. If the item is good enough to support an enchantment, you already know it''s of decent quality. Imagine you have two swords to choose from, one is made slightly better than the other. Both swords have the same enchantment, but the lesser one has a better mana gem and more efficient runes. Nine times out of ten, people will buy the cheaper made sword with the better enchantments.¡±


    Mr. Grey gestures to the ring in my hand. ¡°All four of these pieces of jewelry are made from materials just strong enough to hold their individual enchantments. That¡¯s why each of them looks pretty similar, but I¡¯m sure a person with your skills can tell the difference between them.¡±


    I start scanning the items one by one and quickly see what he means. They all use a silver alloy mixed with copper and another metal I haven''t seen before. The only noticeable difference in their structures is the bracelet and amulet have a little extra of the unknown metal in their alloys.


    I pour in enough mana to activate each item for a few minutes to observe their gems and runic structures. Size and clarity look to be the most contributing factors to the mana gems¡¯ capacity. The jewel inside the amulet is the smallest, but the mana contained within is 25% more than the bracelet and 55% more than the two rings because of the sapphire''s clarity.


    Though the materials and mana gems are interesting to look at, it''s the runes that have me mesmerized. Not only are the enchantments small enough to fit on a ring, but this is the first time I''ve seen tier 3 runes. Just like master told me, each rune is three-dimensional and incredibly complicated. I have no idea how an enchanter can carve perfect structures within an item without compromising its integrity.


    ¡°Is it really that interesting?¡± Mr. Grey asks me, reminding me where I am. I was so focused on the engravings I tuned everything else out.


    "If you could see the beauty hidden inside these items, you wouldn''t be asking me that question." I give him a half-smile. "I''ve only been able to look at cheap magic tools, items that have tier 1 and 2 runes at the most. I''d be tempted to ask whoever made this for an apprenticeship.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Kervin asks in disbelief.


    I turn to him, ¡°No, but I would try to drown him in compliments if it would earn me one piece of advice.¡± I chuckle to myself, staring at the amulet in my hands.


    After another minute of quietly looking at the magic item, I put it back on its cloth covering and ask the big question. "So now that you have me hooked, what are their prices?" I eyeball the jewelry.


    Grey points to one of the rings, "15 gold coins." Then he points to the other ring, "16 gold coins." He sits back in his chair and folds his hands. "The bracelet is 19 gold coins, and the amulet is 23."


    I whistle at the prices. ¡°And if we add in everything else?¡±


    ¡°The kaglese is 7 gold coins, and the ten feathers are 40 silver coins; which of the magic tools are you thinking about?¡± Mr. Grey asks.


    "I want the amulet." I point at it, sitting on the desk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to persuade you to pick one of the other options, but why the most expensive one?¡± He inquisitively asks me.


    ¡°I use my magic during everyday life. The amulet will waste the least amount of my mana pool while I keep it activated. In the future, I might even ask you to buy me a tier 4 version if I can afford it."


    Grey laughs, "Tier 4 mana obscuring magic tools start at 40 gold coins and go up to 100 for the best ones. And don''t ask me about tier 5; only a few are auctioned off by the Stone-Kin each year. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to tell you the price of the starting bid.¡±


    Holy crap! "You said Stone-Kin sold them; you can''t get one from a human enchanter?" I ask Mr. Grey.


    "There are only two enchanters in our kingdom that can craft tier 5 runes, and it''s unknown how many they know. I''m not sure if you know this, but we humans are known for our celestial spells while the Stone-Kin focus on runic magic. When it comes to war, our army mages are brutal on the battlefield, but we''ll never be able to compete with Stone-Kin when it comes to engraving." He explains to me.


    Tier 5 runes, I wonder how much more complicated they are compared to tier 3?


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back on track,¡± Grey brings my attention back to him. ¡°The amulet is 23 gold coins, add in the materials you selected, and your total is 30.4 gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, there! I think you might have drunk too much last night. Correct me if I''m wrong, but I believe we made a deal yesterday,¡± I stop him before he can take the lead.


    ¡°Really, you think so?¡± Mr. Grey shows me his confident side and activates his skills.


    I activate my own merchant skills, but they pale in comparison to his. If I didn''t have Mental Resistance, I''m sure I would have agreed to pay him double if he asked for it. I do my best not to let the intimidation show on my face or in my body language.


    ¡°I think the price is fair,¡± Grey stands up from his chair and stretches out his hand, expecting me to agree.


    ¡°And the deal we made yesterday? You¡¯re supposed to give me a discount in exchange for two of the special arrows I make later.¡± I raise my chin in defiance.


    Mr. Grey looks shocked that I didn''t agree to his deal. "How are you!?" He stops, knowing I won''t answer. He straightens his back, "I remember our deal, that''s why I''m not charging you for the special metal. If I were to charge you for the special ore, your total price would be more than 50 gold coins."


    ¡°And you aren¡¯t going to get your money back with the arrows I make for you?¡± I make sure he knows I¡¯m not a sucker.


    He gives me a contemplative look. ¡°Fine, 28 gold coins.¡± Whatever merchant skills he¡¯s using once again decimate my own and try to force me to agree.


    ¡°You said the special metal would be sold for over 20 gold coins; you¡¯ll easily make double that with my arrows. 20 gold coins for everything.¡± My skills try to push back against his, but I can''t feel them making any progress.


    "I''d agree to that price if you tell me how you''re negating my skills. If not, 27 gold coins.¡± He narrows his eyes.


    ¡°No chance,¡± I fire back. ¡°Give me everything for 25 gold coins.¡± I stand firm.


    For the briefest of moments, his smile turns into that of a predator before quickly softening. "Deal," He holds his hand out.


    I reach out and take his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll write out a quick contract regarding the arrows, and that you owe us 22.5 gold coins.¡±


    I feel our skills finalize the deal, but I¡¯m more focused on the sudden price drop. ¡°Wait, why did you drop the price further?¡±


    He continues to smile while his hand flashes across a piece of parchment. "I was informed a while ago by headquarters to give you a 10% discount."


    ¡°On everything?¡± I try to clarify.


    ¡°Of course, everything Kervin has bought for you has had a flat 10% taken off of the price." Mr. Grey quickly looks up and gives me a matter of fact look.


    I send Kervin a questioning look, but he shakes his head, denying any knowledge of the fact.


    ¡°I thought you would get everything for 27 gold, but I guess seeing another part of your skills was worth the extra 5 gold coins.¡± Grey turns the contract upside down and pushes it over to me to sign.


    It only takes me a moment to scan the document to make sure there¡¯re no hidden clauses. I sign the contract, feeling a small bond forming between the two of us, while Grey puts the other three magic tools away.


    I push the contract back to his side of the table and pick up my new amulet.


    "Allow me," Kervin offers. I hand him the necklace and let him attach it around my neck for me. As soon as it''s fastened, I fill it with mana and watch as an invisible barrier forms around my body. I''m happy knowing I have another defensive layer around me, even though it isn¡¯t a physical one.


    ¡°Now that business is done,¡± Mr. Grey grabs mine and Kervin¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear the answer to my question last night.¡±


    ¡°The one asking if my opinion changed?¡± I make sure to clarify.


    "That''s the one," Grey appears happy I remembered.


    "I''d be a fool if I trusted you after two meetings and a dinner." Grey looks saddened by my answer, like I kicked his dog. "However," I continue. "You''ve been good to me while I was here. I''m starting to think working with Silver Herd isn''t as bad as I originally thought it would be." Grey, and by extension, Kervin, brighten up after hearing the second part of my answer.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I want to deal with anyone other than Kervin.¡± I remind Grey.


    "I can understand that. Hopefully, in the future, you''ll feel more inclined to work with me as well." Grey and I share a mutual smile.


    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot.¡± Grey shifts in his seat. ¡°Headquarters told me they would try to get you the instructions you asked for, but they need time. You know how matters regarding engraving ink are sensitive.¡±


    I¡¯m surprised by the news. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to tell me that piece of news before you asked me what I thought about you?¡± I give him a smile that says I know what he did there.


    ¡°It never occurred to me.¡± Grey lies through his teeth, feigning ignorance. "Headquarters did want me to ask you one more thing, though."


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Do you know anyone who has ties with the Panetta family?" Grey asks me in a tone that says he doesn''t care about the answer.


    ¡°Panetta family? I¡¯ve never heard of them. Are they people I need to watch out for?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No, no, everything should be fine. I don¡¯t know what headquarters is thinking sometimes,¡± Grey laughs.


    ¡°Alright, I should be heading out. It was a pleasure to meet you.¡± I hold out my hand.


    ¡°The pleasure was all mine. If you come back to Drey for any reason, stop by, and I¡¯ll get us another table at Alizio¡¯s.¡± Mr. Grey firmly shakes my hand.


    I turn around to grab everything, only to see Max holding my back sling in his arms, so it''s easier for me to put it on.


    I thank Max while fastening the straps around my shoulders. A quick jump up and down to check if anything is loose lets me know everything is secured.


    ¡°Anytime, Miss Aaliyah.¡± Max moves to open the door for Kervin and me.


    I give the two men in the office one last departing smile before Kervin leads us back through the building towards the front desk. As soon as we make it into the lobby, Lurte, Ryiba, and Reel get up from their chairs and greet us.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Lurte asks me.


    ¡°I think so,¡± I answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make your niece carry everything?¡± A reproachful voice comes from the front desk. The head receptionist is shaking her head at Kervin.


    ¡°I, aaaa¡­¡± Kervin chokes.


    "It''s ok," I step in. "I''ve always helped move things around; this is nothing."


    ¡°It¡¯s the principle of the matter, sweety.¡± She tries to scold me as my mother would.


    ¡°It¡¯s really fine,¡± I try to tell her. ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your consideration, Miss¡­?¡± I try to get her name.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. We girls need to stick together.¡± She expertly continues the conversation, ignoring the bit about her name. She gives me a once over with her eyes and asks, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    "Yeah, it was fun hanging out with uncle Kervin, but I have stuff to do at home," I answer her with a fake smile.


    ¡°Well, I hope you enjoyed your time with us. I also hope you come back to say hi to me again soon!¡± She says in her bubbly voice and a warm smile.


    ¡°I did, and I will.¡± I lightly bow my head.


    "Safe travels back to your village." It takes everything I have not to flinch. How does she know I live in a village?


    I force a nod and turn around, hiding my nerves from the scary woman.


    I take a few steps before I hear her call out to me. ¡°By the way, I like your necklace. Very practical.¡±


    I don¡¯t turn around and move just a little bit faster to get out of the building. If I never see that woman again, it would be too soon.


    <hr>


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need anything else?¡± Kervin asks me for the fifth time.


    ¡°I said no the last four times, mom,¡± I complain to him.


    ¡°You remember the way we came? You can have Reel go with you,¡± He asks me with a worried look.


    I sigh in defeat, ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own. I follow the wall until I find the old path that leads to my village. Father taught me how to tell which direction I¡¯m going, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± I try to reassure him.


    I lean forward, so people passing by can''t hear what I say next. "And remember my level. I''ll be fine,¡± I whisper.


    Kervin shifts back and forth on his legs. ¡°Ok,¡± he reluctantly says. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to your village in nine days.¡±


    "Thanks for bringing me here, Kervin." I give him a genuine smile. "Wish me luck with the arrow, both our futures ride on it," I smirk when a nervous expression falls on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± He complains.


    I smirk to myself as I turn around and head to the gate leading out of the city.


    I stop right before I enter the tunnel leading out of the city and look behind me. I commit the city''s landscape to heart. It was a challenging couple of days, but it was worth seeing a part of the larger world.


    I wave to the four men watching me leave, and get three to wave back to me in return. On the bright side, it will be nine days before I have to see Reel again.


    I turn back around and start my journey home. I''m surprised to see the guards don''t care about the people leaving the city.


    As soon as I leave the gate, I''m greeted with an open landscape and the smell of fresh air. The sky is clear, and the winter winds are pushing in the direction I need to go.


    A few people waiting to get into Drey give me curious looks, no doubt because of how young I look. I ignore their gazes and start walking on the path leading around Drey¡¯s walls.


    As the people I pass become fewer in number, I put more of my Strength into my legs. Walking turns into jogging, and soon I''m running down the trail.


    Double Step helps me gain more speed despite the weight I¡¯m carrying. Mana Skin keeps the winter wind from giving me an ice burn as I continue to gain momentum in the cold.


    I soon reach a speed I¡¯m comfortable keeping that won¡¯t expend too much of my Stamina. This is what I always wanted to do, visit Drey, and return on my own terms. It''s disappointing I didn''t have time to stop by brother¡¯s and Sandra''s place, but they should be coming home soon.


    I imagine our family reunion as I start to pass by more and more trees. Kervin''s bivol could never hope to match the pace I''m going.


    I start humming Country Road, with every step bringing me closer to home.


    <hr>


    Reel¡¯s Point of View After Aaliyah Leaves Through Drey¡¯s Gate:


    12, I count to myself.


    The idiots next to me stop waving after Aaliyah vanishes through the gate.


    ¡°You think she¡¯ll be ok?¡± Ryiba asks out loud.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she will. I mean, she has a higher level than most of us.¡± Lurte assures Ryiba.


    Kervin is practically oozing nervousness.


    124, I keep track in my head.


    The four of us stand around in the cold, watching people coming into Drey. Our boss looks unsure of what to do, 491.


    When I reach 600 in my head, I move next to Kervin, who hasn''t moved from his spot. ¡°You¡¯re staying in Drey for the next few days, right?¡± I ask.


    Kervin looks at me, uncomprehending. "Staying at your home?" I ask again with a little bite to my voice.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He hesitantly answers me.


    ¡°Good. If, for whatever reason, something unexpected comes up, ask Leonard for help." I start walking to the gate.


    683


    ¡°Where are you going!?¡± Kervin yells at my back.


    I turn to face him but continue moving towards the gate by walking backwards. "I''m going to take a piss," I ignore the foul looks that the people walking by send me. "Probably take me a few days."


    A look of realization crosses my coworker''s faces, took them long enough.


    725, I count as I make it through the gate. Aaliyah has a twelve-minute head start.


    It will be tricky to tail her until she reaches the forest, then I can close the gap between us without her noticing me following her.


    First things first. I start running the way we came to Drey. Even if there''s a considerable distance between us, I need to get eyes on her.


    I start running.


    When I don¡¯t see her on the horizon, I pick up speed.


    I move faster!


    And faster.


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡°Where the Fuck, is she!?¡± I swear out loud.


    My heart starts to beat faster until I see a blurry figure far in the distance. I activate my Perception skills to confirm it¡¯s Aaliyah.


    The giant sack tied to her back, and her red hair is all the confirmation I need.


    Only¡­


    HOW IS SHE MOVING SO FAST!


    I push myself harder as she moves out of my sight again.


    We should have almost the same Strength and Dexterity stats. What level is her Running skill!?


    Is she planning on being a courier if her blacksmithing job falls through?! Is there anything this girl isn¡¯t a monster at?


    Follow her home, Giovanni said. It should be easy for you, he said. I curse my rotten luck and push myself faster at the cost of my Stamina.


    This is going to be a long couple of days.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    I need to work running back into my schedule; I forgot how much it helped clear my mind. And the feeling of running fast is second to no other; I could probably reach the same speed as cars traveling around a city.


    I''ve been running for four hours, and with the amount of ground I''m covering, I should make it back to the village late afternoon tomorrow. By the time I stop for the night, I''ll be over a third of the way home.


    I¡¯ve seen a handful of goblins just off of the road, but I fly past them before they even realize that I¡¯m there.


    If I remember correctly, I¡¯m coming up on a small clearing that will be an excellent spot to rest for a little bit.


    Following the forest path, I see the clearing, but I also see a downed tree blocking the way towards the village.


    I move to check out the fallen tree, but halfway through the clearing, Sense Mana picks up the presence of humans hidden in the forest, and they¡¯re rapidly approaching the clearing!


    I dig my feet into the snow, trying to stop, but the extra weight I¡¯m carrying causes me to skid forward closer to where the figures are approaching from.


    Damn, I sense two more are closing in from the sides, moving to cut off my escape!


    I draw my dagger and cut the straps securing my pack. As my goods hit the ground, I move to my left, gaining the most distance I can get from where most of the people are going to emerge from the woods.


    I see their figures coming out of the trees as I switch out my knife for my sword.


    ¡°Look what we have here, boys! It might not be the merchant we heard about, but a beautiful girl is always a bonus!" A large rugged man in armor shouts as he walks out of the tree line.


    I start counting the men as they enter the clearing, following closely behind the armored man. The two I sensed last appear off to my sides, keeping me boxed in and nine men spread out in front of me, all armed with different weapons and varying degrees of armor. I silently watch each of their movements.


    ¡°Why the silent treatment, girly?¡± The big man asks me. Judging by his pompous attitude, he must be the leader. "You don''t want to ask who we are, why we''re here? That''s what people usually say in this situation." His smile disgusts me.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious who you are.¡± I narrow my eyes on the man but keep my other senses on the rest of the men, particularly the two boxing me in.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking the fun out of this,¡± The leader feigns feeling hurt while twirling his mace around.


    I don¡¯t respond to the man and just sneer at him.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    "What!" He snaps at the man beside him.


    ¡°My skills are going crazy; she has to have over 5 gold on her!¡± He shouts in excitement. All the men start eyeballing me and my bag that I left off to the side.


    "It''s our lucky day, boys! A beauty and a profit!" The leader shouts, and the men cheer.


    I can''t let things continue as they are. Each time the leader speaks, the bandits become surer of themselves and more confident.


    I need to be smart about this, so I decide to laugh. I start out chuckling before I take large breaths and erupt in laughter until the bandits become quiet.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for you to snap, girl. We haven¡¯t even tasted you yet.¡± The boss tries to regain his momentum.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologize as I rein in my maniacal laughter. ¡°It¡¯s just you have no idea who you¡¯re dealing with," I say in the most ominous tone I can imagine hoping my Acting skill can keep up.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The boss calls my bluff.


    I give the man a sweet smile before I point at one of his men. Activating Sense Soul, I start calling out their levels. "39, 41, 38, 40, 42, 39, 41, 38, 38, your buddy who can tell how much money I have is level 45, and your level is 49." Each number I call out causes the recipient to falter. Even the leader cringes when I tell him his level. "None of you are as strong as I am!" I push my mana into my sword and ignite its flames.


    ¡°Oh, gods!¡± A few of the men call out.


    "Quiet!" The leader''s voice echoes throughout the clearing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit you¡¯re flashy," He takes a step forward. "You might be able to scare these fools, but I''ve seen how people with real power act. If you were strong enough to take us out, you would''ve attacked us already. You''re running back to your village, so your Stamina can¡¯t be full right now. And by the way your sword is trembling, you''ve never killed a man before!¡±


    I try to keep my confident facade up, but he''s right. My Stamina is only around 600, and I''ve never seriously fought with another human before.


    "We''ll use the same rules as always," The leader shouts out. "Who wants to try first? The winner gets first taste!"


    What the hell is he saying!? These bastards think so little of me that they¡¯re willing to come at me one at a time!


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± a bandit holding an axe steps forward. His level was 41. "Surrender, and I won''t be too rough with that body of yours," The man licks his lips at me. "Though a little blood helps with lubrication." The animal and his friends laugh at the taunt, and my hair stands on end.


    I think about running, but I quickly toss aside the idea. I wouldn''t make it far before my Stamina hit 0, and I doubt they wouldn''t chase me.


    "Fuck off," I try to convey confidence while taking up my stance, but I''m panicking on the inside.


    ¡°This should be fun,¡± The bandit raises his axe and charges at me.


    I immediately notice he¡¯s leaving his midsection open. I ready to cut open his stomach, but I hesitate when he enters my striking range. I recover and slash, but he skillfully uses his axe to deflect my strike and push me back.


    "You''re right, boss!" The man shouts over his shoulder. I gave her an opening, and she hesitated." A round of cheers erupts at my opponent''s news. A few of the bandits are cursing for not volunteering to go first.


    The man takes up another stance, only this time he properly guards himself. He left himself open to test me!


    So many emotions flash through my mind but two most of all, anger and fear.


    The bandit doesn¡¯t wait for me to recover and starts swinging with his axe again. The man has killed before and is used to fighting other humans. Each of his strikes is aimed to maim me but not kill.


    One strong swing of his sends me stumbling back for a second time.


    ¡°She¡¯s not even fighting back!¡± One of the onlooker¡¯s shouts.


    He¡¯s right, why am I hesitating?


    Because he''s human?


    The thought of these men as humans fades from my mind. These are monsters, worse than goblins. If I don''t kill them, they will surely attack Kervin or, worse, the village.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have so much fun together,¡± The bandit advances again.


    This time his movements appear to slow as I silence the part of my brain reminding me it''s a person in front of me.


    I activate Flash Step and Precise Strike, appearing behind him. I face the cheering bandits with empty eyes as I hear the man¡¯s body fall to the ground behind me.


    Their cheering stops. One man stutters at the boss, ¡°Holy Fuck! She cleaved Jim¡¯s head off; what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Looks like she has some fight in her after all,¡± The leader excitedly claims. ¡°What are you whining about? Your share of the loot just got bigger. Besides, the girl is on her last leg, she can¡¯t use that skill again. Who wants to go next?¡±


    I thought my decapitation of their friend would scare them off, but the next man steps forward. I realize my swords flames aren''t helpful in this situation, so I reabsorb the mana in my sword to save it for later.


    ¡°We¡¯re down to ten shares, is it going to be nine?¡± The leader laughs and his men join him. It doesn¡¯t look like any of them care if the man in front of me dies either. They will fight me one at a time, whittling away my Stamina until I¡¯m helpless, while the survivors get a bigger cut of the profit, and apparently, the winner gets me.


    My next opponent is level 39 and comes at me with his sword already drawn. He slashes at me, and I block, I try to cut him, and he dodges. We start dancing to the ringing of our swords.


    A few times, he grazes Mana Skin, but he doesn''t appear to notice it. He seems much more cautious of Flash Step, but it uses up too much of my Stamina.


    I get a lucky cut in, and slice open his arm. When he recoils, I score a second hit opening his stomach. When he starts to stagger, I put him out of his misery by piercing his heart.


    I try to take a few deep breaths, while the bandits decide who is challenging me next.


    ¡°The girl is fierce,¡± The bandit leader mocks me. ¡°But I can tell her Stamina is almost empty; who else wants to give it a try?"


    ¡°I¡¯m next!¡± Another bandit with an axe steps forward. If I remember correctly, his level was 40.


    The back to back fights are quickly taking their toll. Compared to goblins of the same level, these men have years of experience and use strategy instead of brawn.


    The man runs at me aggressively and swings his axe. While the last guy was wary of my movement skill, this guy¡¯s strategy is keeping me on the defensive and it¡¯s working.


    I can match his Strength, but his weapon is heavier than mine, and my Stamina is nearly out.


    Before my Stamina reaches below 100, I gamble and activate Weighted Strike. The axe wielding bandit can¡¯t hold up against my weapon¡¯s sudden weight change, allowing my sword to push his axe to the side and deliver a deep diagonal slash across his chest. The man falls face down in the snow and bleeds out in a matter of seconds, dying the frost crimson. Another win by the skin of my teeth.


    I stumble forward away from the blood-soaked snow and collapse to my knees.


    Seeing my prone form, the remaining eight bandits start to cheer. ¡°Do you want to fight another one of my boys, or do you want to surrender? Either way is fine with us.¡± The leader laughs maniacally.


    What do I do?


    Do I kill myself?


    I''d instead do that, then let them touch me.


    The only thing I have left is my mana, but Mana Skin will only hold them off for so long.


    Right now would be a great time to know how to throw a fireball.


    Wait!


    I might not be able to conjure a fireball, but I can make a small flame!


    A crazy idea pops into my head.


    Worst case scenario, I die and take most of them with me.


    Let''s try it!


    <hr>


    Reel¡¯s Point of View:


    Shit, shit, shit.


    I arrive just in time to watch Aaliyah collapse on her knees. Why couldn¡¯t she run just a bit slower or take a break sooner!?


    I reach into my side pouch and withdraw a small green vial. I pull the stopper and drink the sappy medical paste and wait for it to boost my Stamina. I''ll crash after the effect wears off, but it should let me fight.


    I observe the situation from my hiding place behind a tree at the clearing¡¯s entrance.


    Why couldn''t she kill a few more of them? I complain in my head. My fighting style is better suited for one on one fights. They''ve already lost three of their men to Aaliyah, so I doubt they''d take such a cavalier stance to my showing up.


    I''ve only known Aaliyah for a little while, but I know she won''t give up without a fight. As soon as she makes her last stand, I''ll charge in while they''re distracted and take her to hide in the woods. I think I¡¯m still in range, so I can call Giovanni and have him send backup while we hide.


    I feel my Stamina pool rapidly filling.


    Alright, as soon as she¡­


    I watch horrified as she tosses her sword and dagger away. ¡°I give up,¡± She pants heavily.


    Fuck!


    "Smart move, girl. No need for your death to be a painful one. If you serve us with a smile, we might even decide to sell you off instead of killing you.¡± The leader of their group smiles triumphantly.


    Aaliyah doesn¡¯t answer him and instead brings her hands together and appears to start praying.


    The eight remaining men start to converge on her like a pack of starving wolves. One of the men grabs her sword and dagger.


    I¡¯ll only get one chance to save her. When they start arguing about who should get to go first, I¡¯ll rush in.


    When the men make it a few feet from her, Aaliyah opens her hands to reveal a small fire burning in her palm.


    A few of the men jump back while the leader laughs at them. ¡°It¡¯s only a tier 1 spell, if she could cast anything better, she would¡¯ve done it long ago.¡± He savagely looks down on her. ¡°What are you planning to do with that?¡± He taunts.


    ¡°Kill all of you,¡± I hear Aaliyah say. So, she is going to try something!


    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± The leader asks in between laughing.


    This is my chance! I activate all my stealth and movement skills to close the distance rapidly.


    When I''m halfway to Aaliyah, I hear her say something that makes my Danger Sense go haywire. ¡°Like this.¡±


    Following my instincts, I activate Emergency Escape, changing my direction back towards where I was hiding.


    I make it three steps before an explosion erupts behind me.


    A blast wave knocks me off my feet and throws me forward before a wave of fire washes over me. My emergency magic ring negates a large part of the damage, but I still lose 10% of my health.


    I look up from where I landed on the ground and see a plume of smoke where Aaliyah and the bandits once were.


    Did she use a suicide spell!?


    My limbs shake as I climb to my feet and wait for the smoke to clear and the magic fire to dissipate.


    As everything clears, I see the remains of the bandits strewn across the ground. If I hadn''t used my escape skill, or if I was a little bit closer, that could''ve been me. Explosive magic is exponentially deadlier the closer you are to its epicenter.


    As I move a little closer, I hear something.


    *Cough* *Cough*


    My head snaps to the center of the blast, where the sounds of coughing are coming from.


    Laying in a small crater is the prone form of Aaliyah.


    I rush to her side and cradle her head. I fish out another potion from my pouch, this time purple, and force her to drink it.


    I wait for the healing tonic to kick in before I drag her away from the explosion site. I see her eyes flutter before she starts thrashing as I move her.


    "It''s me, Aaliyah; it''s Reel!" I shout, trying to get her to stop thrashing.


    She doesn''t open her eyes, but she does open her mouth. "What are you doing here?"


    ¡°You think my boss would let you run home by yourself?¡± I tell her as I set her on a bed of snow.


    ¡°Some help you were.¡± I hear her mumble.


    "If you didn''t run so fast, this might not have happened." I retort.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t keep up with a little girl, huh.¡± I look at Aaliyah to tell her to stop talking and freeze when I see her eyes open and giving me a strained smile. ¡°Thanks for coming.¡±


    I run over to her supplies that were knocked away by the blast and drag it over to her before I fish out her traveling blanket.


    I lay out her blanket and gently move her on top of it before folding it over and tucking her in. "Who taught you that spell? It''s a miracle you''re still alive." I criticize the reckless girl.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you it was a tier 1 spell?¡± She must not be in her right state of mind if she¡¯s so readily talking to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I did believe you; how did you make a tier 1 spell do that?¡± I ask her, not expecting an answer.


    "A skill I recently earned; I can use extra mana to boost a spell. That was a tier 1 fire-starting spell using twenty times the usual mana." She deliriously laughs and ends up coughing. "I''m tired. See you in the morning." She manages to say before passing out.


    I have just enough time to set up a temporary camp before my Stamina starts to fall rapidly. My tonic is wearing off fast.


    I get comfortable next to the sleeping girl just as my Stamina reaches 0. I look down at her sleeping face; despite a few scratches and bruises, she seems fine. She must have used that skill she keeps around herself to endure the majority of the blast.


    She risked her life to take out every one of the bandits. Maybe I should tease her less in the future?


    I glance at her again and can tell she''s knocked out cold. She''s probably suffering from Mana and Stamina depletion. If she wakes up before sunrise tomorrow, it will be another miracle.


    I let out a long sigh; how am I supposed to report this to Giovanni? It will be a miracle for me if he doesn¡¯t send One to terminate me.


    "Oh well, tomorrow''s problems. For now, I¡¯ll watch over the problem child.¡± I quickly decide.


    I sit utterly still, waiting for my Stamina to start regenerating again.


    I slowly let my thoughts fade away and focus only on our surroundings. The last thought I push from my mind is, I don''t know if she has a devil''s luck but I hope this girl is worth all the trouble.

 Ch: 56

    Gods, my head hurts!


    I roll onto my side, only to roll back again when my body tells me that it didn''t help. Turning once more, I cringe when the skin of my arm touches something freezing. The sudden cold sends a biting sensation through my muscles, breaking my mind out of its haze. With my head clear, images of me raising my hands to activate my spell run through my mind.


    The blanket wrapped around part of my body suddenly becomes more confining than comforting when I remember what the bandits said they would do to me. I go to activate Mana Skin for protection but stop when I feel my mana pool relatively empty.


    With Mana Skin out of commission, I switch to Sense Mana and scan my surroundings for any bandit survivors.


    I¡¯m still in the clearing the bandits attacked me in. The blanket I was resting on is next to a small fire, and my pack is nearby with my sword resting up against it. With no bandits within sight and Sense Mana telling me no one is hiding nearby, I start to calm down again.


    Did I set up camp before I passed out? The last thing I remember is feeling the shockwave tearing through my first layer of Mana Skin and the blanket of fire that enveloped my remaining shield afterwards.


    Reliving the moment in my head, I¡¯m surprised my plan worked. I reinforced Mana Skin until its mana expenditure would be higher than it was worth. Then I used almost every remaining bit of my mana to overcharge my flame spell. The plan was to reabsorb mana from Mana Skin slowly so that I wouldn''t pass out from mana exhaustion, but with my fuzzy memory, I don''t think it worked as I wanted it to.


    I glance around the camp one more time. Even if I managed to stay awake, it should''ve been impossible for me to set up a campsite afterwards.


    I don''t have time to ponder further what happened because someone just entered my mana sense range. Fumbling over my exhausted limbs, I reach for my sword. I draw my blade in time to hear a familiar voice coming from the tree line, ¡°Finally awake, huh.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?!¡± I exclaim. I slowly re-sheath my sword and place it back up against my pack.


    Reel¡¯s eyes widen in confusion for a moment before his face returns to his usual casual expression. ¡°I was sent to watch over you on your way home. I found you in that crater over there.¡± He points to the spot I activated my spell. The area around the crater is a muddy mess devoid of any snow.


    ¡°You were tailing me? Then where were you when I was surrounded by those¡­!?¡± I remember the bandit leader¡¯s sickening grin and how I killed all of them. I wrap my arms around my body and dry-heave. I can¡¯t be sick to my stomach because I haven¡¯t eaten anything in over a day and a half.


    Reel''s shoes make crunching noises in the snow as he approaches me, but I stay doubled over remembering how I cut a man''s head off. "Water?" I look up to see Reel offering me a waterskin. I take the offered waterskin and start chugging its contents, missing Reel mumbling something about explaining again off to my side.


    After I drink every drop of water, I hand the empty waterskin back to Reel, who explains why he wasn¡¯t there to help me. ¡°After you left the city, you ran too fast for me to catch up to you. Hearing the loud noise, I burned through my Stamina pool and arrived soon after the explosion. I fished you out of the crater after I realized you somehow survived.¡±


    ¡°You set up the campsite?" I don''t know why I asked such a stupid question, but I don''t want our conversation to stop for some reason. The second blanket wrapped around me makes sense now; Reel must have given me his.


    Unlike the usual snarky Reel, he doesn¡¯t comment on my superfluous question; instead, he motions to the crater. ¡°I just finished cleaning up your handiwork. Everything was a mess after your spell, but I have all the remains buried in the woods.¡± It didn¡¯t even occur to me that there should be remains scattered across the clearing.


    I feel the need to thank Reel but being reminded of what I did has me hang my head again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you feel bad for those pieces of shit.¡± Reel¡¯s statement makes me look up at him. ¡°You know what they were going to do to you, right? They would have killed you after each of them had their way with you, the same thing they¡¯ve done to no doubt countless others. Do you honestly believe any of them deserve your guilt?" Reels powerful eyes bore into mine, demanding an answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel bad,¡± I stammer out. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I should feel some guilt after killing eleven people, but I don¡¯t.¡± I glance down at my hands. ¡°What does that say about me? After I told Mr. Grey everything I did, it only took me a minute to decide to kill them all.¡±


    "So, you feel bad about killing, not who you killed?" Reel questions me from above.


    I nod my head.


    "That''s fine," Reel explains with a straight tone. I look back up at him. "Every warrior justifies killing in their own way. Taking a life is a fact many in our world have to face. It¡¯s the excuses we give ourselves that decide if we¡¯re heroes or monsters. If you don¡¯t feel bad about the men you killed, you honestly believed they deserved to die.¡±


    ¡°What gives me the right to choose?¡± I solemnly question Reel.


    ¡°Who better to choose?¡± Reel grins at me. ¡°They wanted your life. They chose to attack, to take the most precious thing you own. You had all the right in the world to judge them, to defend yourself. You don''t want to kill, that''s a noble stance, and you have the right to follow it. But chances are you¡¯ll have to kill other people in the future, and you can only hope your conscience is as clear as it is now. Always remember to do what you feel is right.¡±


    I¡¯m astounded by Reel¡¯s speech.


    ¡°Also,¡± Reel continues. ¡°As long as you feel bad after killing a person, you¡¯ll know you aren¡¯t truly a monster.¡± He reassures me.


    ¡°What¡¯s your reason for killing?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask Reel.


    His passive face warps into the same look he had after I used Sense Soul on him when we first met. ¡°I don¡¯t need a reason; I am a monster.¡±


    My instincts tell me to run, but I hold his monstrous gaze until his passive expression returns. He looks slightly disappointed by my lack of a reaction.


    Reel turns on his feet and starts walking back to the tree line. "I''m checking the perimeter one more time. Eat something, and we''ll pack up and go when I return." He says without looking back at me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I call out before he enters the trees.


    Reel stops walking for a moment. "I don''t need your thanks," he responds before stepping into the forest. The wind blows from his direction, bringing Reel''s faint voice, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me twice.¡±


    When did I ever thank Reel? Was I really passed out when he found me? I don¡¯t think he would tell me after he just tried to push me away.


    Reel called himself a monster, but I don''t think Silver Herd would tolerate a wild beast amongst their ranks. Whatever his reason for killing is, it''s his decision, just like I decided to kill rather than roll over and die. I''ll mourn the act of killing, but I refuse to lose sleep over the bandits who tried to rape and murder me.


    I slowly stand up, pulling Reel¡¯s blanket closer around me. I''m wearing a jacket, but I''m used to having Mana Skin regulate the temperature around me. Grabbing my dried rations from my bag, I huddle closer to the small fire.


    My entire body feels sore and stiff, refusing to move correctly. I guess that''s what happens when you survive an explosion at point-blank range.


    While nibbling on some jerky, I look up at the sky. The sun looks like it moved back across the sky, meaning it has been at least a day since I fought the bandits. Reel said he just finished cleaning up, so I guess I was out for 16 hours or so.


    Reel said he¡¯d be back soon, and there''s one more important thing I need to check before he returns. I pull up my status page.


    LV: 64 Experience: 85,416/ 550,734


    Health: 2,049.33/2,090


    Stamina: 611.82/1,403


    Mana: 271.08/1,010


    Vitality: 209.00


    Endurance: 80.17


    Strength: 132.00


    Dexterity: 125.00


    Senses: 60.64


    Mind: 62.83


    Magic: 101.07


    Clarity: 75.79


    Status Points: 10


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV74), Blacksmithing (LV67), Axe Skills (LV55), Hammer Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV51), Mining (LV48), Chanting (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV41), Cooking (LV38), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV31), Sword Skills (LV28), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV78), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV40), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Lower Price (LV20), Increase Price (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV11), Steady Hands (LV10), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV1),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV60), Mana Manipulation (LV55), Precise Strike (LV37), Double Strike (LV35), Weighted Strike (LV27), Flash Step (LV19), Contract (LV5)


    Tier 4:


    Mana Skin (LV51), Inject Mana (LV50), Mental Resistance (LV48), Extract Mana (LV28), Magic Blacksmithing (LV20), Empowered Spell (LV7)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV33)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV74) 3,700exp


    Chanting (LV48) 2,400exp


    Trading (LV40-41) 4,050exp


    Acting (LV31) 1,550exp


    Sword Skills (LV27-28) 2,750exp


    Double Step (LV61) 6,100exp


    Lower Price (LV18-20) 5,700exp


    Sword Arts (LV11) 1,100exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV55) 8,250exp


    Weighted Strike (LV27) 4,050exp


    Flash Step (LV19) 2,850exp


    Contract (LV3-5) 1,800exp


    Inject Mana (LV50) 12,500exp


    Mana Skin (LV50-51) 25,250exp


    Mental Resistance (LV48) 12,000exp


    Empowered Spell (LV3-7) 6,250exp


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Skill Experience: 100,300exp


    Crafting Experience: 743exp


    Fighting Experience: 68,891exp


    Total experience Gained: 169,934exp


    I ignore the fact I leveled up and focus on my fighting experience. Killing eleven men, and almost dying in the process, only gave me 68,891 experience. Is that how cheap life is in this world?


    Breathing out a sad sigh, I distribute my status points to help with my recovery. I put three points into Vitality, three points into Strength, three points into Dexterity, and one point into Magic. The vibrant wisps of energy explode from my soul and nourish my tired body.


    Even if I only put a single point into Magic, it''s enough to mend a significant amount of damage to my mana network. If I use short bursts of Extract Mana to pull in ambient mana, I can further increase my mana recovery time. Hopefully, by the time I make it back to the village, my mana pool will be almost full, and the damage from the mana exhaustion will be almost fully healed. But until then, I shouldn¡¯t use any of my spells or Mana Skin.


    Feeling my body and mana network recovering faster, I can better look at my skills that leveled yesterday without worrying about the rest of the trip home.


    Trading, Lower Price, and Contract all gained multiple levels after I made a deal with Mr. Grey. Running and Double Step leveled up after my running for hours on end yesterday. The rest of my skills leveled after the fight.


    ¡°Did you level?¡± I hear from across the clearing. Looking over, I watch Reel walk towards me.


    Usually, his question would earn him a sarcastic comment, but I feel generous towards the man after pulling me out of the flaming crater. ¡°I made it to level 64.¡±


    Reel looks surprised I answered him and probably even more so that I gave him an exact number. He rubs the back of his head, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to answer, did the explosion scramble your brain?¡± He teases.


    ¡°Maybe?¡± I smile at him, making him more uncomfortable. ¡°Thanks again for rescuing me.¡±


    Reel pauses mid-step and narrows his eyes at me. "Stop thanking me already; I was too late to help anyways. Are you ready to go?" He tries to change the subject.


    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± I ask.


    My pack is still roughly in one piece, but I need to retie the straps I cut. I pick up my blanket from the ground and shake it out before stashing it away.


    Reel takes off a small pack and stretches out his hand towards me. Unwrapping myself, I fold his blanket and give it back to him. ¡°Thanks for letting me use it,¡± I tell him.


    Reel growls in annoyance, snaps the blanket out of my hand, and then proceeds to stuff it into his pack. It''s surprising how light he can travel; besides the gear, he''s wearing, he only has the blanket and a single waterskin tied to his pack.


    Next, I pick up my sword and examine it. My sword was caught up in the blast, but thanks to its mana nature and the scabbard being made out of fire-resistant materials, they both only have a few nicks. Reattaching my sword to my hip only takes a second, but I can''t find my dagger anywhere. ¡°Hey, Reel. Do you know where my dagger is?¡±


    Reel shakes his head, no. "It''s in a scrap pile hidden in the woods. It was too mangled after the explosion to be salvaged." Damn, that sucks. Reel notices my disappointed look, "Something special about it?"


    ¡°It was the first thing master made for me. The knife has been with me for years now.¡± I sigh with disappointment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Kervin pick up the scrap pile when he heads this way again and bring it to you,¡± Reel offers.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I tell him as I swing the heavy straps to my pack over my shoulders.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Reel whines again. I¡¯m starting to notice Reel can¡¯t take a compliment; he¡¯s either been pissing everybody off or staying silent so much that I didn¡¯t notice it before. I don¡¯t think anyone has had a single conversation with the man that wasn¡¯t an argument during our entire trip to Drey.


    We start walking across the clearing towards my village, and I decide to test my theory. "I never realized what a helpful person you are," I say, walking next to him.


    If looks could kill, I''d be dead right now. Reel increases his speed and vaults over the fallen tree blocking the path, leaving me behind. ¡°Hey! I can¡¯t move that well right now!¡± I shout over the tree.


    In a flash, Reel is back on top of the tree trunk, offering me a hand up. I take his hand and jump. Between my leg strength and Reel''s Strength stat, I quickly make it on top of the tree and over to the other side. I give Reel a big, goofy smile.


    ¡°What?¡± He challenges.


    ¡°I could¡¯ve walked around, but thanks for helping me anyways.¡±


    Reel¡¯s face muscles slack into a disbelieving grimace before he charges off in a huff.


    Oh, this is too good!


    <hr>


    ¡°Can¡¯t you move any faster?¡± Reel exclaims from a little ways in front of me.


    "No, but thank you for matching my speed," I respond, trying really hard not to laugh.


    ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!¡± Reel howls like an enraged animal.


    Ever since we left the clearing this morning, every jab, joke, or insensitive statement Reel''s thrown at me, I''ve somehow turned it around into a compliment towards him.


    And he hates it!


    ¡°You howl so beautifully; you know that?¡± I say in a singsong voice before bursting into hysterical laughter.


    Reel skids to a stop and turns to me, brandishing one of his enchanted daggers. "One more word, and I''ll cut your tongue out!"


    I just jog past him, continuing to laugh.


    The two of us run a little longer before the sun starts to vanish behind the trees, and we decide to make camp for the night.


    Reel takes the first chance he can get to leave and gather firewood. I use my hands to dig out a fire pit in the snow. Using the rocks nearby, I make a platform for the firewood; that way, the water won''t touch the burning timbers if the snow melts.


    Reel makes it back with an armful of wood. I sort out which timber pieces are best for starting the fire and which will burn through the night.


    Turns out lighting a fire without magic is more challenging than I remember but having superhuman strength more than makes up for the loss. You can twist a stick pretty fast when you have over 100 in your Strength and Dexterity stats.


    Now we just need something to talk about over the fire. I know, "Hey, Reel. You were amazing today, how do you¡­"


    Before I can continue, Reel flicks his wrist, and one of his daggers is embedded an inch from my leg. "I liked you better before you blew yourself up.¡±


    "You know I''m just messing with you. Can''t you take a joke?" I admonish him. Leaning to my side, I easily pull his dagger out of the ground. His blade has a mana gem in it, meaning as long as it''s charged, the enchantment is active, so I can see its runic structure without using up any of my mana.


    Just like my mana obscuring necklace, the runes inside Reel''s dagger are beautifully intricate, so much so I¡¯m sure the runes are top tier 3 or maybe even tier 4.


    ¡°Stop analyzing my dagger and hand it back.¡± Reel complains.


    "If you like it so much, you shouldn''t throw it away, finder¡¯s keepers, loser¡¯s weepers.¡±


    "What?" Reel looks at me, confused.


    "It means I''m missing a dagger, and this one happened to fall into my lap, or next to it technically." I playfully stick out my tongue.


    ¡°Funny, at least you aren¡¯t complimenting me with every word.¡± He holds out his hand.


    I carefully hand him back the dagger, unsure what it¡¯s enchanted with. ¡°Sorry for messing with you all day. After dealing with you on the way to Drey, I was happy to learn your weakness finally." I poke fun at him. "But seriously, what''s your deal? It was mostly a bunch of small compliments; why would that make you uncomfortable?"


    "People don''t usually compliment me when I''m working unless I make it quick." Reel flashes me a smile while showily flipping his dagger around.


    ¡°Does that mean people are just jobs to you?¡± I ask.


    Reel flips his dagger through the air, catching it before he shrugs at me. "Don''t take it personally; I''m the same with Kervin and his lot. I need to be able to follow any orders the boss gives me, and I can''t let friendships get in the way of that."


    "Like what Mr. Grey said about silencing Kervin?" Reel chooses not to answer my question, so I ask another. "Is that why you can¡¯t even have a friendly conversation with me, for the same reason?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll ever be in that kind of situation.¡± Reel gracefully sheaths his dagger.


    ¡°Are you saying that because I¡¯m valuable, or because soon I¡¯ll be stronger than you?¡± I tease.


    Reel gives me a confident smirk. ¡°A bit of advice, don¡¯t underestimate people like me. Levels don¡¯t help when your opponent doesn¡¯t play fair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± I tell him.


    An awkward silence falls on us, and we pass the time staring at the fire.


    ¡°Hey, Reel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You report everything to your boss, right?¡± I question.


    ¡°The important things, yes. Certain things he doesn¡¯t need to know.¡± Reel truthfully answers, not that it¡¯s much of a secret anymore.


    "Then, that means you''re going to tell him about yesterday?" I hesitantly ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he immediately responds.


    ¡°Even the part about how you weren¡¯t there?¡± This time he doesn¡¯t answer. His hesitation is the opening I need, ¡°I have a proposition for you.¡± I offer.


    Reel looks at me critically. ¡°Nothing bad,¡± I try to decrease his skepticism.


    ¡°And what is it you¡¯re suggesting?¡± Reel questions me.


    ¡°I want you to downplay the danger I was in.¡±


    Reel seems unsure of my request. ¡°Why would you want that, and what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    "There are two reasons why I don''t want your boss to know how close I was to meeting the goddess of death. The first is my image." Reel raises an eyebrow at me. "I''m sure you''ve mentioned to your boss my level and some of my skills. Having him think I''m stronger than I am will keep him off of my back."


    ¡°And the second reason?¡± Reel folds his arms.


    "I don''t want him to worry." Reel''s eyes widen when he realizes what I mean. "If word gets out that I almost died going back to my village from the closest city, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll assign more people to shadow me. And gods help me if my mother hears about it, she¡¯ll never let me leave the village again.¡±


    "All of those reasons sound great for Silver Herd. We can better watch you, and you''ll be confined to the village, and it won''t be by our hand.¡± Reel chuckles at my problems.


    "Good for Silver Herd, not you," my response stops him from laughing. ¡°How much trouble will you be in when your boss finds out you almost let me die?¡± Reel''s eyes widen slightly; now, he''s properly listening to me. "You underplay what happened to me, and I''ll keep it a secret you almost let me die. That way, neither of us get in trouble."


    Reel turns his head away from me, so I can''t see his expression. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± his voice cuts through the silent air.


    I pick up a stick and poke at the fire. Sending a quick glance up, I notice Reel still hasn''t turned back to face me. "Hey, Reel," I try to get his attention, but he doesn''t look at me. "I have something to ask about you saving me yesterday.¡±


    "For the last time, I don''t need your thanks,¡± He snaps at me, finally turning his head in my direction.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to thank you again,¡± I flatly tell him. ¡°I was wondering how much of my fight did you see?¡±


    Reel¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t give anything away. ¡°I told you. I arrived after the explosion and pulled you out of the crater.¡±


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you asked me any questions?¡±


    ¡°Because I know you wouldn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Reel candidly answers my question.


    He looks sincere, but I know Reel better than that. "That wouldn''t stop you from trying. You wouldn''t leave me alone the entire trip to Drey, even though I ignored almost every one of your questions. The only thing I can think of is that you arrived earlier than you said. I''m curious, was I conscious when you pulled me out of the crater?"


    ¡°Would knowing change anything?¡± Reel asks me.


    ¡°I guess it wouldn¡¯t,¡± I lower my head, casting my gaze back into the fire.


    ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t ask me?¡±


    "I won''t because I know you wouldn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Answering the same way he did, I look up and give Reel a smirk.


    Reel''s lips curl up into a light smile. We both share a quick laugh about our situation. Both of us are trying to get information out of the other. Both of us are trying to survive in a game played by bigger people.


    Reel stops laughing first. ¡°You want the first or second watch?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the first. I think I might have slept a little too much last night.¡±


    "Alright," Reel nods his head in understanding before tightly wrapping his blanket around his body. As soon as he lays on the ground, his eyes close, and his breathing evens out.


    He fell asleep fast; I wonder how long he¡¯s been up for? I¡¯m sure he stayed up all night to watch over me, meaning it¡¯s been at least two days since he last slept. I wonder if he¡¯s still paying attention to his surroundings; if I reached for his enchanted dagger, would he wake up?


    I set aside the idea of robbing the sleeping assassin for later and try to make myself comfortable.


    I''m surprised how much my opinion of Reel has changed today. Despite me bugging him throughout the day, he never retaliated. Sure, Reel threatened me multiple times, but that was just for show. If he wanted me to leave him alone, he would''ve brought up the men I killed.


    I can''t say we are friends now, but I think there is a new sense of respect between the two of us.


    It sucks now I know he isn¡¯t all that bad of a guy.


    I used to hate him on principle, which made avoiding his questions easier.


    I need to be careful; no matter how my opinion of Reel changes, I need to remember, it''s his job to gather information about me and report it to his boss. I send a sidelong glance at Reel¡¯s prone form. I don''t know what Reel learned about me, but I hope to use the information he gathered to mislead his boss rather than report my fight''s grim details.


    Reel wouldn¡¯t be able to escape punishment if he reports the situation exactly as it happened. No matter how annoying Reel can be, I¡¯d prefer the devil in front of me to the one hidden in the shadows.


    I finally manage to get into a good position and enter a meditative state. While absorbing small amounts of mana, I keep a close eye on the woods around us. I''ll make sure nothing bothers Reel while he''s asleep just like he did for me.


    <hr>


    General Emily Pitz Point of View:


    "The daily report, Cristopher," I ask my steward while staring out the keep''s window. In the distance, I see Scholl''s campfires flickering into existence as the sun gives way to the night.


    ¡°I¡¯m sad to report more conflicting reports, general.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± I question him.


    ¡°Scholl¡¯s forces have pulled back their forward line, yet they continue to launch siege spells even though they can¡¯t reach our walls. They send raiding parties when our supplies arrive but retreat before any real damage is done. Scholl isn¡¯t known for long engagements, and yet they¡¯re digging themselves in and building fortifications along their ranks. It¡¯s almost like they¡¯ve given up and are only putting up token appearances.¡± Cristopher reports the troubling news.


    ¡°Have they received any reinforcements?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Our scouting teams report regular supply trains arriving at their camp but no new soldiers.¡±


    ¡°No one wearing a feathered hat?¡±


    Cristopher shivers, ¡°Thankfully not. The commander who took over Scholl¡¯s forces after you slew his predecessor has been seen directing troops and appears to still be in charge despite losing most of his forces to your last skill.¡±


    ¡°Any word on our reinforcements?¡±


    ¡°We received word from the capital that multiple forces are being sent to reinforce us. The closest will be here in three weeks.¡± Cristopher happily reports.


    ¡°And my specialty arrows?¡± I ask.


    "Your order was sent to the Stone-Kin, and we received word that it was accepted, but we haven''t received a reply when they might be finished." Damn, that''s terrible news. I don''t let Cristopher see my agitated face. It doesn''t mean anything if the order is accepted; if they didn''t quote us a delivery date, it means they haven''t started, or they''re having trouble with the materials.


    ¡°Regarding your other order, we received a letter from the owner of Silver Herd, Giovanni Turrini, that it should be here in under two weeks.¡± Cristopher¡¯s news brings a slight smile back to my face. ¡°Furthermore, the items we purchased from the merchant Kervin, deemed good enough to enchant, are nearing completion. Squad leaders have been notified to report anyone they think competent enough to wield an enchanted weapon.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I respond. ¡°And the special arrows we received?¡±


    ¡°Divided amongst our best archers,¡± Cristopher reassures me.


    ¡°They know not to use them, correct?¡± I send a stern look at Cristopher.


    "Yes, general," Cristopher nods in reassurance. "They''re aware of your orders to save them for the next big battle. Everything is moving smoothly, general.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the problem,¡± Cristopher understands what I mean. Everything has been going too efficiently as of late. We''ve repelled every one of Scholl''s offenses and have decimated their numbers, and yet they haven''t retreated. They even started using tactics they aren¡¯t known for.


    Scholl''s forces are meant to move as one, being spearheaded by high-leveled army members. Even after I killed most of their high leveled warriors and commanders, they still tried to take the fort using the same formation.


    Scholl should¡¯ve retreated through the canyon the day after I slaughtered so many of their forces. The only reason they would have stayed is if they came up with another plan, one that we haven¡¯t seen before.


    Three weeks, I tell myself.


    In three weeks, reinforcements will arrive, and Scholl will have no choice but to retreat; we just need to hang on until then.


    <hr>


    ????? Point of View:


    Gods, I love the smell of the battlefield!


    The charged atmosphere is positively pulsing with waves of mana!


    It makes me want to charge the fort right now!


    It takes everything I have to restrain myself; I can¡¯t have my existence here being revealed yet. That surprise will come later.


    I stroke my grey beard, careful of the feathers I have adorning my facial hair. I had to take them out while traveling with the supplies, but I can proudly display them in my tent.


    I hear the tent flap open and get a fresh whiff of the battlefield. "How are the plans proceeding, Tellis?" I don''t bother looking at the intruder; only one person is allowed inside my tent. And I want to meet the assassin who can kill me.


    ¡°Everything is proceeding as instructed, Master Pacore. When reinforcements arrive, we¡¯ll be ready to take the fort within a day.¡±


    "Does everyone still believe you''re in charge?" I ask while stroking my beautiful beard.


    "A few people were asking questions, but I took care of them. No one knows you''re here." I look over at the kneeling man, and he quickly casts his eyes down, avoiding my gaze.


    ¡°Impressive; it''s nice to see your dedication to the cause remains, despite your failings." Tellis gulps loud enough I can clearly hear it. "Continue as you have, and I''ll see to you getting a promotion."


    ¡°Really!?¡± Tellis¡¯ face is equal parts disbelief and excitement. ¡°But the men I lost?¡±


    ¡°Irrelevant,¡± I exclaim. ¡°Little was known about General Pitz when you took command. She¡¯s known for hunting magical beasts, and you couldn''t anticipate her skills. Despite watching your former general die at her hands, you were the only commander who volunteered to take over his position, knowing quite well you probably would fail. Why do that?" I ask the still kneeling man.


    It takes him a moment to collect himself enough to answer me. "Someone had to take charge; Scholl cannot lose this war," he loudly claims.


    ¡°And that is why I¡¯ll see you have a promotion. War has a great tendency to bring out the hidden talent in people. Stand up." Tellis immediately hops to his feet. "Continue the preparations. In two weeks, the fort will be ours."


    "By your will, Master Pacore the Deathless.¡± Tellis salutes me and leaves my tent.


    Subordinates love to use my title but rarely understand what it means. I¡¯ve earned my title after a century of battle. The Goddess Ebeon has tried to claim my soul countless times, but I''ve walked away stronger each time I¡¯ve avoided death.


    I hope General Pitz doesn''t disappoint me. It would be a shame if I came all the way here, and I don''t get to see the color of my own blood; it''s been so long since I''ve seen it last.


    I wonder if it¡¯s still red?

 Ch: 57

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stop by the village before you go?¡± I offer Reel the chance to rest before he returns to Drey.


    ¡°I have to get back to Kervin,¡± Reel quickly shoots down my offer. ¡°Have you recovered?¡±


    I stretch my arms across my chest. ¡°I¡¯m still a little sore, but I should be back to full strength by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Reel nods his head and turns around to start heading back the way we came.


    "Thanks for running with me," I call out to his retreating figure. I can''t see his face, but I bet he''s smiling¡­ probably not, I laugh to myself.


    Reel quickly disappears down the trail, and I turn back towards the village. I¡¯m standing where Kervin usually camps, and though I¡¯ve only been gone about ten days, it feels like it¡¯s been much longer than that.


    Mr. Grey saved me some time having the materials ready for me to be inspected, but I lost a day in the woods after the bandit attack. All in all, I made it back on schedule; meaning, mother, father, and Master Del are probably expecting me to arrive home soon.


    I stand in place, looking at the village from a distance. The midday sun overhead is pushing back the remaining winter chill, causing the snow on the ground to glisten like everything is covered in crystals.


    Dilemmas are never fun, and yet I''ve come across so many this month. Now I have another one I need to rack my brain over, and it¡¯s by far the most daunting one yet.


    Who do I visit first?


    On the one hand, master needs to be prepared for tomorrow, and he''s closer. Plus, I can drop off the materials while I''m there.


    On the other hand, when mother finds out I''m home but didn''t immediately go to see her¡­ a chill runs up the base of my spine.


    Both mother and master will insist on hearing about my journey, and both of them will need to hear about what happened.


    I guess I¡¯ll have to drag Master Del out of his house and bring him home with me.


    I cut through the forest and make a bee-line for master¡¯s clearing. I wonder what master spent the last week and a half doing, probably napping most of the time.


    Getting closer to the clearing, I''m surprised to hear the melody of ringing steel. When I finally make it through the trees, I see master working at the anvil. Instead of announcing my return, I silently watch Master Del move the steel ingot. It''s always a joy to watch master work.


    Del shapes a corner of the ingot into a perfect nail with only a handful of strikes with his expert hands. Master switches his hammer for an axe and severs the nail from the rest of the material. Master checks to ensure the nail falls into a bucket of water waiting below before starting to form the next one.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for Master Del to turn the ingot into a pile of nails.


    ¡°You just going to stand there and watch me, or are you going to greet your master?¡± Master sets down his hammer and lifts his head, looking directly at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you up and forging all by yourself; I wasn''t sure if I was seeing things." I leave the tree line and head towards master. "Did you miss me?" I ask with a grin.


    ¡°I did, until I remembered how cheeky you are,¡± Master feigns displeasure.


    ¡°I missed you, master,¡± I tell him with a sincere smile on my face.


    Master''s expression turns into a soft smile, "Me too." I lean in and give master a hug, which he returns.


    As we part, master eyes the sack attached to my back. "Managed to get everything you need? I need to hear all about it." He sounds like a parent who just had a child come back from their first day at school.


    I ignore his question and move over to our supply shed. Carefully lowering my bag and putting it inside, I leave everything but my travel pack I started my journey with. "You come back from your first trip, and now you ignore your master?" Del huffs in disapproval.


    ¡°Sorry, but I wasted too much time watching you work,¡± I throw my travel pack over my shoulder and move to grab master¡¯s hand. I start dragging the stunned Stone Kin towards the path that leads to the village.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the rush?¡± Master complains.


    ¡°I need to tell my parents that I¡¯m home,¡± I usher master to move faster.


    "You haven''t gone to them yet?" Master asks in disbelief. "Are you trying to get us both in trouble?" Del matches my speed, now understanding why I''m rushing us. If someone happened to see me outside the village and reported back to the headman that I was back, he would immediately head for my house to find me. I can''t have word get back to mother that I''m home and didn''t see her first.


    ¡°I wanted you to be with me when I explained my trip to my parents, so I stopped by to pick you up first.¡± I quickly explain to Master Del.


    We both start jogging towards my house. On the way, I ask master why he was forging nails instead of napping as usual.


    ¡°Salus started on the village armory, now that the snow isn¡¯t falling as much. After I helped him lay down the stone foundation, he started building the frame but was out of nails, and you weren''t here to make him more.¡±


    "Wait, you actually helped him lay the foundation? You didn''t just give him the stone?" I ask, surprised.


    "Well, he came to me asking for the stone and started complaining about how much he missed his apprentice. I felt bad and offered to help him." Master says it like he had no other choice but to help the poor man.


    I look at master like he¡¯s grown another head.


    "Don''t look at me like that! I was bored and decided to help, that''s all." Master comes up with an excuse. Del must have gotten used to helping me every day and got restless after I left.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Salus was grateful,¡± I say with a grin.


    I cut my teasing short when we enter the village, and people start noticing us.


    ¡°Aaliyah¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°Welcome home!¡±


    ¡°Did you have a nice trip?!¡±


    I''m shocked how many people call out to me as we jog through the village. I didn''t think people would notice that I left, let alone be this happy to see me return. As more people call out to me, I start to blush and slightly pick up the pace.


    I stop when I spot Arash, one of the senior hunters that worked with me during the goblin extermination quest, walking by. ¡°Hey, Arash!¡± I call out to him.


    ¡°Aaliyah, good to see you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, it¡¯s good to be back. Are you on patrol right now?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°My shift just ended. Is there something you need?¡± Arash asks me.


    ¡°Did you see where my father was while on your patrol?¡±


    "I did; he''s helping clear trees along the northern side of the village. Did you want me to let him know you''re back home?" Arash gives me a friendly smile.


    ¡°Please?¡± I give him a pleading look. ¡°I was heading home to tell mother I was back, and I don''t want to leave father out."


    ¡°Sure,¡± Arash agrees to help me. He changes the direction he was walking and heads to where he said father was working today. Now I just need to get home.


    "Aaliyah!" I take five steps before I''m forced to stop again when I hear Camden''s voice calling out to me. The headman comes running up to me. "I was told you were back; how was your trip to Drey? Did you see Sandra there?"


    "Sorry I didn''t. Look, I really got to go." I try to inch my way towards my house.


    ¡°Was the city everything you thought it would be? I bet you realized life in the village is better.¡± Camden doesn¡¯t appear to realize I¡¯m in a hurry.


    "Listen, Camden, my family, is¡­" I start, but I''m interrupted again.


    "It''s a good thing everything was quiet while you were gone. Did you run into any beasts on the road?" He eagerly asks. A frown crosses my face as I''m reminded of the bandits. "Everything ok?" Camden notices my displeased look.


    I quickly change my expression and reassure the headman, "Nothing I couldn''t handle," I explain. Camden gives me a concerned look, but now that he''s quiet, I can tell him I need to leave. "I''ll try to find some time to meet with you, but I''m on a tight schedule for the rest of the week. I only have the rest of the day to spend quality time with my family, and I haven''t even seen them yet. We''ll talk later, all right?"


    The headman gives me a smile, ¡°Of course, go be with your family. Whenever you have time to talk, visit me at my house.¡±


    I wave goodbye, and master and I start making our way back towards my house, and we''re soon at the front door. I open the old wooden door and smile when I hear the familiar creek as it swings open.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m home!¡± I call out as soon as I step in the entryway.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± I don¡¯t have much time to prepare myself before mom springs up from her sewing station and rushes to embrace me. I have just enough time to brace myself before she tackles me, so neither of us gets hurt.


    While she¡¯s holding on tight to me, I pick her up and shift us to the side so Del can come inside too.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re back¡­ and with Del.¡± I feel her arms tighten around me. ¡°Did you wait to come home?¡± Mother asks in my ear.


    ¡°No, no,¡± I hastily reassure mother. ¡°I had to drop the materials I bought off at Del¡¯s place. I figured he would want to hear about my journey as much as you or father would, so I brought him with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but one of us will need to go to get your father." Mother lets go of me and looks me up and down. "Sweety, why are you so dirty? I thought your skills and magic protect you?"


    I do my best not to flinch at her question. "I saw Arash on the way here and asked him to let father know I''m back home, so he should be here soon."


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but what why are you so messy?¡± Like a bloodhound, mother zeros in on the information I don¡¯t want to share.


    "I tried something new with my magic on the way home and overdid it. I''m already almost back to 100%, so you don''t need to worry." I smile and lean in to give mother another quick hug.


    She pulls apart quicker this time and continues to glance over me, looking for anything that might be wrong. There''s only one way I can reassure her. "Now that I think about it, my mana has recovered more than enough to clean myself."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I chant my cleaning spell and finish with a grin on my face.


    Mother watches almost three days of dirt and grime peel away from me. While mom is happy to watch me look as good as new, I¡¯m gritting my teeth through the pain I¡¯m feeling. The gaps in my mana network haven''t fully closed just yet, and even though it was a small spell, it aggravated my earlier injuries.


    ¡°Alright then, come and sit down. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired from all that running. Mom gives me little time to change my shoes for slippers before she¡¯s dragging me to sit at the table. "Are you hungry at all? I have some dried fruits if you want a snack?"


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, mom. I bought some fresh jerky in Drey and had that on the way home.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She presses me again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I flatly tell her. ¡°Do you think dad will be able to make it home soon?¡± I try to change the subject. I watch master take an empty seat at the table.


    ¡°If I know your father, he¡¯ll be flying through that door any minute now.¡± Mother gives me a knowing look.


    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t picture dad running home, you maybe.¡±


    Mom brings her hand up to her mouth and giggles. ¡°Out of the two of us, your father has been the one constantly worrying about you while you were gone. Tossing around in bed, asking when you were due back; it¡¯s been fun teasing, I mean reassuring him you¡¯d be fine.¡±


    "Aaliyah, honey, are you finally home!?" I hear dad''s voice coming from outside our door. "Silvia, if this is another prank, I''m going to¡­" The door is flung open, and dad stops mid threat when he sees me sitting at the table.


    Dad kicks off his shoes and runs at me with a smile brimming with happiness. I can¡¯t even stand up before dad lifts me into a princess carry up against his chest. Neither of us says anything as I feel the warmth of his love wash away the feeling of pain from my mana network.


    At least for a few seconds.


    Our loving moment has a bucket of cold water splashed over us with mom¡¯s ominous voice. ¡°What were you just saying, Darrius?¡±


    Dad carefully sets me back into my chair before turning to address the vindictive banshee in the room. "I was merely joking. You know I could never be mad with the most beautiful woman in the world." Dad immediately tries to lay it on thick.


    Dad moves around the table, ignoring Master Del, and proceeds to embrace mother from behind. When dad is out of mom''s view, she sends me a mischievous wink before returning to her previous expression of rage. ¡°Is that so,¡± She huffs after dad wraps his arms around her. "Is this how you treat me after I held you every night, comforting you, telling you Aalyiah will be fine on her own?"


    "You don''t need to mention that in front of company." Father hisses, while his tanned cheeks start to redden.


    ¡°Fine,¡± mother appears to relax in his arms. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to make up for it later.¡± Mother turns around in his arms and deeply kisses father leaving him no chance to refute her claim.


    Master Del and I share awkward looks.


    When my parent¡¯s faces finally separate for air, mother tells father to take his seat. ¡°Aaliyah was waiting for you to come home before she told us about her trip to Drey.¡±


    ¡°Only if you two are done,¡± I roll my eyes at mom.


    "Don''t be like that, dear. You''ll be the same way when you find someone special; you''re about that age now. Your brother ran away with Sandra the first chance he got.¡± Father¡¯s eyes widen when mother brings up my potential love life. ¡°Did you meet any handsome boys in Drey?¡± Mother teases me, but father looks at me with fire in his eyes.


    "Stop! I didn''t have time to meet anybody on my trip; I was too busy." Mother nods in understanding, and dad looks relieved.


    "So, tell us what did happen during your trip," Mother asks, leaning forward.


    I clear my throat, ¡°After we left the village¡­.¡±


    I start recalling everything that happened on the trip.


    The annoying cart ride to Drey that took too long, the part about Mr. Grey being ready for us, the fantastic dinner, and our game of questions, I went into detail about everything. The only thing I didn''t cover was the knowledge they had on master, that I planned to tell him tomorrow when it was just the two of us.


    I talked about the deal we made for the materials and passed around my new amulet for everyone to look at. Dad almost dropped the magical item when I told him how much it was worth.


    Mother praised my merchant skills, and master was impressed with how I handled picking out the materials.


    I left out what happened on the way home, only mentioning Reel escorted me back, finishing up my story.


    ¡°What do you guys think?¡± I ask for everybody¡¯s opinion after I finished explaining everything.


    ¡°It sounds like Silver Herd values you a lot,¡± Mother offers her opinion.


    ¡°As they should,¡± Father and Del say the same thing, making mother and I laugh.


    Mother takes control of the conversation, "Did anything seem odd to you, sweetie?" Mom gives me a curious look.


    ¡°There was one thing that seemed odd at the time,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Grey asked me if I knew the Panetta family. He wouldn¡¯t explain to me who they were and said it was a question from their headquarters. Do you think it¡¯s code for something?¡± I speculate.


    ¡°Maybe people you need to look out for?¡± Dad hypothesizes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t recall ever hearing the name before,¡± Master doesn¡¯t know anything either.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Mother draws everyone¡¯s attention to her. ¡°They asked you about the Panetta family because I threatened I''d contact them if anything happened to you." Mother casually tells the table.


    All of us look at her with dumbfounded expressions. ¡°Who is the Panetta family?¡± I ask.


    ¡°They are one of the prominent households in the Twin Serpent Trading company, one of the big trading companies of Olebert.¡± Mother explains like it¡¯s no big deal.


    ¡°How do you know them?¡± I question mother. ¡°Does it have to do with your side of the family? You mentioned grandpa was in charge of getting expensive materials for enchanters. Are we related to the Panetta family?" I practically vibrate in excitement. Mother had always left out details when she talked about her family; is this why?


    Mother smirks, drawing astonished faces from everyone at the table, including dad. "No, I just lied to that shady looking bodyguard." The three of us nearly fall out of our seats at mother''s sudden reveal.


    Mom holds her sides, laughing. "That wasn''t funny, mom," I complain. "What happens when silver heard finds out you lied to them?"


    Mother wipes underneath her eyes like she was about to cry from laughing too hard. ¡°It wasn¡¯t technically a lie,¡± Mother cryptically tells us.


    ¡°What does that mean? You said we weren¡¯t related to the Panetta family.¡± I ask.


    ¡°The Twin Serpent Trading Company is incredibly large like all the major trading companies are. There are quite a few families that make up its structure. Different families manage different assets of the company. The Panetta family is one of those families, and they were the patrons of my father''s business." Mother explains.


    "So, technically, we are connected to the Panetta family?¡± I try to clarify.


    "Vaguely," mother smiles at me. "If I decided to send my father a letter asking for help, it might make it into the Panetta family¡¯s hands, but it¡¯s more likely to end up in his fireplace. I wouldn''t know; I haven''t talked to my family since I ran away with your father."


    Dad leans over and sportingly takes mom''s hand into his own.


    ¡°If Silver Herd can track down my family, they would realize my threat is possible. It was the best thing I could think of to give them pause and not try anything underhanded with you." Mother explains why she lied to Reel.


    No wonder Reel looked scared after she talked to him before we left the village. If I learned anything from my trip to Drey, it''s that Silver Herd is worried about outside interference, especially from the major trading companies. And mom threw a grenade at them, claiming she''s on speaking terms with one of their major competitors. I can¡¯t help but give mom props for being the evil genius that she is.


    ¡°Wow,¡± father exclaims.


    ¡°Damn, mom,¡± I give her a thumbs up. It¡¯s a good thing I taught my family what the gesture meant as a kid.


    "Language," Mother scolds me. "It worked out more or less as I planned," she tells the table. "Was there anything else you noticed about your meeting?" Mother questions me further.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I answer. ¡°I got the feeling they were honestly trying really hard to wow me and draw me in. Mr. Grey seemed like a nice man and was very upfront with my questions."


    ¡°As far as you know,¡± Mother reminds me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool, mom. I know I can''t take everything he said to be the truth, but honestly, I found dealing with Mr. Grey even easier than Kervin." I give her my honest opinion.


    ¡°I understand, as long as you¡¯re careful, honey.¡± Mom gives me a supportive smile. ¡°Now that you are back, what are your plans?¡±


    I look around the table at everyone before focusing on master. "Master Del and I will be busy the next few days forging the arrow. That''s what I''m focusing on for now. Hopefully, Silver Herd comes through with the hint to make engraving ink, but that only matters after completing the general''s order. I''ll apologize in advance, but I''ll be spending most of my time at Del''s place." Mom nods in understanding while dad slightly frowns.


    "In that case," Mom stands up and claps her hands. "We better make the time we have together count. Aaliyah, sweetie, why don''t you help me start an early dinner?"


    "Of course, mom." I look forward to cooking with mom and put aside everything that happened on the trip home.


    ¡°I should go,¡± Del pushes out his chair to stand up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± Mother picks up her kitchen knife and points it at master. ¡°Aaliyah brought you here to hear her story with us. She invited you into our house, so we¡¯re obligated to have you stay for dinner.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary,¡± Master tries to excuse himself again.


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to stay, we shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Dad isn¡¯t subtle when it comes to Del, but he stops himself when mom glares at him.


    She turns her gaze back to master and points her knife at his chair, ¡°Sit.¡±


    Master Del gives up and silently sits back down. Mother is amazing; it doesn''t matter who she''s dealing with or their levels; she''s not afraid to speak her mind.


    The rest of the day passes quickly with me helping mom with dinner, and us all sitting down and enjoying it together with friendly conversation.


    Mother asked me multiple questions about Drey and whether or not I liked the city. Master asked me questions about Mr. Grey''s materials, and dad asked me three times if I met any boys. He nearly had a heart attack when I faked interest in our handsome server at Alizio¡¯s.


    An average family dinner at our house, and yet, the food and company were more appreciated than ever.


    Master left, reassuring me he would be up early tomorrow morning, waiting for me at the forge.


    Mother and father sandwiched me with a group hug before we turned in for the night. And I collapsed face-first onto my bed and told my furniture how much I missed it as soon as I walked into my room.


    Now I''m staring up at the ceiling in my dark room, smiling at the crudely drawn clouds up above. This is the first time I¡¯ve genuinely felt comfortable in days, but I can''t fall asleep for some reason.


    I''ve already absorbed enough extra ambient mana to heal my mana network, and I was hoping to get a good night''s sleep in preparation for tomorrow. I try to quiet my mind, but it doesn''t help.


    Plan B, if I can¡¯t fall asleep naturally, I¡¯ll enter my soul and let my body rest on its own.


    A quick glance at the center of my soul, and the next time I open my eyes, I''m in the familiar forest clearing.


    ¡°What the hell!¡± I scramble to my feet when I notice I¡¯m not alone in the clearing.


    Surrounding me in a circle are eleven men. Each has their own horrible expression directed at me, but my focus is drawn to the one I immediately recognize. The bandit''s leader has the same cruel smile he had on his face when he stood over me before I activated my spell. Looking closer at the other men, I notice they''re the same ones I killed.


    Is this a dream? Did I fall asleep without realizing it?


    No.


    I¡¯ve been inside my soul hundreds of times, and I know what it feels like; this is definitely the outer part of my soul that I always appear in.


    Realizing where I am, my emotions calm, and I look closer at the men standing around me.


    They aren¡¯t real.


    Each of their bodies looks faded and transparent. I see now; they''re made up of the experience I got from killing them. A piece of their souls is now a part of my own.


    The forest around me represents the outer part of my soul, and everything is a manifestation of my experience. The more experience I gain, the more detailed the forest becomes and the wider it expands.


    I''ve watched what happens when a living creature dies, the central part of the soul is taken away, and their experience diffuses into the surroundings. These figures are not them. "You are nothing but ghosts my mind conjured up," I say aloud to the specters. Not one of them moves.


    I close my eyes and center myself.


    When I feel myself enter a state of tranquility, I once again open my eyes. "Begone!" I wave my hand, and the specters dissipate into specks of light that assimilate into my surroundings.


    A single tear runs down my cheek, which I quickly wipe away. As I lower my hand, I notice it isn''t wet, and it doesn''t feel like I ever cried in the first place. I still don''t fully understand this place, and maybe I never will.


    I sit down on the forest floor and enter a meditative state, pushing the bandits'' memories to the back of my mind. I know I¡¯ll need to spend quite a bit of time here before my body gets a proper rest, and I don''t plan to use the time thinking about those men.


    With time almost meaningless here, I alternate between meditating and hunting for the pieces of the Contract skill that formed between Mr. Grey and me. It doesn''t take long; the contract was obscure, making it smaller and quicker to piece together than the one I made with Kervin.


    Trying to keep track of time while I''m in here doesn''t help me, so I only head for the memory sea when my gut tells me I¡¯ve been here long enough.


    Just like time, distance is also tricky to measure, but I can tell the forest has grown in size since I was last here. I slowly walk through the trees and the mountainous region until I reach the shimmering sea of memories.


    I don''t hesitate to jump over the edge and plummet into my past. A memory forms around me, and I frown at the familiar clearing. It''s not the clearing I''m used to seeing when I enter my soul, but I''m quite familiar with it none the less.


    I look at the fallen tree blocking the road and turn to watch myself from three days ago run into the clearing just like I remembered it.


    ¡°You got to be shitting me,¡± I complain out loud. Is this all a coincidence, or is my mind purposely trying to fuck with me?


    ¡°You can get me out now!¡± I yell up at the simulated sky, waiting for the eyes to blast me out of my soul.


    Only this time, nothing happens. The one time I don¡¯t want to stay here, the eyes decide not to show up.


    I''m forced to relive that moment once again and watch myself cut down three people before blowing the rest to hell. I expect the memory to fade once the explosion happens, but the memory continues for some reason.


    How can I relive something that I never witnessed?


    I get my answer when Reel runs into the clearing, looking distraught. I''d never thought I''d see such a look of panic on his face.


    I cringe when I hear coughing from the crater and watch, amazed as Reel rushes towards the noise. I watch Reel force a potion down my throat and pull me away from the blast site. I was awake!


    I have to cover my face in embarrassment as loopy me talks to Reel. I end up trying to kick memory me as I start spilling my secrets to Reel. I wasn''t even cryptic with what I said; I straight up told Reel how I overclocked the spell with a skill.


    Stomping around the memory in frustration, I finally feel the eyes focusing on me. "About time, get me out of here!" I shout like a lunatic up at the eyes, watching them force their way through the memory.


    The next thing I know, I¡¯m sitting up in my bed covered in sweat, with the morning sun beaming through the gaps in my window.


    Instead of getting a good night¡¯s sleep, I¡¯m waking up pissed at someone I can¡¯t even confront.


    I pace around my room until the anger I feel starts to subside. I¡¯m forced to get ready with the playback of the bandit attack repeating through my mind.


    I try to forget about the attack by focusing on getting ready for the day. After changing my clothes, I brush out my hair and marvel at how long it has gotten. My red locks travel all the way down my back; I''ll have to ask mom to help me trim it later. The dark red color of my hair has become bolder the more points I put into Vitality; the shade itself hasn''t changed but looks healthier in general.


    Looking over my body, it''s hard to think I was in an explosion a few days ago. Other than my rough hands from blacksmithing, I can''t find a single mark on my skin. What will it be like when I reach even higher levels?


    "Are you up, sweetie?" I recoil when I hear mom''s voice through my door. "You said you needed to get up early; I was just checking to make sure you rolled out of bed already."


    A smile creeps across my face. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m already up. I¡¯m almost ready to leave for a morning run.¡± I walk over to my door and open it.


    ¡°Are you sure you have time?¡± Mother asks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can spare thirty minutes; I promised myself to start running again.¡±


    "Mind if I join you? I missed our runs together." I''m surprised mom is still interested in running with me.


    ¡°I would love for you to join me,¡± I tell her with a smile.


    The two of us head to the door and change into our outdoor shoes. Once outside, we go through a quick stretching routine, and I notice mom has improved a lot since the last time we ran.


    She notices my surprised looks. ¡°I don¡¯t run that often, but I do your stretching routine at least once a day. Your father enjoys how flexible I¡¯ve become without wasting any of my stat points.¡±


    ¡°Gross, mom,¡± she laughs at the sour face I make.


    ¡°I even leveled my running skill, which hasn¡¯t happened since I was a kid.¡± Mother boasts about her success. ¡°Ready, let¡¯s go.¡± Mother takes off before I can say anything, laughing as she goes.


    I quickly catch up to her, and we share in each other¡¯s laughter.


    We loop around the village three times before deciding I need to head to Del''s place finally. "I''ll see you tonight, mom." I lean in and give mom a quick hug.


    "Good luck with your forging," Mother tells me as we separate.


    "Thanks," I tell her and start walking down the trail to Del''s house. The running helped immensely with clearing my head, and now I''m confident I''m ready to forge at my best.


    When I''m out of sight of the village, I activate Mana Skin for the first time in days. I tested my mana network during our run by filling the mana obscuring amulet. I didn''t feel discomfort when using my mana, so I know I can activate my skill without worry.


    A part of me I didn¡¯t know was tense finally relaxes as my skill activates. Feeling my familiar barriers surround my body and protect me from the remaining winter winds feels like I stepped into a room with perfect air conditioning.


    But though the barriers feel similar, I can tell immediately they''re stronger than the last time I used Mana Skin. After I survived my explosive magic, I gained two levels, making it my highest-leveled tier 4 skill, passing Inject Mana. I can¡¯t wait to get the skill to level 60 and figure out how to improve it further. Who knows, maybe if I can safely protect myself enough with the skill, blowing myself up in the future might become a viable combat strategy.


    I could already imagine the looks of horror on master¡¯s and Ronald¡¯s faces if I tried that spell against a chameleon spider. Let the beast try to eat me then, boom! I chuckle at the absurd idea as I make my way to master''s house.


    Stepping into master''s clearing, I take note that Master Del already has the forge going, and he''s inspecting the materials I brought back with me. ¡°I brought back some good stuff, didn¡¯t I,¡± I call out to master.


    ¡°You brought back a pain in the ass,¡± Master calls out, without looking up from the materials. ¡°Kaglese is hard to work with by itself, and I''ve never heard or seen anything about this black rock before."


    ¡°Mr. Grey showed me a small sample they managed to forge from it, and I can say without a doubt it''s the best material we''ve ever worked with," I reassure master.


    "Do you have a plan, then?" Master looks at me, unsure about the whole thing.


    ¡°I think we need to spend today and tomorrow testing everything.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Master gives me a look to continue explaining.


    "We break up the black rock and turn a small amount of it into its metal form. Once we have a good sample to work with, we start testing how much mithril we add into the solution by starting small and adding more as we go. That way, we figure out a good alloy to work with for the final product. Then, we do the same thing with the Kaglese. Once we know their perfect alloy composition, we have one day to process the rest of the material and then two days to make the arrow itself.¡± I lay out the details of my plan.


    Master nods his head, ¡°That could work. Does that mean you want to spend the whole day only working with the black rock?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I answer master. ¡°The black rock is the biggest unknown for us, so I figure we start with the most difficult part first.¡± I grin at master.


    ¡°It¡¯s never boring with you.¡± Master huffs and moves to throw more fuel into the forge.


    ¡°I missed you too, master.¡± I smile and prepare myself for a long day.


    This will be the start of the hardest thing I''ve ever tried to forge, and it begins now.

 Ch: 58

    "Why¡­Won''t¡­ You¡­ Break!" I slam my hammer down on the black rock as hard as possible and am only rewarded with a pebble-sized chunk of material chipping off.


    For the last twenty minutes, I''ve been working on the mysterious black ore Mr. Grey traded to me, and I''m starting to realize why other smiths didn''t want to purchase it. The damn thing is almost impossible to break even with my Strength stat.


    ¡°You can step in anytime, yeah know,¡± I give master a desperate look.


    ¡°I was just remembering the days when you used to claim you needed to handle everything by yourself.¡± Master smiles back at my pleading look.


    ¡°Point taken, now help me with this rock. We¡¯re on a time crunch, remember?¡±


    ¡°Alright, put it on the ground,¡± master instructs me.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask Del as he walks over to his house.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to nick the anvil with my pickaxe,¡± he shouts to me while he steps inside his hut.


    I move the black rock over to a large stone protruding from the ground. Balancing the sample on top of the rock, I watch master walk over to me, wielding his enchanted pickaxe. When master reaches me, he offers me the pick. "You''re not confident in breaking the rock unless the enchantment is activated?" I ask in astonishment.


    "I could probably break it even if the enchantment weren''t activated, but I don¡¯t want to chance damaging my best pickaxe before you can replicate it.¡± Master hands me his pickaxe with a good-natured smile.


    "One of these days, I''ll make you a better pickaxe," I boast while injecting my mana into the enchantment.


    The runic lines light up across the pick, and I hand it back to master.


    ¡°You should take a step back,¡± master warns me in a serious tone.


    I don¡¯t have to be told twice. I use Double Step to distance myself from the ore sample and make sure Mana Skin is ready to deflect any debris that might fly my way.


    Mater Del raises his pickaxe over his head, and I watch his muscles tense as he takes his stance. I''ve only time I¡¯ve seen master focus this much before a swing was when we fought with the chameleon spiders, and this time he can charge up his swing without worrying the target will move or try to attack.


    Master draws in a deep breath and then, ¡°Haaaa!¡± Master¡¯s shout rings through the air.


    I feel the earth tremble before my brain realizes master has already swung his pickaxe. A cloud of dust obscures where the specimen once was.


    Master rests his pick up on his shoulder and patiently waits for the dust cloud to settle.


    When I finally see the result of master''s strike, I''m astounded by the result. The black rock master was trying to break, is split into five chunks of varying sizes. The rock I set the sample on top of is obliterated, and the dirt surrounding it was blown away, revealing the damage done under the surface.


    I look up at master in amazement and notice he¡¯s slowly opening and closing his hand. ¡°Are you ok?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± he tells me. ¡°I¡¯ve never swung my pickaxe full force like that and never with the enchantment activated. The rock was strong enough to rebound some of the force back at me.¡±


    ¡°Do you need to take some time and recover?¡±


    ¡°No, I can finish this. Gather the pieces closer together for me.¡± Master instructs me while preparing to swing again.


    I try to move the shattered black stone pieces together on top of the shattered boulder, but I can''t balance the fragments on the uneven surface. ¡°Wait one moment,¡± I tell master. I run over to where we store the different types of wood and grab thick logs to use as a base. Carrying the wood back to master, I set up five individual chopping blocks close together.


    ¡°That should work fine,¡± master motions for me to step back again.


    I watch master take up position again with bated breath. His shout once again splits the air, and I watch his pickaxe split into five afterimages, each finding their target. The wooden bases can¡¯t handle the force of master¡¯s strikes, and each of them splinters into countless shards.


    Master lowers the pickaxe to the ground, and I watch him wipe the sweat from his brow. "The smaller chunks should be easier to break now. I¡¯m going to sit and catch my breath.¡± Master lumbers over to his favorite bench and lies down.


    While master rests, I grab one of the buckets we use for ore samples and gather every piece of the black rock I can find. I use Sense Mana to make sure not even the smallest bit of the ore is left behind; I can''t afford to waste a single piece.


    After double-checking the ground twice, I move back over to the anvil and try to break up the remaining chunks further.


    Sadly, even with alternating between Weighted Strike and Double Strike, it takes me over an hour to break down the samples into smaller pieces.


    I have to take my own breather on the bench next to master when I¡¯m finished. It took almost two hours between the two of us to reduce the rock down to the size we wanted.


    "It''s definitely a tier 4 earth attuned material," master says to me as I groan in my seat.


    ¡°I wonder what a tier 5 ore would be like?¡± I mumble.


    ¡°The gods be dammed if I know,¡± master complains as he gets up. ¡°I¡¯ll add the blacksmithing logs and magicite to the forge while you take a break.¡±


    I regulate my breathing to hasten my Stamina regain while watching master turn the flame in the forge into a small sun, with all the materials he¡¯s feeding the fire.


    When my Stamina pool reaches three-quarters of the way full, I start prepping the crucible while master adds more fuel to the forge. Because this will be our test sample, I use my measuring cups to get roughly 50 grams of ore to process.


    I wish I knew what element the rock was closest related to. The magical metals I''ve encountered so far all have ties to periodic elements. Of course, the fire iron had many properties of iron, and mithril is just magic silver. Quite a few of the metals Mr. Grey showed me were also related to primary metals like tin, copper, and even a few had the same base properties as gold.


    I''ve never seen titanium or tungsten before in this life, so I can¡¯t compare the sample in front of me to them, but I have a feeling the black rock is a naturally occurring variant of the two. It would be nice to see either of the futuristic metals with Sense Mana, but I''ll need to guess about their structures until I get lucky and see them for myself.


    It¡¯s impossible to speculate how the ore will react with other substances, including glass, but the sample Mr. Grey showed me was already excellent, and I didn¡¯t sense anything added to it. With how challenging it is to work with, I doubt whoever managed to process the small sample tried to experiment with it. I¡¯ll believe in nature this one time and seal the crucible without adding anything else inside.


    I take my time sealing the crucible, making sure the lid is secure and that there are no seams for any foreign elements to make it inside the container.


    By the time I have the crucible ready, master already has the forge so hot even he needs to stand a few feet back. I use our longest pair of tongs to move the crucible into the hottest part of the forge. Despite having Mana Skin activated, I feel like I¡¯m being cooked standing close to the flames.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s hot enough?¡± I ask master.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see. You can monitor the contents from here, right?¡± Master asks me while working the bellows. The fire roars louder each time he blasts more air into the forge.


    It¡¯s hard for me to clearly sense the material because of the vast amount of magic contained in the flames. The blaze is made up of two mana sources; the blacksmithing logs and the magicite burning together create a vail of superheated magic over the forge. The only reason I¡¯m still able to sense the ore sample in the crucible is that its internal mana is strong enough to shine through the magic veil.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but I can see the sample inside. It¡¯s drawing in an incredible amount of fire mana, but I don''t see its structure shifting yet. It''s probably going to take a while for it to melt," I inform master.


    ¡°I figured as much. Back home we have special furnaces to handle materials like this. The only thing we can do is keep the bellows going and see what happens.¡± Master Del tells me.


    "Well, that gives us time to talk," I stand next to master. "I didn''t tell my parents everything," I say to Del just loud enough for him to hear me over the forge.


    ¡°It¡¯s about me then, isn¡¯t it?¡± Master asks without looking away from the forge.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirm his suspicions.


    "Spit it out; hesitating won¡¯t change anything,¡± master urges me to talk.


    ¡°They know you can¡¯t use magic,¡± despite how ready he was for the bad news, master flinches after I tell him what Mr. Grey said to me. "Apparently, the merchant you tried doing business with after you left your home was Silver Herds founder. I didn''t confirm their theory, but they knew you by name and even called you ''stripped.''"


    Master grits his teeth. ¡°Did they use it against you?¡±


    ¡°No, but Mr. Grey did hint that they¡¯re forgiving your past due to my working relationship with them.¡± A silence falls between us.


    ¡°I guess it was foolish for me to believe I could remain hidden here forever. Sooner or later word would¡¯ve gotten out about me.¡± Master sighs in defeat.


    "It isn''t your fault; I''m the one who drew their attention here," I acknowledge my part in the problem.


    "That merchant friend of yours has been bugging me since he learned I was living out here. Eventually, he would''ve sent word back to his bosses that I was here. It¡¯s my relationship with you that¡¯s keeping them away from me, so I don¡¯t want to hear you saying it¡¯s your fault again.¡±


    ¡°Ok," I agree with master and give him a soft smile. Another silence hangs between us, only this time, less foreboding.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something else you want to talk to me about?¡± Master turns his head towards me, giving me a questioning look.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± I try to act like I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.


    ¡°For starters, you can tell me what happened on your way back home. The way you glossed over your trip home was very suspicious. I¡¯m sure your mother noticed it too, but she decided not to ask you, seeing you trying so hard to hide what happened.¡± Master¡¯s shocking revelation causes me to freeze.


    ¡°Then there''s the fact you''re not wearing the knife I made for you; I can''t remember the last time I saw you without it.¡± My hand subconsciously moves to where my knife usually is.


    ¡°It''s subtle, but I see you carrying yourself differently." Master Del looks at me like he¡¯s peering into my mind.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I don''t want to lie to master, but I don''t want to talk about it either, so I turn my head and scan the tree line.


    ¡°And then you keep doing that,¡± master points out, snapping my attention back to him. ¡°You¡¯re scanning your surroundings a lot more than usual. You haven¡¯t scanned the woods like that since we first encountered the chameleon spiders.¡±


    ¡°Have not,¡± I look away from master so he can¡¯t see my nervous expression.


    "I noticed you scanned the clearing five times while you were on your break like you were expecting something to come running out of the trees. You did the same thing yesterday and again this morning.¡± Master further points out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± I say in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± I cast a sidelong glance at master, not believing him. "When you''re ready to talk, find someone you trust who will listen. It helps; I should know. It wasn''t until I talked about my problems with you that I was finally able to overcome the problems that have been haunting me for years. You have a lot of people who support you, remember that.¡± I feel master put his hand on my shoulder.


    I turn my head away from master and sniffle. ¡°Sorry, the smoke got in my eyes.¡± I rub at my face.


    Master doesn¡¯t say anything more and continues to work the bellows. He doesn¡¯t comment on the fact our forge isn¡¯t producing any smoke right now.


    We don''t talk much after master''s heart to heart speech, but we take turns on the bellows and add more blacksmithing logs and magicite to the fire.


    Soon an hour passes.


    Then three hours.


    After we''ve kept the forge going full blast for five hours, master and I start to get worried. "Any change in the crucible?" Master asks me with a dark expression.


    "No, the metal isn''t liquifying," I tell master. We''ve burned through a ridiculous amount of magicite and wood, and yet we haven''t been able to get the ore to melt. ¡°What do we do?¡± I ask in a panicked voice.


    "We need to figure out a way to increase the temperature of the forge." Master calmly informs me.


    ¡°We¡¯re already burning our best materials,¡± I point out to master.


    Both of our eyes widen at the same time when we remember that¡¯s not true. We still have one more thing that might burn hot enough to melt the ore. I rush over to the shed we store the materials in, and grab an armful of chameleon spider carapace.


    "Be careful; you know how easily they ignite," Master Del warns me.


    I use the tongs to position pieces of carapace up against the crucible. The fire is so hot the carapace ignites as soon as it touches the flames and starts to melt inside the tong¡¯s grip. The chameleon spider parts turn into a gooey mess around the crucible. The already intense flames grow brighter as the carapace''s wind mana reacts to the mana rich fire.


    I¡¯m forced to leap back because the outer layer of Mana Skin was starting to catch fire in places.


    ¡°That should do it!¡± Master shouts over the violent flames.


    He''s right; I can see the contents of the crucible finally starting to melt properly. ¡°It¡¯s working,¡± I call out in excitement.


    "We''re going to have to plan a better way to do this next time, or we''ll run out of fuel. I think we''ll need to use the smelter, which should hold the temperature better. And if we do it like that, we can easier pour the metal into molds. We might even be able to save some time if we process the black ore in the smelter tomorrow while we study the Kaglese.¡± Spoken like a true master, Del points out a problem and quickly comes up with a solution.


    I agree with master''s plan; any way we can save more time on processing the materials, the better. And if we pour the processed ore into multiple molds, it will be easier to shape, considering separating an ingot will be challenging with the metal''s durability.


    It takes a further two hours for the metal sample in the crucible to melt entirely. We''re halfway through the day, and we still haven''t had a chance to start adding mithril to the test sample yet.


    We stop working the bellows and let the fire die down a little before we proceed. Our forge usually runs a bit under 2,000¡ãC when we work with steel; the forge right now, I''d say, is around 3,000¡ãC. Master and I can''t even look at the flames in the forge without hurting our eyes.


    Master watches the forge while I prepare for the next step. We¡¯re not sure how hot we¡¯ll need to keep the metal to work it correctly, so I¡¯ll need to run my mithril experiments while the forge is still pretty hot.


    I grab the mithril I bought from Kervin and a chisel. I¡¯ll gather flakes of mithril into neat piles and add it to the metal in controlled amounts. The ore sample in the crucible is only about 50 grams. I¡¯ll add 2.5 grams of mithril to start out and then add the same increments until it becomes detrimental to the sample. I''m looking for a sweet spot where the mithril improves the internal mana structure without softening up the sample too much.


    The black rock already has an impressive internal mana structure and is pretty close to mithril in comparison. However, mithril has a better mana conductivity, and adding a little bit of mithril will help if the arrow is to be enchanted later.


    I prep seven portions of mithril for the experiment; if I end up using each of them, that would mean the alloy would be 26% mithril, which is exceptionally high.


    Once I have everything ready, I warn master, ¡°I¡¯m going to pull it out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab the mold.¡± Master moves across the clearing and grabs our smallest ingot mold.


    Using our longest pair of tongs, I fish out the crucible from the forge. While I hold the extremely hot ceramic pot, master carefully removes the seal on the lid. I slowly tilt the crucible until the molten metal slowly starts to drip out into the mold. The metal looks like molten obsidian.


    I expect the metal to take a while to cool, but the small ingot of shiny black metal is solid enough to pick up with togs in only a few minutes. I scan the metal with Sense Mana and peek at what''s happening on the inside.


    The earth mana inside the sample isn''t meshing with the fire mana. Though the sample absorbed a lot of fire mana while it was in the forge, now that it''s removed from the heat source, the earth mana is pushing the fire mana out of the sample.


    While it¡¯s cool to watch how the different types of mana interact with each other in the metal, I need to move fast with the sample cooling rapidly as it is.


    I use the tongs to move the metal sample back into the forge. The metal once again quickly starts to reabsorb the heat, and the black metal surface appears to shine brighter in flames.


    I shift the sample from the forge over to my anvil and sprinkle the first measured sample of mithril on top of it. The metal is so hot the mithril sizzles when it touches the glossy black surface and appears to evaporate. I have to use my mana senses to verify if the mithril is properly bonding with the sample.


    To make sure the mithril bonds evenly, I test the sample with my hammer. I have to use Precise Strike because the small ingot is hard to hit correctly. I only get two swings before the metal needs to be reheated.


    When the sample is hot enough to work with again, I bring the metal out of the forge and test it on the anvil. The mithril has bonded nicely with the metal and doesn''t appear to have had much of a difference on its durability. Even using every bit of my Strength with every swing, the metal is barely moving under my strikes.


    I repeat the same steps again and again until I¡¯m out of my mithril samples. It took longer than I thought because of how quickly the metal would cool.


    ¡°What¡¯s the verdict?¡± Master asks me after I¡¯ve set the sample to the side and not back into the forge.


    ¡°This ore doesn¡¯t need much mithril. After I added the first three samples, I saw little improvement with the metal¡¯s mana conductivity. That means our best alloy is 13% mithril and 87% of the ore, that should help us stretch the material a little farther.¡± I tell him.


    I look up at the sky. We have maybe five hours of sunlight left, six if I¡¯m willing to listen to mother complain about me coming home late.


    I glance at our forge that is cooling down but still hot enough to melt steel. ¡°Master, do you think we can make the Kaglese sample if we hurry?¡±


    Master looks up at the retreating sun and then at the forge. ¡°It will be close; you want to try?¡±


    I give master a challenging grin, and he responds with his own smile. We don''t need to say anything further to each other; master starts pumping the bellows again, and I grab a new crucible.


    Because most of the Kaglese is waste rock, I''m going to add three handfuls of the ore into the crucible. I''ll put the lid on, but I won''t seal it this time because I might need to add more ore if the Kaglese sample isn''t big enough. I''ll also have to pour out the slag before we smelt the ingot, so the lid is just there to help retain the heat.


    Master and I carefully work the forge until the material inside the crucible starts to melt. Thankfully we don''t need the forge as hot as we did for the black rock, so we don''t have to worry about our clothes combusting on us. I look at master¡¯s shirt and notice it has a few holes in it that weren¡¯t there this morning.


    When the metal starts to separate from the waste material, I notice how little Kaglese is in the ore I bought. Of the three handfuls of Kaglese ore I placed in the crucible, I got less than 20 grams of workable Kaglese in return.


    Master Del and I work together to remove the crucible and dump out some of the slag before adding more ore. When we have the crucible back in the forge, I can¡¯t help but complain. ¡°I thought I grabbed the best samples.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± master reassures me. ¡°Kaglese was one of the ores I tried to work with when I left home. I remember processing much more material than this to get a workable specimen.¡±


    We continue to work as the sun slips across the sky.


    When the sun¡¯s last rays start to fade, we remove the crucible of Kaglese. I let master pour out all the slag and form the ingot on account of his experience. I couldn¡¯t take the risk that I would mess up the pour and waste the good material along with the slag.


    We ended up processing ten entire pounds of the Kaglese ore to get a good sample; that is 10% of what I brought back with me. In the end, the Kaglese ingot was more significant than the black rock ingot at 90 grams.


    I honestly hope the Kaglese needs more mithril than the other sample did; I might be left with only 800 grams to make the arrow shaft!


    I start putting everything away and cleaning up the mess we made.


    ¡°You should head on home; I can get the rest,¡± Master offers to finish cleaning up by himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m already going to be late; might as well help clean up the mess I made.¡±


    ¡°You are pretty messy,¡± Master snickers at me.


    ¡°Says the man who can¡¯t throw anything away,¡± I point an accusatory finger at master¡¯s house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use everything in there¡­ eventually,¡± master says that last part under his breath.


    "Sure," I sarcastically reply. I look into the forge and glance at the glowing embers within. "It''s going to suck to clean this out when we''re done with the arrow. We brunt through a lot of materials today; I hope we have enough blacksmithing logs to finish the job.


    After everything is straightened up, I tell master, ¡°good night.¡±


    On the way home, I check my mana pool, 584.31. I only used Mana Skin all day, but the heat from the forge was so intense it ignited my mana a few times. The fire mana from the forge stuck to Mana Skin''s barrier and was slowly burning away my protection. I had used up 30% of my mana by the time I completed testing the black rock sample.


    "Gods, I need to come up with a name already. It might be one of a kind sample, but I can''t keep referring to it as ''black rock sample,''" I complain to myself.


    It looks like metallic obsidian, but it''s strong like tungsten.


    Maybe tungian? No, that''s horrible.


    Blasten, for black tungsten?


    Obsten, Perhaps?


    I¡¯ll think about it later. I need to hurry home before mother comes looking for me.


    But overall, we had a productive first day. Fingers crossed, we make the same progress tomorrow.


    <hr>


    I rub under my eyes, "Come on, Aaliyah, get your shit together." My little pep talk to myself doesn¡¯t help me. I walk into master''s clearing, trying not to let my fatigue show.


    "Looks like you had a fun night." Well, I made it three steps before master noticed. "Did your mom yell at you all night?"


    I shake my head, no. ¡°Surprisingly, neither of them gave me a hard time; both my parents understood why I came home late last night."


    ¡°Then why do you look like you¡¯re about to fall over?¡± Master asks.


    I grit my teeth. ¡°You could say I had an annoying dream that kept repeating every time I closed my eyes.¡±


    ¡°A nightmare?¡± Master tries to clarify as he moves magicite and blacksmithing logs next to the smelter.


    ¡°No, just a recent memory,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Want to talk about it?¡± Master offers.


    ¡°No!¡± I snap at him.


    Master drops the wood he¡¯s carrying and holds up his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask again. Are you ready to start for the day?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready,¡± I grumble loud enough for master to hear. I leave master to set up the smelter while I get the forge going.


    I use magic to start the forge before master has time to light the smelter. Walking over with a strut of superiority, I point my hand at the blacksmithing logs.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    I overclock my flame spell with four times the usual mana, creating a fireball the size of a baseball in my hands. The large flame easily ignites the dried wood. I turn and smirk at master, who raises a questioning eyebrow. ¡°I got a new skill while I was away,¡± I tell him with an obnoxious look on my face.


    ¡°The joys of having magic are immense,¡± master agrees with downcast eyes.


    Well, I¡¯m an asshole.


    I can¡¯t take my frustrations out on master. ¡°Sorry,¡± I quickly apologize to Master Del and move back to the forge. I set up the mithril for the Kaglese test just like I did with the last sample, only this time, I measure out piles of mithril that weigh 5 grams each due to the larger size of the starting sample.


    I stick the Kaglese sample in the forge to let it heat up and cast a glance at master, who''s adding the black rock to the smelter. I can''t believe I snapped at master like that.


    It¡¯s my skills damn fault, I complain to myself.


    I couldn''t fall asleep last night and was forced to rest in my soul again. If that wasn''t bad enough, when I entered my sea of memories, I was once again forced to relive the bandit attack. And to add insult to injury, when I woke up, not nearly enough time passed as I thought it did.


    I was forced to go back into my soul, and wouldn''t you know it; I was forced to relive that moment for a fourth time.


    And to top it all off, the last time I was ejected from my soul, the sun wasn''t even up yet, so I ended up lying in bed for an hour. Mother wanted to go running together again; only this time, she spent the time running next to me, sending me worried looks.


    Put it aside, Aaliyah. You''re here to work; I berate myself.


    I start testing the Kaglese like I did the¡­ blatgon sample? Gods, the names are getting worse.


    I eventually discovered the Kaglese compound I''m looking for after adding the sixth pile of mithril. It turned out the 5th helping of mithril was the sweet spot. When I added the sixth portion of mithril to the sample, the durability dropped significantly, and the mana conductivity only improved slightly. I added 25 grams of mithril to the 90-gram ingot of Kaglese, which gives me an alloy of 21.7% mithril and 78.3% Kaglese.


    I noted down the percentages for later and moved next to Master Del, who was focusing on maintaining the smelter''s temperature. The smelter retains heat better than the forge, but master still needs to watch the flames as he works the bellows, meaning he has to stand in front of the smelters only opening.


    Master is wearing the same shirt he had on yesterday, and I can see why. Large patches of Del''s clothing are burnt away, revealing his toned ebony skin underneath. The parts of his skin unprotected by clothing look dried out and irritated.


    ¡°We should switch,¡± I offer to take over the bellows to give master a break.


    ¡°Are you finished with the Kaglese?¡± Master asks me, ignoring my offer.


    "Yeah, I''m done," I tell him. "Let me work the bellows for a little bit; your clothes need a break." I reach for the pully master is holding.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± master bumps my hand away with his elbow.


    A part of me realizes this is master''s payback for earlier, but I''m not in the mood to play along. "Really, you''re fine?" I narrow my eyes at master.


    ¡°Yep,¡± he tells me in a flat tone.


    I test his resolve by poking one of his cheeks. As soon as my finger touches his exposed skin, he recoils and hisses through his teeth. "You''re fine, huh," I say sarcastically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± master uses my earlier excuse against me.


    I don''t know why, but that pushes me over the edge. "Fine, you stupid dwarf, turn into ashes for all I care!" I regret what I said as soon as I finish yelling at master. I lower my gaze to the ground and clench my fists.


    I expect master to yell at me or maybe even throw a punch, but nothing happens.


    I look up, and master is still working the bellows like I never said anything in the first place. Seeing master ignoring me hurts more than if he did try to hit me. My vision starts to become cloudy; I wipe away the tears before they can fall down my face.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, huh?¡± Master finally looks at me with no small amount of concern on his face. ¡°Brushing away someone trying to help you hurts both of you. I¡¯ll let you take over the bellows if you finally tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Do I have a choice?¡±


    ¡°I was going to give you time to talk to someone on your own terms but seeing how quickly you deteriorated from yesterday, I can''t play the nice master anymore," Master tells me with a severe expression. "How are you supposed to do your best work as you are now?¡±


    "Fine, move out of the way," master lets me push him aside so I can work the bellows. Master steps a few feet away, where the smelter''s heat isn''t as bad but still close enough to listen to me.


    I start telling master everything that happened to me on the way back home. He doesn''t interrupt even when I explain how I killed all the bandits by blowing myself up.


    After telling him how I made it back home with Reel and what he said about the bandits, I explain to master my recurring ''dreams.'' I rant about how I''m over what happened, but for some reason, I''m plagued by the memories of the bandit attack.


    Master patiently waits for me to stop talking before telling me what he thinks. ¡°That Reel fellow made some good points,¡± master nods his head. ¡°But he didn¡¯t tell you the one thing you needed to hear most.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°That you are still you,¡± Master Del tells me with a smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed who you are as a person because you were forced to take a life. You¡¯re still the girl who told me she didn¡¯t want to join the army to further her magic study because you didn¡¯t want to hurt others.¡±


    "I agree with Reel; I don''t think you should feel bad about killing the bandits. But just because we tell you that it doesn''t mean it will change who you are. If these dreams are as persistent as you say they are, then obviously you aren''t over it."


    "But!" I try to deny what master is saying, but he shakes his head, silencing me.


    "You suffered a traumatic experience. There is no way your over it just because you were given a pep talk. It will take time for you to feel normal again, and that''s ok. I''m here to talk with you, and I recommend you tell your family as well," master suggests.


    ¡°Are you crazy? You know how mother and father will react,¡± I exclaim.


    ¡°Maybe at first, but you forget how much they support you. Maybe wait until we finish the arrow, but you definitely should confide in them.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I half heartily reply.


    ¡°Good. Are you feeling any better now that we¡¯ve talked?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± I reluctantly agree.


    ¡°Excellent, but don¡¯t think I forgot about how you called me a dwarf." Master Del''s supporting smile morphs into a grin of someone looking for revenge.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I sincerely plead for forgiveness.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get out of it that easy,¡± master crosses his arms.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I tentatively ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll think of something. I¡¯ll tell you what I decide your punishment will be after we finish this blasted arrow. But mark my words, it will be brutal.¡± Master laughs in an over the top manner.


    ¡°Ok,¡± I reluctantly agree to master¡¯s belayed sentencing, with a small smile on my face.


    And just like that master knows what to say to make me feel better.


    The rest of our day went smoother after I talked to master.


    We worked together to process the black stone. And when we poured the shiny metal into our molds, we realized we would have enough material to make nine arrowheads when we factor in the mithril we still need to add.


    After we poured the molten black metal, we decided to process the Kaglese today as well. We used the already hot smelter to process the material quicker, much like we did yesterday with the forge.


    At the end of day two, we had our primary metal samples ready. Tomorrow I can add the mithril to the metal and start shaping the arrow components.


    After some back and forth with master, I decided to tell my parents what happened after Kervin comes to pick up the finished arrow.


    Mother is just about to finish dinner, and hopefully, I can get a good night''s sleep after talking with master. But whether I sleep or not, tomorrow will be a big day regardless. Now that all the prep work is finished, the real fun begins tomorrow.


    I hope I¡¯m ready.

 Ch: 59

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you doing better, you had me worried yesterday.¡± Mom fuses over me as we stop running.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you worry,¡± I apologize profusely. The last thing I want to do is give mother a reason to worry about me.


    ¡°You can tell me anything, you know that, right?¡± Mom looks me in the eye while trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°I know,¡± I tell her. ¡°And I promise to tell you everything after I finish the arrow for the general.¡±


    My reassuring tone helps alleviate some of the worry I see in mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alright, I can wait for a few days. But if you have another bad day like yesterday, you better come to me immediately,¡± mother demands, putting her foot down.


    ¡°Of course, mom.¡± I give her a smile. ¡°Listen, I need to go to work; I¡¯ll see you and dad tonight.¡± Leaning in, I give mother a big hug, hoping the gesture relives any worry she may still have.


    ¡°All right, be safe.¡± Mother tells me while letting go. She watches me walk down the path leading to Del¡¯s clearing, I know she won¡¯t move until she can no longer see me.


    I run towards Del¡¯s house with a smile on my face after talking to mother, but just because I¡¯m happy doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t keep my senses trained on the woods around me. I might not have had to relive the bandit attack last night but I¡¯m not to the point I¡¯m no longer paranoid about my surroundings. Baby steps, I guess.


    I quickly make it to master¡¯s clearing and scan the surroundings before stepping past the tree line.


    Master is sitting on his bench examining the kaglese ingot we made yesterday. He shoots me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the metal. When I get close enough to him master holds up the ingot for me to see. ¡°Do you know how much this is worth?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, Mr. Grey only told me the price of the ore.¡± I inform Master Del.


    ¡°Kaglese is a well know magic metal, there¡¯s a mine close to Olebert¡¯s capital. It¡¯s common to add it with steel to make a decent magical alloy. You only need 20% kaglese, some steel, and a little mithril to produce a decent sword. I¡¯d say this is worth at least 15 gold coins,¡± Mater tells me while holding the tannish metal up to the sun.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s a good thing I got the ore for 7 gold coins then.¡± I can¡¯t help but brag a little, but I see what master is trying to get at. I grabbed the best ore samples I could, if I was purchasing a random assortment of ore it would have cost me three times as much to produce the same amount of refined kaglese.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to make the arrow shaft out of pure kaglese and mithril?¡± Master sends me a questioning glance.


    ¡°I think it needs to remain pure,¡± I explain to him. ¡°Diluting the mixture with steel will take away most of its flexibility.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you with your head on straight today.¡± Master gives me an encouraging smile and gently tosses the ingot at me.


    I catch the kaglese and tell master how my night went. ¡°It was still hard for me to fall asleep but I didn¡¯t have that dream again. I think our talk helped me a lot.¡± Maybe even more than I thought possible. Based off of the different times I¡¯ve relived memories in my soul, I¡¯m starting to think my emotions play a part in which memories I see.


    Last night I was reminded how many people support me, and the memory I experienced in my soul was back when I was three and mother had me on her lap rocking me to sleep.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. It would be a shame if you ruined such fine materials because you weren¡¯t rested enough.¡± Master¡¯s eyes look me over head to toe in search of any weakness. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t let me touch the materials if he thought I had even a sliver of doubt.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I puff out my chest and stand tall, looking master in the eye.


    ¡°So you are,¡± Master nods his head in approval. ¡°I¡¯ll get the forge going while you prep the mithril.¡± Master is quick to leave the math portion of the work to me.


    I run inside Del¡¯s house and grab an old scale he keeps for just such an occasion. I could eyeball the amount of mithril I¡¯ll need but I won¡¯t take any chances concerning the arrow¡¯s composition.


    First, I weigh the kaglese ingot by shifting different weights to the other side of the scale. I have exactly 826 grams of kaglese. With 826 grams being 78.3% of my final alloy, I do some quick algebra to calculate how much mithril I need to add.


    I¡¯ll need to add 228.9 grams of mithril to the kaglese ingot for a total weight of 1,054.9 grams. I carefully shave off slivers of a mithril ingot and place the shavings on the scale until I match the weight I need. Setting the mithril shavings and the kaglese off to the side, I move onto the¡­


    I still haven¡¯t come up with a good name for the black ore yet. I should bite the bullet and just ask master for his suggestion.


    I look over my shoulder at master who¡¯s getting the forge ready. He already has a small fire going and is adding regular logs to the blaze with his bare hands. Master might be as tough as the ore.


    A light bulb goes off above my head, that¡¯s not a bad idea. I can name the rock after Master Del!


    Delarite could work.


    Maybe delium? No, that name sounds a little short, I sinker to myself.


    Dellinium. Yeah, that sounds good; noble and strong, a perfect name if I say so myself.


    I grab one of the nine dellinium ingots we smelted yesterday and bring it over to my work station. Moving the weights around on the scale, I find out the ingot of dellinium is 51 grams, slightly bigger than I thought it was.


    ¡°If the 51 grams of dellinium is 87% of the alloy, than that means,¡± I talk myself through the math. ¡°The total weigh of the alloy will be 58.6 grams, meaning I¡¯ll need 7.6 grams of mithril for the arrowhead.¡± I owe my high school math teacher an apology, you can use algebra in your everyday life, even if it¡¯s your second life.


    I shave off more mithril and set the pile next to the dellinium. I¡¯m using 236.5 grams of mithril on this project which is a little over half a pound of mithril. When the whole project is said and done the arrow will weigh a massive two and a half pounds, thirty times the weight of a normal arrow.


    I would be concerned about the weight if it wasn¡¯t someone possibly stronger than master firing it. At what point does a bow and arrow tun into a ballista? I can only imagine the forces behind an arrow launched from a bow tailored to someone with over 300 in Strength and that isn¡¯t even factoring in skills.


    This arrow may be heavy but I¡¯ll sleep better knowing it won¡¯t disintegrate in the general¡¯s hands when she fires it.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Master asks, walking over to me.


    ¡°Yep, yep, yep,¡± I quickly chant. ¡°I have everything set up. I calculated the amount of mithril for both the Kaglese and the dellinium.¡±


    I smile as I watch Master Del¡¯s face scrunch up at hearing the name I decided on for the black rock. ¡°The what?¡± He asks in mild shock.


    ¡°Dellinium,¡± I say again with a large smile. ¡°That¡¯s the name I decided to call the black rock,¡± I cheerfully tell him.


    ¡°No,¡± master instantly rejects the name.


    ¡°Too late, it was already decided,¡± I inform him.


    ¡°By who?¡± Master asks, taking a step closer to me, trying to look intimidating. Too bad I know he would never hurt me so his posturing is all for not.


    ¡°The naming committee,¡± I notify master.


    ¡°And who in Tarrow¡¯s forge is that?¡± Master asks with a look of suspicion on his face.


    ¡°A group of your peers who you work with,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only person I work with!¡± Master snaps at me.


    ¡°And it was decided with a majority vote. You should be quite proud, to have such a sample named after you.¡± I try to keep a straight face but I can only hold in my laughter for so long.


    ¡°Why does it need a name in the first place? You told me it was the only sample recovered; we¡¯ll probably never encounter another like it.¡± Master huffs in annoyance.


    ¡°That may be true but we¡¯ll be working with it for the next month or so, and I refused to spend the whole time referring to it as ¡®that black rock¡¯.¡± I raise my eyebrows giving master the chance to argue otherwise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to name it after your mother or father perhaps?¡± Master tries to get me to reconsider the name.


    ¡°Sorry, but it matches perfectly with master. An incredibly strong lump of ore that refuses to break unless you hit it really hard, withstands incredible temperatures and comes out of the fire more beautiful than it went in, I¡¯d say this rock resembles master to a tee.¡± I proudly tell master.


    Del turns around and stomps over to the forge, trying to hide the blush on his face.


    If only dellinium was that easy to work with.


    I give master a minute to collect himself before I join him at the forge. He¡¯s already placed some blacksmithing logs and magicite inside and I can feel the heat rolling out of the forge and clashing with Mana Skin¡¯s barrier.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    We won¡¯t need to add chameleon spider carapace to add the mithril to the mixture but who knows if we¡¯ll be able to work the dellinium with the temperature the forge is at now.


    I decide to start with the kaglese. Using tongs, I move the ingot into the forge¡¯s flames. I don¡¯t take my eyes or mana sense off of the metal while it¡¯s in the forge but I notice master move off to the side from the corner of my vision. Usually master would lie down on his bench and let me work by myself but this time he stays close in case I need his help.


    When the tannish metal heats up enough I pull it out of the forge and swing it over to the anvil. I pour half the mithril shavings onto one side of the ingot and use Double Strike to help the metals bond easier. While the metal is still hot, I flip the ingot over and sprinkle the other half of the shavings onto its glowing surface.


    I move the kaglese back into the forge and let it heat up again. When it¡¯s hot enough, I pull the kaglese out again and inspect every millimeter of the ingot to make sure the mithril bonded correctly and hasn¡¯t messed up the internal mana structure.


    I sigh in relief when I confirm everything bonded correctly. I only get one chance to make this arrow and I don¡¯t what to imagine what would happen if I mess up at any point.


    No, if I dwell on everything that could go wrong, then I¡¯ll definantly screw something up.


    I set the kaglese alloy off to the side and pick up the small dellinium ingot and place it into the forge. I poke at the logs and magicite in the forge and arrange then to create a hot spot around the dellinium.


    I¡¯ll need to be fast, this time.


    When I notice the dellinium starts to slow down on its fire mana absorption, I pull the ingot out of the forge and quickly sprinkle one side of the ingot with mithril. I don¡¯t have enough time to inspect the metal before I place it back into the furnace.


    As soon as the metal is hot enough, I again remove it from the forge and use Weighted Strike on the side I applied the mithril. I get a better look at the metals structure as I put it back in the forge and I¡¯m happy to see everything is bonding as it should.


    I repeat the same steps with the other side of the dellinium and confirm the ingot¡¯s internal structure took to the mithril as it should¡¯ve.


    ¡°The materials are ready,¡± I tell master.


    ¡°Which do you want to start with, the arrow shaft, or the arrowhead?¡± Master asks, looking at the two completed ingots sitting on the anvil.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll start with the easy one first,¡± I pick up the kaglese which has cooled enough I can pick it up with my Mana Skin covered hands.


    ¡°Is there a third ingot I¡¯m not aware of?¡± Master jokes. That small bit of humor was enough to make me laugh and release some of the tension I was holding. ¡°Take your time and everything will be fine,¡± he tells me.


    ¡°Thanks, master.¡±


    I move the kaglese ingot back to the forge and wait for it to heat up. I go over what I need to do to the ingot in my head. I need to turn this rectangle lump of metal into a thin circular rod. Ronald taught me the length of an arrow has to do with the length of an archer¡¯s arm, and how far back they draw their bow.


    Sadly, I don¡¯t know General Pitz measurements, so I¡¯ll have to improvise and make the arrow shaft 26 inches. I¡¯ll have to ask Kervin to get more precise details from the army before I make the next one.


    Here I¡¯m planning for the next arrow and I haven¡¯t finished the first one yet. I focus back on the work in front of me.


    The kaglese¡¯s tannish color starts to fade to a white luster as it reaches its desired temperature. I quickly shift the hot ingot over to the anvil and give it a few test strikes to see how it moves under my hammer. It might not be as hard as the dellinium but the kaglese is still an earth attuned magic material and I have to put my full force behind my swings to get it to move.


    I follow the ingots internal magic structure and slowly start to shift the metal. It¡¯s a juggling act as I constantly shift the metal back and forth between the forge and my anvil.


    Time quickly becomes meaningless as I focus solely on my work in front of me. I work in a trance, trying to craft my best work to date.


    I don¡¯t stop until I have a basic arrow shaft in front of me.


    Though it looks just like the hundreds of other arrow shafts I made before I plan to go over every millimeter of the metal before I decide to quench it.


    I hold the shaft up to the sky and try to spot any bumps in its surface. It looks straight to the untrained eye but I notice several uneven surfaces. I switch out my heavy hammer to a smaller one for a series of Precise Strikes.


    After I think I¡¯ve hammered out all the flaws I grab the most important tool I use when testing my arrow shafts. I go over to the shed I keep the state-of-the-art devise in.


    I pull out the wooden rack I made when I first started making arrows for the army. The 22-inch rack has two raised sides that you can rest an arrow on top of like you¡¯re trying to display it. The stand works by holding a spinning arrow shaft. If you spin the shaft and one of the sides wobbles it means the shaft isn¡¯t straight.


    I study both ends and see a little bit of wobbling on the right side of the shaft, meaning it isn¡¯t perfectly straight yet. When I make a bunch of arrows for the army, I can¡¯t take the time to make sure each is perfectly aligned, but I can¡¯t use that standard when the arrow I¡¯m making is over a hundred times more expensive.


    It¡¯s a good thing I gave myself enough time to craft this arrow.


    <hr>


    Del-Razen¡¯s Point of View:


    I can¡¯t help but raise my hand to my chest, my heart is pounding like a war drum.


    Watching Aaliyah working on the arrow brings a tear to my eye. I can¡¯t contain the overwhelming sense of pride I¡¯m feeling right now.


    From the way she worked the metal to how she finds even the smallest flaw in the arrow shaft, I couldn¡¯t be prodder of her. She¡¯s completely engrossed herself in the project and I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t notice if I left right now.


    I¡¯m sure the arrow Aaliyah is making will impress the general.


    And once she does there will be no more hiding for her.


    It¡¯s only a matter of time before a noble walks into my clearing demanding her cooperation. A part of me wants to walk over and destroy the arrow before it can ever be finished but I could never do that to my student. She¡¯s putting everything she has into this project.


    She¡¯s managed to incorporate her ridiculous magic skills into her forging, allowing her to craft well above her skill level. Crafting with both the inner and outer structure in mind, she forges just like master smiths do back in Truest.


    Her technique is hers alone and it would take an equally monstrous talent to copy her. Any mage would sacrifice their entire family to poses her skill in magic.


    Her talent will shine brightly to those who know what it looks like. Like a torch in the deepest caves people will be drawn in by what her light offers.


    And it will be my job as her master to swat the insects her light will inevitably draw in as well.


    But I can¡¯t do it alone, I¡¯ll need to work with her family. Her mother is extremely smart and calculating, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already aware what this job for the general entails for Aaliyah¡¯s future. It¡¯s one thing to make weapons for the army, it¡¯s another to make something personal for one of the strongest people in the kingdom.


    I look up at the sky and watch the sun slowly move across the horizon. The sun will start to go down in a few hours. I¡¯ll leave her to her work and only step in when dusk arrives, then I¡¯ll send her home even if she wants to keep working.


    I¡¯m sure she would conjure a light to keep working if I let her.


    No, she needs her sleep. When I saw her this morning, I could tell with a quick glance that she finally managed to get some decent sleep last night.


    She¡¯s strong for her age, stronger than most Stone Kin I used to know. Locked deep in their cities, without so much as seeing what lays outside their stone walls. I remember seeing young stone kin my own age in the army break down for weeks after their first kill, rambling about the blood.


    She¡¯ll need time but I¡¯m positive Aaliyah will overcome it just like she¡¯s done with every other challenge placed in front of her.


    I sigh to myself and watch her work.


    Ever so slowly the sun starts to dip out of sight and I¡¯m forced to intervein just like I thought I would have to. I walk over to Aaliyah who¡¯s still carefully shaping the arrow shaft, even to my enhanced senses I can¡¯t spot a single flaw on it. ¡°Hey,¡± I put my hand on her shoulder. She flinches and stares up at me like she doesn¡¯t know where she is. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, go home.¡±


    ¡°What? No! I¡¯m¡­¡± Aaliyah fumbles her speech and starts to look around. It takes a minute but it finally dawns on her why I¡¯m stopping her. ¡°The sun¡¯s going down already,¡± Aaliyah sounds more like she¡¯s trying to convince herself what¡¯s happening rather than asking me a question.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve been working all day.¡± I tell her in a levelheaded tone.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not finished yet, I don¡¯t have the time to stop now!¡± She says in a panic.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± I get her to stop talking by calling out her name. My apprentice looks me in the eyes. ¡°Remember, a blacksmith needs to use their time wisely. You can spend the next two days fussing over the arrow shaft but you¡¯ll never finish the arrow if you do. You need to rest and come back tomorrow to work on the rest of your project.¡±


    ¡°But, the forge?¡± She looks at the tools scattered about and the fire in the forge that¡¯s still roaring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it!¡± I leave her no opportunity to disagree. Aaliyah nods her head in understanding. ¡°Good, now go home and have dinner with your family,¡± I tell her in a softer voice.


    ¡°Ok, have a good night, master,¡± I can tell how tired she is by her subdued tone. If only it was this easy to get her to listen to me all the time.


    ¡°Good night,¡± I tell her as she makes her way back home.


    As soon as she leaves the clearing, I pick up the arrow shaft she put so much work into. I¡¯m once more tempted to break it, but instead I hold the arrow shaft up and examine it closely. Perfection is a rare adjective to use in our business, but I can¡¯t think of anything else to describe the kaglese shaft. The surface is smooth and doesn¡¯t look like it was struck by a hammer even once.


    I glance around the clearing, taking note of everything I need to clean.


    At least I have something to do now.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Good morning, master,¡± I carefully call out to Del as I enter his clearing.


    ¡°It appears you had a good night,¡± master watches me stroll over to him.


    ¡°I did. Thanks for taking care of the cleaning last night, I wasn¡¯t aware how tired I was until I almost fell asleep at the dinner table.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± master gives me a self-righteous look. ¡°I watched how much effort you put into the arrow shaft. I knew if I didn¡¯t send you home, I would have to carry you back and I have no desire to do that again.¡±


    ¡°Well thanks again,¡± I offer Del a little more praise for his foresight. ¡°Did you perhaps get a chance to look at the arrow shaft after I left?¡± I ask while looking around for aforementioned piece.


    ¡°I did,¡± I hear master say behind me.


    ¡°And?¡± I ask, turning to face him.


    ¡°I put it in my house, I doubt the weather would have any effect on it but I put it there to be safe.¡± Master Del points over his shoulder with his thumb at his house.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear, but I was more curious if you could spot anything wrong with it? Do you think I should work on it a little more today?¡± I anxiously ask him.


    Master gives me a disappointed head shake. Was it really that bad, do I need to redo it?


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you remember what I told you last night, you¡¯re focusing too much on the individual pieces. You¡¯ll run out of time if you don¡¯t start on the arrowhead today.¡± Master berates me.


    ¡°But what if there¡¯s something I missed?¡± I ask.


    Master gives me an exasperated look, ¡°I examined your work last night and I couldn¡¯t spot anything wrong with it. Even if you had a whole month to work on it I¡¯d bet you¡¯d probably keep second guessing yourself. You need to move on and accept you put enough time into it. Now go and start up the forge while I bring more fuel over. You¡¯ll be working with the dellinium¡­¡± Master pauses after saying the name out loud. He shakes his head in dissatisfaction before continuing, ¡°and you¡¯ll probably need to use more of the spider carapace if you want to work it properly.¡±


    Master doesn¡¯t give me any more time to second guess myself and goes to grab everything I need for the day.


    Master is probably right; my nerves are causing me to overthink every move I make. I need to make the arrowhead today and who knows how much time that will take.


    I move over to the forge and quickly get it going for the fourth day in a row. I think about how I only have today and tomorrow to finish the arrow before Kervin will arrive to pick it up.


    Master helps me add more material to the forge and works the bellows while I grab the dellinium ingot I infused with mithril yesterday and place it in the flames.


    ¡°Which type of arrowhead are you making?¡± Master asks me.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with my helix design, or do you have a better idea?¡± I ask for master¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°No, I think you picked the right one. This arrow is a combination of your skill, it only makes sense you use the design you came up with. I was merely curious. If you¡¯re using the helix design are you going to make the tip detachable?¡± Master asks me another question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be a good idea,¡± I explain to master. ¡°This arrow already needs to deal with a tremendous amount of force and I don¡¯t want to have any weak points in its structure. I¡¯ll weld the two pieces together to insure it¡¯s as structurally stable as possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay off to the side keeping the forge hot, you focus on the dellinium¡­ no chance you¡¯ll change the name?¡±


    I laugh as I pick up the tongs and my smaller hammer. ¡°Not a chance,¡± I tell master as I retrieve the glowing ingot from the flames.


    I don¡¯t waste any time and quickly swing the hot metal over to my anvil.


    I start hammering, trying to move it in the way I need it to, but after five rapid strikes the metal doesn¡¯t so much as have a dent in it. The ingot is rapidly cooling and I¡¯m forced to put it back in the forge.


    I don¡¯t let the first failure get me down and pull the dellinium out again after a few minutes and try again, working then same area I was before.


    But again, the metal doesn¡¯t budge. I¡¯m forced to put the metal back into the forge.


    Holly shit, this metal refuses to move, I complain in my head. I¡¯ll need to use my skills and if that doesn¡¯t work, I might need to ask Del to do this part.


    I cast a sidelong glance at master and see him focusing solely on keeping the forge as hot as possible. I¡¯m aware master wants me to be the one to forge this arrow and I won¡¯t ask for his help unless I absolutely need to.


    I won¡¯t let a tier 4 metal stop me!


    I grab the ingot out of the forge and raise my hammer above my head, Weighted Strike! My hammer comes crashing down onto the ingot and a crisp ringing reverberates through my ears. I pull my hammer back and am relieved when I see my strike finally moved the metal a little. It isn¡¯t a big change but this means I can work the dellinium by myself.


    I start the grueling task of forming the ingot into a working arrowhead.


    Strike after strike.


    Minute after minute.


    I labor over the slowly forming arrowhead. More than once I¡¯m forced to take a break due to the strain on my Stamina. Each time I swing my hammer I need to have Weighted Strike activated to have any effect on the metal.


    The arrowhead is a fraction of the size and the weight of the arrow shaft but it¡¯s multiple times harder to work with.


    It takes me half the day just to get the general shape of the arrowhead hammered out.


    I wipe away all the sweat accumulated on my face as I pull the dellinium out of the forge for the three hundredth time today.


    Now that I have the general shape I want; I need to do the more precise work. I switch out to the smallest hammer we have and this time activate Weighted Strike and Precise Strike together. Activating two skills simultaneously will burn through my Stamina even faster but it¡¯s the only way I can finish the arrowhead.


    I spend the rest of the day making small changes to the arrowhead, trying to make it as perfect as I can for tomorrow.


    As the sun starts to go down, I¡¯m told once again to go home by master.


    ¡°Again, are you sure? I can help,¡± I offer to help master tidy up the mess I made.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done all the work today; you need to go home and rest. If you want to be at your best tomorrow listen to your master.¡± Master shoos me towards the tree line with one of his hands.


    I grudgingly agree with master, I¡¯m way more tired today than yesterday. My arms are so sore I can barely lift them. I don¡¯t think I could help master even if I wanted to.


    Standing next to me, Master Del tells me, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I give him a blank look, not understanding what he means. Master walks past me heading towards the village.


    Before he passes the tree line, he turns back to me. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m walking you back to the village.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask as I make my way over to Del.


    ¡°Could you even defend yourself against a goblin in the state that you are in now?¡± Master asks in a stern manner.


    A shiver runs up my spine. What would happen if something actually did attack me on the way home?


    Before I start panicking master puts his hand on my shoulder and gently guides me forward. That¡¯s right, I have nothing to worry about with master at my side.


    We don¡¯t talk to each other as we slowly make our way down the forest path leading towards the village. It isn¡¯t until I see the buildings in the distance past the tree line that master stops and wishes me a good night.


    ¡°Thanks for walking me to the village; I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I smile and manage to give a small parting wave to master.


    Master Del shows me a smile before turning around and heading back to his home to clean up my mess.


    Walking towards my own home, I think about how helpful master has been ever since I got the general¡¯s order. I should figure out something to do as a show of appreciation.


    By the time I reach my house the sun has all but disappeared into the distance marking the end of day four. ¡°Everything comes together tomorrow,¡± I tell myself as I pull open the door to my house.


    Let¡¯s hope I can use my arms again by then.

 Ch: 60

    "Staring at everything isn''t going to magically attach them,¡± master jokes behind me.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± I wave my left arm in dismissal in master¡¯s direction, without taking my eyes off of the individual parts of the arrow in front of me.


    A beautifully black dellinium arrowhead, the smooth tannish kaglese shaft, and three fechin feathers all lay next to one another.


    When I woke up this morning, I was excited at the prospect of finishing the arrow, but now that I''m ready to assemble everything, my stomach feels like it''s twisted into a dozen different ways.


    "The forge is almost hot enough. Are you ready?" I hear master ask.


    I want to shout ''no,'' but I can''t waste any more time. I still need to weld the arrowhead on to the shaft, attach the fletching, and spend a good deal of time sharpening the arrowhead.


    No more procrastination!


    I bring both hands up and slap my cheeks.


    Too bad, I forgot I''ve become used to unconsciously adjusting Mana Skin when I need to touch a part of my body, so my 135 points in Strength do more damage to my unguarded face than what I was expecting.


    The sound of me slapping my face is louder than I could have ever expected. I channel the sensation of pain into a war cry while I tell myself it doesn¡¯t hurt that much. It never helps when you try to lie to yourself.


    Raising my hands above my head in a victory pose, I turn towards the forge masking the tears in my eyes with a look of excitement.


    Master just looks at me like I¡¯m an idiot but thankfully doesn¡¯t say anything about my debacle. Embarrassed, I hastily grab the arrowhead and shaft and move next to master, avoiding eye contact with him.


    Ignoring the looks of concern master is secretly sending me, I move the dellinium arrowhead to the hottest part of the forge. I take the arrow shaft and also place it in the forge, but I put the end I''m going to weld next to the arrowhead in the hottest part of the forge.


    "Master, can you help me attach the pieces?" I wouldn''t need to ask master for help if I was working with ordinary metals, but the dellinium cools too rapidly for me to do this without an extra pair of hands.


    "Sure, what do you want me to do?" Master, of course, agrees to help me while reminding me I¡¯m in charge.


    ¡°I need you to pull the arrowhead out on my mark and hold it in place. I¡¯ll line up the arrow shaft and connect them after I match their internal mana structures.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Master Del nods in understanding.


    It''s essential I fuse these two components correctly. I''ve worked both the arrowhead and the shaft to optimize their internal mana structures best when they''re combined. Unlike the arrows I made for the army, which have detachable tips, this arrow will be one solid piece and won''t lose as much mana as long as I properly align everything.


    "Wait until I say pull," I give master a severe look.


    The two of us take up positions. I only have one chance to get this right.


    First, I pull the arrow shaft out of the forge. I don¡¯t instruct master to remove the arrowhead yet and instead use Sense Mana on the arrow shaft. I make sure to sear the internal structure into my mind.


    ¡°Pull!¡± I tell master.


    Del expertly removes the small arrowhead from the forge and moves it over to the anvil, moving across the ground like a steady phantom.


    I focus all my senses on the arrowhead master is holding in his tongs. I take special note of the dellinium''s structure around the part I intend to slide the arrow shaft. I twist the tongs in my hand, trying to match everything up.


    I reach into a small pot nearby and grab a handful of flux. I sprinkle the alchemical composite on the arrow shafts tip to better help the forge weld take. Using Steady Hands, I guide the rod''s end into the arrowhead.


    With master''s Strength holding his component in place, I''m able to force the two pieces together with brute strength.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, release,¡± I instruct master.


    He lets go of the arrow, and I shift it back into the forge. Combining the arrowhead to the shaft only took two minutes, but it felt like a lifetime to me.


    I wait with weighted breath for everything to heat back up. Master has moved back off to the side, content to watch me finish the arrow by myself.


    Once everything is hot enough, I remove the arrow from the forge and go right into using my skills. Weighted Strike, Precise Strike, Double Strike, all together with Steady Hands, I don''t hesitate to use four skills at once to weld the two arrow pieces together correctly.


    I''m forced to use the skill combination three times before confirming I have a good weld with Sense Mana.


    Though I want to heat everything and mana quench the arrow now, my low Stamina forces me to take a break first. Master doesn¡¯t say anything as I move over to one of the benches and enter a meditative state.


    I need to recover quickly, so I focus only on my breathing. It takes maybe twenty or so minutes before my Stamina is recharged enough to continue.


    I move back over to my work station and place my arrow back in the forge. When the whole thing is glowing hot, I pull it out of the flames. I hold the arrow with a pair of tongs in my left hand and channel a large chunk of my mana into my right hand.


    I reach out and hover my right hand over the dellinium arrowhead. I take a deep breath and grab the arrowhead with my Mana Skin covered hand. The heat from the arrow immediately starts to eat away at my skills barriers at an astonishing rate, so I start pumping my mana into the material as fast as I can.


    I force nearly 200 mana into the arrow in a few seconds, and I realize I''ve underestimated the materials I picked. Both the dellinium and the kaglese are absorbing my mana like a dried sponge.


    300, 400, 500. Shit, I still need a part of my mana for the next part of the build!


    Thankfully I purge the last of the fire mana from the arrow when I near 700 mana.


    The arrow may be quenched but expending almost 70% of my mana pool in a few seconds is an enormous strain on my mana network. If I wasn''t used to using large chunks of my mana pool at once, I don¡¯t think I would have been able to quench the arrow.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Master asks, concerned. ¡°Even I was able to feel the amount of mana you released there.¡±


    So even master was able to sense the pulse of mana I released. Considering master told me he could only feel mana in areas where its concentration is high, like the bottom of our mine where all the magicite is, I need to be careful if I try something similar around other people. I might poison someone by accident if I release that much mana around a low leveled person.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I tell master. ¡°It took a lot of mana to quench the arrow properly.¡±


    ¡°Do you need some more time to rest?¡±


    "No, I should be fine. I only need to use magic for the next part, and then it''s all sharpening." I move over to our nearby workbench and prep the tools I''ll need to fletch the arrow.


    Usually, I mold molten chameleon spider carapace to make the fletching for the army''s arrows, but this time I''m working with traditional feathers.


    Well, traditional feathers from a magic beast that is.


    First, I need to mark where I''ll be attaching the feathers on the back end of the arrow. I use a bit of twine to measure the circumference of my arrow. Again, using the string, I can evenly mark where the three feathers will be attached, so their spacing is perfect.


    I measure the fechin feathers and decide where I''m going to trim them. When using a feather for your fletching, you can''t just stick the whole feather up against the arrow and call it complete. A feather has more components than one would think.


    I start at the quill, the area the feather was plucked from the bird, and start to scrape away the outer part of its structure gently. I need to expose the white pith that makes up the frame of the feather. Usually, I would split the feather in half to create two fins, but I''m only using the best sides of each of the feathers to create my fletching.


    Using my knife, I start removing the feather''s extra vanes, which are the feather''s outer parts. I have to move slow and steady because the feathers I''m working with are from an earth attuned magic beast. Even the softest parts of the feathers are hard for me to cut through with my knife.


    Eventually, I''m left with the part of the vane I''m going to use. Next, I grab a pair of metal shears we use to cut thin sheets of metal and trim the remaining part of the vane to resemble your common fletching.


    Now I can take the fletching and place them up against the arrow shaft. I mark the length of the fletching on the shaft and grab my engraving pen I brought from home. I could simply attach the fletching as they are, but that would make them stick out of the shaft and produce extra drag.


    I pour a bit of my mana into the engraving pen and use it to create a small groove in the shaft deep enough so that the fletching is flush with the surface.


    Finally, I grab the last of the supplies I need and move back over to the forge. I place the back end of the arrow in the flames but don¡¯t keep it there for long. I only need the end of the arrow to be hot enough for the next part.


    I pull the end of the arrow out of the forge and rub a thin wire of tin across the grooves I carved into the arrow. The tin quickly melts, and I place the fletching on top of the melted metal, soldering the fletching to the arrow. That should hold the fletching in place better than any adhesive we have on hand.


    I hold the arrow up and marvel at how it looks.


    Now I need to sharpen the arrowhead, and I''m done.


    I gather the sharpening stones and move over to a bench to get comfortable. I watch master take up his favorite spot nearby and lay down for the first time in days.


    I start by sanding away the rough spots where the shaft and arrowhead were melded together. Then I use a finer grit to smooth the arrow shaft to reduce as much drag as possible. Once the arrow is smoother than glass, I focus solely on the arrowhead.


    Because the dellinium is so hard, the edges are already quite sharp, so I start at an already high grit of sanding stone to work on the edges.


    I have to go over the arrowhead hundreds of times to sharpen it to the best of my abilities.


    ¡°I¡¯m finally done,¡± I say out loud to no one in particular.


    ¡°Are you now?¡± Master says from his bench.


    I turn towards Master Del and give him the biggest smile I can manage. ¡°It¡¯s ready for Kervin.¡±


    "How do you know that?" Master''s question gives me pause. He''s right; how do I know it''s ready for the general?


    ¡°I need someone to test it,¡± master nods at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little bit!¡± I leap to my feet and run towards the village.


    I know just who I need.


    Thankfully, I regained most of my Stamina while I was sharpening the arrow. Activating Double Step, I rush towards the headman''s house.


    A few villagers call out to me as I make my way through the village, but everyone leaves me alone when they notice I''m running towards Camden''s house like someone is chasing me.


    When I make it to the headman''s front door, I don''t bother knocking and let myself in. People are always coming and going from Camden''s house, and he told me I''m always welcome.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I call out.


    "Is that Aaliyah, I hear?¡± I hear Sarette¡¯s voice coming from the drawing-room down the hall.


    I start walking towards the voice in time to see Sarette herself flinging the drawing-room door open and greeting me with a warm smile. ¡°I thought it was you, I heard! Come in, come in. I was just having afternoon tea with your mother.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time to react as Sandra¡¯s mother pulls me through the doorway.


    ¡°Aaliyah, I thought you were working today?¡± Mother questions me as I¡¯m guided to an open seat.


    "I am; that''s why I''m here. I''m looking for Ronald, and I didn''t want to run all over the village looking for him. I figured Camden would know where he is, so I came here," I explain to my mother and Sarette.


    ¡°My husband is in his office. I can grab him for you, but I¡¯m curious, why do you need Ronald? Does it have something to do with the arrow you''re making?" Sarette asks me with excitement in her eyes.


    I¡¯m shocked she knows about my work.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look surprised, sweety,¡± Sarette gives me a reassuring look. ¡°What do you think your mom and I talk about all day?¡±


    I glance at mom, and she smiles, sipping at her tea.


    Well, if she already knows, "I''m looking for Ronald because I want him to test out my arrow." I tell the two gossiping ladies.


    Both mother and Sarette look excited at the news.


    ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± Mother questions me while setting her teacup down.


    ¡°Almost; as I said, I want Ronald to test it out,¡± I once again tell them the reason why I¡¯m here.


    "This is so exciting!" Mother''s friend is practically shaking in enthusiasm. "Let me go grab my husband; I''ll be right back." Mother and I watch our host dash out of the room.


    I look at mom and give her a questionable look.


    ¡°What?¡± She shrugs. ¡°We talk about our children. Was I not supposed to tell her why you left the village? Bragging about her daughter is a mother¡¯s job.¡±


    I''m about to retort mother when we hear a set of footsteps running down the nearby hall. I catch a quick glimpse of Nicolas as he passes by the open door. He doesn''t stop to say hello, and soon I hear the front door opening and closing in quick succession.


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    Mother and I exchange curious looks when we hear more footsteps coming down the hall.


    Camden walks into the room, followed closely by Sarette. "It''s nice to have you in our home again, Aaliyah," Camden smiles at me. "Sarette already told me why you stopped by, and I sent Nicolas to find Ronald for you."


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I hesitantly respond. Camden has the same fervent look as his wife.


    "No problem at all; we can''t wait to see the arrow you made," Camden exclaims in a booming voice.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I deadpan.


    "It''s the only thing the three of us have talked about for weeks; I''m sure you can show us your work." Camden''s eyes all but insist that I agree.


    I narrow my eyes at my mother, but she pretends not to see my look of frustration. I hope Del doesn¡¯t mind a little company, ¡°Sure, I guess.¡± I say with little enthusiasm.


    I don¡¯t know if they noticed my lack of excitement or if they just don''t care, but both of Sandra''s parents continue to prattle on about how excited they are to see my work.


    "I haven''t seen you since you came back to the village. Did you like Drey? You aren''t thinking about moving there, are you?" Camden gives me a good-natured smile, but I can see a bit of sweat forming on his face.


    "I don''t plan on leaving... yet," I say the last part so quietly no one notices. I haven''t had a chance to talk to my parents about my future goals. I told them about how Mr. Grey asked me about my future, but I didn''t tell them the specifics of my answer.


    I don''t plan to move to Drey, but I do want to leave the village in the future. There''s a whole world full of magic out there, and I want to see it all.


    I continue to dodge his questions, and our back and forth chatter stops only when we all hear the front door open again.


    Nicolas escorts Ronald into the drawing-room, and I watch Braddon follow in after them. I guess that''s one more person who wants to see the arrow I made. A part of me is excited to see everyone''s reaction to my work, but I know how master detests visitors.


    ¡°Aaliyah, why don¡¯t you lead everyone.¡± Mother smoothly directs me to lead everyone to Del¡¯s clearing. I nod my head and make my way out of the headman¡¯s house.


    A lot of the villagers stare at us as we make our way through the village. Some even come up to Camden and ask if everything is ok, and why the seven of us are walking together. Camden waves them all off, telling them he has business to discuss with Master Del.


    As we make our way through the forest to Del''s clearing, I think about the last time somebody other than master and myself came out here. Dad is the only person who regularly brings us materials, and Ronald stopped by to convey a few messages, but that''s all I can think of. As a matter of fact, since master had me take over the villager¡¯s requests, people had always found me before I entered the forest to order whatever they need.


    When we all make it to master''s house, I notice everyone, but Ronald is glancing around at everything in the clearing.


    Master is still lying on his bench with his eyes closed. The group of people stays close to me as I approach his prone form. I cough loudly into my hand, trying announcing my presence.


    ¡°Took you long enough to find him,¡± Master grumbles out loud without opening his eyes.


    Everyone here knows master can talk normally, so I¡¯m not worried about his speech, but I¡¯m just about to warn master about the other people when mother steps forward. "Is this what you do while my daughter works?" Mother''s ominous voice sends a shiver up everyone''s spines.


    Master springs up from his bench, obviously not expecting to hear my mothers'' voice. His eyes only widen larger when he notices everyone else.


    ¡°No, I was just,¡± Master stumbles over what to say.


    After an awkward silence, I come to master''s rescue. "Master is tired from helping me so much. The only reason I made it home at a decent time the last few days was that he cleaned up everything after sending me home."


    "Is that so?" Mother doesn''t sound entirely convinced, but she backs down anyway.


    "Sorry, I wasn''t aware I had company," master sends me a murderous glare.


    I walk next to master and whisper, ¡°neither did I,¡± in his ear. Master lets out a soft sigh before giving his full attention to his guests. Master moves to the side, allowing the woman to take his spot on the bench.


    ¡°So, where¡¯s the arrow?¡± It¡¯s Braddon who says what everyone is thinking.


    I move over to my work station and pick up the completed arrow. Braddon runs up to me to get a better look, but I dodge him and walk over to Ronald. I hold out the finished arrow, and Ronald takes it and holds it like it''s a newborn infant.


    Ronald''s usually expressionless face has been transformed into a look of pure amazement. His hands run along the shaft as he brings the fletching up to his eyes. "Heavy" is the only thing he says as he shifts his focus to the arrowhead.


    As a fellow archer, Braddon can''t wait any longer and moves next to Ronald to get a better look at the arrow.


    ¡°Can you test it out for me?¡± Ronald¡¯s head snaps up at my question.


    Ronald nods his head so quickly and fiercely that you would think you were looking at a bubblehead.


    Ronald unslings the familiar bow I made for him from his back. With only a single glance, he chases away Braddon, who''s complaining about not being the first to test the arrow.


    Ronald picks a tree in the distance and takes his stance. He nocks the arrow and draws back on his string until his hand rests up against his chin. Ronald makes a few adjustments to his aim, accounting for the soft breeze blowing through the clearing, before releasing the arrow.


    The sound of Ronald releasing his bowstring reverberates through my chest, and my heart almost explodes when I hear the loud *thunk* of the arrow piercing the tree Ronald was aiming for, or at least I think that was the tree he was aiming for.


    A round of clapping from the spectators reminds me I can breathe now. I have to keep myself from activating Flash Step as I run towards the tree the arrow struck.


    When I get close to the arrow sticking out of the tree, every negative thought rushes through my mind at once.


    What if something broke?


    What if the arrow didn''t perform like it was supposed to?


    I carefully twist the arrow until the arrowhead lines up with its wound-tract, pulling it free from the tree. I look over every inch of the arrow for any cracks or dings and only relax when Sense Mana confirms nothing has changed since Ronald fired it. Not even the arrowhead itself has even the slightest bit of wear and tear on it; the arrowhead looks precisely as it did when I finished sharpening it.


    When I make it back to the group of onlookers, I''m assaulted with questions that slowly fade away as every one notices me grinning at the arrow like an idiot.


    It takes me a minute to remember I need Ronald¡¯s input. ¡°What did you think?¡± I ask the best archer in our village.


    "Good first shot, now with skills," Ronald holds his hand out to me, and my excitement disappears.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t with your skills?¡± I try to confirm the sinking feeling in my gut.


    ¡°No, first shot without skills,¡± He tells me like it isn¡¯t a big deal. I don¡¯t know if my heart can take another shot.


    I hesitantly hand the arrow back to Ronald; it''s supposed to be used by someone over double his level; there''s no way he can damage it¡­ is there?


    Everyone watches Ronald take up his stance again, and I feel the need to clarify something with him. "This is supposed to be used by someone over level 100. Can you use as many of your skills as you can at once?" It kills me inside to ask Ronald to use every skill in his arsenal, but this is the only way to test the arrow correctly.


    "Ok," Ronald agrees to my request, and I can feel his presence change as he starts to activate different skills.


    I jump back and give him room to fire.


    If Ronald''s first shot were a gun, it would be a little .22; when Ronald releases his bow the second time, it was like he fired an RPG. A physical shockwave passes through us as Ronald¡¯s bow launches my arrow at speeds I can¡¯t even imagine.


    There''s no clapping after Ronald''s second shot, only a dead silence that hangs over each of us.


    This time I don''t hesitate to use Flash Step to run towards the tree Ronald was aiming for.


    When I arrive at the tree I previously pulled the arrow from, I only find a three-inch hole through the entirety of the tree trunk.


    My heart beats like crazy as I look behind the tree, trying to find where the arrow went.


    The tree a few feet behind Ronald¡¯s target is sporting a smaller hole than its predecessor. It isn''t until I track the arrow''s trajectory before I find it halfway embedded into another tree ten feet away.


    My hands shake as I carefully dislodge the arrow from the tree. When I see the shiny black dellinium arrowhead pulled out of the bark, I feel like I¡¯m about to cry. I sink to my knees and scan every micron of the arrow.


    My hands tremble as it becomes apparent the arrow is still in perfect condition.


    Fired from an archer above level 50, using multiple skills¡­


    Passed through multiple trees¡­


    And it doesn¡¯t have so much as a scratch on it.


    I can¡¯t help but laugh at the arrow in my hands.


    I did it!


    This arrow is by far the best thing I''ve ever forged in my career! I laugh even harder on the forest floor.


    And that''s how everyone found me, laughing on the floor, hugging my arrow.


    Of course, Mother was upset when she found me but offered me congratulations like everybody else when I told her the results of the test. Braddon insisted on trying the arrow for himself and even manages to pierce the tree he was aiming for. I found the arrow stuck in the tree behind his target.


    We all converge around the benches while I answer people¡¯s questions.


    ¡°What¡¯s it made from?¡± Camden asks.


    ¡°The fletching is fechin feathers, which is an earth attuned magic beast. The shaft is kaglese and mithril while the arrowhead is also mixed with mithril and dellinium.¡± I explain to everybody.


    "Dellinium?" Mother asks me before looking at Master Del. All eyes turn to master, and I can see him starting to blush as he takes a step back.


    "It''s an unnamed metal pulled from a high magic region. It was annoying to call it ''that black rock,'' so I named it Dellinium," I explain to everyone, which quickly turns into everyone laughing other than master.


    ¡°How much?¡± Ronald asks me while holding the arrow to his chest, refusing to put it down.


    ¡°Yeah, how much for you to make me one too?¡± Braddon also pressures me for a price.


    I cough into my hand, trying to do some quick math in my head. "We''re selling the first arrow to the army for ten gold coins." Everyone here is almost like family, so I decide to tell them the price.


    Both Ronald and Braddon pale at the fist number I tell them; too bad I''m not finished. "But that is only to get their attention, all the ones we sell after the first one costs more."


    ¡°How much did you spend on the arrow?¡± Mother knows most of the specifics of the arrow but asks for the crowd¡¯s sake.


    "Let''s see," I raise my finger to my chin and start listing the prices I paid. "The feathers were 15 silver, the kaglese was 7 gold, the mithril I used cost around 50 silver, and the dellinium as a whole was valued at over 50 gold coins. If you factor in the time I spent making the thing, I¡¯d say the arrow is worth at least 25 gold coins, probably more.¡±


    By the time I finish pricing everything out, everyone is staring at the arrow in Ronald''s arms. The poor guy looks like he''s about to cry. The only people in the village that could pay that kind of price are the headman''s family, and it would equivalate to over a year of income for the entire village.


    All the arrows I make are already promised to Silver Herd, but I don''t mention that out loud.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make you an arrow like that one, but I might be able to make you a cheaper version in the future,¡± I sympathize with Ronald.


    ¡°Really?¡± The usually unexpressive archer asks me with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I reassure him. I already planned to try to make kaglese steel arrows in the future, and I''m sure Ronald would appreciate my test samples even if they don''t perform like the arrow in his arms.


    Ronald and Braddon brighten up at the news, and everyone starts talking about what I can make with the new materials I have access to.


    I look at everybody and see happy smiles all around.


    Well, all for except one.


    Master may have a smile on his face, but I can tell he doesn''t like being in such a big group. He rarely talks when he visits my house, and his smile right now is only a polite fa?ade. He¡¯s standing just outside the circle that¡¯s naturally formed around me.


    I should think of a reason to ask everyone to politely leave.


    But everyone knows the arrow is completed; there''s nothing to add to it.


    Wait! There is one thing I can add to the arrow.


    I politely cough into my hand to gather everybody''s attention. "I want to thank everyone for coming and showing their support," I offer some lip service before I kick them out of master''s clearing. "But, I just remembered I need to add one final thing to my arrow."


    ¡°What is that?¡± Camden asks for the group.


    "I need to put my makers mark on it," I tell everyone. "I normally don''t put it on the arrows I make, but I remembered I should probably do it for this one. And then we need to clean up the clearing.¡± I try to sound upset that everybody needs to leave.


    "That''s disappointing," Sarette pouts. "I know! You''ll just have to come over and have tea with your mother and me so we can talk some more."


    The intensity in her eyes leads me to believe I have no choice but to agree. ¡°I was planning to take a few days off after Kervin picks up the delivery tomorrow, so I¡¯m sure I can find some time to stop by your house soon.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Sarette claps her hands together in excitement. ¡°We¡¯ll make a whole day of it. We¡¯ll leave you to finish your work.¡± Sarette ushers her boys and husband to follow her out of master¡¯s clearing.


    I walk over to mom and give her a quick hug. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up here and come home early today,¡± I tell her.


    "That sounds wonderful," mother tells me, then looks at Del. "I apologize for coming unannounced; thank you for looking after my daughter."


    Master nods his head, earning a smile from mother. "See you when you get home," Mother says to me and makes her way over to the path leading back to the village.


    ¡°Ronald, can you escort my mother back to the village, please?¡± I ask the hunter who¡¯s still standing close by.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ronald retally agrees and moves to walk mother back home.


    ¡°Ronald!¡± I call out to him as he walks away. He turns back to me with a surprised look on his face, not understanding why I called out to him. ¡°I need my arrow back, please,¡± I hold my hand out in his direction.


    The usually straight-faced huntsman looks down and realizes he''s still hugging my arrow to his chest. He quickly runs over to me and hands me the arrow before turning around to hide his look of embarrassment. Ronald quickly moves in front of mother and starts walking her home. I see mother raise her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh.


    Once everyone has left the clearing, I turn to master and give him an apologetic smile. "I only went to Camden''s to find out where Ronald was. I didn''t think everyone would want to see the arrow I made," I quickly apologize to master.


    Del waves his hand and shakes his head. "It wasn''t your fault; it just caught me off guard, is all. Are you really going to put your maker''s mark on the arrow, or did you just say that to get everybody to leave?"


    ¡°I think I will put it on. My best work deserves my signature,¡± I give master a toothy smile.


    ¡°That it does,¡± Master Del agrees with me.


    I move over to my work station and pick up my engraving pen. With this, I¡¯ll be able to make a much more detailed maker¡¯s mark. I''ll be getting close to my safety limit with my mana, but it should be fine.


    While I carve a hammer inlaid with beautiful flowers on it near the arrow''s fletching, I can''t help but think about tomorrow and when Kervin arrives.


    Once I hand off the arrow to Kervin, I''ll be able to finally rest, knowing the job is complete.


    I might spend a whole day in bed.


    I laugh to myself, knowing that would never happen.


    I position the arrow, so my maker''s mark shimmers in the sun''s rays. "Kervin is going to flip when he sees you," I say out loud to myself.


    <hr>


    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    We¡¯re almost to the village.


    I move my sleeve across my face to wipe the nervous sweat from my forehead. I pray one of the gods listened to my prayers, and Aaliyah made the arrow on time.


    "Do you need to take a break? You look like you''re about to melt." Reel points and laughs at me from the side. I steer my cart, hoping to hit him with one of the wheels, but he easily dodges. "Someone is grumpy,'' Reel only laughs harder after my miss.


    "And why aren''t you not nervous?" I hiss at Reel in displeasure. "What if the bandit attack traumatized her, and she doesn''t have the arrow ready yet? We don''t have much time before we''re supposed to be in Teeburn."


    ¡°I told you, I handled most of the bandits. Besides, the girl wouldn¡¯t let something small as a few bandits stop her from doing her job.¡± Reel confidently puts his hands behind his head and walks like he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world.


    ¡°And suddenly you think you know her better than I do,¡± I challenge Reel.


    "Definitely." Reel''s playful smile disappears, and he glances at me with a dark look of confidence that causes me to flinch back. "She''ll have the arrow ready," he calmly tells me before looking forward. "See what I mean," Reel points ahead of us as we round the bend, giving us a clear view of the village.


    I look to where Reel is pointing and see a familiar cart parked in our campsite, and sitting next to a warm fire is Aaliyah, waiting for our arrival. Reel was right; she wouldn''t be here waiting for us if she wasn''t ready.


    As we near the campsite, I see the young redhead stand up and wave at us. "Took you guys long enough," her confident voice echoes through the nearby trees, and her smile dispels most of my worries.


    "The road is starting to muddy. We got here as soon as we could. Were you waiting long?" I ask as I pull my cart to a stop.


    ¡°Na, I woke up early and packed everything with master.¡± She dismissively points at her cart. ¡°I figured if I was waiting for you, we could get our business over with before the villagers swarm you." She sends me a cheeky grin.


    "I take it you finished the order," I ask.


    ¡°Of course, was there any doubt?¡± She puffs out her chest and raises her chin.


    A silence falls between us.


    "Wait! You didn''t actually think I would fail, did you!?" Aaliyah''s boastful posture falls away, and she squints her eyes accusingly at me.


    ¡°I would never¡­¡±


    ¡°He sure did,¡± Reel cuts me off, strutting over to Aaliyah. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen him sweating. Said you might¡¯ve been traumatized by the bandits, were you?¡± He stops a foot away from Aaliyah and leans forward in an intimidating fashion.


    We all wait for Aaliyah to take a swing at the cocky ass, but instead, her smile only widens. She opens her arms, trying to catch Reel, but he slips away from her before she can close her arms around him.


    "Why did you dodge?" Aaliyah asks in a singsong voice. "I missed you and wanted to give you a hug; Reel is my best friend after all.¡±


    Reel¡¯s face drops like he just tasted something awful. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the perimeter,¡± he tells us before vanishing into the trees.


    Aaliyah raises her hands to her mouth and shouts into the woods, ¡°Hurry back, I¡¯ll be waiting!¡±


    Lurte, Ryiba, and I are all dumbfounded by what just happened. What could¡¯ve changed their dynamic so drastically?! I thought she hated him?


    "He''s playing hard to get," Aaliyah laughs at her joke while the rest of us look at her like she''s crazy.


    Aaliyah walks over to me, and I watch as her mirth falls away, revealing her merchant side as she stops in front of me. "Now that the troublesome person is gone, we can do business." Her quick change in personality reminds me of who I¡¯m dealing with.


    ¡°Can I see the arrow?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Sure, one second,¡± Aaliyah walks over to her cart and reaches in. ¡°Here it is,¡± she says as she holds up the tannish arrow with a black tip.


    I want to cry out when I realize she wasn¡¯t keeping it in anything. I catch myself before I raise my voice, but still use an accusing tone, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it in a container?¡±


    The young girl looks down at the arrow before answering my question. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think about that,¡± she freely admits to me.


    I reach out, and Aaliyah allows me to take the beautiful piece of work from her hands. "This arrow is worth over 20 gold; you should store it as such. What if you scratched it up against something?"


    Aaliyah just laughs at my panicked look. ¡°And what¡¯s funny about what I said?¡± I ask the young blacksmith.


    ¡°I had Ronald and Braddon, two of our best archers, test it. You see how nice it looks?¡± She points to the flawless arrowhead and the perfectly straight shaft.


    ¡°What about it?¡± I ask, wondering if I¡¯m missing something.


    "That''s what it looks like after going through three trees. I don''t think rubbing up against a crate will do anything to it." She proudly boasts.


    ¡°Through a tree?¡± I ask slack-jawed.


    ¡°Yep, three of them.¡± Aaliyah holds up three fingers as if I wouldn''t believe her without the visual cue. "I''m sure you could put it in a box if you wanted to; I bet you have an extra one in your home somewhere." The monster that looks like a girl pokes fun at me.


    "I''ll probably do just that," I tell her. "We can''t argue over price, but can you give me an idea of how much it costs for you to make one of these?"


    Her smile fades slightly. "The materials I used cost around 7.55 gold, but that isn''t factoring in the material I used for the arrowhead, and the cost of kaglese will be higher without me picking the samples. If I¡¯d have to guess, the next arrow should be sold for over 25 gold coins.¡±


    I have to swallow my saliva after hearing her explanation. ¡°Is there any way to reduce the cost?¡± I try to ask.


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the things I needed to talk to you about,¡± Aaliyah gives me a serious look. ¡°I need more kaglese ore, like a lot more, a cartload," she clarifies. "Can you try to get me a bulk deal from Mr. Grey?"


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop by and talk to him when we pass by Drey. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll help you out,¡± I reassure her.


    I look at her cart and see a few crates thrown about. If I remember correctly, she mentioned she had already made more arrows for the army before I told her about the general¡¯s order.


    ¡°Can you tell me again how many arrows you made for the army?¡± I motion to her cart.


    ¡°I already made four hundred arrows with detachable tips before you escorted me to Drey.¡± She says, not really sounding like they interest her anymore.


    Even if she isn¡¯t as excited as I am, that¡¯s still excellent to hear. We won¡¯t be making much money with the first specialty arrow, and I know how much Aaliyah hates to be in debt. Selling everything should take care of most of what she owes to Mr. Grey and get more kaglese.


    "Ready to haggle?" I say in an over the top manner, trying to bring her earlier smile back to her face. Dealing with happy Aaliyah is much more profitable than dealing with serious Aaliyah.


    "No, thanks," her answer causes me to stumble.


    ¡°But why not?¡± I question her.


    Aaliyah scratches one of her cheeks, "There''s not much point in us haggling," she tells me. "You''re going to try and get the best deal you can from the army and use my share to pay back Mr. Grey. Find out how much my arrows are worth, and then we can have fun haggling. Until then, I trust you to have my best interests in heart.¡±


    I¡¯m shocked by how much faith she has in me. To trust me unconditionally with her money shows me how deep our bond has grown. I think I might tear up.


    ¡°And Kervin,¡± Aaliyah¡¯s voice reminds me she was still speaking.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer with hope in my eyes.


    ¡°If you screw me, I¡¯ll have Mr. Grey replace you,¡± Aaliyah tells me with a smile.


    And like that, I''m reminded my fate is tied to this little monster. ¡°Gods forbid,¡± I answer in a professional tone.


    ¡°Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way,¡± Aaliyah seems to brighten up. ¡°Do you have a special gift for me?¡± Her eyes practically sparkle with anticipation.


    What does she? Aww, yes. ¡°Silver Herd did manage to find the information you were after, but they only entrusted it to Reel, so you¡¯ll have to wait until he returns.¡±


    ¡°Reel has it?¡± She asks again to clarify.


    "He does," I inform her. "He should be back soon; until then, we can¡­"


    Aaliyah turns towards the forest and shouts, ¡°Hey Reel, stop spying and come out!¡±


    A few seconds later, a grumpy Reel appears from the trees, directing his anger at the girl who just summoned him like a trained puppy. Was he watching us the whole time?


    Reel storms over to Aaliyah, fishes a sealed letter out of his pocket and holds it towards her. Aaliyah grabs the note with a big smile on her face, but Reel refuses to let go just yet. "You never got this from us," Reel says in a menacing tone.


    "I''ll burn it after I memorize the contents," Aaliyah responds, holding his gaze. It''s incredible how she can stand in front of him when he''s intimidating like that.


    ¡°See that you do,¡± Reel lets go of the letter and walks past Aaliyah, taking a seat next to the fire.


    ¡°Lurte, Ryiba, can the two of you move the arrows into the cart." Both nod their heads in my direction and move to transfer the goods from Aaliyah''s cart to ours. I send Reel a dissatisfied grimace, "You should help too."


    "Sorry, I''m on lookout, protecting, and stuff." Again, Reel refuses to follow my orders unless we''re in front of someone important.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Aaliyah chimes in. She walks over to the log Reel is on and sits really close to him. ¡°Reel is an important person. Brave, strong, always on the lookout for danger.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll help!¡± Reel jumps up and practically runs away from Aaliyah.


    ¡°You have to tell me how you do that.¡± I watch Reel start helping to move the boxes with the others.


    "Trade secret," Aaliyah remains tight-lipped. "Are you heading to Teeburn as soon as you''re finished here?" She asks.


    "We''ll stop briefly in Drey to order your ore, but then we''ll head straight for Teeburn. Is there something else you need?"


    ¡°I need some information from you,¡± she leans forward.


    I¡¯m curious what she could possibly need now, ¡°If it¡¯s within my ability, I¡¯ll get you any information you need.¡± I proudly proclaim.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to hear,¡± Aaliyah looks excited. ¡°I need you to find out whether the general is right or left-handed and what her draw length is.¡±


    ¡°Her what?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s how far back she pulls her bowstring. Knowing that, I can make the next arrows even better.¡± I can¡¯t help but smile at the passion she shows when she talks about blacksmithing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask for the general¡¯s specifications when I make it to Teeburn, and I''ll try to return with more kaglese as fast as possible," I reassure Aaliyah.


    ¡°Thanks, Kervin,¡± Aaliyah stands up and stretches her arms.


    ¡°No problem, but if I may ask, what are you going to do until I arrive with more kaglese?¡±


    "I''m taking the next few days off, and after that, I plan on looking for any more chameleon spiders in the area. Their carapace is needed to forge the arrows, and I''m starting to run out," She tells me with a downtrodden expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Silver Herd can get you an alchemical solution to help with your problem,¡± I offer.


    "If we can''t find any more spiders that that might be my only choice. I still have enough materials to work with for now, but I''ll let you know next time you''re back if that changes. Now, if you don''t mind, I need to talk to my family now that I have some free time. I''ll see you in a few weeks," Aaliyah stands up and offers me her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back with materials and information before you know it,¡± I firmly shake her hand.


    ¡°Ok, have fun with the villagers,¡± Aaliyah tells me as she walks over to her now empty cart. I look over my shoulder and see the first of many villagers coming over to greet me.


    It¡¯s a good thing I stocked up on more dried goods before I left Drey.


    I watch as Aaliyah pushes her cart past the oncoming villagers and take note of how almost all of them greet her as she passes.


    I¡¯m reminded of how innocent she was when we first started doing business, asking the price of each of my goods and arguing over every copper coin.


    Now I¡¯m helping her sell an arrow worth dozens of gold coins.


    Will I remember this day in the future as fondly as I remember the past now?


    I shake my head and put on my merchant smile as the first group of villagers comes up to me. ¡°No need to push,¡± I tell them. ¡°I have plenty of food. Biscuits 2 copper apiece and a quarter pound of jerky for 1 large copper."


    I wonder if I¡¯ll still be selling biscuits and jerky in the future as well?


    I hope not.

 Ch: 61

    "I''m going to run a little longer," I tell mother as she¡¯s about to walk into our house.


    Mother looks back at me, and I watch her face cycle through a wide range of emotions. Unease, doubt, worry, compassion, understanding, mother''s eyes convey so much before she settles on a small smile. "Are you doing, ok?" Mother asks me in a soft voice.


    I step forward and give her a big hug. She strokes my back and whispers, ¡°You can talk to me if you need to,¡± In my ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing¡­ better,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Are you?¡± Mother leans back and looks me in the eyes.


    "I am," I say with a soft smile, and that isn''t just lip service for her either. I really am feeling better.


    ¡°Ok, but don¡¯t be out for too long.¡± Mom finally releases me from her tight grasp.


    I give mother a quick wave goodbye and continue running around the village with a smile on my face.


    Mother has been clingy the last two days, but that''s to be expected. After I finished my business with Kervin, I followed through with my promise to master and mother and came clean about the bandit attack and how I almost died.


    I was prepared for my parents to ground me, or at the very least, yell at me, but I didn''t get the response I was expecting.


    Mom and dad spent the rest of the day with me, telling me it wasn''t my fault and that I never need to hide something like this from them. Mom was a little peeved that I waited to tell them, but unless her punishment is burying me in hugs, I don''t think I''ll be confined to the village anytime soon.


    I spent all day yesterday relaxing with my mother and recovering after a long couple of weeks. We spent the entire afternoon at Camden¡¯s place sipping tea with Sarette.


    I plan to take another two days off before I go back to making arrows for the army. Until then, I promised myself I would take it easy. No sword training, no testing magic, not even looking over how to make engraving ink because I know I couldn¡¯t help myself once I see the process.


    My strong legs propel me along the tree line surrounding the village. Whenever a stump is in my way, I gracefully hop over the obstruction and continue. I spot villagers watching me a few times, so I spice up my running by cartwheeling on the stumps or front flipping over them. Thankfully, I don''t consider this training, or I would already be breaking my word.


    Seeing their smiling reactions is worth the extra effort.


    Another small group of villagers cheers for me as I hop from one stump to another and finish with a backflip.


    I keep running, and the groups go about their day.


    The weather is slowly getting better, and villagers with lower physical stats are starting to walk around the village more.


    Yet another group of three waves to me as I pass by. I''m starting to get used to people paying attention to me. Only, this group looks much more somber for some reason.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡±


    I slow to a stop when I hear someone call out my name. I glance around and quickly notice Arash and Hayk walking towards me. The two senior hunters must have been on patrol nearby.


    ¡°Morning Arash, Hayk,¡± I greet the men as they approach.


    ¡°Hello Aaliyah, I see you¡¯re still running. And by yourself?¡± Arash gives me a questioning look and scans the nearby trees.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alone,¡± Hayk bluntly tells me.


    ¡°What, why?¡± I look between the two hunters, confused.


    Hayk awkwardly rubs the back of his neck and looks away from me. I turn to Arash and ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard, have you?¡± Arash asks in a dark tone.


    "Haven''t heard what? I''ve been pretty busy lately," I give the two hunters a look that says, ''get to the point, I want to finish my run.''


    ¡°News just came to the village; there have been strange disappearances lately,¡± Hayk says in a low voice. ¡°It''s spreading throughout the whole village that people shouldn''t walk alone.¡±


    ¡°People in the village have disappeared!?¡± I ask in alarm.


    ¡°No, no, not our village,¡± Arash clarifies. ¡°When Markus traveled to the closest village to discuss springs crops, he brought back some spooky news.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, older high-leveled individuals in surrounding villages have vanished out of nowhere." Hayk cuts in. "Local trackers tried to follow their trails, but all signs of a person moving through the forest would suddenly stop once they were deep in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Chameleon spider?¡± I ask. If they¡¯re still around, maybe I should take Ronald and master and hunt for more materials.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the thing,¡± Arash gives me a worried look. ¡°Because we sent word to the surrounding villages about how to spot chameleon spiders, they¡¯ve managed to find any spiders near their villages and deter them before they can cause problems.¡±


    ¡°They haven''t seen signs of chameleon spiders in weeks, and they say the tracks suddenly disappeared like the people didn''t struggle. One moment, they''re standing in the snow, and then the next, they''re gone." Hayk elaborates, and this time both senior hunters look at the surrounding trees, and I find myself doing the same.


    ¡°Does Camden know about this?¡± I ask.


    ¡°He sent word to all the hunters and asked us to increase our patrols," Arash tells me.


    ¡°So, everyone needs to be careful when it gets dark,¡± I nod in agreement. Both hunters shake their heads. ¡°What?¡± I ask.


    Hayk leans in, ¡°All the disappearances have happened during the daytime.¡±


    The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. ¡°No one noticed the people leaving the village?¡± I question.


    "Nope," Hayk tells me with a pale face. "Some of the missing people''s tracks cut straight through the village too; only no one can remember seeing the people leave.¡±


    ¡°How is this not bigger news!?¡± I ask the two.


    ¡°Only one or two people would disappear in a single village, and all of them were older people you might not notice were gone. The word only spread when the head farmers for each of the villages got together to discuss the next harvest. Everyone thinks our village is next,¡± Arash explains grimly.


    My hand subconsciously shifts to the sword at my side. But I''ve been scanning the woods regularly, and I can even vaguely spot Reel when he''s nearby. Whatever is stalking the woods can''t sneak up on me.


    "Thanks for telling me; I''ll make sure to be careful," I tell the two.


    "We just wanted to make sure you were aware; we know you''re able to spot the chameleon spiders and that you have a high level. Still, it would be best if you weren''t out alone, even if you can handle yourself," Arash clarifies.


    I nod in understanding. "Be safe," I tell them.


    ¡°You too,¡± they echo with the same sentiment. The two senior hunters turn and continue their patrol.


    Suddenly I don¡¯t feel like running anymore. Maybe I should head home.


    I turn towards the direction of my home but stop after I take a step.


    Maybe I should circle the village one more time. I do have the skills that let me find hidden foes, and if I do see something strange, I''m probably the most likely to escape whatever''s hiding out there.


    I continue making my way around the village; only this time, I''m walking and taking my time inspecting the tree line.


    I miss the days when I only had to worry about farkas, karhu, and goblins, mainly because none of them are invisible to the naked eye.


    Thankfully I don¡¯t spot a single branch out of place as I circle the village. However, I do notice the number of people walking near the village''s edge decrease significantly.


    I walk away from where the forest and village meet and rest up against the nearby stable''s fence. The outdoor pens are empty now, but the animals will soon emerge when the weather heats up in the next couple of days.


    The animal pens are on the village''s outskirts, so it surprises me when I see someone approaching me from the corner of my eye.


    Who is that?


    I can tell it''s someone around my age from the silhouette, but I can''t place the face. As the boy gets closer, I can better make out his features. Brown hair, brown eyes, and symmetrical features that look a little too perfect; his face screams familiarity, but I can''t come up with a name.


    His clothes are worn but look recently washed, and his body language suggests he''s happy to see me.


    I feel a slight pressure in the back of my mind, which fades quickly. The stress vanishes like it was never there, and I can finally remember the boy¡¯s name.


    ¡°Hey Keter,¡± I call out and give a friendly wave.


    Keter¡¯s smile grows as he gets closer to me. He moves next to me and leans up against the fence, mimicking me.


    Keter doesn''t speak; he never really has. Even as kids, it was hard for Richard and I to play with him because of how quiet he was.


    I feel all the nervousness from my talk with Arash and Hayk slowly disappear, thanks to my silent companion''s reassuring presence.


    Nothing bad ever happens around Keter. When dad would take us into the woods, we called Keter our good luck charm because we never encountered a single problem when he was with us.


    I swing my arm over Keter¡¯s shoulder and pull him close. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. Did you hear about the disappearances?¡±


    Keter nods, choosing to remain quiet.


    I once again feel a headache come along, but for some reason, it dissipates just as fast as the previous one.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Poor Keter gives me a worried look. He¡¯s such a caring brother-in-craft. He¡¯s the one who truly understands Del. Now that I think about it, no one in the village doesn¡¯t like Keter; he''s just that good of a guy.


    Keter gives me a caring smile and grabs my hands, pulling me towards the woods.


    I dig my feet into the muddy ground and stop us before we pass the trees. ¡°I think we should stay in the village,¡± I tell him.


    Keter innocently cocks his head to the side and gently tries to pull me forward.


    ¡°It could be dangerous,¡± I remind him.


    Suddenly the headache returns, and this time I''m forced to raise my hands to my temples. As the pain fades, Keter reaches and once again takes my hands, leading me into the woods.


    Well, we both survived the goblin extermination together and hunt chameleon spiders with master and Ronald, so we should be fine. Keter joyfully leads me deeper into the forest; he must want to show me something important.


    We quickly move through the forest, but for some reason, I can''t place where we are.


    ¡°Hold up, Keter," He turns back to me with a questioning look. "I should take the lead, in case anything is hiding." If I''m in an unfamiliar place, I need to be careful.


    I move next to Keter and activate Sense Mana. The surrounding mana lights up in my vision. The mana in the trees and ground contrast nicely with the remaining snow. I glance to my side at Keter and marvel at his fantastic mana network; he has more than triple my mana pool.


    Wait?


    Why does he have¡­


    Another headache tears through my mind, forcing me to crouch on the forest floor. Thankfully like the others, it passes quickly.


    Keter helps me to my feet and smiles at me. He waves his hands, and I feel my mana pool replenishing as we walk deeper into the forest.


    Keter was always more talented in magic than me. It¡¯s because of him I¡¯ve been able to improve without the need of a master. Keter places his had up against my back and starts leading me in a specific direction.


    I take a few steps before a fuzzy face flashes in my mind. He looks so familiar, but I can¡¯t place who it is. His ebony skin stands out because it doesn''t match anyone in the village. His bald head is covered in sweat like he''s standing next to a fire, but his smiling face looks so kind to me.


    "Master Del," I mumble. I don''t know where the name comes from, but my mind becomes clear once again as soon as I repeat it.


    Why did I think I didn''t have a master? Everything I''ve learned has been from Master Del.


    Something is wrong here!


    I desperately look around the clearing, trying to spot whatever is causing my sudden sense of panic. I scan every inch of the surrounding forest.


    Why did I agree to come here!?


    I suddenly feel disoriented, and I can''t remember which way we came from.


    Looking at my feet, I trace my tracks to the left. I can follow my trail back to the village.


    I freeze in place.


    The tracks¡­


    There is only one trail in the snow.


    The little hairs on my arms and legs stand on end.


    I don¡¯t make any sudden movements and slightly turn my head until I can see Keter¡¯s feet out of the corner of my vision.


    My eyes widen, and my hands start to tremble.


    The ground around Keter is entirely undisturbed; there isn''t a single footprint in sight. Now that I look closer, it appears Keter¡¯s shoes aren¡¯t leaving any indents in the slush. Keter¡¯s feet look like they¡¯ve merged perfectly with the snow.


    This can''t be possible; I''ve known Keter for my whole life. He played with Richard and me outside our house.


    The more I try to focus on the memory, the worse my head feels, until a point where the memory shatters, and I remember I only ever played with my brother as a child.


    I can¡¯t help but look up at Keter¡¯s face, and our eyes meet. His smiling expression fades as the world starts to shift around me. Everything starts to lose color, and I feel like I''m dying. I''ve come close to death a few times since I reincarnated, but this is the same feeling I had when the cave collapsed on me in my past life.


    I feel a deep pain in my chest, where my soul is, so I activate my tier 5 skill.


    All at once, the world around me shatters.


    Gone is Keter¡¯s body and in his place is a human-sized puppet of black smoke. Holding the puppet, like a little girl playing with her doll, is a large grey hand.


    And another equally large hand is around me, forming a cage of grey fingers.


    Once I activated Sense Soul, everything became clear; only, I wish it didn''t.


    Attached to the hands are long spindly arms that lead to a monster straight out of a horror movie. The humanoid creature has to be twenty feet tall, but it''s hard to tell because it''s in a squatting position.


    The creature has no facial features or sexual characteristics. The monster is nothing but grey skin, and its limbs don¡¯t appear to have any bones. The skin itself is lumpy and continuously shifting like a mass of worms are wriggling just underneath the surface.


    The monster itself is frightening, but it''s the creature''s soul that has me shaking in fear.


    The soul is the representation of a living beings¡¯ level and experience. My soul is larger than average, even bigger than Master Del''s, but it is nothing compared to this monster. If my soul was a marble, then this creature has a soul the size of a beachball.


    How old is this monster? What level is it? I can''t tell.


    And the reason my chest hurts.


    With my skill activated, I can see small tendrils coming from the cage of fingers connected to my body. They''re slowly digging through my very being, towards my soul.


    I try to shake the tendrils off, but they aren''t physical. They passed straight through Mana Skin and ignored my mana network as well.


    I don''t know why the creature hasn''t moved since I discovered it, but I''m not waiting to find out.


    I kick off the ground and again off one of the creature''s fingers to jump out onto the top of its hand. As soon as I slip out of the monster¡¯s grasp, the soul-sucking tendrils snap, and the pain in my chest starts to fade.


    I don¡¯t take my eyes off of the giant creature as I jump down from the oddly motionless hand and try to gain as much distance as I can. I draw my sword, but I don''t think it will be of any help. This thing has to be over level 150, and that''s low-balling it.


    I circle to the back of the creature, and yet it doesn''t so much as twitch. The only movement I can see is its skin shifting.


    I slowly move backward from the monster, content if the beast doesn''t ever move again.


    I make it thirty feet before I hit a wall.


    Using my free hand, I touch the invisible wall behind me to confirm I''m not crazy. It feels like I''m touching a sheet of glass.


    I turn my head slightly to get a better look at the wall, but as soon as I take my eyes off the creature, I''m suddenly filled with a sense of dread.


    Snaping my head back towards the creature, I flinch back, seeing the two massive hands right in front of me in a mid-grabbing motion. I stumble backward, hoping for the support of the invisible wall before my legs give out from under me, but it seems to have vanished.


    It isn''t until I stumble another thirty feet away from the beast that I again feel the wall behind me. Without taking my eyes off the creature this time, I use Sense Soul and Sense Mana to try and see what kind of barrier is stopping me.


    There¡¯s no doubt the wall is one of the creature¡¯s abilities, seeing how it moved with it as the epicenter.


    It takes both my skills working together for me to figure out the wall is made up of the creature¡¯s soul and mana intertwined. And once I know what I''m looking for, I''m able to scan the area around the beast, revealing what a shit situation I''m genuinely in.


    Not only does the monster have a 360¡ã barrier locking me in, but the area is jammed packed with its mana and wisps of its soul. The creature has multiple mana-soul tendrils connected to the barrier from its body, so no matter which way it shifts, the barrier won''t be compromised.


    I have to remind myself to steady my breathing. I want to panic, but I refuse to go down without a fight.


    I slowly slide my way along the barrier until I¡¯m once again directly behind the beast.


    I''ve already confirmed I can''t run, so I need to analyze this creature and hope to find a weakness.


    But first, there¡¯s one hunch I need to confirm.


    I steady myself and blink once, as quickly as I can.


    My eyes are closed for only a fraction of a second, but in that time frame, the monster once again shifted its position 180¡ã and tried to grab me.


    I try to swallow a lump in my throat, but my mouth is completely dry.


    That all but confirms it, the creature can¡¯t move while I¡¯m looking at it. That¡¯s why it uses the shadow doll to lure its prey away.


    The beast probably already had me in its grasp when I first noticed its doll. It was able to connect to my soul and play with my memories so that I would let my guard down around it. That¡¯s also probably how it filled my mana pool, it already had its tendrils connected to me, and my mana pool is nothing when it can influence my soul.


    The amount of mana this thing is wielding is incredible; it could probably fill my mana pool up a hundred times, easily.


    This monster managed to make me willingly walk out of the village so that it could eat me in peace.


    I can''t believe just a little while ago I thought I could handle anything.


    If I were any other person, I would be dead already. Mental Resistance only helped me realizes there was a problem, and if I didn¡¯t have Sense Soul, I wouldn''t be able to look at the creature. I eventually would''ve died by having my soul ripped out of my body.


    I can¡¯t believe I ran into a monster that hunts for souls. No wonder it targeted older people with high levels; those are the people with the biggest souls. I was probably especially appealing because my soul is more extensive than usual, and I don''t have the levels to defend myself. I guess that makes me a delicacy. But it was also by pure luck my skills countered this monstrosity.


    I try to smile at the dark humor of the situation, but I can''t even force a smile onto my face.


    I shuffle around the beast until I find a dry spot I can sit while keeping my eyes on it.


    How the fuck am I supposed to get out of this mess?


    The beast won''t move until I take my eyes off it, but how long can I keep that up?


    Mother will notice I¡¯m missing if I''m not home soon. I can expect Camden, master, and dad to start a search for me immediately, but now that my head is clear, I''m not even sure how deep into the forest I am.


    And even if they find me, are they able to hurt this thing?


    I stand up and walk next to one of the creature¡¯s outstretched arms. Weighted Strike, Precise Strike, Double Strike, mana to ignite the flames on my sword, I put everything I have into one swing.


    My sword flashes and¡­


    Two marks, I only managed to leave two small scratches on this thing¡¯s hide.


    A solemn realization comes over me; if I''m found, will this creature escape or massacre everyone I care about?


    I wink each of my eyes to get rid of the tears forming.


    Is this all fate, or am I destined to be continuously harassed by adversity? What would¡¯ve happened if I wasn¡¯t here? ¡°The creature probably would have killed master and Camden before moving on,¡± I tell myself.


    Goblins, monsters, bandits, why does everything bad have to happen to me?


    I want to shake my head, but I can''t risk losing sight of the monster.


    Even though I''m complaining, I know this is an everyday occurrence for villages around the world. Maybe not the scary soul-sucking monster part, but dealing with adversity outside a city¡¯s walls is a regular occurrence for most.


    Is this what people think about when they''re about to die? When I died the last time, it was relatively quick, but I don''t think I''ll receive the same treatment from this monster. If I close my eyes, will it go by faster?


    I start to close my eyes slowly, but I can''t bear to shut them entirely.


    Suddenly, like a trapped animal, I start to feel the adrenaline building. Why should I give now? I''ve overcome death many times before, and today is no different!


    I spring to my feet with my sword tightly clutched in my hands. Even if it''s only scratched, I can whittle away the beast if I try hard enough!


    I move back over to the arm I tried cutting before and start slashing with all my skills.


    It¡¯s an hour later, that I¡¯m slumped up against a nearby tree, breathing heavily with all my adrenaline spent. All my bravado only amounted to some deep scratches across the monster¡¯s body.


    I tried shifting to its chest and head but found out the creature¡¯s defenses were universal. It doesn¡¯t even have eyes I can gouge out.


    At least I¡¯ve learned a few things about the creature like it''s nothing but a mass of flesh. After staring at it so long, I could scan most of its body with Sense Soul and Sense Mana. The beast has no organs of any kind, leaving me to believe the only weak point it has is its ridiculously massive soul.


    Too bad it¡¯s buried in the center of the creature¡¯s chest under a foot of steel flesh.


    Another thing I''ve realized in the last hour is that no one is coming to save me. In fact, I don''t think anything can see inside this barrier. There isn''t a single insect here, and I can''t hear any bird calls in the distance. The barrier isn''t just to keep its prey locked in; it also further obscures the creature.


    I can''t run, I can''t harm it, and no one is going to come for me. I move back over to an overturned log and sit to regain my Stamina.


    How long can I stay awake?


    Would it be possible to cut into the beast over a couple of days slowly?


    No, using that much Stamina, my body would eventually give out, and I''d pass out, never to awaken again.


    I can''t even console myself by believing I''ll be reincarnated again; if this creature devours souls, then the prospect of having another life after this one is nonexistent.


    Another thing that''s been bothering me is the lack of eyes, not the creature''s eyes, but the eyes that usually guard the soul. I''ve been using Sense Soul for over an hour on the beast, and I haven''t been repelled by the eyes once.


    Does this monster have a way to bypass the eyes? If so, that means the monster devours a person''s entire soul and not just the outer part.


    The creature''s intimidating soul is that much scarier, knowing it''s made up of people''s consciousness.


    That makes me think of the memories I was given of Keter. Whose memories were those?


    A righteous rage fills my chest when I think about the thousands or more likely tens of thousands of people this creature has devoured over its lifetime.


    I stand up from my seat and walk over to the still frozen creature. I duck underneath its arms and move directly in front of its chest. It¡¯s uncanny how the monster moves in a squatting position.


    I put my hand up against its massive chest, feeling its wriggling flesh against my fingers. This is the closest spot to its soul.


    I take up my stance and put the tip of my blade up against its grey flesh. I use my left hand to hold the sword while my right hand is up against its pommel.


    This creature needs to die, and if I can''t do it with my Strength, I''ll have to try with magic. The trick I used against the bandits won''t work with the creature''s defenses, and neither of my other two spells will help even if overclock them.


    If none of my spells are useful, then I''ll have to make my own.


    If the creature were able to move in the slightest, I would''ve been dead an hour ago. But as long as I have a stationary target, I can take my time to create a genuinely devastating spell.


    I only have one chance, but what type of spell do I create?


    I watched plenty of anime in my past life, so I have plenty of over-powered options to choose from.


    I can try advancing time or maybe create a black hole?


    If I could do either of those, I wouldn''t be in this mess. I need to think simpler.


    Increase gravity, so its body tears itself apart? I tried incorporating gravity into my magic before in small quantities, so that might work.


    But that won''t work either because this creature¡¯s flesh could probably survive more pressure than I could create with my mana supply.


    Could a laser work, compress light until it burns right to the monster¡¯s heart?


    These concepts might work in theory, but even with my mana pool almost full, manifesting any of these phenomena would be too much for me to handle.


    If only I had an enchanted blade, something sharp enough to pierce the monster''s skin.


    ¡­..


    Enchantments are magic; that''s something. An idea slowly forms in my mind.


    Instead of trying to break space or time, I should use my magic to allow my sword to kill the creature.


    I start forming the spell in my head, I need to be detailed, or it will probably kill me.


    When I think I have everything figured out, I start chanting in English.


    ¡°Mana, hear my plea. Move in the ways I command, and help me strike down this monster.¡± I learned long ago when I would screw around with magic, stating your purpose for the spell helped with its manifestation.


    ¡°Reinforce the sword in my hands to mimic the molecular structure of diamonds.¡± If Mr. Grey didn''t show me different gemstones when I was looking at materials, correctly visualizing a diamond''s structure would be impossible for me.


    "Envelop the blade of the sword with a thin barrier of magic and have it vibrate at 500,000 times a second.¡± As soon as I activate my magic, my sword will be destroyed in a matter of seconds, even with it reinforced.


    ¡°Launch the sword straight from my hands at 1,000 feet per second.¡± I refocus Mana Skin while I¡¯m chanting towards my hands to protect myself from the recoil.


    The sword will be reinforced, made sharper, and have force behind it; now, I need to pay the cost for casting something out of my skill level. ¡°I give 850 mana along with 700 of my health; I also permanently give up 10 points of my vitality to activate the spell.¡±


    I promised master I would never use sacrificial magic, but hopefully, giving up a permanent part of my stats will let the spell succeed.


    Here goes nothing, ¡°Activate!¡±


    My entire body locks up as the spell starts to weave itself to my specifications. Almost all of my mana goes to my hands and into my sword. Then, I feel as my vitality starts to drain away and mix with my expended mana.


    After my mana and health are channeled into the sword, I feel the translucent lights that had once merged with my body when I distributed my status points leave to reinforce the spell.


    After the lights leave my body, I feel like something important has left my body, like I¡¯m no longer whole.


    However, I don¡¯t have time to adjust to the sudden feeling of emptiness before my spell activates in its entirety.


    My sword glows with vibrating mana, and a sharp screech emitted from the sword causes my ears to bleed. The next thing I know, my hands are blown away from my blades handle as it rockets from my grasp, and I''m forced to take a step back.


    Even with everything going on, I refuse to take my eyes off the creature.


    I watch as my sword momentarily struggles to pierce the creature''s skin before penetrating to the monster''s core.


    Through my sensing skills, I watch my sword clash with the creature''s soul and disintegrate from the spell.


    I wait for the creature to fall over dead, but it stays standing still, frozen in place.


    I drop to my knees in defeat; no experience comes from the creature, meaning it''s still alive.


    "Well, that''s everything," I start to cry. I already feel my body screaming out in pain from the sudden drop in both Mana and Health.


    This is it; my eyes slowly close on their own.


    This is how I die.


    My eyes close for the last time.


    The world around me erupts in translucent flames sending my senses haywire.


    I have to force myself to open my eyes once again to see what''s going on.


    The once frozen creature has disintegrated into nothing; the damn beast apparently can''t die while someone is looking at it either.


    The vast amount of experience contained in the creature is flooding the surroundings. The trees and plants are absorbing so much experience they¡¯re doubling in size before my very eyes. Forest grass erupts from the earth, pushing away the remaining winter snow.


    The plants aren¡¯t the only thing devouring the experience. My body feels like it¡¯s about to burst as my soul rapidly tries to absorb the experience around it.


    The pain of my soul expanding so rapidly is enough to keep me from passing out.


    I watch as more and more experience dissipates into the surroundings. I don¡¯t know why but I¡¯m suddenly angry that I¡¯m missing out after sacrificing so much to kill the monster.


    With the pain in my soul keeping me awake, I absorb the mana from mana skin back into my body. Next, I force my regained mana close to my expanding soul and forcefully merge the two energies much like I saw the soul eater do. I replicate the same tendrils the monster was spreading from its body and forcefully drag more experience towards my soul.


    I scream as the pressure in my chest expands even more.


    ¡°More!¡±


    ¡°More!¡±


    "I deserve MORE!" I scream out loud


    As more experience piles into my soul, two eyes appear in the center of my being and drag my consciousness inwards.


    I try to fight the feeling and continue to absorb more experience, but I can''t resist the eyes.


    Everything goes dark as I¡¯m forcefully dragged into my soul.

 Ch: 62

    ¡°AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!¡± I scream as I wake up within my soul.


    I twitch on the simulated forest floor as pain overwhelms my entire being. I reach up and try to strangle myself and slam my head upon the ground, trying desperately to stop the pain in any way possible.


    The forest around me is bubbling and shifting as it absorbs large whisps of experience that are floating throughout my soul.


    The ground cracks, shatters, and mends itself countless times over.


    ¡°Make it stop!¡± I scream at the top of my lungs, tears clouding my eyes.


    Overhead, I watch the stary night sky itself crack and disintegrate, leaving a vast emptiness of white behind instead of the night sky I¡¯m used to.


    The moons hang in the vast emptiness, undeterred by everything shifting around them. Most of the moons start to shift off into the distance out of sight, but two familiar moons remain above me.


    I know what happens next, ¡°Yessss, get me out of here!¡±


    I shift onto my back and lay spread out, looking up at the eyes, forming overhead.


    ¡°Please, let me leave!¡± I wine.


    The two eyes stare down at me, but nothing happens. I focus on the eyes overhead, trying to block out the pain, but it isn''t working.


    I barely notice when the irises of the eyes start to glow. A ball of white flames drips out of one of the eyes, while a ball of black flames comes out of the other. The flames cascade out of the eyes into the void, making it look like they¡¯re crying fire.


    I hope the flames will land on my soul and burn everything away, releasing me from this torment. The two flames fall together and even circle one another in an intricate dance that I can¡¯t appreciate with my current state of mind.


    The flames drift through the white void in my direction. Considering they came from the giant eyes, I thought the balls of fire would be massive in size, but as they get closer to me, I see they¡¯re both only ten feet in diameter.


    I watch as the flames touch the ground a few feet from me. I expect an explosion, but nothing happens.


    I roll over and start crawling towards the flames, screaming insults as I go. "Why can''t you ever do what I want you too!? Always watching me struggle, always getting in my way. Screw the two of you and let me die!"


    ¡°You dare speak to us like that, insect!¡± The white ball of fire erupts in light, and a powerful ethereal voice resonates throughout my soul. Brief flashes of memories of my birth fill my head as the voice yells at me.


    I can''t move as my body becomes limp to the floor, and an unbelievable pressure descends over my entire soul.


    ¡°Sister, really? You feel the need to expend your power over this creature?¡± A cold voice that draws up memories of my death follows the second, and it is no less powerful. Darkness clashes against the light, messing with my vision.


    ¡°It cursed us as we appeared. Punishment must be administered." The pain from my growing soul becomes even worse with every word from the disembodied voice, causing my mind to reel in torment.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re always quick to anger like brother Aptis. It¡¯s in pain, and like all animals, it is lashing out. If you heal it, its attitude will surely change.¡± The voice of death sounds oddly caring during my torment.


    Twitching on the ground, I¡¯m able to sift myself and set my eyes on the two balls of flames in time to watch them shift into avatars of light and darkness. Much like the soul eater, they don''t have any features, but I get the distinct feeling they¡¯re female.


    ¡°Fine,¡± the avatar of light says in a displeased manner. She reaches down to my souls'' surface, and once her hands of light touch the ground, the world stops trembling. All the remaining lingering experience is sucked into my soul at an incredible speed, and my soul mends itself in the blink of an eye.


    With one movement of her hand, the avatar of light washes away all the pain I was feeling, and my mind once again becomes clear.


    ¡°There, now we should be able to converse with it on some level.¡± The voice of death sounds pleased.


    With the pain gone like it was never there, I¡¯m able to comprehend what I see fully¡ªan avatar of light, brimming with life, and an avatar of darkness that radiates death. I have no doubts about who these two are.


    I struggle to move under the pressure emanating from the two goddesses, but I manage to make it onto my knees none the less. ¡°Greetings to Goddess Ilia and Goddess Ebeon,¡± I bow my head and politely greet the two gods.


    ¡°So, know that it isn¡¯t in pain; it finally recognizes our greatness.¡± I tremble, listening to the goddess of life speak.


    ¡°Do you still wish to kill it, sister?¡± The avatar of black flames asks her fellow goddess. When the god of death mentions killing me, I¡¯m assaulted by hundreds of visions of ways I could die.


    Every instinct tells me to stay silent, but if I don''t say something now, I¡¯m sure one of these goddesses will kill me.


    "I am deeply sorry for offending you, goddesses. This lowly one wasn''t in their right mind and offered insult to you. I beg for your forgiveness, though this creature is not deserving.¡± I beg for my life, trembling with every word.


    I don''t dare to look up at the avatars directly, but I can feel their powerful gazes on me.


    ¡°Look at how it trembles, sister.¡± Ilia turns to Ebeon. This is not how I imagined the goddess of life from my mother¡¯s stories.


    I feel the pressure emanating from the avatar of black flames surround me and completely cover me. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I don¡¯t wish to waste more energy on this mortal.¡± I want to run away from the goddess, but her pressure holds me in place.


    "As you wish, sister." The avatar of withe flames looks at her sister and then back towards me. ¡°Rejoice, for I have deemed you too insignificant to kill. May you further enjoy life.¡± It¡¯s hard for me not to grimace as the goddess of life starts to laugh at me.


    It takes everything I have not to bite back with a snarky remark. "I am eternally grateful goddesses, but if you''ll permit me to ask, why have you come to see me?"


    Ilia continues to laugh at me. "You think we wanted to meet you. You think highly of yourself, mortal."


    ¡°I meant no offense,¡± I quickly reply.


    I try to appease them again, but Ilia cuts me off. ¡°These are merely projections of our will. Every mortal creature meets with a god when they unlock a mythic skill.¡±


    "Mythic Skill?" I repeat, not understanding what she''s saying.


    If a faceless being could frown, I¡¯m sure the avatar of light would be doing just that. ¡°Have you mortals changed the name again?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she cuts me off again. ¡°I¡¯ll just check your memories,¡± she casually states.


    "What!" I immediately panic, but the two avatars pay me no mind.


    Ilia points her hand at the ground, and tendrils of white flames extend into my soul. Mental Resistance doesn''t even activate as I feel her shuffling through my head. I grit my teeth as not to cry out in pain and risk insulting the gods again.


    The goddess quickly retracts her flames, leaving me feeling exposed all over.


    ¡°Oh! Sister, look at this!¡± The goddess of light excitedly offers her hand to the avatar of darkness.


    The two avatars momentarily lock hands, and the forest around me quickly ages, dies, and regrows in an instant. After the trees fully regrow, my soul feels lighter, and the empty feeling from sacrificing my Vitality is gone.


    Did they just!?


    The avatars separate, and the feeling vanishes. Neither seems to notice or care that they healed a part of me, I thought I lost.


    ¡°Most intriguing, you remember being touched by death,¡± Ebeon¡¯s avatar turns towards me. ¡°I assumed your young form and large soul was because of antiaging magic, but you¡¯ve experienced another life and death.¡± Ebeon¡¯s words make me feel like I¡¯m drowning.


    They''ve seen my past life. This is my best chance to gain some answers, but either of these two could kill me with a thought if I overstep myself.


    ¡°For a mortal to experience two chances at life, you¡¯re quite lucky,¡± Ilia says in a sing-song voice that doesn¡¯t make me feel very lucky. Each time she speaks to me, it''s belittling, but her voice brings with it a feeling of euphoria and life.


    If I''m going to ask these two, anything, I¡¯ll need to lay it on thick.


    ¡°If I may be permitted, can I ask such great beings as yourselves, do you know why I have memories of my past life?¡± I hold my breath, hoping they answer a question I¡¯ve been pondering for 15 years.


    I can feel Ebeon¡¯s avatar focusing on me despite it not having any facial features while Ilia¡¯s avatar raises a hand to its face like it is trying to stifle a giggle. ¡°You wish to know for what great meaning you were chosen for?¡± Ilia¡¯s avatar slowly walks over to me.


    We¡¯re already quite close, but every inch she gets closer to me, I feel smaller, until I feel like an ant waiting to be stepped on.


    I¡¯m still sitting on my knees when the avatar of white flames stops directly in front of me. She reaches out with her hand and caresses my cheek. I know this body is just a representation of my conciseness, but when she touches me, the world around me starts to fade away, and I can only focus on the avatar before me and the touch of her hand on my face.


    I¡¯m overcome by the divinity radiating off of the goddess and hang on every word she says. ¡°You seek the same answers all mortals do. Why were you given life? Why were you chosen to remember your past self? It is quite simple, really.¡±


    The faceless head of white flames leans down over me. ¡°Luck,¡± she emphasizes.


    Whatever spell she has over me is broken as a million emotions flutter through me. The goddess retracts her hand, and I''m once again in the clearing of my soul. "What you mortals call life is a never-ending stream of souls. When you die, your soul enters the River of Rebirth that connects all worlds, planes, and realms together. Time is meaningless in the River of Rebirth, and souls collide with each other until all memories fade away."


    ¡°But, how does that apply to me?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask.


    The longer I''m around the avatars, the more I can feel their shifting expressions despite their lack of features. The sense of displeasure I feel from Ilia causes me to bow my head in penitence.


    ¡°You would be wise not to interrupt me again,¡± the dark words from the goddess of light sends a tremor through my body. I hastily nod my head and keep my eyes cast down. ¡°The River of Rebirth functions in the void between space and time. But, despite existing since the beginning of everything, it isn''t perfect. Sometimes cracks appear in the river, and souls are dragged into oblivion, where they wander until they become nothingness. That''s what happened to your soul."


    "Judging by your memories, you entered the River of Rebirth and immediately were dragged into oblivion. But soon after an equally unprobeable thing happened, your soul escaped oblivion, bypassing your time in the river. Your soul must have exited close to this world, and you were reborn with your memories. Thus, I call you lucky. The chances of your soul entering and exiting oblivion so quickly after your death are close to 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a thing.¡±


    I get the feeling she¡¯s trying to belittle me, but I can¡¯t help but smile.


    "That''s curious; tell me, mortal, why do you smile upon hearing my answer? Those who''ve asked similar questions in the past are insulted by the knowledge I give and are usually infuriated. I just told you your life is meaningless; why does that make you happy?" Ilia¡¯s powerful presence drills into me, pushing back against the hold Ebeon has over me.


    I raise my head and smile at the bewildered avatar. "I mean no disrespect goddess; it''s just nice knowing nothing is interfering with my life. I wasn''t brought here to save the world or cause some great change. You say my life is meaningless, but that means I can decide it''s meaning. All trials and tribulations I face are mine to deal with. Knowing how insignificant I am is a blessing, so I thank you."


    ¡°What a strange mortal,¡± I can tell Ilia is looking down on me, but for once, I don''t care.


    "Sister, we''re using up a lot of energy; we need to finish what we came for," Ebeon reminds her sister.


    The pressure from Ilia lessens as she turns her head and looks over her shoulder. "Yes, yes, I remember, dear sister. The knowledge I pulled from this mortal''s mind was interesting, is all."


    I can feel the pressure of her nonexistent gaze as she focuses back on me. "The reason the two of us are here is that you unlocked a tier 6 skill."


    I did?! Thankfully, I manage to hold my tongue this time.


    "Tier 6 skills work off of principles we gods command over. The skill you unlocked is a rare one that falls under both mine and my sister''s domain. It''s been 3,419 years since the last person obtained it, and after you slew him, you inherited the skill.¡±


    I feel my blood run cold. That thing I killed was once a humanoid!?


    I need to ask a question, but I can''t interrupt her again, so I raise one of my hands like I''m back in school. If she has my memories, I''m sure she knows what the gesture means.


    ¡°Speak, mortal,¡± Ilia commands me.


    "Pardon the interruption, but does that mean I''ll turn into the monster I killed?" I try to use my manners, but I can''t ask the question fast enough.


    ¡°Why do you think we sent our avatars to you in the first place?¡± Ilia berates me for what she thinks is a stupid question. "Using tier 6 skills mobilize the very laws we command, and of course, they have drawbacks when used by mortals. The Soul Devourer skill you obtained is no different.¡±


    Soul Devourer, oh shit! Based on what Ilia has told me and the name, I think I know what it does.


    ¡°Using the skill, you can absorb souls of the nearly departed for their experience and life force if you so choose. But, at a price. Sister, would you like to take over?"


    I watch with a growing sense of fear as the avatar of Ebeon walks up to me and joins her sister. Just her standing in front of me feels like a blade is hanging over my neck.


    ¡°The job of managing the souls of this world belongs to my sister and me. Those who feed off of souls may never die, but each soul they absorb will twist them. If you experience death after partaking in souls, it will be true death. Your soul will dissipate and never enter the River of Rebirth. That is the fate of those who hold the skill Soul Devourer.¡± Ebon explains in a warning tone.


    I once again slowly raise my hand, hoping I''ll have my question answered.


    When neither goddess says anything after I hold my hand up for a long time, I decide that might be Ebeon¡¯s go-ahead to ask my question.


    ¡°Great and powerful goddesses, I mean no disrespect, but is it possible for you to take the skill back?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    I feel the emotions coming off of the avatars start to shift to incomprehension. "You wish to give up your skill. Why?" Ebeon asks in what sounds like disbelief. ¡°You could live many times your own life. Even the longest of lived mortal races crave such a skill.¡±


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    I softly shake my head. ¡°I do wish to live a long life, but not at the cost of turning into a monster. I¡¯d rather live my life and enter the River of Rebirth when my time comes.¡± I honestly reply to the goddess of death. Though her aura is more off-putting, I, for some reason, find her more comfortable to deal with than Ilia.


    "Then, it all depends on your greed," Ilia tells me, and I can imagine a smile forming on her faceless avatar.


    Ebeon must understand my confused look because she explains. "The skills primary use is to absorb the experience that would normally dissipate into the surroundings. Your predecessor started only using the skill for such but eventually started devouring his victims'' whole souls to extend his lifespan beyond normal mortals. If you only use the skill to gather experience, you won''t turn into a monster, and you''ll be able to enter the River of Rebirth."


    "That''s if you don''t give in to the temptation fist. Not many mortals give up on life when it''s so retally available." The self-righteous aura coming off of Ilia is stifling, so I try to ignore her politely.


    If Ebeon is to be believed, the skill itself won¡¯t harm me if I don¡¯t use it to its full potential.


    The memories of before I was dragged into my soul surface in my mind, and I''m reminded of how crazed I was when I first obtained the skill. Can I handle the temptation?


    ¡°So, what will it be?¡± Ilia doesn¡¯t give me much time to think over my options before demanding an answer.


    I glance at the avatar of Ebeon, but other than a deathly calmness radiating off of her, I can''t sense anything else.


    Do I take the double-bladed sword, useful in the right hands, but one misstep and I''ll harm myself?


    I grit my teeth and steady my nerves. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the skill,¡± I proclaim.


    ¡°That¡¯s a wise choice,¡± Ilia says in a musical voice that sets me on edge. ¡°We don¡¯t have the power to remove a skill from a mortal in this state. If we acknowledged your request, we would¡¯ve had to kill you.¡±


    What the fuck, I curse in my head. What is wrong with¡­


    I immediately stop my train of thought as I slowly feel the pressure emitted by Ilia¡¯s avatar start to turn sinister. Can they read my thoughts?!


    I start to panic inside a little.


    "We can''t read your mind, but don''t forget where we are, mortal. Your hidden emotions are as plain as day while we''re here, and I can dive back into your memories if I wish to know what you were thinking about us. Keep thinking negative thoughts about me, and I''ll help you remove your skill like you previously wished," the avatar of light threatens. The same kind of weight I felt from Ebon descends on me, sending me sprawled out on the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go, sister. We¡¯ve fulfilled our purpose.¡± Ebeon saves me from being crushed under her sister¡¯s pressure by calling out to her.


    ¡°Fine, being confined in such a small soul is stifling anyways.¡±


    The two avatars of flames start to hover and rise higher back to where the eyes are located in the sky. Damn it, I have so many more questions, but I don¡¯t dare call out to the leaving deities.


    Their pressure doesn''t dissipate until they''re quite far away from my soul. The night sky that usually envelops my soul slowly reforms, and I''m left looking up at the familiar two moons in the sky.


    With the source of the pressure on my soul gone, I collapse into the fetal position on the ground. I don''t know how long I stayed curled up, but I wait like that until my nerves calm down.


    I try to process what just happened, but it all seems impossible to me.


    I met not one but two gods, and they couldn¡¯t care less about me. They looked at me like a child looks at a colorful bug. Thankful, they decided to leave me alone instead of squashing me or taking me home in a glass jar.


    From facing the soul eater to meeting actual deities, my mind feels utterly taxed.


    I can''t sleep in my soul, but zoning out helps me a little to settle my mind.


    Ever so slowly, I start to relax until I''m able to sit up.


    Now that I''m slightly feeling better, I think I need to pull up my status page. When I feel a small chunk of my soul move to materialize my status page, I use Sense Soul, as usual, to make it more readable, but I can instantly feel a difference as I sort through the information.


    Not only am I better at organizing the data, but I notice the vast amount of experience I gained.


    LV: 72 Experience: 774,374/ 911,219


    Health: 2,120/2,120


    Stamina 1,423/1,423


    Mana: 1,020/1,020


    Vitality: 212.00


    Endurance: 80.27


    Strength: 135.09


    Dexterity: 128.11


    Senses: 62.31


    Mind: 65.07


    Magic: 102.46


    Clarity: 78.55


    Status Points: 80


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV74), Blacksmithing (LV69), Hammer Skills (LV57), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV42), Cooking (LV39), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV31), Sword Skills (LV31), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Lower Price (LV20), Increase Price (LV17), Steady Hands (LV16), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV14), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV1),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV61), Mana Manipulation (LV58), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV37), Flash Step (LV21), Contract (LV5)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV53), Mana Skin (LV52), Inject Mana (LV52), Extract Mana (LV30), Magic Blacksmithing (LV25), Empowered Spell (LV7)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV37), Soul Manipulation (LV4)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV68-69) 6,850exp


    Hammer Skills (LV56-57) 5,650exp


    Chanting (LV49-50) 4,950exp


    Trading (LV42) 2,100exp


    Cooking (LV39) 1,950exp


    Sword Skills (LV29-31) 4,500exp


    Sense Mana (LV79) 7,900exp


    Hammer Arts (LV41) 4,100exp


    Sword Arts (LV12-14) 3,900exp


    Steady Hands (LV11-16) 8,100exp


    Expel Mana (LV61) 9,150exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV56-58) 25,650exp


    Precise Strike (LV38-40) 17,550exp


    Double Strike (LV36-40) 28,500exp


    Weighted Strike (LV28-37) 48,750exp


    Flash Step (LV20-21) 6,150exp


    Mana Skin (LV52) 13,000exp


    Inject Mana (LV51-52) 25,750exp


    Mental Resistance (LV49-53) 63,750exp


    Extract Mana (LV29-30) 14,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV21-25) 28,750exp


    Empowered Spell (LV8-9) 4,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV34-37) 71,000exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV1-4) 5,000exp


    Soul Devourer (LV1-2) 3,000exp


    Skill Experience: 415,000exp


    Crafting Experience: 131,944exp


    Fighting Experience: 5,775,835exp


    Total experience Gained: 6,322,779exp


    ¡°Oh, gods!¡± I scream out as I look at my updated status page.


    I cringe as soon as I say the words and look up at the moons floating overhead in fear; I might be smited at any moment.


    When my soul isn¡¯t obliterated, I figure the peeping deities are truly gone.


    The fear of the god''s retaliation distracted me for a second, but I''m soon back to freaking out over my stats.


    "I gained eight levels," I say in between my heavy breathing. This isn''t even my real body, and I feel like I''m hyperventilating.


    Scanning my soul reveals, the total amount of experience I¡¯ve gained since I was reborn has almost doubled. Killing the soul eater and absorbing a fraction of its experience was equivalent to me going from level 1 to level 63 all over again!


    Usually, I would be freaking out about how much experience I got for making the general''s arrow. Still, it''s utterly incomparable to my skill level increases, and that''s ignoring the experience I got from the soul eater.


    But my level and experience aren''t the only shocking thing.


    Not only did Ilia heal the damage to my soul and Vitality, but whatever she did boosted my mental stats as well. I gained a few free stat points in Mind, Senses, and Clarity. Coupled with most of my skills rising multiple levels, especially those I used for forging the arrow and fighting the soul eater, my gains are so numerous that it''s mindboggling.


    Mental Resistance and Sense Soul alone accounts for 33% of the experience I gained from my skills, both jumping up five and four levels respectably.


    I want to jump for joy, but my enthusiasm is blunted by my Heath, Mana, and Stamina values. Why are they all full? Did Ilia heal my physical body along with my mana as well?


    Somehow, I doubt the goddess of life is that generous. Either something is wrong with my status page, or something happened to my body in the real world!


    How long have I been in my soul!?


    I leap to my feet and take off into the forest.


    I need to get out of here now. Who knows how long my body has been unattended in the woods!


    While I''m making my way to my sea of memories, I start to notice the subtle differences around me. The trees look more realistic, and I''m confident the forest has expanded a great deal. But even though everything looks more like the forest back home, I can better feel my skills and experience that make up my surroundings.


    I glance at a tree I¡¯m running past and see how it¡¯s woven from different parts of my tier 1 and 2 skills.


    At one point, I need to run around a tree, so I quickly round the trunk and push off with my hands to regain my speed. In the split-second, my hands pressed up against the tree, I felt it indent like it was made out of rubber and fling me forward.


    ¡°What the hell? What was that?¡± The only skill that¡¯s worked in here is Sense Soul. Could this be from Soul Manipulation?


    As I''m running, I stick my hands out and touch the trees I pass. If I focus, I can move and stretch the trees'' parts like they''re made of clay. I want to stop and experiment with my new skill, but I don''t have time.


    I keep running until I reach the rocky part of my soul, but I''m forced to slow down when I see what¡¯s happened to the section of my soul that separates the forest from my sea of memories.


    What was once an area covered in rocks and hills is now a mountain, towering into the sky.


    I don¡¯t have time for a leisurely hike.


    I start sprinting up the mountain, making footholds for myself by manipulating the terrain underneath my feet using my new skill. As long as I focus, nothing in my soul can obstruct me.


    As soon as I reach the ledge that leads to my memories, I dive over the cliff without a thought.


    I sink into my memories, and I notice another change. I can see the general contents of the memories I''m floating past. Most are meaningless, but I spot a few memories from my previous life I wouldn''t mind experiencing again.


    No, I can¡¯t do that right now. I dodge the memories that I¡¯m about to sink into and head deeper into my soul.


    "Come on, come on!" I look over my shoulder at the two moons hanging overhead.


    After meeting the goddess, I think I¡¯ve realized what the moons are. Neither of the deities knew of my existence, but they came into my soul through the eyes hidden inside the moons. Ilia said they control the laws governing the world, so the eyes must be a defense system, the two put in place to guard people''s souls, including my own.


    My skills counter the defense, but if I go deep enough, they grow stronger and eject me from my soul.


    Like I hoped, as I move deeper into my soul, the moons quickly change their appearance and focus on me.


    Typically when I''m forced into and out of my soul, it''s instantaneous, but this time, I feel the eyes trying to eject me from my soul. I don''t resist and let the two eyes do their job.


    I feel my consciousness being pushed out of my soul and snap back into my body.


    ¡°SSSSSS,¡± I hiss through my teeth as I once again feel the sensations of my reel body. I¡¯m not sore, but everything feels stiff.


    I groan as I open my eyes.


    Instead of being surrounded by trees in the forest, I''m wrapped in a rough blanket in someone''s house. Well, at least that means someone found me.


    Sense Mana flares to life as I scan my surroundings.


    I quickly recognize where I am; I''m in Anastasia''s clinic. The healer herself is resting in a chair nearby. Judging by the amount of mana in her body, she''s almost tapped dry.


    I try to call out to the resting woman, but I can only softly grunt because of my dry mouth.


    I slowly move my right hand to the frame of the bed I''m on and start knocking. I practically have to smash the bedpost before Anastasia starts to rouse.


    "What? The door is open; you don''t have to keep knocking!¡± She yells with her eyes closed, thinking someone is at her front door.


    I continue knocking until she growls and stands up in anger. Anastasia makes it halfway to her door before she realizes the knocking is coming from inside her house.


    I''m the only patient here, so our eyes quickly meet.


    "Oh, thank Ilia, you''re awake!" I want to cringe when I hear her call out to a cerein goddess of life, but my body doesn''t move as I want it to, making me feel like a fish out of water.


    ¡°Are you hurting anywhere? I can¡¯t use any more of my magic, but I have a weak potion from the headman if you need it?" Anastasia asks as she walks over to the side of my bed.


    "Water," I gasp out.


    ¡°What?¡± Anastasia can¡¯t hear me.


    I grasp at my throat, hoping she understands.


    ¡°You can¡¯t breathe!?¡± She panics and tries to pry my mouth open.


    I shake my head back and forth before she can stick her fingers in my mouth.


    She stops when I start to thrash. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anastasia doesn¡¯t understand what I want.


    I quickly scan the room again and notice a jug of water on a table across the room. I slowly raise my hand in its direction until Anastasia follows where I¡¯m pointing.


    "Oh, water," she dashes across the room and pours me a cup. Anastasia brings the water over to me and helps me drink. I feel my body starting to respond more, but everything still feels heavy.


    After I drink every drop of water she gives me; I manage to ask, "what happened?"


    "The village broke out in a panic after your mother started asking everyone where you were. Arash and Hayk said they saw you running around the village, but you soon disappeared after they talked to you.¡± Anastasia explains.


    I was right; the soul eater already had me in its grasp long before I saw its doll.


    ¡°Almost every hunter was sent out to find you, but at some point, your tracks became hard to follow. The hunters said they felt a giant rush of energy and found you unconscious in a place they swore they already checked. You were brought to me, but you weren''t harmed as much as everybody thought. But for some reason, no matter what I did, you wouldn''t wake up. That was five days ago.¡±


    ¡°Five days!?¡± I exclaim.


    Anastasia nods her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping you healthy with my magic.¡±


    ¡°I guess I owe you twice now,¡± I say in a self-deprecating voice.


    "You don''t owe me anything," Anastasia tells me. "I might not interact with many people, but I know everything you''ve done for the village. Almost everyone stopped by at one point, asking how you were. I had to kick everybody out, including your mother, after she refused to leave your side for a moment." Anastasia makes a sour face; I''m sure mother didn''t go quietly.


    ¡°I should go grab your parents now that you¡¯re awake. Are you ok by yourself for a little bit?¡±


    "My body is a little stiff, but it''s slowly getting better," I tell her.


    "That''s to be expected; stay in bed and try not to move too quickly. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Anastasia grabs a coat and leaves her house.


    ¡°Five days unconscious, and everybody came to see me,¡± I repeat to myself.


    All hell is going to break loose once Anastasia gets to my parents'' house. I quickly pull up a part of my status page and distribute my points; I need to be ready for the flood of people coming to see me.


    LV: 72 Experience: 774,374/ 911,219


    Health: 2,400/2,400


    Stamina 1,633/1,633


    Mana: 1,020/1,020


    Vitality: 240.00


    Endurance: 100.00


    Strength: 150.00


    Dexterity: 145.00


    Senses: 62.31


    Mind: 65.07


    Magic: 102.46


    Clarity: 78.55


    Status Points: 0


    First, I put 28 points into Vitality and then 20 into Endurance, seeing how much I''ve come close to death recently. Then I put 15 points into Strength and 17 points into Dexterity to finish off my remaining Status Points.


    My soul erupts in bright colors, nourishing my body. My limbs that just felt like they were made of lead feel light as feathers. My skin brightens as my Endurance rises by 25%, and my skin glows even more brightly with the extra Vitality.


    I quickly become able to sit up as I start to feel better than ever.


    Parts of my skin begin to flake and fall off onto my sheets, and the calluses on my hands start to soften. I want to cast magic to clean myself, but I can already hear villagers'' voices coming closer.


    I double-check my clothes to make sure I''m in decent shape. Mother must have brought me another pair of clothes because they''re different than what I was wearing when I killed the soul eater.


    I need to look presentable for the villagers. Everyone already knows I have a high level, and with all the rumors floating around about the people who disappeared, I need to assure them everything is ok.


    I swing my legs over the side of my bed and carefully stand up. It''s weird going from a body that doesn''t want to respond to you to a faster and stronger body than you''re used to.


    I can hear more people gathering outside so let¡¯s give them a show.


    I make my way over to a spot where people will be able to see me once Anastasia¡¯s door opens. Stretching, I tell myself, any minute now.


    I¡¯m bending over and touching my toes when I hear the door in front of me being flung open.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡±


    I look up and ignore the dozens of people watching me from behind my mother in the doorway.


    "Sorry for worrying you, mom, but I''m all better now." I give mom a dazzling smile.


    She rushes over to me and wraps me in a hug.


    "Move out of the way! Let me through, or next time you''re hurt, I won''t heal you!" I hear Anastasia forcing her way through the crowd. "What are you doing up?" She yells at me when she finally makes it to her front door.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better,¡± I send Anastasia a look that says play along before shifting my gaze to the growing crowd outside.


    Unlike with the water, this time, she catches on quick. "Fine, but I need you to stay here for a little longer. The rest of you, scram," Anastasia turns on the villagers outside.


    Mother keeps me wrapped in a hug until father makes it here. Then they sandwich me with love.


    Soon after, Camden arrives with Sarette and master.


    Camden politely asks the remaining villagers who didn¡¯t fear Anastasia¡¯s wrath to disperse so we can have a private talk.


    ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out of my own house!?¡± Anastasia shrieks at Camden when he asks her for some privacy.


    "I do apologize, but I''m sure you understand." Camden may be using polite words, but his gaze is firm.


    Anastasia flinches back and reluctantly agrees, sending Camden a venomous look as she walks out her own front door.


    As soon as the six of us are alone, every pair of eyes turns on me. Everyone looks like they have a million questions, but no one wants to start.


    It''s finally Camden who breaks the ice. "You''re looking radiant; I take it you leveled?"


    I cast my eyes down, mentally deciding what I should tell everyone.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this now. We can talk about it after Aaliyah has a chance to go home.¡± Mother notices the awkward look on my face and steps in to defend me.


    "If we must¡­" Camden is about to agree with mother, but I cough into my hands, signaling I have something to say.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s ok,¡± I tell everyone in the room.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mother asks me.


    I nod my head at her before looking at Camden, ¡°I¡¯m guessing you want to ask me if it was the creature that¡¯s been praying on the other villages.¡±


    Camden''s face quickly becomes serious, much like everyone else in the room.


    ¡°Everything that happened to you matched the reports from the other villages. Did you notice and chase after a magical creature on your run?¡± Camden asks.


    I fold my arms in front of me and start nervously rubbing them. ¡°I didn¡¯t chase anything; I was lured out of the village.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Camden questions me in disbelief.


    ¡°The creature was able to use mental manipulation. I didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong until I was deep in the woods.¡± Everyone pales as I explain how I encountered and fought the creature. I left out the part about it eating souls and how I tried sacrificing my Vitality to kill it. I also left out the fact that I unlocked a tier 6 skill and met two goddesses.


    ¡°How were you able to notice something was wrong?¡± Sarette asks me once I finish my story.


    I calmly look at her and glance around the others in the room. "I can''t say, "I tell everyone in a flat tone. Camden and Sarette look disappointed by my answer, but my parents and master look like they understand what happened.


    It falls silent between us for a moment before I ask a question of my own, "I heard the hunters found me, was there anything unusual about where they found me?"


    "That''s what I was going to ask you," Camden answers me. "The spot the hunters found you has turned into a jungle over the last few days. I asked for it to be kept a secret, but all the hunters are curious."


    ¡°Really, a jungle?¡± I repeat, not sure how I¡¯m supposed to answer him.


    ¡°How many levels did you gain?¡± Master Del asks, Stepping forward.


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡± Camden turns towards Del.


    ¡°There are stories Stone Kin tell their children, tails of great beasts who were slain in the past. When a high leveled creature or person dies, the life force they emit is so great everything spontaneously grows around the spot they collapse. I''m curious how many levels you gained for slaying such a beast?" By the time master is finished talking, everyone is staring at me again.


    I clear my throat, "I gained eight levels; I''m level 72 now." Everyone, including master, sucks in a deep breath of air.


    Mother is the first to recover and quickly asks me, ¡°Is that why you¡¯re all better?¡±


    I nod my head, ¡°I distributed my points after Anastasia left to get you. I¡¯m stronger than ever,¡± I happily proclaim with a smile. I even show off the muscles on my arm for good measure, trying to distract everyone from how I almost died again.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Camden has a hard time accepting the truth. ¡°Killing a creature with such a level is unheard of!¡±


    "I got lucky," I tell him, remembering my conversation with Ilia. "It couldn''t move once I saw it, and it took everything I had along with sacrificing my sword to do any damage to the thing. It was pure luck I was able to counter the monster.¡± I try to laugh it off.


    I look around the room and notice everybody is giving me worried looks. ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine,¡± I try to tell everyone.


    "I think your mother is right; you should go home and rest," Camden tells me, everyone nods in approval.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. I need to get back to work with master.¡± I start walking towards the door until Master Del steps in front of me and puts his hand on my shoulder.


    "Go home; you can come to see me tomorrow," Del''s says with a concerned look on his face.


    Mother walks up behind me and grabs my arm, giving me a pleading look. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go home,¡± I give in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the villagers outside,¡± Camden walks past me and opens Anastasia¡¯s front door. Mother leads me out after him without letting go of my arm.


    "All right, everyone, make some room. Aaliyah is up, and she''s going home with her family. Give her some space." Camden shouts at the crowd waiting outside.


    I was prepared for there to be a small group waiting to see me, but damn, I think a third of the village is here. Mother continues to lead me forward, and the crowd respectfully parts for us. I look behind us and see dad following close by. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch master break through the crowd and head home.


    Many people call out to me and try to ask me questions, but I ignore them and give a polite wave instead.


    We don¡¯t get a moment of peace until we''re through our front door. Mother, father, and I are all standing together in the entryway, trying to change our shoes at once. I notice father is a little dirty, and mom''s closes look a little tattered as well.


    I doubt they''ve had an easy time the last five days. The least I can do is clean everyone. "Hey, mom, dad, hold still a minute."


    I haven¡¯t had a chance to show them this yet. I activate my cleaning spell and empower it so it will cover the three of us.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Both my parents cringe when the spell I usually use expands well past my body and envelops all of us. Mother and father stare at their limbs as the white light covers their bodies, and many black flakes fall off the three of us. I guess I was pretty dirty myself from being unconscious for so long.


    I kick off my shoes and dust the remaining black flakes off before walking over to our kitchen. Whatever magic Anastasia used to keep me healthy must not have included food because I can eat anything right now. I grab some jerky, two biscuits, some dried fruit, and stuff everything into my mouth.


    "Tastes so good," I give a little moan as I turn back to face my parents. Both look sparkly clean now, but they both stand together, giving me looks of worry. "Is there something on my face?" I ask as I finish the food in my arms.


    Mother walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. I can feel her trembling. I start rubbing her back, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that,¡± she snaps at me with tears in her eyes. "There is no way you can be fine; we almost lost you again."


    I want to tell her the opposite to reassure her everything will be ok but now that I''m home, the dam breaks loose, and everything I''ve been through comes flooding out in the form of me sobbing. All the fear I felt facing the soul eater and the goddesses are too much to hold back. Mixed with all of that is the joy of finally being home and knowing it''s over.


    Father comes over and holds the two of us in his big arms, looking just as unsteady as mom.


    I tried to stay strong for them and the village, but it''s too much to take.


    I release everything I¡¯ve been holding back and cry with my parents.


    Happy that I¡¯m still alive.


    **********


    Goddess Ebeon¡¯s Point of View:


    "Quite particular, isn''t it, sister?¡± I mentally send a message to Ilia across our domains.


    Peering through the barrier that separates our existence from the world below, we both watch the anomaly reunite with its family.


    I instantly receive a reply. ¡°It has been a while since I watched the mortals below. Apparently, I¡¯m quite popular.¡± Her voice, followed by a long laugh, directly enters my mind. ¡°They seem to think praying to me grants them a longer life, what foolish things.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it appears most have forgotten our roles in our silence. Most prayers directed to me are filled with hate, hoping I bring vengeance on their behalf or asking me to spare someone; it is quite disappointing. Adversity in life is your domain, sister, one aspect I don¡¯t wish to deal with.¡±


    Ilia continues to laugh over our connection. ¡°Sweet Ebeon, always trying to bring peace to mortal¡¯s souls, yet always misunderstood by them. Even the anomaly feared you when you tried to defend it against my pressure.¡±


    I don¡¯t respond to her taunts, mealy sending a pulse of displeasure through our communication.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy such a toy unlocked one of our skills,¡± the light coming off of Ilia¡¯s nebula flares up with her excitement. Beings like us don''t require such arcane things as bodies; we are pure energy.


    ¡°Does that mean you intend to watch it grow?¡± I ask my sister. ¡°Your avatar had to hold itself back from killing it.¡±


    ¡°It was cursing everything that¡¯s happened to it, to insult me like that. Life is meant to be challenging, to face adversity, and eventually loose. To struggle is a mortal''s very purpose; that is the meaning of life." My sister starts to rant, so I decide to look closer at the anomaly''s memories my avatar brought back. I know everything that''s happened to the anomaly. Still, it''s difficult for me to interpret a mortal''s feelings and motivations, especially one who''s previously lived in a different plane of existence.


    Either way, I¡¯ve never seen a mortal¡¯s memories of experiencing death before. It chose to sacrifice itself for a friend, interesting.


    ¡°Now that you know about the anomaly, will you interfere with its fate?¡± I ask my sister, interrupting her speech on the joys of watching mortals suffer through their lives.


    As a goddess of life, it is up to her how she harvests her divinity from the mortals below. I harvest my divinity through the release a soul obtains upon their death, which I use to help them on their way to the River of Rebirth. My sister chooses to draw her energy from the lives the mortals live and the obstacles they overcome or succumb to.


    "There is no need for me to interfere with the anomaly. I''ve already checked its fate and how it interacts with those around it. The anomaly is destined to face adversity; I merely have to watch. What about you? Are you interested in it as well?"


    "I am curious how it lives its life and how that life will end. I''ll watch with you, sister, and prepare for the time I need to escort it to the River of Rebirth." Through our connection, I feel the joy emanating from my sister.


    "Then let us watch the anomaly and see what happens. If it uses the skill it gained, you might miss out on your chance to help it.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t use the skill like that,¡± I inform my sister.


    ¡°Oh, and how do you know that?¡± My sister challenges.


    ¡°Just a hunch,¡± I tell her. ¡°Mortals have them all the time.¡±


    "Then, like a mortal, you''d be wrong."


    Instantly, our energies clash with one another as our wills battle over our connection. Storms of our divine power start to eat away at the barrier connecting us to the mortal world. We''re forced to stop when our clashing power is about to harm the systems we have in place to govern the souls below, less we want to waste even more energy fixing them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch and see who¡¯s right,¡± my sister sends through our connection, confident she is right.


    "Indeed, let''s," I respond.


    I once more turn my attention to the anomaly and watch how its consoled by its family. Mortals can be so very weak, but not this one.


    Don''t disappoint me, Aaliyah.

 Ch: 63

    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    "We finally made it!" I cry out as we enter the inspection line to get into Teeburn. A few people passing by give me odd looks, but I don''t care right now.


    We traveled light and never stopped moving, and it still took us eight days to reach the city. We did break a record, though; we were attacked by bandits three times this trip. They swarmed us like flies, almost like they could smell the gold I was transporting.


    I look over my shoulder at my goods. This is the emptiest my cart has been in a while, yet the few things I''m hauling are worth close to 100 gold coins.


    I¡¯m vibrating in my seat in anticipation.


    If the general approves of the arrow, Aaliyah and I stand to make a good deal of profit. I bet the girl is probably in her forge right now, prepping to make the next arrow when I arrive with more kaglese.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I nearly fall off of my cart when Reel whispers in my ear. I never felt him hop into the cart or when he got directly behind me.


    ¡°The day I no longer need to deal with you,¡± I snap back at him.


    Reel only smiles and chuckles at my look of anger. ¡°You say that, but you know you need me. Who was the one that spotted the bandits, and who was the one who killed the most of them?" Reel smiles at my displeasure, showing off his teeth.


    I don¡¯t acknowledge the man who is a pain in my ass and instead focus on the line in front of me.


    He''s right, though. Ever since I started hauling stuff for Aaliyah, I¡¯ve seen a subtle change in the bandits that attack us. Usually, a bandit group will ask you to give up a part of your wares and let you be on your way if you comply.


    It''s always a gamble what a merchant is carrying, and if too many merchants in an area die, there''s less money moving around. And merchants who do travel, travel with a small army, not the kind of target a smart bandit group is willing to take on.


    I missed the days when it was those types of bandits trying to rob me.


    The three groups that attacked us were half the size of standard bandit groups; the largest only had five people. But it wasn''t hungry farmers or young men desperate for a few coins, the people that attacked my cart this time didn¡¯t try to negotiate.


    Each tried to ambush us, and if it weren''t for Reel, they likely would''ve succeeded. They were professional highwaymen and knew we were carrying expensive goods even though we didn¡¯t look it.


    I always thought it was people in the merchant profession who held skills related to money. Still, Reel explained to us every decent bandit has a skill dedicated to sniffing out coin on a person, and the better ones can approximate goods as well.


    I glance to my left and right at Lurte and Ryiba. They were each only able to handle a single bandit while Reel had to take care of the rest.


    I¡¯ll have to ask Aaliyah to forge them some better gear when she has some free time, whenever that is.


    When we make it to the front of the line, I show my credentials, and we''re quickly let through after they inspect the crates of arrows.


    As we make our way down Teeburn¡¯s main road, I try to spot all the differences since we were here last. Many more shops are open, and most of the inns look like they''ve finally seen a new coat of paint.


    There are a lot more people walking around as well. The magic weather from the fighting has only grown stronger, so everyone is wearing thick pants along with a light shirt, along with their coats tied around their waists. They''re prepared for the weather to shift at a moment''s notice.


    Even though spring is coming fast, it feels like the middle of summer because of this magical heatwave. We all had to take our jackets off when we approached the city, but we''re still sweating in our heavy trousers.


    I see a few restaurants advertising temperature-controlled rooms meant to draw in wealthy merchants and stalls with people offering snow-filled pouches to cool your person. That''s quite ingenious; they probably gather the snow when the weather shifts and wait for a heatwave to sell it for a profit.


    Focus, Kervin, I berate myself. Cracking the reins, I usher my bivol towards the army¡¯s supply station.


    Sadly, we soon hit another line of carts, trying to make it into the army¡¯s clearing. Lurte and Ryiba keep an eye on the area while Reel lays down in the back of the cart.


    It takes over an hour before we reach the front of the line, and I can better see the clearing the army is using to receive goods. Gone are the haphazard spots for carts to park, and in their place are marked areas each wagon has to fit into. Many carts are pushed close together, enough so you can¡¯t walk in between them.


    "Name and plate?" A male soldier asks me. Despite the hot weather, he''s standing tall in full gear and has an emblem designating him a lieutenant.


    ¡°Kervin, from Silver Herd,¡± I tell the man and hand him my plate.


    He visually perks up when he hears my name. He takes my plate and scans over it lightning fast. ¡°Mr. Kervin, it¡¯s good to have you back.¡± The soldier hands me my plate back and sends a few hand signals across the clearing.


    Another soldier comes running over. The man who inspected my plate turns to the new arrival. "This is Kervin from Silver Herd; take him to the captain''s reception area."


    ¡°Sir,¡± the new soldier salutes his superior officer and gestures for me to follow. I never thought I would ever end up receiving special treatment like this.


    We¡¯re escorted back to the area we used for our private meeting last time, and I''m surprised how much they''ve improved it. One of the old buildings that made up the alley we conducted our business in is torn down, and a tent has taken its place. The area is level and even has a campfire going.


    And just like in the central clearing, they have a space set aside for carts to park.


    "The captain will be here momentarily," the soldier informs me before walking back to his post.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the crates unloaded and opened before he arrives,¡± I direct Lurte and Ryiba. Reel gets up to help now that he¡¯s in the army¡¯s camp and needs to look productive.


    The six crates holding the arrow shafts and arrowheads are quickly unloaded.


    Soon I hear an excited voice behind me, ¡°Kervin, I was waiting for you to return!¡± I almost activate my merchant skills just from hearing Captain Nathanael¡¯s voice.


    I make sure to put on a polite smile before I turn around.


    ¡°Captain Nathanael, you¡¯re looking well. I see you¡¯re getting busier.¡± I offer up some small talk.


    ¡°That we have,¡± he tells me. ¡°Did you wait long?¡±


    ¡°It took us an hour just to make it into your clearing,¡± I offhandedly inform him.


    "That won''t do," he says with a serious look on his face. "Whenever you have a delivery for the general, you can come to the front of the line. My men will take care of it." I try not to look intimidated by how quickly he shifted into business mode upon hearing how long I had to wait.


    ¡°I¡¯ll thank you in advance then,¡± I slightly bow my head.


    "Think nothing of it. The general is very pleased with the arrows you''ve already sold us and is excited to receive her order. Did it turn out as planned?" The captain smiles at me, but his eyes drill into me, looking for any weakness.


    This old man is just as tricky to deal with like last time. "Our blacksmith did complete the order but got carried away in the process, I¡¯m afraid."


    ¡°Are you trying to raise your price after accepting the job?¡± The captain questions me with a stern glare.


    ¡°I thought we were friends?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Haven''t I stuck to my prices in the past? I believe it was you who asked me if I would go back on my word last time," I point out to him.


    The captain blankly stares at me before replacing his frigid look with a happy smile. "I don''t remember what I said exactly last time, but friends aren''t held up on trivial details like that."


    I curse the crafty swindler while he playfully laughs. He knows as well as I do that the negotiations have already begun even if we aren¡¯t arguing over numbers yet.


    I wait for his fake laughter to die down before discussing the general''s order. "I am well aware of the budget the general gave me, and I plan to honor it. The price will remain 10 gold coins; you can consider it as Silver Herd''s goodwill towards our country''s military that''s working so hard to protect us."


    "I''m sure your generosity will be well received. If the general likes the arrow, how much do you plan on charging for others like it?" The captain casually asks.


    Not this time, you old demon, "It''s hard to say. Our craftsman is positive; they can further improve the design. Who''s to say the next arrow will be worth the same as the one I have right now. I¡¯ll have to wait to negotiate further deals.¡± Take that; I gloat to myself.


    "That sounds quite reasonable," the captain nods his head, but I can see a new crease on his forehead. "Why don''t we settle on the price for the other arrows you brought then." When he realizes he can''t lock in the future arrows'' prices, he smoothly switches targets. "How many did you bring this time?"


    ¡°I have 400 of the same arrows I delivered last time, switchable arrowheads and all. It would''ve been more but fulfilling the general''s order took precedence."


    "That''s quite all right. Every arrow you can sell us is appreciated. Give me a moment, and I''ll write you a form for you to pick up 50 gold coins at our offices.¡± Captain Nathanael starts to walk over to his tent.


    "Wait just a minute," I call out to him. The captain stops and turns back towards me. "I''m sorry to say, but we need to renegotiate their price as well.¡±


    "I believe I gave you a very generous price the last time you were here." I feel the captain''s merchant skills activate.


    I grit my teeth as I¡¯m suddenly urged to agree with him. I activate my own skills to reduce the effect of his. ¡°The materials the arrows are made out of are becoming harder to get ahold of. The materials were locally sourced, so a fair price was hard to pinpoint.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you have a price already in mind?¡± Captain Nathanael asks.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°25 silver an arrow,¡± I tell him.


    Captain Nathanael''s smile straightens out. "We agreed on 10 silver a piece last time; you wish to charge us over double for the same product?" My legs start to tremble under the weight of his stare, but I don''t give in.


    Aaliyah trusted me to do business on her behalf. ¡°I do. You know as well as I do how much the arrows are worth.¡±


    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t want to pay that price?¡± The captain walks menacingly over to me.


    I gulp down the saliva accumulating in my mouth and stutter out, ¡°Then I¡¯ll sell the arrows to a merchant heading towards the capitol. I¡¯m sure they would pay me more than 10 silver an arrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll take 12 silver per arrow.¡± I feel the captain¡¯s skills decimate my own, demanding I take the deal.


    ¡°24.5,¡± I retort through my clenched teeth, refusing to be bullied into submission.


    "You are aware of who I represent, don''t you? It would be wise not to push my master''s generosity; 14 silver an arrow."


    I want to say 24.25 an arrow, but the captain''s skills keep me from saying it out loud. "21 silver, each," I end up countering.


    ¡°Tell me, do you think you can bleed us dry? 15 for an arrow.¡±


    I can feel the sweat forming on my face, and it isn''t from the heat. I gather my courage, "Silver Herd would never try to take advantage of the military. I wish I could agree to your prices, but I represent the blacksmith who created the arrows. I''ve undersold her goods our last two deals, and I won¡¯t let it happen a third time. 17 silver for each arrow, and that¡¯s my final compromise!¡± I stand my ground against the weight of the captain.


    Our eyes lock onto each other, and a silent battle of wills breaks out.


    I think I can hold out.


    As soon as that thought enters my head, the pressure from Captain Nathanael''s skills increases dramatically. Damn, he was still holding back against me!


    When my legs start to tremble, and I''m about to fall to my knees, the pressure around me vanishes.


    ¡°Alright, 17 silver each.¡± Captain Nathanael smiles at me. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a merchant improve as fast as you in a while. Took you long enough to figure out your goods¡¯ worth, though.¡±


    ¡°What, but what about going against the army?¡± I ask him slack-jawed.


    "I was seeing if you''d fold under a little pressure. I didn''t think you would threaten to sell your goods elsewhere, though. Your arrows are too important to the general, and I''d have to play dirty if you actually tried to leave." The captain may be smiling and congratulating me, but I can see the resolve in his eyes. If it came to it, I¡¯m sure he would detain me and confiscate my wares if he had to.


    Our skills finalize the deal, and my body can finally relax as we shake hands.


    The captain signals a few nearby soldiers, that move over to grab the crates of arrows. He then precedes to fill out a ticket good for 78 gold coins, 10 for the general''s order, and 68 for the other arrows.


    Captain Nathanael hands me the ticket, which I quickly stash in my side pouch. "Now that''s over, can I see the arrow for my lady?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I tell him. I move over to my cart and withdraw the long box I placed the arrow in. Flipping the front latch, I carefully open the box and hold it in my arms for the captain to inspect.


    He digs through the fabric I wrapped the arrow in, and when his eyes settle on the arrow itself, I can see a genuine look of shock cross his face. He quickly hides his surprised expression, ¡°My skills are telling me the materials used on this arrow are quite expensive. I know you said you wouldn¡¯t give me a price for the future arrows, but if my master likes the arrow, what is the price range we¡¯re looking at?¡±


    ¡°40 gold coins,¡± I tell him, trying not to look nervous.


    A few nearby soldiers stumble upon hearing the price, but Captain Nathanael nods in understanding. "I''ll discuss it with my master. Would you mind waiting here for a little while?¡±


    Like I have a choice. ¡°Are you having the arrow brought to the general now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I am,¡± Captain Nathanael confirms my suspicions and glances at one of his subordinates. ¡°Get Keill over here. Tell him I have an important delivery for the general.¡± The soldier salutes and scurry¡¯s off.


    Nathanael focuses back on me. ¡°Keill is our best runner. It will only take him 20 minutes to deliver the arrow to the fort. We should find out if my master likes the arrow quite soon.¡±


    The captain''s smile sends a shiver down my back, but my job isn''t finished yet. "If I may, can I ask you some personal questions regarding the general?¡±


    Captain Nathanael¡¯s good-natured smile hardens. ¡°Personal information regarding my master does not leave house Pitz. Why are you asking this all of a sudden?¡±


    Everyone around us tenses. I quickly blurt out the questions Aaliyah asked me to find the answers to before he thinks spies approached us for the information. "Our craftsman wanted to know if she was right or left-handed and what her draw length was. It''s the length the general has to¡­¡±


    "Draw her arrow back," Captain Nathanael interrupts me. "My master is a renowned archer. I know what a person¡¯s draw length is.¡±


    I cringe as Captain Nathanael leans over and closes the box, and takes it from my arms.


    ¡°Keill, reporting for duty, captain. What¡¯s the delivery?¡± I jump from the sudden voice next to us. I don¡¯t know how much more my heart can take. A soldier dressed from head to toe in a camouflaged suit that resembles the rocky terrain around Teeburn scared me half to death with his sudden appearance out of nowhere.


    ¡°Delivery for the general, her hands only.¡± Captain Nathanael tells the runner while handing him the box.


    "Understood!" The soldier hugs the box close to his chest, and the box seems to take on the same color scheme as his suit, making it difficult to spot. He turns and dashes off at an incredible speed.


    "Almost as fast as her." I hear Reel mumble behind me. Who is he talking about? I send him a quick glance, but he pretends like he didn¡¯t say anything.


    "Wait here while I talk to my master. It will be up to her if I answer your questions." Captain Nathanael doesn''t so much as spare me a second look before he walks off.


    With my head lowered, I walk back over to my cart and climb back onto my seat. Lurte and Ryiba get comfortable on top of a stack of old bricks nearby.


    I bury my head into my hands, missing the days I haggled with old ladies in villages over yarn and other simple items.


    ¡°Tired already?¡± I hear Reel mock me off to the side now that we¡¯re alone again.


    I don''t even take my face out of my hands. "Shut up, Reel."


    <hr>


    General Emily Pitz¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°He asked which hand you prefer to shoot with and your draw length. Apparently, the blacksmith thinks they can improve the arrow further.¡± Nathanael¡¯s voice echoes out of a ball of magic in the communication mage¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Did she now? You¡¯re getting my hopes up Nathanael, did the arrow appear top-notch to you?" I ask, without hiding the excitement in my voice.


    "It did, my lady. I can''t judge the magic capabilities, but the materials are definitely tiered 3 and 4. The shaft itself looks like it''s pure kaglese." I rub my hands together, listening to Nathanael.


    ¡°And you sent it by runner already?¡± I ask for the third time.


    ¡°It should be at your gates any minute now, my lady,¡± Nathanael reassures me, unperturbed by me asking the same question again.


    "I''ll contact you as soon as I inspect the arrow," I inform him.


    "I''ll be waiting, my lady." The connection cuts out between us, and the mage in front of me wipes the sweat from their face.


    "Good job holding the connection," I tell the mage. Messages sent by magic are usually short to save mana, but I talked to Nathanael for nearly twenty minutes.


    ¡°Thank you for the praise, General Pitz. May I¡­?¡± the mage looks at a nearby bench.


    I nod my head, acknowledging his rest request. I leave the exhausted mage behind and start walking towards the front gate, followed by Cristopher in the shadows.


    ¡°Cristopher, send word to Norah to meet me in my office.¡± I send my steward to have our enchanter ready to inspect the arrow as soon as it arrives. I¡¯ve been checking in with the enchanter regularly these days, enough so that I finally learned her name.


    My smile widens when I feel Cristopher¡¯s presence disappear.


    Everyone I pass trembles as I walk by and gives me a large berth. I should probably rein in my enthusiasm, but I''ve been waiting for this order for a while now. And the arrow has to be good, or that sniveling merchant wouldn''t dare throw out a 40-gold price tag for the next one.


    ¡°Ready to open the gate! Personal delivery arriving!¡± I call out, causing the people in charge of the massive doors to jump in surprise.


    The gate guards steal glances at me as they prepare to crack open the doors to allow the runner through. I rarely come here myself, considering I''m able to leave by hopping over the walls. At least I¡¯ve slowly become used to my men staring at me.


    ¡°Runner arriving! Confirmation 712-35v!¡± We all hear the authentication code coming from beyond the gate. Without being told, the gatekeepers crack the doors for the runner to come in.


    The camouflaged runner slips past the gates and buckles over panting.


    ¡°Runner through, closing!¡± The gatekeepers echo to one another as they quickly shut and lock the gates. Scholl hasn''t made a push to take the fort in over a week, but we can never be too careful.


    I walk over to the winded runner. ¡°You have your delivery?¡±


    "For the general''s arms only," he wheezes, facing the ground, not realizing who he''s talking to.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, soldier.¡± It¡¯s hard not to laugh when the runner jumps upon hearing me.


    The runner''s camouflage isn''t strong enough to keep me from seeing his shocked reaction underneath. ¡°Please forgive me, general. I didn¡¯t notice you were waiting for me.¡± He hesitates between saluting me and dropping to his knees to beg for forgiveness.


    I may enjoy giving the men a little scare now and again, but I don''t know where their image of me comes from? It''s not like I would kill one of our best runners just because he didn''t notice I was standing here.


    I shake my head in dissatisfaction, which causes the runner to pale. "Just hand me the delivery," I choose to move on rather than taking the time to explain why I''m not mad at the poor man.


    He hands me the wooden box with trembling hands.


    I put part of my strength into my legs and rocket away from the staring soldiers who were expecting me to punish the frightened runner.


    You kill one spy impersonating one of your men, and everyone thinks you''re a homicidal general, I complain to myself.


    I ignore everyone''s shouts of surprise as I rush to my office.


    My displeasure quickly fades when I open the door to my office and see Cristopher and Norah waiting for me.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Cristopher points at the box I¡¯m carrying in my arms.


    ¡°It is,¡± I answer him as I step into my room and shut the door behind me.


    ¡°Did you look at it yet?¡± I¡¯m a little surprised by Cristopher¡¯s excitement. I can understand why Norah looks like she¡¯s about to explode with excitement, but I didn''t think Cristopher would be this enthusiastic overseeing my delivery as well.


    "I haven''t had time yet; move out of the way." I brush him aside and set the box on top of my desk. Norah moves closer to me but keeps a respectful distance between us.


    I flick the simple latch holding the box shut and open the case. The box must have been used to hold a sword, and it''s obvious it was randomly grabbed to hold the arrow.


    I frown, seeing the rags and other miscellaneous fabrics packed into the small box so the contents wouldn¡¯t shift in transit. Why the waste of material? Any arrow meant for me wouldn''t be damaged even if you set a crate on top of it?


    Reaching into the fabric, my fingers brush up against a smooth metallic surface. Like pulling a magic gem out of a mud pit, the beautiful arrow slips out of discarded textiles.


    ¡°It looks nice, but is it that good?¡±


    ¡°General?¡±


    ¡°Are you ok?!¡±


    I hear Cristopher''s voice, but it¡¯s nothing more than a ringing in my ears. I blankly stare at the arrow in my hands.


    The shaft is pure kaglese mixed with mithril, and for the fletching, they used fechin feathers, both good materials but not rare by any standards. However, I''ve never seen the material used for the arrowhead.


    My eyes travel every inch of the arrow, taking in its immaculate form. An appraiser would swear it was cast forged, but I can instinctually tell it wasn''t forged in such a cheap way.


    As I pour my magic into the arrow, it freely flows through the whole thing and gathers in the arrowhead. I''ve held pure kaglese swords before, but none of them have channeled my magic this smoothly.


    A hand waves in front of my face breaking my concentration. "General! Is it cursed, maybe poisoned?!" Cristopher shouts in my ear.


    ¡°What are you yelling for, fool?¡± I snap at my steward.


    "Thank the gods," he shouts. "As soon as the two of you looked at the arrow, you froze. I thought it might have been a trap of some sort from Scholl."


    "What?" I glare at the overdramatic man. I look over at my side and see Norah staring wide-eyed at the arrow in my hands.


    Is that what I looked like? Maybe Cristopher was right to be worried?


    ¡°Norah,¡± I try calling out to her.


    ¡°She¡¯s under the same spell you were,¡± Cristopher informs me.


    "Norah!" I activate Commanding Voice, and the girl finally notices I was calling out to her.


    "Y-e-s g-e-n-e-r-a-l!" She stumbles for a response. It takes a minute for her brain to catch up, but when it does, her cheeks turn crimson. "I''m sorry," she hangs her head in shame or embarrassment, I''m not sure which.


    "It''s fine; I was surprised too." I offer her the arrow.


    "May I?" She asks, flustered.


    ¡°Would I be offering it to you otherwise?¡± I raise an eyebrow at the enchanter.


    She carefully takes the arrow from my hands and holds it to her eye, focusing on the detailed maker¡¯s mark.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with the arrow?¡± Cristopher asks.


    I can¡¯t help but scoff at the idea. ¡°Far from it, the arrow is better than I ever dreamed,¡± I inform my steward.


    ¡°Really?¡± He asks in disbelief.


    I nod my head. ¡°The arrows we bought from Kervin were good for an archer around level 75. That arrow,¡± I point at the arrow Norah is currently drooling over, ¡°Was made for someone over level 100.¡±


    Cristopher finally realizes why Norah and I were spellbound. I¡¯ve bought plenty of arrows over the years, and I have experience with arrows meant for someone above level 100. Creating something meant to be freely used by someone with high stats is hard to do, even for experienced artisans. I''d dare say the materials she used to forge this arrow have been pushed to their very limits. Even if a Stone kin master smith used the same materials, I doubt they could forge a better arrow.


    ¡°Is it as good as the arrows you order from the Stone Kin?¡± Cristopher hastily asks.


    ¡°No, it isn''t to that level yet," I inform him. "I don''t know what Stone Kin use to forge my arrows, but even when I level, they can still handle my increased stats. Other than using my tier 5 skills, the arrows I buy from the Stone Kin don''t break, ever. My specialty arrows are meant for level 125+; this arrow is good for someone between level 100 and level 110."


    ¡°So only a difference of fifteen levels, that isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Cristopher remarks.


    He makes it sound so easy. Not even 1% of blacksmiths in our kingdom ever make something like this, and the person who forged it is a young village girl living out in the middle of nowhere.


    After level 100, it becomes harder and harder to find materials that can stand up to your stats. Every five levels or so, a person above level 100 need to replace their equipment. Not only did she make something useful for someone above level 100, but it would last them their next ten levels. There are only maybe ten individuals in our kingdom that would have proper use of an arrow like this.


    I¡¯ve found a future hegemon of Olebert. Someone who quite possibly will be able to compete with Stone Kin craftsmen.


    ¡°Norah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, general?¡± She looks up from the arrow.


    "I want you to enchant it, so it''s as durable as possible. Can you do it?"


    "I''ll do my best, but it will take me some time to accomplish. I''ve never worked on something like this before. If I mess up on the engraving, I can do more harm than good," she honestly tells me.


    ¡°I understand. Take your time and inform me when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    "I''ll get started on it right away." I nod my head, and Norah practically bursts through my office¡¯s door, heading for her workshop.


    ¡°Cristopher, take over command outside for a while. I need some time alone.¡±


    My appointed steward gives me a questioning glance but agrees to my request. He shuts my door behind him as he leaves, and I patiently wait for him to stop hiding outside.


    Once I¡¯m sure I can no longer sense Cristopher lurking outside, I reach into a small pocket that''s hidden in my belt. I pull out a gold ring that''s encrusted with ten different mana gems and slip it on my finger.


    I pour mana into the magic item and wait for Nathanael to pick up. As long as one person is supplying mana to one of the rings, the connection will form even if Nathanael can''t use magic himself.


    The two-way communication rings are magic items that have been in the Pitz family for generations. Noble families don¡¯t advertise that they have things like these, and I only use it when I need to have private conversations with Nathanael without going through a mage.


    ¡°My lady, is something the matter?¡± Nathanael¡¯s worried voice whispers in my ear.


    ¡°Nothing like that, Nathanael,¡± I assure him. ¡°Is the merchant still there?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady. He¡¯s waiting on your response.¡±


    ¡°Good, tell him I want as many arrows as his blacksmith can craft as soon as possible. You can negotiate the price, but they''re worth every coin.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re contacting me through our rings, then I¡¯m to assume the arrow was above your expectations?¡± Nathanael asks me.


    I can''t help but laugh, "Someone at level 110 can use the arrow."


    A silence falls between us, and I can just imagine the shocked look on Nathanael¡¯s seasoned face.


    ¡°Give him the information he wanted,¡± I communicate through my magic ring.


    ¡°By your will, my lady. Is there anything else you require?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Send word back home; I want one of our best representatives to travel to Blaiton and meet with the head of Silver Herd. I want an introduction to the blacksmith after our reinforcements arrive,¡± I command Nathanael.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it immediately, my lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will. If I need to contact you further, I¡¯ll go through a mage.¡±


    ¡°Happy hunting, Lady Emily.¡±


    "You too, Nathanael." I stop supplying mana to my ring, and the connection goes out.


    I walk behind my desk and sit in the rickety chair that''s been in this fort for decades. It will take weeks to send someone from our family estates to Blaiton, but by then, I should be able to turn over the fort to whoever they sent as my replacement.


    I¡¯ll have to be sneaky. I don''t have the luxury to walk through a city without being noticed. People pay attention, no matter where I go.


    It will be worth it, though, if I can get my hands on someone who can craft proper arrows for me. She already believes she can make even better arrows.


    The chair groans as I lean back, and I can''t help but grin at the idea of meeting someone so talented.


    I''m just about to chuckle out loud, but my enhanced senses pick up Cristopher running back towards my office. I quickly sit up and face the door. He isn''t wasting time by hiding himself, so it has to be important.


    He only knocks twice before flinging the door open, almost ripping the worn out thing off its hinges. "General! Bad news, we lost contact with our scouts.¡±


    The happy expression on my face slips away. ¡°Which one?¡± I ask for clarification.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, all twelve have suddenly gone dark. And not one of them reported anything abnormal during their last check-ins.¡± Cristopher explains with a worried expression.


    I smoothly get up from behind my desk and grab my bow and quiver. ¡°Send word to all personnel that the fort is on emergency notice as of now and recall all our forward units," I command.


    ¡°All of them?¡± Cristopher questions.


    ¡°All of them!¡± I firmly tell him. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate by myself. You¡¯re in charge until I return.¡±


    "Yes, general," Cristopher salutes me, and we split up. While he prepares for the possibility of an attack, I rush to the fort¡¯s walls and vault over.


    What is Scholl up to now?

 Ch: 64

    General Emily Pitz¡¯s Point of View:


    Like a specter, I glide across the rocky ground, hugging the canyon wall. The loose terrain doesn¡¯t slow me down in the least as I climb the steep canyon walls.


    I¡¯m nearing Scholl¡¯s camp as I come up to the first lookout position I scouted before they arrived. I personally searched for the best vantage points for our scouts to use while keeping in mind they might need an escape route should they be discovered.


    Our scouts and Scholl¡¯s have had multiple run-ins with each other, but even though their scouts out leveled ours, it was thanks to my planning that our scouts were always able to escape entrapment.


    This isn''t good; I bend over and inspect the ground.


    It¡¯s faint, but I can see traces of someone approaching from the side and which direction they came from. The whole area has been swept clean, but my skills can pick out the minute details they missed. Whoever attacked did so without our scout having time to react. There wasn''t a struggle, and based on the hidden drag patterns, they removed the body when they were finished.


    I move onto the next spot and the next only to find the same hidden signs as I inspect each of vantage in turn.


    If Scholl thought it needed to move against our scouts like this, they must be planning something big.


    As a general, I should turn around and assign a unit to investigate rather than risk proceeding further by myself, but as someone used to acting as the scout, I know I¡¯m the only one fit to figure out what Scholl has planned.


    I activate Silent Footsteps and Hide Presence before I move forward. Thanks to my family''s resources, I''ve always had a higher level than people my own age, so I''ve never had to be stealthy, leaving both of my skills at a low level. The only reason I have these two skills is so I can approach magic beasts that have already tried to run away from me.


    I slowly creep along the canyon wall, scanning Scholl¡¯s camp for anything new. I spot a few new fortifications they¡¯ve slowly been building up but not much else.


    Pushing farther into the canyon, I reach our scouts farthest vantage point that overlooks the first significant bend. The canyon isn''t one strait ravine; it twists and turns through the rock.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I immediately curse. ¡°That¡¯s why they killed our scouts.¡±


    Steadily moving across the canyons rocky floor is an army of Scholl reinforcements. I spot at least twenty thousand soldiers filling their way closer to Scholl''s camp. That¡¯s double the size of the forces they first sent to take the fort!


    If we knew they were coming just an hour ago, we might have been able to send a small magic squad to ambush them, but they''re too close now.


    The fortifications Scholl has been constructing were only a front to make us think they were digging in for a long fight, while their reinforcements were on their way the whole time.


    Turning around, ¡°I need to get back to the fort and ready¡­¡±


    My Danger Sense rings in my ears, and I immediately throw myself to the side. My keen eyes track a steel blade as it flashes inches away from my throat.


    The assassin that materialized out of nowhere doesn¡¯t let up just because his first strike missed. His figure blurs as he activates a movement skill and tries to flank me from my left. His duel daggers held in a reverse grip are aimed at any of the seams in between my armor.


    I can tell just by his movements that he¡¯s around level 90, someone even I have to be wary of.


    Assassins are known to employ poisons, and even a single nick from his blade can be troublesome for me.


    He expertly closes the distance between us and keeps me on my back foot, trying to keep me from drawing one of my arrows.


    This is why I prefer to hunt magic beasts; they don¡¯t have strategies to deal with me the first time we meet.


    The assassin uses his movement skill again to keep pressuring me, not caring how quickly he¡¯s burning through his Stamina. If he gives me a single opening or hesitates for a moment, I¡¯ll be able to hit him with an arrow.


    Unfortunately, my wait-and-see approach is quickly discarded when my senses pick up three more people rapidly approaching us from all directions. And I highly doubt it¡¯s my missing men.


    Even if the assassin¡¯s backup isn¡¯t as high leveled as him, having to deal with another three close-range fighters isn¡¯t my specialty.


    I¡¯ll have to pay a price to kill my opponent before this becomes more complicated.


    Continuing to dodge his whirlwind of blade strikes, I activate Fast Hands. In one flawless motion, I''m able to retrieve an arrow from my quiver. The assassin presses harder, not giving me the chance to nock my arrow.


    All I need is a single opening.


    I shift my stance to my back leg, but the ground underneath shifts from my spontaneous movement. My stance crumbles as I start to fall backwards.


    The assassin doesn''t miss the opportunity and swings his left blade at my exposed neck. I bring up my bow and deflect his first strike, only to have him attack a second time with his right blade. I try to block his second strike with the arrow in my other hand, but I can''t¡­


    I feel the assassin''s dagger rub up against my neck.


    Quickly channeling my mana, a cracking sound like shattering glass rings out from my arm. One of the three gems on my right bracer cracks and crumbles to pieces, instantly sending a healing wave of mana throughout my body. Before his dagger¡¯s blade even leaves my neck, the wound is already closing.


    Using the arrow in my right hand, I copy the assassin''s strike and jab my impromptu weapon into his own throat. With my Strength, the arrowhead slices through his neck, and the tip pokes out the back. I rip the arrow back out, opening up a wider hole in the assassins¡¯ throat.


    I watch as panic quickly flickers through my opponent''s eyes. His high stats ensure he remains alive just long enough to realize he¡¯s going to die.


    Even though I dealt a mortal blow to the assassin and everything went according to my plan, I¡¯m still falling backwards with more enemies soon to arrive.


    Taking my bow and stabbing it into the ground, I use my Strength to reorientate myself. I flip backwards and land on my feet in time to watch the assassin fall to the ground in a bloody mess. With a quick tug, I yank my bow out of the rock and knock the bloody arrow.


    I release my shot as soon as the first Scholl soldier appears around a corner. His level doesn¡¯t match his deceased counterpart, and my arrow easily pierces his chest, bulls-eyeing his heart.


    I don¡¯t wait for the other two approaching soldiers to show up, choosing to rush back to the fort immediately.


    Through the corner of my eye, I see a few of Scholl''s battalions setting up to launch siege spells and arrows in my direction.


    And here I thought I wasn¡¯t noticed.


    I draw in a huge breath of air and push my body to its limit. My limbs are slowly going numb, meaning the assassin was using a poisoned blade, and it''s strong enough to bleed through my Poison Resistance skill.


    I watch the first siege fireball spell sore through the air and explode behind me. Even suffering through the poison, I''m still too fast for them to lock on with such slow-moving spells.


    The next fireball is already on its way, but just like the last time, I''ll¡­


    All at once, I feel a quarter of my remaining Stamina being drained away, causing me to slow!


    ¡°Shit, I know this feeling!¡± I curse.


    I activate a magic ring on my left hand, and the stamina drain stops. The fireball is closing in on me, and this time it¡¯s close enough that the blast will hit me. Activating my movement skill, Long Leap, I make it out of the spells blast radius just in time.


    ¡°Who brings a hex mage on a military campaign?¡± I protest.


    The same people who brought an assassin capable of harming me, that¡¯s who. Hex mages focus on debuff magic that works with line of sight. Even the highest leveled hex mages can only cast small area of effect spells, making them worthless in a siege.


    That means they¡¯re here solely to deal with me. If I were any slower killing the assassin, the hex mage probably would''ve had time to curse me during the fight.


    I keep running, but I scan Scholl''s forces again, looking for anyone sporting a feather like the assassin or commanders I saw leading their reinforcements. A hex mage able to curse me at this distance is definitely over level 80.


    But sadly, no one stands out.


    A few arrows from high leveled archers reach up the canyon walls, but I easily dodge them.


    Once I have a generous distance between me and Scholl''s camp, they stop wasting their mana and arrows, knowing they won¡¯t be able to hit me.


    Racing back to the fort, I feel my limbs become heavier and notice they aren¡¯t responding as they should. My bracelet has three; no, now two charges left. Each can send a strong wave of healing mana throughout my body instantly but only to close wounds. I wish I had an artifact to cure poison, but Poison resistant artifacts are rarer than their healing counterparts because poisons vary to such a degree. You could be covered in head to toe in artifacts, and you could still be affected by a poison you weren''t prepared for.


    I''ve fought many magic beasts that use poison, and my resistance skill is pretty strong, yet my body is still shutting down on me.


    I see the walls of the fort growing bigger as my vision starts to become fuzzy. Using the last of my Stamina and Strength, I launch myself up onto the ramparts.


    I vaguely hear voices around me, but I can''t make out what they''re saying. "Poison! Get the medical corps," I wheeze out.


    Remaining still, I enter a meditative state. The more I can reduce my heart rate; the less the poison will spread.


    Scholl was more than enough prepared for me, ambushing me with such a potent poison and making sure I struggle to run away.


    I feel a prick on my forearm and targeted healing magic applied to my body. Healing magic for poisons is a nasty business. The foreign healing magic subverts my mana network and gathers all my infected blood in my body, and pulls it to the opening in my arm.


    Because I had to move so much after being stabbed, the poison spread through most of my body, and if it wasn''t for my high Vitality removing the poison itself could kill me.


    I start to feel my arms and legs again, and my head becomes clear enough to listen to the people gathered around me.


    ¡°General, are you alright!?¡± Cristopher¡¯s panicked voice rings the loudest in my ears.


    ¡°Will you be quiet! I¡¯m trying to work,¡± the healer sitting next to me berates my steward.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blood.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be alright?¡±


    By the sound of it, more than one soldier is close by.


    My vision is the last of my senses to return.


    ¡°General Pitz!¡± Cristopher exclaims when I finally open my eyes again.


    ¡°Will you stop yelling, you¡¯re giving me a headache,¡± I snap at him.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± The female healer asks me.


    She has a mage¡¯s star on her chest, meaning she''s one of the fort''s senior healers. "I''m light-headed from the blood loss," I tell her.


    "That''s to be expected. It''s amazing you''re alive in the first place." She says, remaining focused on the incision on my left arm. A nearby bucket is filled with black blood, and a second is close to filling up as she drains more from my system.


    ¡°Cristopher, is the fort on high alert?¡±


    ¡°General, you should remain still. I haven¡¯t finished your treatment yet,¡± the healer urges me.


    I ignore her suggestion and stare at Cristopher until he answers me. ¡°Yes, general. The fort and the supply corps in Teeburn are on alert. What happened to you?¡± He nervously asks.


    ¡°Scholl has reinforcements marching through the canyon, maybe twenty thousand strong.¡± Everyone around us gasps at the news. ¡°They must have assumed if they took out all our scouts, I would be the one to investigate. They had a high leveled assassin and a hex mage for support.¡± I watch traces of fear flicker across everybody¡¯s faces, even the healer losses control of her magic for a moment.


    ¡°How far are they out?¡± Cristopher inquires.


    "Maybe an hour or two. I don''t know if they''re well-rested or not," I tell him.


    ¡°That means they can attack us in as little time as four hours or any time after that.¡± He darkly remarks.


    ¡°Scholl isn¡¯t known for their patience. I¡¯d say they¡¯ll attack sooner rather than later.¡± I inform Cristopher. "Go double-check everything around the fort and send word to the supply corps and our reinforcements. We need them to pick up their pace."


    Cristopher sends me a worried look before taking off.


    ¡°How much longer until you¡¯re done?¡± I ask the healer.


    "Would the general prefer it if I rush the process?" I''m a little taken back by her blunt attitude, but I can respect it. It¡¯s been a while since someone hasn¡¯t cringed at the sight of me. I wonder if it¡¯s because she could use her magic to siphon the rest of the blood from my body that she¡¯s not scared of me?


    I look away from her, not answering the superfluous question. The few other soldiers standing around me do flinch when I meet their eyes. "What are you all standing around for? We''re on high alert; get back to your posts." My lips form a small smile as they trip over one another to rush back to their posts.


    Only one soldier remains because he¡¯s supposed to be stationed where I collapsed. He walks over to the wall and watches Scholl¡¯s camp, trying to distract himself from his bloody superior lying on the ramparts behind him.


    I feel a different wave of mana enter my body and feel my arm closing. "You''re not completely healed; I only removed the poison." The healer tells me with a sober expression. A quick check reveals half my Health is gone. "I noticed your body was recently exposed to a concentrated form of healing magic. Because of that, your Health will be slow to recover for the rest of the day.¡± Great, more good news.


    Healing magic is truly a blessing, but it can''t perform divine miracles. Each time a person is exposed to large amounts of healing magic, the body becomes slow to recover. Not the ideal situation with an army at your gates. "Is there anything you can do to speed up the process?"


    The healer has the gall to actually frown at me. ¡°I can put you to sleep? Studies have shown people heal faster while they¡¯re sleeping.¡± I can¡¯t help but frown myself. Did Scholl plan it this way, reducing my fighting capabilities before they even start their attack?


    The healer raises her hands and chants a spell under her breath. A massive wave of white light cleans up the bloody mess I left behind, including the stains on my clothes. "Is there anything else I can help you with, general?" The healer stands up and dusts the black flakes from her clothes.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± I ask her as I slowly stand up.


    ¡°I¡¯m Senior Healer Elease, general.¡± She promptly tells me. No last name meaning she joined the army as a commoner.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me, Elease.¡±


    ¡°Your high Vitality saved you, I mealy did my job. If the general is better now, may I return to the infirmary? I have a feeling we¡¯ll be busy soon.¡± She asks in a no-nonsense voice.


    ¡°You may go,¡± I dismiss her.


    She moves over to the stone steps leading to the courtyard but stops at the foot of the stairs and turns to me. ¡°Please be careful, general. Few people openly say it, but it¡¯s your presence here that gives everybody hope.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Elease doesn¡¯t wait for me to answer and makes her way down the steps. ¡°Cheeky girl, does she not know I¡¯m over double her age? If anything, I should be worrying about her, not the other way around.¡±


    I put her out of my mind and stand up towards Scholl''s camp. Scholl''s entire base is shifting; the fortifications they''ve thrown up the last couple of weeks are being laid down in sections, being transformed into leveled campsites for their reinforcements. How could I have missed that?


    I lean up against the stone watchtower and watch Scholl¡¯s forces slowly gather as the fort around me becomes an ant hive of activity.


    I won''t say it out loud, but we''re at the mercy of Scholl''s forces, and all I can do is watch.


    The fort''s mood begins to plummet as people spread word of how many more Scholl soldiers arrived. We''ve bolstered our numbers through recruiting locals but our forces only near three thousand.


    It will be a miracle if Scholl simply doesn¡¯t charge our gates with their numbers.


    <hr>


    I lean back in my chair in my office. I am looking between my captain''s and squad leaders nervously shifting their feet during an impromptu morning meeting.


    ¡°What are they waiting for? It¡¯s been almost sixteen hours; why aren''t they attacking us?" A squad leader says what''s on all of our minds. Maybe Scholl¡¯s forces were more tired from their journey than I thought possible.


    ¡°Anything important to report, Cristopher?¡± I ask my steward.


    He shakes his head, "I''m sorry, general, but there is nothing to report. Their army has long settled in. They didn''t so much as test our defenses yesterday."


    "Maybe we can wait them out until our reinforcements arrive?" A captain, hopefully, remarks. There¡¯s no possibility of that happening.


    But why are they waiting to attack? I''ve nearly recovered to my full strength. After all the effort they put into trying to kill me, I''d thought they''d charge the gates as soon as they settled. What can they be planning?


    Everyone in the room has their head snap up when we hear the signal bell being wrung. I stand up from my desk, ¡°Everyone, take up your positions.¡± The captain¡¯s and squad leaders rush out my door to their battle stations.


    I take the faster route and hop directly out my office window and onto the nearby ramparts. My Stamina and Health are hovering around 80%, but at least I''ve gained full motor control back.


    Leaping over soldiers hurrying to their positions, I make my way to one of the central towers that looks over the canyon.


    In the distance, I can see Scholl¡¯s entire forces are mobilizing in mass.


    They¡¯re forming two ranks of soldiers with a large divide separating the two.


    With my visual skills, I can see that they''ve adopted their previous style of organizing their forcers. At the front of the two forces are individuals with feathers adorning their uniforms. Some wear their feathers in hats while others have them clipped to their chests.


    One, two¡­ eight people are sporting feathers. Eight individuals above level 80, fuck me. And judging from that assassin earlier, I doubt they''re in the low 80¡¯s either.


    <hr>


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    ¡°Tellis, are our forces ready?¡± I ask the nervous commander as I stretch out my old joints.


    ¡°Yes, Master Pacore, our men are in formation and waiting on your orders,¡± he tells me.


    ¡°Good, any sign of General Pitz?¡±


    ¡°Our scouts place her on top of one of their towers.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Tellis. Does she look ready for battle?¡± I look over at the man with a smile on my face.


    His face loses a bit of color. ¡°She has her bow and looks to be standing strong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent!¡± I can¡¯t help but laugh.


    Tellis looks like he swallowed something bitter until he works up the courage to ask me what¡¯s on his mind. ¡°Master Pacore, if I may, why didn¡¯t we attack after the general was injured? We could¡¯ve taken the fort soon after our reinforcements arrived."


    ¡°We could¡¯ve,¡± I casually remark.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t we?¡± Tellis asks, disbelief written all across his face.


    ¡°Because that wouldn¡¯t have been sporting of us, now would it?¡± I tell Tellis with a savage grin plastered on my face.


    ¡°But Zikeil, he was one of our strongest men; why send him to kill the general in the first place?" Tellis stutters.


    I slowly walk over to the inexperienced commander. He visibly cowers as I near him, until I''m standing over him. "I told you I would take you under my wing, so let me explain something to you. During the war, you don''t have to just worry about your enemy; you have to worry about who is standing with you as well. You weren¡¯t officially appointed as a commander, meaning until I showed up, your allegiance was in question."


    ¡°I would never turn on Scholl!¡± Tellis cries out.


    "I never said you''d betray Scholl; I said your allegiance was in question." Tellis gives me a confused look, so I explain. "You should know our countries customs, the strong stand over the week and lead. Our king is the highest leveled person in our kingdom, but he is old. That may sound funny coming from someone as old as me, but I was around when the previous king passed. Different fractions centered around the highest leveled people in our kingdom are readying themselves for when the king passes, regardless of the problem our kingdom is facing.¡±


    ¡°When you took over the forces here, people started to notice you. Whoever was appointed by his majesty would meet with you first and pull you into their fraction.¡± Tellis finally realizes what I¡¯m saying. ¡°Zikeil was sent by another fraction to silence you during our siege on the fort. So, I sent him to test our opponent. If he succeeded, taking the fort would be child''s play, and when he failed, it was simply one less person I had to watch during the fighting.¡±


    ¡°So, now I¡¯m in your fraction?¡± Tellis hesitantly asks.


    ¡°You can say that.¡±


    "Then, does that mean you wish to be the next king?" He asks wide-eyed.


    I scoff at the idea. ¡°Do kings get to step onto the battlefield?¡± I shake my head in disgust at the idea. ¡°I serve the same king I¡¯ve served for over a hundred years now, and I''ll continue to serve his bloodline until I finally experience death. Serving under me means you serve the king''s oldest son Kaliks Ven Heltan future leader of Scholl. Do you have any objections to that?" I ask, Tellis, not concealing my bloodlust.


    ¡°May the Heltan family forever rule Scholl,¡± he proclaims, dropping to one knee.


    ¡°Good, now go get everything ready while I make my final preparations,¡± I order him.


    ¡°Right away, Master Pacore,¡± I watch my new subordinate rush out of the tent.


    There is one more reason I waited to take the fort; I think to myself as I adjust my equipment. General Pitz was able to kill Zekil and escape my hex mage proving she could put up a decent fight. When I make my entrance, she''ll be forced to confront me, and I want her at her best.


    I had Tellis spread the word that I wanted everybody rested for our big push today, which should¡¯ve bought the general enough time to recover from her injuries, at least I hope so.


    Now that I¡¯m here, the fort is all but guaranteed to fall under our control. And it¡¯s been so long since I had a decent fight, someone capable of making me bleed.


    Pitz didn¡¯t use one of her specialty arrows against Zekil or take a shot at our approaching forces when she had the chance. Most likely, she''s out of her expensive arrows. The one we recovered from the soldier''s corpse was amazing at channeling magic but wasn¡¯t on par for someone like General Pitz.


    I hope she proves me wrong.


    Throwing my special cloak over myself and activating each of my magic items, my body starts to turn translucent before disappearing completely. I slip through my tent flaps, heading for my position at the front of the army. "Let the fun begin," I chuckle to myself.


    <hr>


    General Emily Pitz¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°They¡¯re moving closer,¡± Cristopher mumbles.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± I tell him in an even tone.


    ¡°Your orders, mam?¡± Cristopher looks at me like he¡¯s expecting me to pull a miracle out of my ass.


    ¡°Send word to our best archers and the mage divisions to target the feather wearing bastards at the front. They''ll be protected with magic and other defenses, but each we manage to kill will deliver a serious blow to the enemy. And contact Norah, tell her I want my arrow, whether it¡¯s done or not.¡± I confidently rattle off some quick orders.


    Cristopher is happy to revive my orders and quickly runs off to complete them. If only he knew how bleak I thought the situation is.


    I don''t have the heart to tell him I''m not confident in repelling Scholl this time. I''m not entirely recovered yet, and I''m out of my special arrows. I might score a lucky hit on the weaker soldiers, but even I won''t be able to punch through the feathered commanders¡¯ defenses with Aaliyah''s regular arrows.


    The only way I''ll be able to do any significant damage is to leave the safety of the fort and challenge their higher-level forces at closer ranges, which is, of course, the worst way for me to use my skill set.


    The world appears to slow around me as Scholl¡¯s forces slowly march towards the fort in their weird formation. At some point, Cristopher returned with my enchanted arrow, but I sent him off to coordinate with the other units. I can feel the nervousness radiating from my men increase as Scholl''s army''s full size becomes apparent.


    I¡¯ve already given out my orders.


    Everyone knows to hold their fire until after the first few of Scholl¡¯s ranks enter our range. I myself have already picketed my target, A middle-aged man wielding two swords with a red feather pinned to his chest. As Scholl approaches, I notice their smiling faces.


    Even as the feathered individuals enter our range, they continue strolling confidently forward. If I had just one more of my special arrows, I could wipe those smirks clean off their faces.


    If they think this fort will fall without a fight, then they''re sadly mistaken.


    More and more of their faces get closer to our fort, only stopping when their mage units are in range to return fire on us.


    A silence falls over the fort and is mimicked by Scholl''s army. I notice most of the feathered individuals leading Scholl''s army are watching me like they''re waiting for me to make the first move.


    ¡°So be it,¡± I say to myself.


    I raise my left hand straight up into the air and point at the invading army. A horn signals behind me, and every one of my soldiers on the walls release everything they have all at once.


    In one motion, I draw and knock my first arow, only activating two of my skills as not to obliterate the projectile. I draw my bow back halfway and release my arrow with everybody else.


    As a storm of arrows and magic sail across the open sky, I watch closely, hoping to pinpoint their barrier mages to target later.


    Only Scholl''s armies remain steadfast in their positions, and not a single counterspell comes to life.


    What are they?


    Suddenly I feel something shift in the air, and every arrow and siege spell we fired starts to turn mid-flight.


    All our projectiles are drawn to the front of the gap, separating Scholl''s forces.


    Over a thousand arrows converge on a single spot, followed closely by a rain of fire. The resulting explosion rings in everybody¡¯s ears. ¡°How did they!?¡± I curse out loud. Is it a spell formation or something they secretly buried there?


    I stare at the resulting crater, mouth agape.


    My trained eyes pick out a ripple in the air.


    In the crater''s center, a man removes a cloak that now has multiple holes in it. It must have been a magic device meant to make someone invisible. I was so focused on the feathered soldiers; I didn¡¯t inspect the divide.


    My heart starts beating rapidly as I take the measure of the man that just tanked our first volley singlehandedly.


    Standing a respected 5¡¯ 10¡¯¡¯, the man looks ancient. He has short grey hair and a grey beard lined with multiple feathers. He''s wearing no armor yet doesn''t have a scratch on him.


    Our eyes meet for a moment across the battlefield, and I get the impression I''m looking at a living mountain.


    Fuck!


    There''s only one person he can be. Pacore the Deathless, the oldest, and one of the highest leveled people on the continent. Survivor of too many conflicts to even count. Pacore is known as Scholl¡¯s ace.


    ¡°Hit them again!¡± I hear Cristopher shout in the distance.


    Another volley of arrows is sent towards Scholl''s forces, and just like last time, they¡¯re all drawn to Pacore.


    Another explosion happens, but this time Pacore walks out of the fireball before the flames can completely disperse.


    Every one of Scholl¡¯s soldiers starts cheering at the display.


    So that¡¯s Pacore¡¯s tier 5 skill, the ability to draw in attacks. He¡¯s the only man who could use such a skill. His build is legendary, and none have been able to replicate it.


    It¡¯s well known that Pacore has only distributed his points into Endurance and Vitality. The only way a build like that can grow is with the support of others. His estimated Vitality is over 500, and his Endurance is even more ridiculous at over 800. The man needs other people to charge his magic items for him, but because of that, he''s never distributed a single point in any of his other stats.


    Pacore slowly raises his hands, and all of his soldiers stop cheering. I notice a quick flash of light on his left hand before his voice booms out for everyone to hear. "General Pitz, surrender the fort, and you have it on my honor you and your men may retreat. If not, come out and face me. If you don''t, I''ll stand here and take everything your men can dish out. And we will take the fort without substring any injuries!¡±


    ¡°Come out!¡± Every one of Scholl¡¯s soldiers starts to chant.


    Our men are frozen in place, and I can feel Cristopher rapidly approaching me. "General," he strains to call out to me over the chanting. "You can''t! You saw what that monster did; you won''t be able to beat him!" Cristopher says in a panic.


    ¡°Ready!¡± Pacore shouts out. His men stop chanting and ready their weapons. His mages are channeling their mana for their first barrage.


    Our own mages hastily erect their own defenses. A few people try shooting more arrows, but each is drawn to Pacore. I heard his skill only requires him to focus, but I have no idea how he keeps it activated for so long. He can keep it active indefinitely for all I know, and we really won''t be able to touch his men.


    ¡°Cristopher!¡± I shout to grab his attention.


    ¡°General?¡±


    "From here on out, you''re in charge," I tell him.


    ¡°What!?¡± Cristopher shouts in disbelief, but he¡¯s not the only one. The communications mage behind him and the other men on the tower stare at me, shocked as well.


    "No matter what happens to me, you''re to defend the fort. I''ll distract Pacore while you deal with his men. As soon as we start fighting, send everything we have at them,¡± I tell him emotionlessly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t; you''ll die," Cristopher immediately rejects my plan.


    I ignore him and turn to one of the other archers on the tower. "Your quiver, soldier." I hold out my hand. He silently hands me his arrows, and I pull out all the best ones Aaliyah made and filled up my quiver. I won''t have a chance to grab more latter.


    Cristopher continues to hound me as I make my way over to the wall. I jump on top of the ledge and look across Scholl''s army. I feel two hands grab my ankles. Looking back, Cristopher is now trying to hold me in place.


    ¡°Let go,¡± I tell him. Cristopher shakes his head in refusal.


    The usual snarky look on Cristopher''s face is gone, replaced with a look of deep concern for my well-being. It''s almost enough to make me want to reconsider.


    I send a quick jab with my bow to his chest, causing him to let go of me and fall backwards. Without looking back, I hop off of the tower. I hope I didn¡¯t hurt him too much. I ponder as I fall to the canyon floor. I never thought I would grow so attached to having the annoying man around. But he was an excellent subordinate despite his personality quirks and the fact he was sent to keep an eye on me.


    I gracefully land on the rough ground.


    Every frontline soldier in Scholl''s army is watching me. I walk along the fort''s walls in case this is all a trap, and I need to hop back up quickly.


    ¡°No one is to touch her!¡± Pacore roars out as he sees me nearing him.


    I debate trying to kill one of the feathered people in the front but decide against it. Pacore would probably just activate his skill, and I would quickly be surrounded.


    I can feel the eyes of everybody focusing on me.


    Stopping 100 feet in front of Pacore, I take a better look at my opponent. He may lack armor, but I see more than a few magical items on his hands and arms. The short sword he''s carrying on his side radiates a lot of magic, and I''m sure it''s like my bow. He also has three vials strapped to his side.


    Now that I¡¯m closer to the man, I can see a depth of wisdom in his eyes that a man gets when he lives as long as he has. I''m considered quite old myself but nothing compared to Pacore. Despite his loose and wrinkly skin on his face, his body is in excellent condition. He''s fit and doesn''t have an ounce of fat on his body.


    I keep Pacore in my sights while I carefully scan his ranks of men on either side of us. Where is his damn hex mage hiding?


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry; I left my mage behind. No one will interfere with our fight.¡± Pacore smiles at me like a grandparent talking to a child.


    ¡°How generous of you,¡± I reply with no small amount of sarcasm and scan again, not taking his word for it.


    Pacore just laughs. ¡°Please don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s rare for me to meet someone close to my level. This should be a glorious occasion for the both of us.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I send him a challenging look.


    ¡°Yes! Those are the eyes I want to see. It was agonizing waiting for you to recover.¡± Pacore¡¯s laughter sends shivers down my spine.


    He waited to attack, so I had time to recover! I can''t help but frown when I notice he isn''t trying to play mind games with me; he genuinely wants a fair duel. How sick in the head is he? This isn''t a duel between two youngsters; this is a war between nations.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long,¡± he continues to rant. I relaxingly take a step back when I see his eyes. They¡¯re the eyes of a beast that doesn¡¯t care if it dies in battle. ¡°I miss the days when I was younger. Charging into a battle knowing I could die, it''s been so long since I last felt that alive." Pacore slowly draws his sword.


    "Ready yourself, General Pitz of Olebert. Our men can handle themselves; let us enjoy ourselves!¡± Pacore dashes towards me, leaving himself wide open.


    Horns blare on either side of me. I jump back, thinking it''s a trap, but I quickly see it''s just Scholl signaling their mage divisions to raise their shields now that their leader isn¡¯t using his skill. Not one of Scholl''s soldiers turns to interfere with our fight.


    Mayhem erupts around us as the fighting begins.


    To me, the time it takes Pacore to dash over to me is incredibly long. He has his body trained to peak performance, but that can''t make up for someone''s lack of stats.


    I draw my first arrow and aim for Pacore''s left eye; I have no intention to have an honest duel.


    Releasing my fingers, a loud twang comes from my bow as my arrow sails straight to its target. I observe to see how Pacore responds.


    Only he doesn¡¯t!


    The charging beast doesn¡¯t so much as flinch as my arrow closes in on his face. The manic look on his face screams danger to my senses.


    Once the arrow is an inch from his face, it''s deflected by some sort of barrier. The arrow is diverted and sticks into the ground beside the charging Pacore. I quickly nock and release a second arrow, this time aimed at his heart.


    Again, the arrow strikes a barrier inches from his clothing.


    He''s now ten feet away from me. I activate Rapid Reload and shoot the third arrow at almost point-blank range, this time aiming for his left leg. His barrier has to be from a magic item, and they usually don''t cover the extremities as well as the head and torso.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I curse when my third strike is also deflected in the same manner. Pacore charge is stopped for a moment from the force of my arrow striking him, but he''s soon running at me again.


    I simply jump backwards and move out of the range of his sword, preparing another arrow.


    I¡¯m about to shoot again when I notice a siege spell heading towards me. Using my movement skill, I flash to the side right as the spell detonates. Pacore doesn¡¯t miss his opportunity and gets within striking distance of me.


    The man puts everything into his swing, sacrificing any notion of blocking a counter for more power behind his strike. His age is further highlighted with his swordplay. Though his swing is barbaric in nature, he expertly targets the small gaps in my hide armor.


    I don¡¯t risk using my bow to block his sword and instead use my Dexterity to dodge his strikes. Pacore tries to keep me from regaining my distance by pressing on the attack.


    In a brief opening between his strikes, I try hitting him with another arrow in the center of his chest.


    The loud ringing noise of my arrow impacting his invisible barrier at close range sounds oddly metallic. The force of my arrow caused Pacore to pause just long enough for me to gain another fifteen feet between us. I noticed when I hit him with my arrow, his boots lit up.


    "I saw that," I narrow my eyes at Pacore. I usually avoid talking during a battle, but he seems like the kind of man who loves to talk, and any information I can pull out of him might help me.


    Pacore smiles at me as the world around us falls deeper into the madness that is war. I use the brief pause to look around for any of his feathered officers. Even if I can land a lucky shot on one of them while they¡¯re focused on taking the fort, Cristopher¡¯s chances at repelling Scholl would vastly increase.


    ¡°And what is it that you think you saw?¡± Pacore self-assuredly asks.


    Good, the longer I can draw this out, the more time I have to figure out his weak points. "Your shoes are enchanted to keep you in place. If they weren''t, each of my strikes would send you tumbling back."


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Pacore mocks, once again charging me. ¡°I thought a rouge of your level would prove more insightful!¡±


    I hold my ground, counting the arrows I shot and how many remain. I''ve already used four of my arrows; I still have seventeen similar arrows and the special one Norah enchanted.


    ¡°Finished running!?¡± Pacore shouts as he nears me once again.


    "Testing out another theory," I retort. Pacore looks surprised, as this time, I step into his strike. Even with his abysmal Strength stats, he can still cut me with his sword, so I strike his sword arm with my armguard, deflecting his slash.


    I reach out with my free right hand towards Pacore¡¯s face. His eyes widen further when I firmly grasp onto his invisible barrier. The familiar feeling of metal is undeniable.


    I¡¯m forced to let go and retreat when he pulls out a dagger and tries to open up my belly. This time he doesn¡¯t immediately charge me again.


    "You''re full of shit; you know that," I yell at him, which only causes him to laugh. "Just like that cloak you used to make yourself invisible earlier, the armor you''re wearing is also enchanted to be invisible. You make it seem like you can withstand everything with your stats alone, but you''re wearing armor like everybody else."


    Now that I know what to look for, I can see that his clothes are designed to hide where his invisible armor is secured to his body. No wonder he can survive a volley of siege spells and arrows. His armor takes the brunt of the damage, and his stats take care of the rest, making it appear that he can''t be injured by traditional means.


    I wonder if he¡¯s really put all his points into Vitality and Endurance? His armor and other magic items have to use up an incredible amount of magic.


    "And why wouldn''t I wear armor? Is that against the rules?¡± He taunts me.


    We both spring into action. I keep moving around him while Pacore chases after me; neither of us able to damage the other.


    A one-sided game of cat and mouse ensues between us while siege spells detonate around us.


    If he''s wearing armor, then that means there have to be weak points I can exploit, I ponder.


    It will just be hard to find them because his armor is invisible. I activate Rapid Shot, shooting three arrows in a tight grouping around the bottom of his neck, the area a helmet and chest piece rarely fully cover.


    I carefully watch how each of my arrows bounce off his invisible armor, hoping just one will snag on an opening.


    A variety of solutions filter through my mind. Maybe Pacore would die if I burred him alive or dropped him in the middle of a lake, but I doubt he doesn''t have a counter for such a situation.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be frowning already,¡± he quips. I already regret getting him to talk. The berserking monster has the Stamina to run at me while wildly swinging his sword and talking simultaneously.


    ¡°Will you shut up unless you¡¯re going to tell me how to kill you,¡± I growl at him, aiming another arrow at his throat.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll leave that to your imagination. I¡¯m happy to see you taking this seriously, though." This bastard, I''ve been serious from the start. It''s him who sees this as a game.


    The longer our battle continues, the worst my situation becomes. Scholl¡¯s army is steadily inching forward, advancing on the fort¡¯s walls, and I can see them preparing to try and scale them soon. I need to kill Pacore and return to help my men!


    I send another arrow at him, this time enhanced with two of my skills, Empowered Shot and Piercing Strike. A louder ring resonates through the air when it strikes his invisible armor, and Pacore is even forced to take a step back. That was a good hit!


    But my enthusiasm is quickly doused by reality. Pacore recovers with no sign that my arrow did anything to him or his armor and continues to try and make this a close-quarters fight.


    I usually would be Pacore''s perfect counter because of how hard I can hit when I have time to prepare. A close-range tank against a powerful archer, the archer wins 99.999% of the time.


    *Bang**Bang**Bang*


    A loud noise behind me draws my attention. I see Scholl has started focusing their siege spells on the fort''s main gate. Oh no, I need to hurry!


    ¡°Don¡¯t look away from me!¡± I turn back to Pacore in time to see him activate a movement skill, possibly Double Step. He rapidly closes the distance between us and swings his sword at my head.


    I lean back, avoiding the strike, only to watch Pacore twirl in place like an awkward dancer and bring his sword back around for a second strike.


    I use my Dexterity to flip backwards, narrowly avoiding his second strike. I draw and lose another arrow at the man, but at this point, it''s just a token response. I''ve hunted lesser dragons that were easier to wound.


    I jump back, expecting another strike from Pacore, but he doesn''t pursue me. "This is becoming disappointing; he says with a sad look on his face. I gave you time to recover, but it looks like you aren''t a challenge without your special arrows." He stops down on one of my arrows at his feet.


    "When I was dispatched by my king to deal with you, I was so excited. But after listening to Tellis describe how you killed the previous commander and dealt with our forces, I questioned if you had any more of your special arrows. After the fight with our assassin, it became clear you don''t."


    ¡°I can still kill you!¡± I gnash my teeth at him.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± My anger further erupts when I see he has the gall to actually look sad at my weakness. "You should surrender. I stand by my previous promise, surrender, and I''ll spare you and your men. They won''t be able to hold out for much longer, this force was assembled to take the fort, and that''s what we''ll do."


    I scoff at the old man. ¡°Do I appear so weak to you? Just as you were ordered to take the fort, I was sent to defend it. I¡¯ll stop you here and then kill your men before they ever step foot past our walls,¡± I boldly proclaim.


    A sad smile forms across Pacore''s face. "As you wish. It was probably foolish for me to ask such a question. Show me your resolve General Pitz, draw blood if you can; then I''ll lay you to rest.¡±


    Pacore starts walking towards me with a blank look on his face.


    Like I¡¯ll die that easily.


    If he wants me to hit him so badly, I won''t disappoint him. I nock another arrow and fire it straight at his head, looking for any disturbances in his skin or hair.


    I dodge one of his strikes and then aim for his chest.


    I again hit him square in the chest and study the reaction his armor has on his body. His armor and sword are still brimming with magic, and I don''t think they''ll run out soon. When I hit his head, the hair on top of his head and his braided beard moved as one, meaning his helmet is tightly hugging his skin with small holes for his facial hair to pass through.


    But when I hit his chest piece, there was a moment before his clothes moved, meaning there¡¯s a gap between his chest piece and the cloth I see through his armor.


    I need to finish this, and I only have one option left. Jumping back, I rapidly extend the distance between us. I''m far enough away that he''ll still charge at me and not draw me in by reactivating his attraction skill that draws in attacks.


    I take up my full stance and draw the enchanted arrow from my quiver.


    Pacore isn''t stupid, he sees I''m trying something big, and he''s all too happy to play along. Sick bastard.


    I hope Norah enchanted this arrow to be strong enough.


    I start activating my skills; Steady Hands, Exceptional Aim, Enhanced Perception, Strong Bow, Perfect Draw, and Reinforce Arrow, a new skill I recently picked up after working with weaker arrows than usual. I¡¯ve been passively using it since our fight began, but now, I can use it to its full potential.


    Pacore pays no mind to what I¡¯m doing and continues to run straight at me.


    Wait for it, I repeat to myself.


    Thirty feet.


    Twenty feet.


    Ten feet.


    I wait until the last second before I activate Instantaneous Strike when Pacore is right in front of me.


    A sharp wailing sound pierces my ears, as I release my bowstring.


    My Mana and Stamina rapidly drop as my arrow disappears as soon as my bowstring snaps back into place. The arrow only teleports a few feet before a black arrowhead materializes right up against Pacore¡¯s clothes.


    Everything happens so fast, Pacore doesn''t realize I bypassed his armor until the hole where his heart should be, starts gushing blood. The red liquid that flows from his chest is more akin to tree sap than human blood, clotting to the naked eye.


    Pacore starts to buckle forward.


    I did it!


    I¡­..


    Pacore looks up at me with blood dripping from his mouth with a smile of ecstasy. He steps forward, and with a flick of his wrist, he runs me through with his sword before I can react.


    I helplessly look down at the blade that¡¯s skewering me through the stomach and collapse to my feet.


    ¡°That was a good hit,¡± I barely hear Pacore¡¯s words.


    I channel my remaining mana to the healing bracelet on my wrist. The two remaining magic gems shatter, and a large wave of healing mana washes through my body.


    I can still fight.


    I move to stand up and pull the blade out of myself, but my body doesn''t respond. The healing energy released from my magic item is trying to heal the damage, but it''s being drained into Pacore¡¯s sword instead.


    The small amount of healing mana that my body does absorb is only enough to push the feeling of death back a bit and clear my head a little. I fall back on the stony ground, looking up at Pacore, who''s still bleeding from his chest.


    ¡°Healing item, huh. I never cared for them; alchemical solutions work slower but aren¡¯t as easy to counter.¡± I watch, unable to speak, as Pacore reaches up and flips an invisible latch on the side of his head and peels his face guard open. He grabs two of the vials at his side and quickly drinks both. His flesh around the hole I put in him starts to wriggle and slowly mend itself back together like a mass of worms wriggling as one.


    I want to shout for Cristopher to pepper the area with siege spells now that his face is open, but my lungs don''t want to comply with me.


    ¡°Then again, it¡¯s only because of my stats that I can heal like this,¡± Pacore takes the time to explain to me.


    I feel the world becoming darker as my hands and feet become cold. So this is how I die.


    "When I fight, it''s hard for me to hit my opponents, and when I do, I quickly learned they always had a healing magic item on hand for emergencies. My scouts saw you using yours during the fight with Zekil. To bypass that pesky problem, I long ago commissioned a Dwarven sword enchanted to absorbed healing magic. Of course, that means I can¡¯t use it myself, but that hardly matters to me.¡±


    The sounds of the battlefield fade away to the point I can only hear Pacore.


    ¡°Thanks for not giving up. It has been a while since someone was able to make me bleed.¡± Pacore stands over me and yanks his sword out of me. I can¡¯t even feel it as the blade leaves my flesh.


    "Sleep well, general; it was fun while it lasted." Those are the last words I hear as I go to meet the Goddess Ebeon.

 Ch: 65

    Cristopher¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°General, come back!¡± I lean over the ramparts and shout at her departing figure. My heart feels like it''s about to beat out of my chest. I watch General Pitz walk towards the man who drew in all our siege spells and walked out unscathed. Even though he¡¯s so far away from me, my skills tell me he¡¯s as dangerous as the general.


    I bite my lower lip until I taste copper in my mouth. Bringing my hand up to my lip, I see that I''m bleeding. I wipe my hand on my pants and ignore the taste of blood.


    Why did she have to leave? We could¡¯ve found a solution together; she has to know she¡¯s vastly unprepared to fight someone like that without her proper gear.


    ¡°Sir, what do we do?¡± I hear the communications mage ask behind me.


    I round on them, about to shout, ''I have no idea'' when I remember I''m in charge now. Everyone is looking to me to defend the fort while the general distracts that monster.


    If the communications mage noticed my frantic look, he¡¯s hiding it well, patiently waiting for my orders.


    ¡°Send word to the mage battalions to open fire at Scholl¡¯s front ranks as soon as the general starts fighting. Tell them to keep an eye on the general and be prepared to help her escape if this is an elaborate trap.¡±


    "Sir, if we use siege spells, then most likely some might fall near the general." The communication mage informs me with a worried expression.


    I ball my hands into fists at my side. "It can''t be helped. We''re outnumbered, and we can''t limit ourselves to only archery if we¡¯re to win. I¡¯m confident the general wouldn¡¯t let something as slow as a siege spell hit her. Inform our best archers and mage battalions they''re to focus solely on Scholl''s commanders. Any bastard wearing a feather takes priority. If one of them reaches our walls, we''re screwed."


    ¡°By your orders,¡± the communication mage salutes me and starts casting his magic, spreading my plan to the entire fort.


    I turn away from the mage and focus on the general as she nears the monster disguised as an old man. Why did she have to leave me in charge? I may have helped her by passing along her orders, but I''ve never been in charge of this many people before.


    ¡°I was sent to watch over you and to pull you back if need be, not let you sacrifice yourself," I mumble under my breath.


    After spending months with the general, I should''ve realized that was never possible. No one can tell her what to do. The men think she''s scary and domineering, but I know that she cares deeply for their safety and takes her job as a general seriously.


    And now she¡¯s stepped into the wolves¡¯ den just to give us a chance to defend ourselves.


    No, I can¡¯t think like that. I¡¯ll make sure not a single Scholl soldier makes it past our walls, so when the general is finished kicking that old man¡¯s feathered ass around the canyon, she can come back here and rest without worry.


    I can¡¯t waste my time thinking about the general. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll win. It¡¯s the eight people spearheading Scholl¡¯s forces I need to focus on. That¡¯s my job, gathering intel on people. The faster I figure out their abilities and stat distribution, the quicker we can counter them.


    The general and the man she called Pacore are talking to each other. I can see Scholl is prepared to launch their attacks as soon as their fight begins, just like we are.


    I activate Shadowing Observer and merge with the shadows cast by the morning sun. I¡¯ll stay on the move and direct our men that way. I make my way to the far left of the fort¡¯s walls and observe the first of Scholl¡¯s feathered commanders.


    I take note of the short woman with light blue hair. She¡¯s wearing a full set of metal armor and is wielding a sword and shield. My skills tell me her highest stat is Strength, probably a close-range fighter. As to not get her information mixed with the others, I mentally label her number one.


    Number two is a mage wearing a robe that covers most of his features and is brandishing a staff with a large red magic gem on it. He''s possibly a fire mage, or maybe the hex mage the general told us about. His strongest stat is Magic, just like most mages.


    I rush along the rampart¡¯s shadows until I get a better view of number three and four.


    Three is a bulky man wearing Scholl''s military dress with light armor. He has a sword at his side, but it looks more ornamental than practical. He¡¯s probably someone geared towards leading.


    The fourth person sporting a feather on his chest is of average height and has two swords at his side. I saw the general eyeballing him while she passed by, and he didn¡¯t look worried. Was it confidence or stupidity?


    I only spend a few seconds observing each of them before I move on. As I run across the wall, I send a quick glance over to the general. Both she and her opponent look like they''re ready to start fighting at any moment. I need to move quicker.


    The fifth individual with a feather is a middle-aged woman with her hair done up in a bun. She¡¯s wearing the same military uniform as number three and has an almost identical sword. Six and seven are a pair of mages dressed similar to each other in grey robs. And eight is another snappily dressed man that looks like he should be leading a military parade rather than standing at the front of an army.


    Now that I think I know each of their specialties, I can better¡­


    I feel the world around me shift as signaling horns bellow from Scholl¡¯s army, which our walls return with their own deep melody.


    Still hidden in the shadows, I watch the captain responsible for this part of the wall start screaming his orders. Our mages hastily throw up their shields as dozens of fireballs and large rocks are hurled at us. I¡¯m forced to leave my hiding spot to take cover behind the closest shield, less I accidentally take a spell to the face.


    The captain only spares me a glance as I materialize out of the shadows before he yells out, ¡°brace!¡±


    I feel my very bones shake as the mage next to me tries to deflect a three-foot boulder coming straight at us!


    The rock directly impacts the shield at its center, and I panic when I see fracture lines creep across its surface. The mage shouts out a war cry of defiance and pumps more of his Mana into his spell. The cracks slowly mend themselves together until the boulder starts to harmlessly drop from the shield. The boulder only falls a few feet before it disintegrates into nothing. They¡¯re conjuring boulders instead of wasting their Mana by launching the canyon''s rocks.


    Our mage battalions start launching their own spells, but they''re significantly fewer in number when compared to Scholl¡¯s.


    As soon as I have a chance, I rush over to the ramparts'' edge and scan the distance for the general. ¡°Please, be ok,¡± I tell myself.


    I spot her in the same general area she met with Scholl''s leader, but she''s already started their battle. Neither she nor her opponent seems to stop for a moment as they continuously shift their positions, trying to outmaneuver the other. The general is fast, but her opponent never stops advancing.


    I wish I could watch her battle and cheer her on, but I need to focus on repelling Scholl.


    Scholl¡¯s army is slowly shifting its forces now that the battle has begun, and it''s challenging to find the feathered commanders in the chaotic mess. It isn¡¯t until I look at the mass of soldiers as a whole that I notice they¡¯re shifting around the two commanders with them at the center. Our commanders follow my orders and target them, but the two feathered mages are working together to shield their companions from our attacks.


    Two commanders and two mages on this side, while the other has a commander, mage, and two close-range fighters. It''s hard to see around the wall, but it looks like Scholl''s left battalion is focused more on close-range fighters and making its way to our walls, while the right battalion in front of me is more long-range based.


    I pull up a mental map to better organize everything.


    Three, five, and eight are leaders with skills geared towards leading others.


    Two, six, and seven are mages. Leaving one and Four as close-range fighters.


    They have their forces divided in a way to complement each other while ours are spread evenly across the walls. Our attacks are hitting Scholl''s commanders, but they aren''t doing any damage. The general''s original plan isn''t working; we need to shake things up. I turn towards the nearby commander, ¡°keep the pressure on the feathered individuals with magic but attack their surrounding men with your bowmen."


    ¡°I can do that, sir, but we won¡¯t be able to hold out long facing this kind of barrage.¡± As if to confirm his point, another volley of Scholl¡¯s spells clashes up against our mage¡¯s shields. All our mages look like they¡¯re struggling to keep their spells active.


    "Do your best," I tell him. "I need to check on the other side of the fort." I sprint across the ramparts, not having enough time to hide in the shadows.


    As I pass over the main gate, I manage to steal another look at the general''s battle. They seem to have stopped for a moment. I don''t see any injuries on the general, but her opponent looks perfectly fine as well.


    I know the general will come through like she always does; I just need to hold out until then.


    Reaching the fort''s left side, I''m confronted with an entirely different battle than the right flank.


    Scholl¡¯s left battalion is dangerously close to our wall. Their archers and warriors are pelting my men with arrows and short spears. The sheer number of projectiles has forced our mages, which should be slinging siege spalls at the enemy, to help defend everyone by erecting their own shields.


    I pass by a young man huddled in the corner. I¡¯m about to yell at him to get up and fight when I notice the blood. I couldn¡¯t see the wound with his body slouched over, but I now realize the poor man is dead. Someone must have moved his body, so it''s not in the way.


    And he isn¡¯t the only one.


    A quick glance is all I need to start noticing the dead starting to pile up, and the battle has only just begun.


    Down below, I¡¯m able to spot Scholl¡¯s commander in the crowd. In the center of Scholl¡¯s troops is the man I rightfully labeled as a commander. And next to the commander is the mage, making sure our arrows never touch the man leading the battalion. Leading the charge of their forces are the two short-range fighters. The lady with the sword and shield deflects each arrow with her large shield and launches small spells from her sword.


    The twin sword-wielding warrior the general was eyeballing is even more eye-catching. He''s using his twin swords to hit the arrows coming at him out of the air.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    This isn¡¯t working, I think, gritting my teeth. The general wanted us to focus on the feathered commanders, but they''re just evading or blocking everything we throw at them with their superior numbers and levels.


    I only hesitate for a moment before I find the closest communications mage who''s helping by erecting a magic shield.


    ¡°What are you doing!?¡± He yells at me as I pull him behind a nearby tower wall, not realizing who I am.


    ¡°Shut up, and prepare to send my orders,¡± I firmly hold him by the front of his robes.


    His eyes widen when he finally notices who I am. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry for¡­¡±


    ¡°No time for that,¡± I cut him off. ¡°Send word to each squad that I want them to change their targets.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± The communications mage gives me a complicated look.


    ¡°Yes, I know I just sent out orders not too long ago,¡± I hiss at him. ¡°Send word that I want our best archers to keep firing on the feathered commanders while everyone else is to shift targets to their regular soldiers. We can at least lower their number that way.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡± The mage salutes me and starts casting his spell.


    There¡¯s a short pause from our ranks as my orders are sent around, but soon more spells and arrows are once again launched at Scholl.


    The brief laps in our attack was not enough time for Scholl to properly defend themselves. The feathered commanders have more mobility now that we aren¡¯t targeting them with magic, but in turn, we were able to kill scores of Scholl¡¯s soldiers before they were able to defend themselves.


    The constant barrage of attacks lightens as part of Scholl¡¯s forces need to switch to defensive measures. The general told me Scholl is known for their fast attacks and placing their highest leveled people in the front. Usually, you would need to deal with that kind of force with an equally aggressive move, but we can''t with our numbers.


    As long as we can hold their strongest warriors at bay and whittle away their forces, we might stand a chance.


    Almost immediately, our change in strategy bears fruit. A few spells do land near the general, but she easily dodges them. We manage to deal a significant blow to Scholl''s forces for the first time and push them back a little.


    We continue to exchange spells, and our archers manage to keep Scholl''s feathered commanders at bay barely, but it''s plain to see that they''re quickly adjusting to our new strategy and are regaining their foothold against our walls.


    We might need to change our strategy again to keep them on their¡­


    *Bang**Bang**Bang*


    Three rapid explosions shake the ramparts.


    That came from the main gate!


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them breach the gate!¡± I hear multiple people shout in a panic.


    Rushing to the front gate, I see a few mages hastily erecting magic shields as Scholl¡¯s right battalion has shifted their strikes solely on the main gate. To my left, I also see the School''s left battalion subtly shifting their positions, inching their way over in this direction as well.


    Glancing at my feet, I see the masonry under my boots has started to separate and crack.


    If they breach the gate, we won''t be able to keep them from taking the fort, and the general will be surrounded from all sides.


    I want to drag more of our mages over here, but Scholl is still peppering the other sections of our walls with spells and projectiles. If I shore up the gate, they''ll pick apart our other forces; if I don''t focus on the gate, they''ll walk right through it; I don''t have an answer.


    While I¡¯m freaking out over how to proceed, a familiar noise echoes across the battlefield.


    That was the sound of the general shooting one of her specialty arrows! I''ve only heard the explosive sound of the general firing her bow to the fullest of her ability four times before, but I would never forget that sound.


    I rush over to the ramparts edge in time to see the older man the general was fighting, doubling over with a hole in his chest.


    ¡°She did it!¡± I almost cry in relief.


    Then it dawns on me, she must have used one of her tier 5 skills, and if she did, she¡¯ll be too tired to retreat on her own.


    I¡¯ll need to organize a rescue party to¡­


    The world stops for me as I watch the old man plunge his sword into the generals¡¯ stomach.


    I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing, as the general collapses on her back and every person fighting stops moving. Scholl''s warriors stop shooting their spells, and the remaining soldiers on our walls are staring at our fallen general in disbelief.


    ¡°But she won,¡± I try to tell myself, feeling the life drain out of me.


    It isn¡¯t until the old man heals himself and rips his sword out of the general and mouths something to her that I understand what''s happening.


    Scholl''s leader hoists his sword over his head and shouts, sending a chain reaction through his men, who look like they''re ready to go berzerk.


    Pacore flicks the general''s blood from his blade before sheathing his sword. He looks over our remaining defenses before activating the magic item he used earlier to amplify his voice.


    "People of Olebert, your general is defeated!" He shouts, and Scholl''s soldiers cheer so loud they sound like rolling thunder.


    I watch him fish a vial from his side and hold it up. ¡°I give you one last chance to surrender your fort. If you do, I¡¯ll see to it that your general survives." The old man''s words send my mind into disarray. "If you chose not to surrender, then we will take the fort and leave no survivors. Decide now; your general doesn''t have much time before she meets Ebeon!"


    Even if he hasn''t taken the fort yet, his claims have sent our ranks into disarray. The average soldiers look to me in varying states of panic while my captains and squad leaders look at me with uncertainty in their eyes.


    They know even if we surrender, there is no guarantee we still won''t be executed.


    ''Cristopher, your mission is to act as the steward to General Emily Pitz. She''s known for her reckless behavior, but she''s one of Olebert''s finest assets. The king has made it clear her life takes precedent over your own. Olebert can''t lose someone of her level, do I make myself clear?'' I think about my superior''s orders before I met the general for the first time.


    Soon after I remember my superior¡¯s orders, I hear General Pitz¡¯s final words to me before she left. ¡®From here on out, you''re in charge. No matter what happens to me, you''re to defend the fort. I''ll distract Pacore while you deal with his men. As soon as we start fighting, send everything we have at them.¡¯


    What do I do?


    I want to honor the general''s orders, but I don''t want to see her die.


    I shakily turn towards the nearest commander. ¡°Raise a red flag, and open the main gate.¡±


    "Are you sure, sir?!" He asks for clarification. I ball my hands into fists at my side. Is this what Lady Pitz felt every time I second-guessed her?


    ¡°Just do it,¡± I tell him, hanging my head.


    ¡°By your will, I¡¯ll spread the word.¡± I watch him run off.


    As red flags are hoisted onto the towers, signaling our surrender, I make my way over to the nearest communications mage, who watches me approach with a pale face. "Send immediate word to the supply corps in Teeburn. Fort North Ridge has fallen to Scholl, evacuate the city; they''re sure to take that next." I order with a solemn face.


    The mage nervously nods and casts his spell. I hear the front gate being opened directly underneath us. Most of our newer soldiers have already tossed aside their weapons like that somehow guarantees they¡¯ll be spared.


    I move back over to the edge of the ramparts and glance at where the General had fallen. Mages surround her, but I can''t tell if they know healing magic, and I can only hope Pacore sticks to his word.


    I look up at the sky as I hear Scholl''s army pouring into the courtyard below. Black clouds are forming overhead, and I feel a cold raindrop splash against my cheek.


    "We failed," I mumble as the magic weather washes the blood from our ramparts onto the rocky ground below.


    <hr>


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    I stroll through the front gates of the fort with Tellis at my side, the cold drizzle unable to penetrate my magic armor.


    ¡°What do we do next, Master Pacore? What do we do with the prisoners?¡± Tellis asks me, high off of the excitement from our win.


    "Detain everyone above level 50; release the rest of them," I tell him.


    Tellis stumbles over his feet and looks at me with wide eyes. ¡°Release them, that¡¯s insane!?¡±


    I shake my head in disappointment. "If we keep them all as prisoners, how do you plan on feeding them, huh? I''m sure most of the people here under level 50 are conscripts from the surrounding cities and villages. It will hurt us in the long run if we lock them up or execute them."


    ¡°But what if they rejoin with the rest of Olebert¡¯s army?¡± Tellis hastily points out.


    I glance at a few young men standing nearby with my soldier''s sword pointed at their necks with horror in their eyes. "That might be true for some of them, but can''t you see it, Tellis?" I gesture all around me. "Most of these people are broken. I bet they never considered Olebert would lose the fort, let alone their fate should that happen. If we let them go, they''ll scurry back to their villages and spread the word of our victory and our benevolence. We need to control the surrounding cities, and a merciful ruler faces less opposition," I explain.


    I might have considered killing all of them in my youth, and I''ve served under leaders who''ve done just that. They win one fight but make an enemy out of the people they wish to rule, guaranteeing opposition at every turn.


    "Who is the leader here!?" I shout. The trained soldiers drop their gazes to the ground to not give their commander away, but the newer men all glance in one direction.


    I follow their looks up above the gate we just entered to see a young man staring daggers at me. ¡°Are you in charge of these men?¡± I ask.


    "Is the general ok?" He answers me with his own question.


    "Insolent!" Tabitha, my only student who¡¯s earned a feather, brandishes her shield and sword, ready to charge the man.


    I hold my hand out, keeping her in place. ¡°Master?¡± She gives me a questioning look.


    Turning back to the man looking down on me, I see my men have surrounded him.


    I can tell just by his eyes that he has no intention of fleeing, interesting. "I have my best healers tending to her, and I even used my last tonic on her. It won¡¯t be because of my lack of trying if she does end up dying. Now, is this an elaborate trap to try and kill me, or are you surrendering peacefully?" My men jump at the thought of this being a trap, but I was just joking.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll spare the life of my men?¡± He narrows his eyes at me.


    ¡°Of course, I gave my word, did I not? If you surrendered the fort earlier, we could¡¯ve skipped all the bloodshed.¡± I can see the young man holding back his anger. ¡°Who are you?¡± I once again ask for the young man¡¯s name.


    ¡°Cristopher, steward of great General Emily Pitz,¡± he passionately claims.


    At least a few people in this fort still have some backbone. ¡°Tellis, Tabitha, start processing the captives and organizing our troops. We have more work to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Pacore,¡± the two echo one another. ¡°Shackle that man and make sure he doesn¡¯t try anything,¡± I tell my men surrounding the steward.


    Well, that''s all the orders I need to give out.


    I hope the next fight will be more fun than this one; I think to myself as I walk over the fort¡¯s keep. Time to inspect my new holdings and prepare to take Teeburn.


    <hr>


    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°What do you think that was all about?¡± Ryiba motions to the sky.


    ¡°Nothing good,¡± Lurte ominously says.


    I¡¯m just as nervous as the two of them. Soon after we left the supply corps base, they locked down the area, turning away all the other merchants, even those waiting in line to sell their goods. All of Teeburn was talking about it.


    I got a bad feeling from the whole thing and decided to leave the city early and head back to Drey.


    I was trying to put it out of my mind, but a vast flock of messenger birds just passed overhead for the fourth time today.


    It goes against my better judgment, but I turn to Reel, who''s walking off to the side of the cart. "What do you think, Reel?"


    Reel turns towards me, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Reel''s expression is serious, and he continues to scan our surroundings even as he answers me. ¡°The messenger guild doesn¡¯t send that many of its birds out unless there¡¯s trouble. The only thing I can think of is if something happened at the fort.¡±


    I move to wipe the nervous sweat from my face. Could something big have happened?


    Reel turns around and stares behind us. ¡°See something?¡± I ask.


    "Wagons are approaching, a lot of them," he informs us.


    I look over my shoulder to see carts stuffed with goods and supplies rapidly approaching us. We can soon hear the labored panting of the charging Bivol as the first cart approaches.


    I start to worry when it doesn¡¯t look like the cart is going to slow down.


    At the last minute, the cart swerves to the side of us, ending up halfway off the road, and passes us in a hurry. It''s only two minutes before another cart passes us in the same manner. Each is wiping their pack animals, trying to get them to move faster.


    I try calling out to the third cart that moves to pass us. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry!?¡±


    The panicked cart driver yells at me, ¡°Fort North Ridge has fallen! Scholl is free to invade!¡± The man snaps his reins and passes us without saying anything else.


    It takes a minute for the news to sink into all of us.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± We all curse at the same time.


    Without saying a word, Reel, Lurte, and Ryiba all hop into the back of my cart. I snap my reins to try and get my Bivol to move faster as well. We''re only a day away from Teeburn, and that''s the next place Scholl will try to take. We need to get out of here!


    I turn around and look back in the city''s direction and see a hoard of carts heading in our direction.


    ¡°Gods, save us,¡± I utter a short prayer to the darkening sky.


    <hr>


    Leonard Grey¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Has this been authenticated?¡± My hands tremble as I look at the parchment.


    ¡°It has,¡± the head receptionist confirms my worst fears. "Word is quickly spreading around the city; people are panicking.¡±


    "The fort has fallen," I say out loud, not believing my own words.


    ¡°This is horrible!¡± I have thousands of gold coins invested in the Teeburn branch.


    "You''re right; this is a tragedy," the head receptionist bats her eyes with a handkerchief as if she¡¯s actually crying. ¡°What is Olebert to do?¡±


    Olebert! Who cares about Olebert, loosing Teeburn will set my plans back by months, I want to scream at the annoying woman, but I know who she reports to.


    ¡°Has the main office been notified?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Word has already been sent,¡± she tells me.


    I feign a concerned look to hide my anger. "That''s good; summon everyone we have to the office. We don''t have a moment to spare."


    The head receptionist nods and rushes out of my office. I frown as she leaves; for a second there, I could''ve sworn she gave me a knowing look before she turned away from me. Maybe I''m being paranoid, or the stress of the situation is getting to me?


    Max shuts the door after checking that the annoying woman is truly gone.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it, damn it,¡± I slam my hands against my desk. ¡°Max, any word from our men in Teeburn?¡±


    ¡°None, boss.¡±


    ¡°Did Scholl already take the city? That would be the worst-case scenario.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, boss, but Scholl shouldn¡¯t wait to secure more territory while they have the chance.¡± Max gives me his possessional opinion.


    ¡°Ok, contact our men in Teeburn and tell them they don¡¯t leave the city until they have all my important documents secured! If they leave the city without those papers, they¡¯re dead.¡±


    "Understood, boss," Max briefly leaves the room to convey my orders secretly.


    While Max goes to deal with that, I¡¯m forced to figure out where I¡¯m supposed to move my secret documents. I''ve stored every bit of information I''ve gathered on Silver Herds operations over the last ten years in Teeburn. The city has remained under my jurisdiction for over a decade, and until the war started, Silver Herd pretty much ignored it.


    I can¡¯t believe those fools in the military actually lost the fort.


    Leaning back in my chair, I try to imagine how Giovanni is reacting right now. Scholl''s army will move in this direction after they take Teeburn, and everything will become complicated.


    Depending on what Giovanni decides and how we interact with Scholl will make or break Silver Herd. If we help fight Scholl, it would further Giovanni''s goals with Olebert but put us at the mercy of Scholl''s forces. If he decides to do business with Scholl, that could also make us quite a profit but should Olebert manage to expel Scholl; we''ll be in big trouble.


    I know I wanted to leave the company, but I can''t join one of the big three merchant companies if I''m labeled a traitor.


    How do I deal with this mess, I ask, looking out my office window at the spring sky.


    <hr>


    Richard¡¯s Point of View:


    "Move, you stupid animal!" I crack the reins, but the bivol continues at its leisurely pace down dirt road leading towards Spotted Creek Village. "Do you think it will move faster if you throw a fireball at it?" I ask Sandra, who''s sitting next to me on the cart.


    ¡°I told you, you shouldn¡¯t have bought the cheapest one,¡± she grins at me.


    I know she''s making fun of me, but she''s too beautiful to argue with. "We only need it to get us back to the village. Why would I spend money on a beast we''ll throw in the village pens and never see again?¡± I playfully whine to her.


    ¡°Because it will take us a month to get back to the village at this rate,¡± she snarkily points out to me.


    She might have me there.


    I wonder if our furniture is too heavy?


    Looking behind us, I see all the belongings that we''ve collected over the past five years. In my spare time, I took up woodworking, and with my architect skills, I was able to craft a lovely dining room set and two dressers for Sandra''s clothes. I still keep my clothes in a bare wooden chest, but whatever makes my lovely mage happy. Even if she never wears half of her wardrobe.


    ¡°What are you thinking about, sweety?¡± I immediately have flashbacks of my mother questioning my dad.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I lightly shake my head.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t just thinking something negative about me, weren¡¯t you?¡± She questions me.


    ¡°Nope, just thinking about how lucky I am to have such a powerful, beautiful, amazing woman by my side.¡± I lean over start kissing her passionately. And psychic, I note to myself.


    Sandra plays along for a little bit, but I can see she isn''t buying it when she pulls away.


    "Are you ready to see the village again?" I ask her, trying to change the subject.


    She raises one of her eyebrows at me, meaning she wasn''t fooled, but she playfully takes the bait anyway. "I am; I miss our families. I wonder how much has changed since we were last home?"


    ¡°I wonder how much the little rabbit has grown,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°In father¡¯s letters, he said she¡¯s one of the strongest people in the village now. Call her little rabbit to her face, and I might need to find a new man," Sandra jokes.


    I playfully lean up against her. ¡°I¡¯m sure the beautiful mage next to me will protect me.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on that,¡± Sandra pokes my side causing me to flinch away from her.


    We both share a laugh, but I know she''s right.


    Aaliyah has always been outstanding. I''ve worked extremely hard these last five years, and I''m still mentally preparing myself to have a lower level than my little sister.


    I glance up at the sky. ¡°Things are changing,¡± I mumble.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how things change as long as we have each other,¡± Sandra says, leaning up against me this time.


    I watch a large bird fly overhead towards our village.


    ¡°As long as we have each other,¡± I agree, stealing her lips with a kiss.


    I can¡¯t wait to be home again.

 Ch: 66

    ¡°And right there, I¡¯ll put a tree. A happy tree,¡± I try and give my best Bob Ross impression.


    Waving my hands around, I manipulate the experience around me to form an oak tree. It''s hard to create one based only on my memories entirely, but oak trees were pretty common in my past life, and I only need to get the outward appearance to match the shape in my head.


    I hold my fingers up like I''m looking through a camera and marvel at my handiwork. This is my biggest project to date since I received my second tier 5 skill, Soul Manipulation.


    I look around my soul, at the clearing I usually appear in, and marvel at all the changes I made.


    Since my jump in levels, it''s been harder to fall asleep at night, and I''ve frequently resorted to retreating into my soul. What was once a chore of having to sit still and meditate for hours on end while my body rested in the real world has turned into a sim building game.


    Soul Manipulation is the only skill I can use and practice inside my soul. In the past few days, I¡¯ve started by figuring out how to widen the small clearing I appear in, and from there, I started crafting a whole garden around me.


    I''ve only been able to replicate stone pathways and plants, but I''m hoping to eventually mold inanimate objects from my previous life and maybe build a small building in the future.


    I reach out and touch the rough surface of the oak tree¡¯s trunk. The surface of the tree looks a little too uniform to the eye. No matter how good I am or how much time I spend working on it, I can''t match nature''s beauty. I consider starting over; with only a single wave of my hand, I could destroy hours of work in a single moment.


    Like everything else, destroying is easy; it''s creating that takes the most time.


    This isn''t the first tree I''ve tried to make; heck, it isn''t even the twentieth. But this is the first tree from Earth I¡¯ve managed to craft without it looking like a half-melted sculpture.


    Though I consider the tree a benchmark for my skills rising strength, it¡¯s the first plant that I crafted that brings the biggest smile to my face. I walk over to the center of the clearing and look down at the six-foot by six-foot patch of grass I have meticulously grown from the surrounding experience.


    Not to be confused with the wild grasses I can find around the village, or even the sprouts from the seed the keepers grow in the animal pens. No, this patch of grass is unique in this world; it''s grass from Earth. It took me forever to figure out how to form a single blade of grass, let alone group them closely together and make them flexible to the touch.


    My first try at recreating the grass that I remembered from parks back on Earth resembled a bed of nails rather than groundcover.


    But all my hard work finally paid off, and now every time I enter my soul, I appear atop a soft carpet of grass under the moonlight sky.


    I let myself fall over and sprawl out on the lush green carpet, remembering the times I played in the park or just in my backyard as a child in my previous life.


    Slowly, I sit up and glance at the mess surrounding me. All my projects are scattered across the clearing, with most being unfinished works in progress. Random flat stones and bricks of different colors are embedded everywhere in the ground next to plants I''ve tried to replicate.


    On one side of the clearing, I have copies of the common plants around the village, while on the other side are all plants I¡¯ve tried to recreate from my memories of Earth. There''s an apple tree that looks closer to a kid''s drawing than the real thing, and flowers of different shapes and sizes surround it. I''m not even sure if some plants are ones I encountered or if they''re fictional foliage I remember from movies. I¡¯m pretty sure that glowing fern is from James Cameron¡¯s Avatar.


    The funniest of all has to be a rose bush I made that¡¯s covered in flowers of every color I could imagine. It looks like a rainbow fell out of the sky and landed on a bush. The colorful plant always brings a smile to my face.


    I look up at the stars and moons hanging overhead and raise my hands in a grabbing motion. "The very heavens move to my will!¡± I call out in an exaggerated manner.


    I hold that ridiculous pose for a minute before I drop my arms in defeat. It would be cool if that worked, and I could arrange the stars into my own constellations, but I can''t fly before I''ve learned to walk.


    After meeting the goddesses'' avatars, I now know that the stary sky I see is actually the outer barrier of my soul and the moons are the representations of the links to the pantheon of gods. What makes me curious is there are supposed to be six gods, yet there are seven moons, I ponder to myself.


    Gods, actual gods. Beings of immense power.


    I wish I could talk to mom or someone about meeting the goddesses, but a voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that''s a bad idea every time I try to bring it up. And considering that Mental Resistance doesn''t stop the voice, I''m inclined to believe it.


    My world view has changed a lot recently.


    There are things out there I couldn¡¯t imagine.


    ¡°And gods help me; I want to see them all.¡± I stare up at the moons looking for any minute changes.


    "Nothing," even though I call out to them, nothing changes. I''m sure my first impressions of them were correct, and they don''t care enough to interfere with my life. Knowing I won''t accidentally summon a wrathful goddess every time I swear was a massive load off my mind, but I still wish I could''ve asked them some more questions.


    No, I don''t think I could handle meeting them again; the first time was mentally taxing enough.


    It was only thanks to breaking down in my mother''s and father''s arms; I was able to let out all my pent-up feelings after meeting the deities. Though as the days passed and after some self-reflecting, I realized I might not want to meet the goddesses again, but the thought of encountering another creature like the soul eater intrigues me. I want to see more of the world, and that includes the monsters roaming through it. I don''t have a death wish, though, and I''d never want to fight such beasts, but the thought of seeing them with my own eyes makes my blood boil in a way I never thought possible.


    A big part of me wants to expand my horizons.


    Thinking about expanding my horizons, that reminds me, I should check if it¡¯s morning yet. I don¡¯t bother to stand up and start walking towards my sea of memories; instead, I choose to stay seated on my patch of grass.


    Using Sense Soul and Soul Manipulation, I look inside myself. This body represents my consciousness, and with my new skill combined with the skill levels I gained after the Soul eater incident, I can now feel the connection my consciousness has with the real world.


    I bring my right hand up to my chest and slowly push. My fingers pass through the surface of my clothes and skin as if they weren¡¯t solid.


    ¡°There it is,¡± I mumble to myself. In the center of my consciousness is a thread that connects me to my physical body. As soon as my fingers touch the connection, I feel my consciousness being inverted on itself as it¡¯s snapped back into my body.


    I slowly open my eyes to see the familiar ceiling of my room.


    I smile to myself as I sit up without feeling the strain of being forced from my soul by the moons. I still sometimes go to my sea of memories to train Mental Resistance but exiting my soul of my own volition is much less taxing on my mind and lets me be more productive during the day.


    It''s still dark outside, but I can tell by the faintest of glows in the distance that the sun will soon be rising.


    Today will be the fifth day since I woke up after meeting the goddesses. I was out for a long time; I wonder where Kervin is at right now? I''d guess he''s either in Teeburn or already left it. I wonder if the general liked the arrow or not?


    I wish I could start the next arrow, but I''m stuck crafting the weaker arrows without the supplies I need. Whether the general liked the arrow or not, I''m excited for my delivery of kaglese anyway. I need to forge a new sword, and I plan on making it out of a steel and kaglese alloy. And this time, I''ll be adding mithril to the mixture as well. I want to enchant my next sword after I figure out that damn engraving ink recipe.


    I started practicing synthesizing the ink and even gained the Alchemy skill, but I''ve burned through a tenth of my materials so far, and I''ve only figured out how to do the first few steps correctly. Too bad the ink wasn''t as easy to figure out as my katana.


    I miss my flaming sword, but my last few fights have proven the flames were mostly a novelty. Though highly effective against chameleon spiders, I''ve found myself using my mana to strengthen Mana Skin or using other forms of magic rather than use it to engulf my sword in flames.


    In both my fight with the bandits and the soul eater, the flames my katana could produce were utterly pointless.


    With my rising Strength stat, it''s more practical to have a stronger and heavier sword. In fact, it makes sense for me to go back to using an axe, but I can''t get over how fun it is to practice swinging a sword. I guess I''ll always dream of having an epic sword fight like in the anime I used to watch.


    I get out of bed and start my morning stretching routine as the sun slowly makes its presence known to the village.


    As I move to brush out my hair and tie it up, I hear mother and father shifting around their room.


    While I''m getting ready, something obscures the rising sun from shining through my window for a brief second. I know it isn''t something close by because I don''t pick up anything with Sense Mana. Peering out my window, I see a great bird diving towards the headman''s house.


    The large brown bird moves through the air at lightning speeds, so much so it¡¯s hard for my eyes to follow it. That has to be a messenger hawk.


    Maybe it¡¯s another letter from Kervin like last time?


    When mother and I go for our morning run, we''ll swing by Camden''s house to check.


    "Aaliyah, are you up, sweety?" Speak of the devil; I hear mother through my bedroom door.


    I¡¯m already dressed and ready for the day, so I move over and open my door rather than call out through it. ¡°Morning, mom,¡± I greet mother with a big smile.


    ¡°Did you sleep well? How are you feeling today?¡± Mother asks me while leaning in and wrapping me up in a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m fiiiiiiine,¡± I draw out the fine, exasperated from her asking me every morning.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asks, leaning back and staring me directly in the eyes.


    "I''m sure," I give her a crooked smile. Thanks to my mother''s and father''s support, I was able to recover so quickly after the soul eater attack, but while dad still asks me every so often how I''m doing, it''s mother who sees fit to ask me the same question multiple times a day.


    I¡¯m all for sharing, but she asks me so frequently, I don¡¯t have anything else to talk about!


    ¡°We need to stop by Camden¡¯s house before we start our run,¡± I tell mother, breaking out of her death-grip.


    Mom gives me a curious look when I hear dad call out from their bedroom, "You''re heading to the headman''s house; what for?"


    ¡°I think I saw a large bird flying over to his house. I might have gotten a response from Kervin regarding the general¡¯s arrow,¡± I explain to the two of them.


    ¡°My group is working that way as well. We can walk together.¡± Dad offers, walking over to mother and kissing her on the cheek.


    "That sounds like a lovely idea," she gushes and returns dad''s kiss with one of her own. I turn away from the sweet atmosphere before my teeth start to rot.


    Mother and father eventually separate, and the three of us move into the living room together. Mother moves to put on her shoes while father and I grab our axes. It''s annoying having to carry such a big weapon on my back, but we still live in a remote village, and I need something to defend myself with if something happens. Mother doesn''t advertise it, but I know she always has a dagger on her person, and every so often, I catch a glimpse of her practice swinging it.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    I guess the good news is that everything has been relatively tranquil around the village after the soul eater event. The hunters have reported smaller game returning to the woods, and hopefully, the bigger animals will soon follow now that the spiders are all but gone.


    When I accompanied my mother to have tea with Sarette the other day, I was told thanks to all the tree felling around the village, the fields will be expanded more than ever this year, and we''ll have more crops than we know what to do with.


    Our village has suffered many trials and tribulations this year, but things are finally looking up.


    *Knock**Knock**Knock*


    We all jump at the sound of someone knocking on our front door. ¡°Hello, this is Nicolas. May I come in?¡±


    The three of us share confused looks before mother, who¡¯s standing next to the door, flips open the latch we use to seal the house at night and pushes the door open to let our early morning guest in.


    Nicolas moves into our doorway and scans the room, meeting each of our gazes. "I''m lucky, you''re all still here," he sighs in relief.


    "Is something the matter?" Mother asks, concerned, noticing the strained look on the young man¡¯s face.


    "Father received a messenger hawk from Drey and told my brother and me to gather the senior members of the village immediately," Nicolas tells us while trying to catch his breath. He must have run straight here.


    ¡°What was the message?¡± Father curiously asks.


    "I don''t know, father wouldn''t say. Please head to our house; I still have to go and inform a few others of the meeting." Nicolas turns around and takes off towards his next destination.


    Really. I know my luck isn¡¯t the best, but I tempted fate only five minutes ago! Shouldn¡¯t there be a grace period before fate reacts to a flag?


    "So much for it being a message from Kervin," I joke darkly.


    ¡°Now sweety, we don¡¯t know what the message is about. No use worrying until we meet with Camden. Let¡¯s hurry over and see what the fuss is all about.¡± Mother rushes father and me out the door and over to the headman¡¯s house.


    On our way over, Ronald silently joins our group.


    We pass by many villagers starting their day, and many notice we¡¯re walking towards the headman¡¯s house as a group. A few of the braver ones call out to us and ask us what''s going on, to which we have no answer.


    By the time we reach Camden''s house, I can see master walking over in the distance just as Salus rounds a nearby house to join our little party. "Morning Silvia, Darrius, Aaliyah. Oh, and to you, Ronald, I didn''t see you there." Salus politely greets all of us. "I don''t suppose any of you know why we''re here?"


    ¡°I would like to know the same thing?¡± Our group turns around to see Anastasia walking over, followed by Nicolas. I don''t understand why she was summoned; Anastasia''s healing is important to the village, but she doesn''t usually concern herself with its affairs.


    Master walks over and stands next to me.


    "As I said, Ms. Anastasia, my father didn''t say." Nicolas is trying to keep a straight face, but judging by his twitching eyelid, she''s asked him more than a few times already. Nicolas looks like he''s about to say something else to Anastasia but turns towards us instead, looking past our group, and smiles in relief.


    Turning around, I see Nicolas¡¯s brother Braddon leading Markus and Ezekiel over to our growing group. The two men look just as reluctant as Anastasia does at being summoned on such short notice.


    Braddon walks next to his brother. ¡°Everybody here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nicolas responds. ¡°Was it difficult convincing them to come?¡±


    The two brothers share a meaningful look between the two of them that speaks volumes of their troubles.


    Nicolas clears his throat and turns to everyone gathered. ¡°Alright, everyone is here; follow me to the drawing-room."


    We¡¯re led into the headman¡¯s house to the familiar room the family uses for entertaining guests.


    "Silvia, Aaliyah, come sit next to me," Sarette calls out to us as soon as we enter the room. Mother, Anastasia, and myself each take a seat while the men stand around the room. Camden watches everyone file into the room while sitting in a chair with his hands folded and one of his legs nervously bouncing.


    Usually, Sarette would try to start with some friendly conversation with my mother, but Camden''s heavy atmosphere keeps anyone from trying to talk to one another. Even Anastasia, who''s known for being impatient, stays quiet until Camden decides to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure my boys told you I got a letter from Drey¡­ it isn¡¯t good news." Camden reaches to his side and reveals a wrapped piece of parchment with a fancy broken seal; he leans over and places it on the coffee table. ¡°The message was sent from the city¡¯s lord; I¡¯ll summarize the contents for you.¡±


    Camden takes a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Fort North Ridge has fallen, and Scholl is likely to move in our direction."


    The room becomes ominously silent after Camden drops that bombshell on us before everyone erupts with questions.


    ¡°What are we to do?¡±


    ¡°Are we in danger?¡±


    ¡°What does this mean for the village?¡±


    ¡°What happened to the general?¡± I find myself caught up in the heat of the moment and call out my own question.


    Camden holds his hand out in a stopping motion until everyone stops talking. ¡°I didn¡¯t receive any news about the fort itself, only a message from Drey''s lord on behalf of the Earl,¡± Camden answers my question first.


    ¡°What was in the message?¡± Mother asks the million gold coin question.


    "The message informed me that effective immediately, all villages, towns, and cities are placed on high alert and that we''re to support any official sent to combat Scholl''s forces in any way they deem necessary," Camden explains.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Markus asks.


    ¡°It means if a soldier under the Earls command shows up in a village, they¡¯re allowed free reign of the place,¡± mother snaps at Markus before turning back to Camden. ¡°Is that all?¡± She hesitantly asks.


    ¡°No,¡± Camden lowers his head. ¡°Each village and town are required to send supplies to their nearest cities, in our case Drey. Food, weapons, people, the message was purposely vague, but the wording suggested we would receive little compensation."


    ¡°People!?¡± Mother exclaims.


    Camden slowly nods his head. "The lord of Drey is scraping together as many people as he can to repel Scholl''s advance. The message said if there were not enough volunteers, the city lords and commandeers under the Earl hold the right to conscript people to fill out their numbers." Camden says everything with a strained expression.


    News of a draft infuriates everyone in the room. Markus and Ezekiel are red in the face from yelling, while mother is tightly gripping fathers'' hand that''s resting on her shoulder. If anyone were drafted from the village, it would be mostly the men.


    Our village is remote, but even we heard about the army taking in anyone willing to defend the fort. What happened to everyone there? Did Scholl kill everyone?


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Camden interjects between Markus¡¯ and Ezekiel¡¯s protesting. ¡°The last part of the message said every person level 50 and above is required to report to their nearest cities, lord."


    The room goes deathly quiet as everyone turns to look at master, Ronald, and me.


    Oh shit!


    ¡°They¡¯re also calling on any healers to report in as well,¡± Camden continues with the bad news. ¡°You can see why I¡¯ve called you all here today.¡±


    ¡°My daughter isn¡¯t going anywhere!¡± Mother stands up with fire in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving the village either!¡± Anastasia slams her hand on the coffee table in front of us.


    ¡°We can¡¯t send our best people off to war!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ezekiel agrees with Markus.


    Camden carefully studies everyone in the room. ¡°You¡¯re all talking about defying the Earl¡¯s call to arms. What you¡¯re saying could be considered treason.¡±


    Ezekiel and Markus shut up as soon as they hear the word treason, but they still have the same displeased looks as everybody else. Everyone shares tense looks.


    According to that piece of paper on the table, almost half of the people in this room are officially drafted already.


    "I summoned everyone here because I can''t decide how to proceed by myself," Camden laminates. "Whether we follow the orders of the summons or pretend it never arrived, the people in this room have to be in agreement."


    ¡°Are we?¡± Ezekiel hesitantly asks.


    ¡°Talking about going against the Earl, yes.¡± Camden nods his head. ¡°Master Del, myself, Ronald, Anastasia, and Aaliyah will all have to leave for Drey if we decide to follow the summons.¡±


    ¡°You, why? Who will lead the village?¡± Markus asks.


    ¡°It''s been a busy year, and I recently reached level 50 myself. I¡¯d leave the village in Nicolas''s care. His brother and mother will help him, but once I leave the village, Nicolas will be the new headman." Camden gives his eldest son a half-smile in acknowledgment. Hearing that someone reached level 50 would typically warrant a celebration; too bad under these circumstances, it only makes things worse.


    ¡°And if we disregard the summons?¡± Anastasia gives the headman a pointed glare.


    ¡°Then things become tricky," Camden folds his hands in front of himself. "We''re quite remote, and other than sending our taxes to Drey every year, only a handful of people know that miss Anastasia is living here and even fewer know the levels of our residents.¡±


    ¡°Then we should be fine then if we don¡¯t send anyone,¡± Markus exclaims.


    ¡°Yes, but we could still be found out should the army or nobles send a representative to the village. We would most surely be labeled as traitors and executed.¡± Everyone in the room pales upon hearing the consequences from Camden.


    It¡¯s moments like these that I¡¯m reminded I¡¯m living in a feudal system. I¡¯ve been spared having to deal with this world¡¯s hierarchy, having being born in such a remote village. It¡¯s quite disheartening seeing how the local nobility is reacting to an invasion.


    They demand supplies for free and declare every strong person part of their fighting force.


    I wonder how Scholl would manage things if they were in charge?


    No, I shouldn¡¯t think about that. Those bastards might have killed the general and ruined my future business plans.


    Though that does mean there¡¯s one less person who¡¯s aware of me, silver linings and all that.


    ¡°How long until we have to decide?¡± Ezekiel whines.


    Gods, those two are annoying; they can''t even think for themselves. But he does have a good point; how long until shit hits the fan?


    I turn towards Camden, ¡°do you have a map?¡±


    Everyone looks at me, curious. "I have one of the village,¡± Camden offers.


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head. ¡°A map of the region. Like where Drey, Teeburn, and the other major cities are,¡± I ask.


    "I think my father had an old one, but it''s probably outdated," Camden warns me.


    ¡°That should be fine. Can I see it, please?¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Camden stands up and heads out of the room.


    "What do you need a map for?" Markus asks me. He isn''t outright rude to me because he knows how strong I am, but I can tell he still thinks of me as a child. And he and Ezekiel are both looking at me like I''m wasting everybody''s time.


    I¡¯ve never been more compelled to try out my tier 6 skill than right now.


    ¡°I have it right here,¡± Camden calls out as he rushes back into the room. The two assholes none the wiser to how close I was to snapping at them.


    Camden carefully lays the map out on the table. The parchment looks like it will crumble under the slightest touch.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I ask.


    "We''re down here in the middle of the forest" Camden points to a blank spot on the map that has a crude circle drawn with the name of our village scribbled illegibly nearby.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s Drey,¡± I point to the closest city on the map.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and that¡¯s Teeburn, Blaiton, and Yleles,¡± Camden points to each of the cities on the map.


    There¡¯s none of the smaller towns or villages are marked anywhere on the old map.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mountain over there?¡± I point to the center of the map.


    ¡°That¡¯s Red Dust Mountain, it isn''t very tall, but the land is hard to traverse. It once supplied all the cities around it with iron ore, but it was mined out during my grandfather''s generation." Camden informs me.


    "And this city up at the top of the map? Couldn''t Scholl consider moving in that direction," I point out? The city''s name has faded too much to read it, and only the R at the beginning is legible.


    "I don''t remember the name of the city, but that''s the shortest route leading towards the capitol. I''m no expert, but Olebert''s forces should be marching down that path as we speak."


    Damn, so once they take Teeburn, they can hold of Olebert there and move this way. No wonder the local nobility is freaking out.


    Studying the map, I notice a small circle under the city of Yleles. Does that say Earl Yleles? ¡°Hey Camden, the city is named after the Earl¡¯s family?¡± I ask.


    "Not anymore; the Yleles suffered from a string of bad decisions when my father was a boy and was replaced by the current lord, Earl Rodrick Vagan. Though the Yleles were stripped of their rank, a side branch of the family still governs the city." The more Camden explains to me, the more a small smile grows across my face.


    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t we get back on topic?¡±


    The peanut gallery strikes again; only this time, everyone in the room gives them a dirty look causing the two men to flinch back.


    "I think we''re in luck," I say to the room, gathering everyone''s attention.


    "What do you mean?" Camden leans over the map, trying to see what I see.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming from here, right?¡± I lead everyone with my finger. ¡°We know where they''re coming from, and we can guess how long they''re going to take to reach Drey."


    ¡°And how do you know that?¡± Sarette asks me.


    ¡°Kervin told me he takes around five days to reach Teeburn from Drey. If we factor in how fast an army can move, we can guess how long it will take them to reach the city,¡± I explain.


    I turn towards our resident healer. "You were in the army, Miss Anastasia. Do you know how long it takes for an army to march from city to city?¡±


    Anastasia seems surprised by my question. ¡°I was only trained for a little while and never on logistics.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± I tell her before she becomes too discouraged to answer my questions. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must have seen them send out troops on exorcises. How fast did they seem compared to a cart?¡±


    Anastasia frowns at my question but looks like she¡¯s thinking of an answer. ¡°Maybe a third of the speed of a cart,¡± she hesitantly offers.


    "Thanks, that helps a lot," I smile at the woman. "That would mean we have roughly two weeks before Scholl''s men near Drey. "And that isn''t factoring in skills, so they might even be here sooner," I point out to everyone.


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t tell us much?¡± Markus again points out to me.


    I smugly smile at his question. "Look at where the Earl''s residence is. They sent out word to every village because they''re hurrying to gather people. If we could guess how long it will take Scholl to reach Drey, I''m sure the Earl has already done the same. Two weeks is not enough time for them to mount a sizable defense of Drey."


    "I''ve been to the city, and I don''t see that many guards on the walls. Unless they have a secret army hidden somewhere or plan on forcing every citizen to fight, they won''t hold the city. If the Earl tries to keep the city, he¡¯ll lose men and spread his forces too thin.¡± I explain my thinking to everyone.


    ¡°I think I see what you mean,¡± Camden nods his head at the map. ¡°When you look at it like that, it makes sense for the Earl to abandon Drey. The city isn''t as wealthy as Blaiton or Yleles, and it will take Scholl days to get a whole city of people under control. Now that I think about it, the army may take longer to reach us if we factor in Scholl securing Teeburn,¡± Camden gives his opinion.


    ¡°And you forgot about the good part,¡± I say out loud for those who aren¡¯t following our train of thought. "As long as we send some supplies to Drey and make a token appearance of helping, we can just wait for Drey to fall. If Olebert later retakes the land, we can always say we were too late in sending off our villagers." I cross my arms in front of me, feeling proud of my evil villain insight.


    "That sounds good in theory, but what if Scholl can''t take Drey?" Sarette asks me with a worried look.


    "Scholl managed to take a fort with someone over level 100 guarding it. If by some miracle they can''t take the city, we revisit our plan. The main thing is we should wait to see how things further develop," I smile at my mom''s friend.


    A lot of people looked relieved after hearing my plan. It may not be patriotic to the kingdom of Olebert, but I care more about Ezekiel and Markus than I do a lord who couldn''t spare us help when the Chameleon Spiders first showed up.


    The only thing that matters to me is keeping my family safe and staying out of a war¡­


    "OH, SHIT!" I curse out loud, scaring everyone at the table.


    ¡°What?¡± Mother asks me.


    ¡°Richard and Sarah, aren¡¯t they still in Drey!?¡± I shout.


    A cold realization dawns on mine and Camden¡¯s family.


    Isn¡¯t Sarah close to being a mage? Would they try and draft her? I panic to myself.


    ¡°Honey, our little girl!¡± Sarette brings a hand to her mouth and looks at her husband with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Camden reassures his wife before turning on Markus and Ezekiel. ¡°Do we have any produce ready to be harvested?¡±


    The two men share a look before Markus answers. ¡°The wortel could be harvested early; why?"


    ¡°We¡¯ll take an emergency cart of food and some of the spears Aaliyah made for the village and bring it to Drey. We can say we brought everything because of the summons and use that as an excuse to bring Sarah and Richard back to the village.¡± Camden hastily explains.


    ¡°But our food stores are running low,¡± Ezekiel says the right thing as one of the head farmers, but he isn¡¯t talking to Village leader Camden; he''s arguing with worried parent Camden.


    "Losing a few crops won''t hurt us that much," Camden looks ready to bite Ezekiel''s head off and eat it. "Our fields are larger than ever; we can spare a few crates of wortel.¡±


    Ezekiel wisely steps back and keeps his mouth shut under the heavy gaze of Camden.


    I dislike Ezekiel and Markus as much as anyone else, and I¡¯m just as worried about brother and Sandra, but now isn''t the time to fly off the rails. "Camden," I call out to him to grab his attention.


    Not only the desperate-looking headman, but everyone turns their attention back to me. "Ezekiel may be an insensitive ass, but he''s right about the food. We only have two to three weeks to prepare for the coming army. I lost my composure just like you did, but we need to be extra careful right now.¡± I tell Camden with a serious look.


    The rage slowly fades from his face as he collects himself. ¡°What is it that you propose, then?¡± He asks with a raised eyebrow.


    It isn¡¯t like I have any great ideas rattling around inside my head, so I tell him the best thing I can come up with. ¡°I¡¯ll run to Drey and find them.¡±


    "Absolutely not!" Half the room shouts at me. Careful master, I send him a side-long glance reminding him to stay calm, or more people will find out you don¡¯t have a speech impediment.


    "You know what happened last time you left the village!" Mother looks ready to shake me in frustration. I''m not sure if she''s talking about the soul eater or bandits; either way, I technically won both those fights.


    "I do, but I''m a lot stronger now," I plead my case in an even tone as to project a calm atmosphere. "I''m faster than I ever was, and a journey to and from Drey should only take me four days by myself. I can find Richard and Sandra and talk to them. If we need to, we can send a messenger hawk to the village. I also need to meet up with Mr. Grey and discuss where our business deals go from here.¡±


    Though I made a fair argument, mother still looks reluctant to let me leave.


    I don''t want to tell her, but I will if I have to. Running to Drey isn''t just for business reasons or meeting up with Richard; no, I want to run to Drey to prove that I''m not afraid to leave the village!


    I''ve noticed it every time I''ve walked to master''s clearing; I get antsy when I''m alone in the forest now. I don''t outright panic, but I can feel my body tense, and I feel like I''m being watched even after I''ve scanned the area a dozen times.


    The longer I wait to leave the village; the more my sense of paranoia will likely grow until I mentally limit myself and never leave the village again, giving up on my dreams.


    I stand up to see a three-way divided room. Ezekiel, Markus, Salus, quiet Ronald, and Anastasia don¡¯t care whether I go or not. Mother, Father, and master look ready to hold me down while Camden and his family look torn between asking me to go and agreeing that I should stay.


    ¡°I¡¯m making the run,¡± I say, activating Shout of Valor without raising my voice. I can see how my skill brushes up against each of the souls in the room. The skill¡¯s low level probably wouldn''t affect most of the people in this room, but with a gentle nudge from Soul Manipulation, the skill manages to take hold of the entire room.


    Everyone looks at me with wonder in their eyes, feeling the uplifting effects of my skill¡­ for a few seconds.


    My skill combination can''t overcome everything, and mothers scowl returns even deeper when the effects quickly wear off. ¡°Did you just!?¡± Mother dragon once again awakens.


    Damn, I missed my chance to exit like a hero.


    ¡°I¡¯mdoingtherun, seeyouinfrontofthevillage!" (I''m doing the run, see you in front of the village!) I quickly blurt everything out and escape the drawing-room as fast as my stats will let me.


    I know I''m going to regret that later, as I burst through the headman''s front door, but I put all those negative thoughts aside for now and head home to gather my supplies quickly.


    I need to leave as soon as possible.


    I wonder how fast I can run with my improved stats? A manic grin forms on my face at the idea. I''d try to make the full run in only three days, but I learned my lesson after encountering the bandits last time. I can¡¯t push myself that hard when I¡¯m running alone.


    I wonder if this is considered an adventure, I ponder to myself as I reach my house.


    Knowing my luck, it will be.


    No matter, this adventure will be different. I¡¯ll kick ass and take as many names as I have to, proving to my parents and myself that I can handle life outside the village!

 Ch: 67

    Looking over my shoulder, I make my way towards the front of the village.


    I was expecting my mother to burst into the house as I was preparing to leave and demand that I stay, but she never showed up. Now I''m paranoid she''ll spring up out of nowhere to claim my soul when I least expect it.


    The strap of my axe starts to slip from my shoulder as I keep my head on a swivel, and I''m forced to adjust it for the millionth time. It''ll only become more annoying after I start my run.


    I hear a sudden crashing noise off to my left, causing me to hop in fright like a rabbit.


    I¡¯m relieved to see it¡¯s just a villager setting down a heavy crate outside his house. I thought it might have been mother charging through a building at me like a rampaging monster. I chuckle at the idea of mom staring in an old Godzilla movie. Scanning for witnesses, I hope no one saw me jump like that.


    ¡°But in all seriousness, where is she?¡± The smile slips from my face as I near the village¡¯s entrance. I know she¡¯s probably mad at me for using one of my skills on her, but she wouldn¡¯t let me leave the village without saying goodbye, would she?


    The thought of leaving the village without saying goodbye to my mother and father leaves a hollow feeling in my chest.


    I contemplate turning around and heading home to find them when Sense Mana picks up familiar mana signatures clustered together just outside of the village proper.


    Rounding a small bend, I hesitate and reduce my speed when I see mother, father, master, Camden, and his family, waiting for me together in a group. Master is the first to notice me, but it doesn''t take long for the rest to see my slow approach.


    Seeing everyone¡¯s complicated looks twists my insides into a knot. Many of them don¡¯t want me to leave the village but know I¡¯m the best one to reach Drey quickly without drawing too much attention.


    No one says anything as I get closer. I make eye contact with each of them until I lock eyes with mother, who''s watching me with a look of cold indifference.


    Her lack of anger surprises me so much I can''t help but freeze mid-stride.


    As soon as I stop walking forward, mother decides to close the distance herself.


    Mother doesn¡¯t betray a hint of emotion as she nears me. I can¡¯t help but think this is how a volcano looks before it erupts without warning.


    When she''s a few feet away from me, I shut my eyes and brace for the worst tongue lashing of my life.


    Only, instead of scolding me as I deserve, I feel mother gently wrap her arms around me and pull me into a hug.


    ¡°I can be mad at you when you get back. I just want you to promise me you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Mother whispers in my ear.


    My body untenses when I finally realize she isn¡¯t going to yell at me. I bring my arms up and match her hug. ¡°I promise,¡± I whisper back to her.


    I look over mom¡¯s shoulder and see everyone slowly making their way over to us. They all look just as surprised as I am that my mother isn''t trying to strangle me right now.


    Mother lessens her grip on me but remains glued to my side as father walks over and gives me a quick hug as well. ¡°Do you have everything you need?¡± He asks.


    "I have enough food for a round trip in case I can''t get anything in the city. I have my axe, and I borrowed one of your extra knives." Father nods as I assure him I have everything I need.


    ¡°Take this,¡± Camden hands me a piece of parchment with a small seal on the bottom of it. ¡°You probably won¡¯t need it, but it will verify you¡¯re a member of our village if you¡¯re stopped for any reason.¡± I nod in understanding and secure it in one of my deeper pockets that seals with a button.


    Looking around at everyone, I want to lighten the mood with a joke, but I get the feeling it would only have the opposite effect.


    If I draw out my leaving any longer, I might not follow through with my own plan. The love and concern that I feel from everyone is a blessing and a curse simultaneously. If I let myself fall into their bubble of safety, I''ll never strike out on my own again.


    I carefully peel mother away from me to her disappointment and back up a few steps to get a good look at everybody. It''s the same group that saw me off to Drey the first time, only the crowd of villagers is missing, and this time master was able to come and see me off with everyone else.


    I need to leave now, I repeat in my head.


    "Thanks for coming to see me off again," I slightly bow my head in respect to everyone. "I''ll be back as soon as I can." I give a quick wave and turn to the forest path leading out of the village before I can change my mind.


    "Be safe," I hear everyone say as one.


    I take up a running position, and with a burst of Strength, I rocket down the dirt bath, barely hearing the cries of surprise from behind me. I give one last look over my shoulder to see the dust cloud I kicked up. Trees blur past me, and the village disappears from my sight.


    I did it!


    My heart is beating a million miles a minute as I take off through the forest by myself. No Kervin to escort me and no Reel to secretly shadow me. From here on out, everything falls on me.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± I pull back on my speed as to not waste my Stamina. I''m still running quite fast, but I''m keeping a good pace that won''t take a toll on me in the long run.


    I set aside the complicated feelings regarding my loved ones that I left behind and allow myself to lose myself in the run. I¡¯m matching the same speed I was running at when I tried returning to the village by myself. But this time, my Strength and Dexterity have increased by over 10% since then, and my Stamina pool has never been larger.


    I dial back Mana Skin to save on mana while I focus my senses on my surroundings. I¡¯m still paranoid after everything that¡¯s happened lately, and I keep Sense Mana stretched to its limits to give me a full 360¡ã view of my surroundings and a decent look at anything hidden in the trees.


    The world flashes by as I maintain a speed a horse would be jealous of.


    A part of me expected to be ambushed as soon as I left the village but as I pass one hour...


    Two hours¡­


    Four hours of running¡­


    The danger I just assumed to befall me never comes.


    I don''t drop my guard, but I can feel my body loosen up a bit more, and I can better enjoy the fantastic feeling of running fast.


    Mother jogs with me every morning, but I can''t go all out like this when I''m with her or confine myself to the village.


    "The dashing knight Aaliyah sprints to Castle Drey to rescue the fair maiden Sandra and her mount, the mule Richard," I cheer to myself as I leap over a divot in the forest path that''s filled with mud.


    My first real quest.


    It also helps that I''ll also be the first to see Sandra and Richard after five years. I wonder if they''ve changed much since I last saw them? By fifteen, people mostly stop maturing, but a person can change even after their body has typically stopped growing when you factor in a change of stats.


    Sandra was studying to be a mage, so I''m sure she''s gained plenty of levels, and I don''t see Richard allowing himself to fall too far behind his beloved. Average villagers are around level 35, so if the two of them haven''t grown at least that much since I last saw them, then I¡¯ll be disappointed.


    I can¡¯t wait to talk to Sandra about magic again. She can tell me how she learned new spells, and I can bounce ideas off of her on making engraving ink.


    I can¡¯t help but snickering to myself when I think about telling her I¡¯m teaching myself how to engrave runic magic.


    Brother got a job as a builder in the city under Salus'' friend, and I bet he''s learned a bunch. Well, he better have; brother promised to build his girl a mage¡¯s tower, and I won¡¯t see him try and weasel his way out of it.


    The thought of finally seeing my friend, and to a lesser degree, my brother again after so long, causes me to subconsciously push myself a little bit faster.


    The slight shift in my speed causes me to misstep, and my enhanced senses let me watch as my right foot is about to land straight in a puddle of mud. Even though my light application of Mana Skin will keep me from getting dirty, it won''t stop the mud from forming a seal around my protected leg.


    I may be strong and agile but getting my foot caught at these speeds is sure to hurt.


    In a split second, I realize what''s about to happen; I channel my mana down towards my right foot. I reinforce Mana Skin around my right leg to the point it''s like I''m wearing a second boot of mana.


    My mana clad foot starts sinking into the muck as my left leg extends in front of me. I need to push off with my right foot, but the mud is still holding onto Mana Skin.


    Only the bottom half of my boot is stuck in the mud, and in the heat of the moment, I try something new.


    I reabsorb the top part of my mana boot and use the mana still underneath my feet as a platform. My last-ditch effort pays off, and by sacrificing part of my mana to maintain the foothold, I''m able to launch myself like I''m stepping on solid ground.


    No, it feels more stable than the ground I''m used to running on. I slow myself down and eventually stop. Looking back in the direction of the puddle of mud I left behind me, my brain slowly processes what I just did.


    I created a platform out of mana that was more solid than some types of rock, and it wasn''t on a solid surface.


    A lesser person might think that they discovered a new way to create a better running path and increase their speed, but my 21 first century mind immediately found a better use for this method of running!


    I take off back down the road trying to pick up as much speed as I can, my Stamina pool be damned.


    ¡°I need to try that again before I forget the feeling!¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Through the trees, I can see the trail straighten out a bit up ahead and decide that''s where I''ll try it.


    I channel a great deal of my mana to my two feet as I round the bend, preparing for what I¡¯m about to try. I have a straight shot forward for nearly a hundred feet, and I''m going to take the opening.


    Reforming the mana boot on my right leg, I lightly push off the ground, intending to rise a few feet into the air. I quickly form another mana boot around my left foot and ready myself.


    My body arches through the air, and as soon as I feel my body start to sink. I thrust out my left foot and dissolve the top part of my mana boot. In one quick movement, I push my left foot up against the mana skin barrier underneath it and rocket myself higher.


    It works!


    I bring my right foot out in front of me and again push off my mana, allowing me to run through the air!


    A sense of euphoria comparable to what I felt when I killed the soul eater erupts from my very being as I realize I¡¯m flying with yet another successful step.


    A new skill manifests inside my soul space, and I feel a small rush of experience, meaning a few of my skills must have leveled up at the same time.


    "This is the best moment of my life!" I scream out. "Oh shit!" I stumble as my concentration breaks, and in slow motion, I feel myself tumbling to the forest floor below. Grabbing the strap to my axe, I fling my weapon off my back before I land.


    I hit the ground hard, and my body naturally starts to roll. I still had a small film of Mana Skin covering the rest of my body, and my 100 Endurance comes in handy as my momentum causes me to roll nearly 30 feet across the muddy ground. My small travel pack comes loose mid slide and goes flying somewhere.


    When I finally stop my emergency landing, I flop onto my back and burst out laughing.


    I don¡¯t care how nervous I was to leave the village.


    I don¡¯t care a voice in the back of my head is yelling at me for leaving myself exposed like this.


    All my troubles become meaningless compared to the joy I¡¯m feeling inside.


    I quickly pull up my status page.


    LV: 72 Experience: 860,390/ 911,219


    Health: 2,400/2,400


    Stamina 1,288.17/1,633


    Mana: 812.94/1,020


    Vitality: 240.00


    Endurance: 100.00


    Strength: 150.00


    Dexterity: 145.00


    Senses: 62.31


    Mind: 65.07


    Magic: 102.46


    Clarity: 78.55


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV76), Blacksmithing (LV69), Hammer Skills (LV57), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV42), Cooking (LV39), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV31), Sword Skills (LV31), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2), Alchemy (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Lower Price (LV20), Increase Price (LV17), Steady Hands (LV16), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV14), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV60), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV37), Flash Step (LV21), Contract (LV5)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV53), Mana Skin (LV53), Inject Mana (LV52), Extract Mana (LV31), Magic Blacksmithing (LV25), Empowered Spell (LV9), Air Walk (LV1)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV38), Soul Manipulation (LV6)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV75-76) 7,550exp


    Alchemy (LV1-2) 150exp


    Shout of Valor (LV2-3) 500exp


    Expel Mana (LV62) 9,300exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV59-60) 17,850exp


    Mana Skin (LV53) 13,250exp


    Extract Mana (LV31) 7,750exp


    Air Walk (LV1) 250exp


    Sense Soul (LV38) 19,000exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV5-6) 5,500exp


    Skill Experience: 81,100exp


    Crafting Experience: 4,916exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total experience Gained: 86,016exp


    I didn''t level up, but I don''t care.


    Other than the couple levels in Alchemy I got experimenting making engraving ink, the Shout of Valor skill leveled this morning, and the levels from my soul scaping, every other skill level I just gained at once just now.


    Master and my parents have made me take it easy since I woke up from my extended nap with the gods. Other than figuring out the process for making engraving ink, my skill growth has been relatively stagnant.


    But all that changed after what I just accomplished. I managed to run through the air!


    And I got the skill to prove it, Air walk.


    I even made it through the second Running test at level 75. I guess the system considers running through the air an achievement as much as I do.


    The mana skills I used to pull off the feat leveled as one, and Mana Manipulation reached level 60, giving me another skill test I¡¯ll need to figure out how to pass.


    I lay there basking in the glow of my success until my heart rate returns to normal, and I remember I still have a job to do.


    Standing up, I give myself a quick shake to dislodge any dirt or mud still clinging to Mana Skin. I look around and retrieve my pack and axe from where they landed and make sure both are secure.


    A part of me wants to try using Air Walk again immediately, but I''m forced to ground myself for the time being.


    I only used the skill four times, but it ate up nearly 150 mana. If I was back home safe in the village, I could practice the skill until my Mana pool nears flatlining, but I can''t waste my mana while I''m out here all alone.


    I reluctantly continue down the forest path, cursing that I got one of the coolest skills ever, and I can''t use it. It feels like someone gave me the best Christmas present of my life, and I was told I couldn''t play with it until January.


    Well, just because I can''t use the skill doesn''t mean I can''t gush over it. While I gradually pick up speed until I''m back at my former pace, I start crunching numbers regarding Air Walk.


    I used roughly 150 mana to activate the skill four times; that''s 37.5 mana per activation.


    If I have a full Mana pool, I can use the skill¡­ Ummm, carry that over, about 22 times.


    But that doesn¡¯t take into account outside factors. If I use Air Walk, I would definitely need to have Mana Skin activated to its max capacity in case I suffered an accident.


    So, lower the 22 to 19. No, more like 18 to be safe.


    I¡¯m sure the skill¡¯s mana cost will lower as I practice it, but until that happens, I only have a minimal number of steps I could take with the skill.


    ¡°How far could I get with 18 steps?¡± I ponder out loud.


    If I were back on Earth, 18 steps would be nothing but with my stats; I could propel myself a reasonable distance if I put everything I have into my legs.


    Now that I think about it, I haven''t really tested how strong I am now. I usually judge my Strength by how long I can swing my hammer, but that isn''t a full-body test of Strength. I already limit myself when I run, if I didn¡¯t, I would kick up dirt like I did earlier today, and that just loses me momentum to the loose soil, costing me extra Stamina for no reason.


    It¡¯s hard to say how much ground I could clear if I moved in a straight line, with no obstructions, and the ground could adequately support me.


    The only place I could possibly test something like that out would be Drey, but I''m not crazy enough to push my luck with a stunt like that. The local lord or army would snatch me up before my feet would even touch the ground.


    Damn, all this thinking of testing my limits has me itching to try out my skill again!


    I¡¯m forced to hold back my impulses as I continue my run.


    Time starts to fly by, and soon I''ve been running for almost nine hours. I only stopped a handful of times to give my Stamina a chance to recharge when it reached halfway. With how much distance I''ve cleared, I''m sure I''m close to nearing the halfway point through the forest.


    Even I couldn¡¯t predict I would make such great time.


    I don''t feel all that tired, and I''m sure I could run for a lot longer before I would need to stop for an extended rest.


    If I pushed myself and ran through the night, I could probably make it to Drey by sunrise tomorrow, but that would surely leave me exhausted and would endanger my trip back home.


    To think, I''ve reached the point I can run hundreds of miles in a day and still be able to consider the possibility of running even farther.


    Being alone with my thoughts has helped me clarify my goals.


    My nervousness about being outside the village has almost completely vanished. My dreams of traveling the world are reinforced, and I promise myself to push my boundaries when I return to the village.


    I¡¯ll start with the one place I¡¯ve always wanted to explore since the first time I saw it.


    The dense magic region in the forest has always been in the back of my head ever since I saw the boundary during the goblin extermination. If creatures like the chameleon spiders live in there year-round, I can''t imagine what else lies in its depths.


    I can imagine the place teeming with magical plants and ore samples I''ve never seen before.


    No matter how much my parents complain and try to talk me out of it, I make a promise to myself that I¡¯ll go after I forge my new sword.


    I smile to myself, just thinking of the adventure, only to be dragged back to reality when I pick up something funky with Sense Mana in the distance.


    I skid to a stop and focus on the space a dozen feet in front of me.


    Nothing is there to the naked eye, but my superior mana senses clearly see a kaleidoscope of shapes made from mana slowly moving in my direction. Taking a step back, I observe the weird shifting mana in front of me.


    Looking side to side, I notice the mass is shaped in a circle, and it¡¯s moving at a steady pace towards me. The mana is random but appears structured in nature. It doesn''t appear to affect the plants its encompassing, and it isn''t influencing the free-flowing mana in the air either.


    So, what to do when you¡¯re faced with something new?


    I wait for the sphere of shifting mana to come towards me, and I try reaching my hand out to touch it.


    As soon as my hand enters the invisible mana bubble, I feel a pulse of mana come from the center of the construct. The pulse of mana tries to envelop me, fighting against my mana obscuring magic tool I bought from Mr. Grey for superiority.


    The mana''s pulse weakens significantly thanks to my magic tool and is further reduced when it encounters Mana Skin. I send my own quick pulse of mana that finally destroys the weakened construct.


    And just like a bubble, the mana construct in front of me pops but not before I''m able to trace the origin of the mana pulse to someone 100 feet down the road.


    Whatever that was, it must have been some sort of spell. Even when the mana pulse tried to cover me, it didn''t feel aggressive. Judging by the area covered, it must have been a detection spell of some kind.


    Who would be using magic out here?


    The face of my only friend pops into my head.


    No way, did they?


    I slip into the nearby trees and stealthfully make my way towards the spot I sensed the magic originate from. I draw my axe in case I¡¯m wrong, which would mean I¡¯d be dealing with an unknown person using magic that happens to be heading towards our village.


    The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, thinking of the possibility I might need to face my first mage opponent. I¡¯ve practiced dealing with someone swinging a sword or other weapon at me; on the other hand, I¡¯ve never had someone throw a fireball at me.


    Skulking through the woods, I eventually come across a cart being pulled by what I assume is a sick bivol. The thing looks like it¡¯s ready to topple over if a strong enough breeze blew through the trees. While the sickly beast of burden is continuing its agonizing trek forward, it''s the couple in traveling robes that grab my attention. They''re standing next to the cart, scanning their surroundings and arguing at the same time. I have to hold my hand to my mouth to stifle my laughter at the coincidence of it all.


    "I thought you said your magic would detect anything bigger than a bird!" I immediately recognize my brother''s voice.


    ¡°My spell did detect something, only whatever it was somehow canceled it out,¡± Sandra retorts him without taking her eyes off of the woods.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you cast the spell again?¡± Brother hurriedly suggests.


    "Shut up and let me concentrate; I can''t do it just by waving my hands around!"


    I wonder if I¡¯m watching their first marital strife. Na, knowing brother Sandra has already put him in his place countless times while living together.


    I watch Sandra gather her magic towards her hands, preparing to recast her scanning spell. Brother remains close to her, brandishing a large construction hammer.


    Both of them don''t look that different since I last saw them. Brother is still a hair taller than me, but instead of bulking up like father, his frame is slightly smaller than I remember. I can tell by how he holds his hammer he''s invested points in Strength but not as much as I expected. Did he start focusing on his other stats? Why?


    Sandra''s raven black hair is positively glowing with Vitality, and while brother looks maybe a year or two older, Sandra doesn''t look like she''s aged since I last saw her.


    That¡¯s the power of gaining levels and investing in Vitality.


    When someone turns 10, they gain access to their status and start earning more levels as they look for a profession. Most people gain the majority of their levels between the ages of 10 and 25. Even if someone only invests one or two points into Vitality each level, it provides them with the benefits of looking younger longer.


    That¡¯s why mother and father only look like they just turned thirty when they are both approaching forty.


    Come to think about it, how long am I going to look like a teenager? My body has stopped developing, and I have a lot of Vitality. I look like a tall, fit, eighteen-year-old back on Earth, and though I''m proud of my looks, I''m not sure how I feel about looking the same for the next twenty years.


    While I''m weighing the pros and cons of my body''s future, Sandra finishes her spell.


    It''s interesting to watch her form the magic spell even though I can''t hear the words she''s using. She holds her hands together like she''s cupping a liquid before opening them in a sweeping gesture.


    The same bubble I witnessed earlier slowly expands with Sandra at the center. It pauses momentarily when it passes over brother and their bivol, but after two magic pulses scan them, the spell continues to expand.


    That''s interesting; the spell must use those pulses to bring information back to Sandra when it interacts with an animal of a certain size. If only she were here when we were worried about the chameleon spiders.


    The spell slowly grows until it¡¯s about to reach the spot I¡¯m hiding.


    I wonder how much information the spell brings back to Sandra?


    Let¡¯s have some fun and find out.


    I absorb the magic in my mana obscuring tool and smile as the spell reaches me.


    <hr>


    Sandra¡¯s Point of View:


    Damn it, what could break my spell like that? A magic obscuring tool would weaken the spell, but the only way to counter it is to be able to know that it¡¯s there.


    I supply a steady stream of magic into my spell as it covers the trees surrounding us. Maybe it was a fluke, and I''m overreacting?


    But we need to be careful. Father''s latest note said they hadn''t seen any spiders in a while, but there is still a possibility one could be the cause of my spell''s failure. It would be presumptuous of me to guess how a spider that can mask itself with magic would react to my spell.


    ¡°Anything yet?¡± Richard asks from my side.


    ¡°No,¡± I hiss through my teeth. It takes a minute for the spell to grow to its full potential. I can vaguely see the shimmer in the air where the boundary currently is, but to people like Richard, my spell appears to have done nothing at all.


    I need to focus as the spell expands, but maintaining it is simple enough once it reaches its max distance.


    If we''re lucky, it might just have been a goblin on the outskirts of my spell. When it failed, I wasn''t even able to pinpoint where the cause of the spell''s failure was; so for all we know, the threat could be anywhere around us.


    I¡¯ll just need to remain¡­


    ¡°There,¡± I shout and point at a section of the forest.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Richard asks, stepping in between me and the spot I indicated.


    "One second," I piece out the bits of information my spell sends directly to my mind. Around six feet tall, bipedal, female, magic quantity¡­ Shit, around 700. "It''s a single person; they can use magic."


    ¡°Anybody else?¡± Richard reminds me I still need to check the rest of our surroundings.


    My spell finishes expanding, and I don''t sense anybody else. "No, just her," I tell Richard.


    ¡°Do you have a lock on her?¡± Richard asks me.


    "I do; she''s staying in the same spot," I inform him.


    "Alright then," he whispers to me. Richard ready''s himself and takes a stance that would allow him to swing his hammer quickly. "Come on out; we know you''re there!" He shouts towards the person hidden in the trees.


    ¡°Only because I allowed you to find me!¡± I shiver and take a step back on hearing the female demonic voice that comes from the trees. That was an intimidation skill, and it was used by someone who''s seen battle.


    "Stay behind me, Sandra!" Richard tries to remain calm, but I can see his shoulders start to shake.


    "Oh, how heroic. But do you think trying to act brave for your girl will be enough against me!?¡± We hear a crash and the sound of wood splintering, and we watch as a large tree tumbles over in the distance.


    ¡°She¡¯s coming!¡± I shout as my spell picks up the person nearing us. She must be confident she can take us because she¡¯s moving slow.


    ¡°Tremble fools, and answer my question!¡± We hear the voice originate just outside the tree line. Richard ready¡¯s himself to charge while I drop my searching spell and prepare to chant an attack spell.


    ¡°Who¡¯s your sister!?¡± We both flinch when a young girl steps out from behind a tree.


    Neither of us lowers our guards in case this is an elaborate trap.


    The girl looks between the two of us and doubles over laughing. ¡°You should see your faces!¡±


    ¡°What do you want with us?¡± Richard demands in a commanding voice.


    The red-haired girl pauses in her laughter for a moment to look up at Richard before bursting into a laughing fit again.


    ¡°If you came to rob us, you picked the wrong target!¡± Richard angrily yells at the girl that¡¯s obviously looking down on him.


    The way she¡¯s laughing at him feels so familiar¡­


    Wait!


    I move up next to Richard. ¡°Sandra, stay back,¡± he protectingly holds his arm out in front of me.


    Now that I have a better look at the girl, I¡¯m sure of it. ¡°That wasn¡¯t funny, Aaliyah.¡±


    I watch Aaliyah fall to her knees, holding her sides. "You should''ve seen your faces," she manages to say, gasping for more air.


    ¡°What?¡± Poor Richard next to me doesn¡¯t seem to understand what¡¯s going on.


    I elbow him in the side, "you can put your hammer down; you don''t even recognize your sister." I allow a small smile to form on my face when Richard looks at me with a shocked expression when he finally realizes who¡¯s laughing at us.


    I watch Richards''s face turn bright red as he slowly turns towards his sister that we haven''t seen in five years.


    "I''m going to kill you!" Richard rushes towards his sister, who''s still laughing on the ground, brandishing his hammer in a more threatening manner than a serious gesture.


    Aaliyah quickly leaps to her feet and starts running around our cart just out of Richards''s reach.


    Watching Richard shout every curse word under the gods as he chases his laughing sister is too much for me to handle, and soon I''m laughing just as hard as she is.


    I never thought our reunion would turn out like this.

 Ch: 68

    Sandra''s Point of View:


    It''s nice to see Aaliyah hasn''t changed that much in the last five years. Watching Richard fail to catch her reminds me of the good old days before leaving the village; only Aaliyah is much bigger now.


    She was in her growth period when we left, and it''s a little unreal to see her taller than me now. Like Richard, she gained her father''s height and looks to be only slightly shorter than her brother now. But that is only the most apparent change in Aaliyah''s physique.


    With the grace of a professional dancer, she twirls just out of Richard''s reach. He doesn''t seem to notice because of how worked up he is but as someone watching off to the side, I can see how easily she is evading him.


    What level have you reached, Aaliyah? The question keeps repeating itself over and over inside my head.


    In father''s notes, he briefly mentioned her impressive growth rate and contributions to the village, but he always left out concrete details.


    I''ve already sensed a part of her Mana pool with my spell, but I doubt that was all of it. She broke my detection spell without any formal training, which had to cost her quite a bit of mana. No way she could''ve broken my spell if she was only casually studying magic.


    I''d hate to see her leave after we just reunited, but I feel I have to suggest she take an apprenticeship under a mage in Drey. After years of study in the city, I can now see just how monstrous her talent truly is. It would be a crime if she didn''t maximize her potential.


    I''ll wait a few weeks before I bring up the subject with her.


    "Tired already? Someone''s been slacking in Drey," Aaliyah turns in place and cheekily pokes fun at Richard, who is slowing down and trying to catch his breath.


    "Shut up; we''ve been traveling the last three days. Give me a minute, and I''ll show you who''s been slacking," Richard talks big, but I can see the despair slowly building in his eyes. He knows he won''t be able to catch his sister no matter how hard he tries.


    Unaware of her brother''s inner turmoil, or maybe just intentionally, Aaliyah goes in for the kill. "Yeah, I know how hard it is to travel. I left the village this morning and have been running all day."


    What!?


    My jaw slackens, and poor Richard chokes upon hearing Aaliyah''s offhand remark.


    "You ran here?" I ask in disbelief, drawing Aaliyah''s attention away from a floundering Richard.


    "Of course, how else would I get here?" She looks at me like that''s the most obvious answer.


    "And you started this morning?" I ask for clarification.


    Aaliyah looks around in confusion before slowly nodding her head in confirmation. She doesn''t seem to realize why that''s such a surprise to us.


    "We''re still three or four days away from the village," I point out in an exasperated manner.


    Aaliyah looks at our bivol, who despite the commotion around it, is still slowly trudging forwards, dragging our cart down the trail without us steering it. "I''d say seven or more by the looks of your bivol," she jokes, missing my point entirely.


    "I mean, you''re saying you covered that much ground in only a single day." I''m finally forced to spell it out for her.


    A look of realization flashes across her face, "Oh, I''m sorry, I''ve gotten more used to everyone watching me run around the village, and no one questions how fast I am anymore. Now I see why you''re so surprised, but don''t feel too bad, though. I thought it would take me maybe a day and a half to reach Drey, but I''ve been crushing my own expectations all day." Aaliyah explains with the biggest smile on her face.


    Gods! How much Stamina and physical stats does someone need to run that far and fast. I spare Richard a sidelong glance and see that he''s gone pale.


    Taking a better look at Aaliyah, I now spot the signs that she''s invested more heavily in her physical stats than I once predicted.


    I thought she could outmaneuver Richard because he started investing his status points differently when he was promoted to being a foreman under his boss in Drey. He needed more managing skills that worked best with higher levels of Mind, Senses, and Dexterity. Richard was so proud when he went from manual labor to learning more about design and managing a whole crew of workers.


    I thought that explained how Aaliyah was able to dance circles around him, but I was way off the mark.


    Aaliyah is wearing form-fitting clothing, and now that I''m looking closely, I can see hints of her muscles hidden under the fabric. Her skin looks flawless, and the glow coming off of her skin is the brightest I''ve ever seen.


    How is this possible? She''s somehow continued her magic studies while focusing on a physical build at the same time.


    "Sandra?"


    "Sandra?"


    "Sandra!" Aaliyah yells my name, pulling my mind out of my thoughts.


    "What?!" I quickly ask, not realizing Aaliyah was trying to talk to me.


    "You zoned out on me; everything ok?" Aaliyah asks me, concerned.


    "I''m sorry," I apologize to my friend and mentally refocuses myself. I have a million questions for her. "What were you saying?"


    "I was asking why the two of you were here. Are you sure you''re ok?" She gives me a concerned look.


    A small smile crosses my face. "You''re the one who surprised us. Why were you heading to Drey?"


    Aaliyah looks surprised that I flipped the question back on her. "To find you guys, of course! Why didn''t you send a message by hawk letting us know you guys were coming home?" Aaliyah looks accusingly at the two of us.


    I''m once again surprised by the force behind her eyes. Aaliyah isn''t using a skill on us, but it feels like her presence has an intangible weight behind it when she focuses on me.


    Richard finally stands up straight, only to flinch back when Aaliyah shifts her gaze to him. When she looks back to me, Richard secretly sends me a pleading gesture when Aaliyah isn''t looking at him. Sorry honey, but you brought this on yourself. "Yeah, Richard, why didn''t we send a note back to the village?"


    Aaliyah shifts all her attention to her brother, who immediately starts to flounder after I throw him under the cart. "Well, you see¡­ I got swindled¡­ paid way too much for the cart." Richard admits in a dejected manner.


    Seeing her brother''s pained look, Aaliyah pulls back and gives Richard a sympathetic smile. "How bad did they get you for?" She asks.


    Richard pouts but admits to how he spent most of our traveling money. "So, this shitty merchant talks up how amazing this cart is," he gestures to the slowly moving wagon. "Says how any beast can pull it. He didn''t mention any beast can pull it but only when it''s empty. After everything was packed, and I invited over a merchant specializing in mounts and pack animals. He breaks the news to me; I need a bivol to pull that much cargo!" Richard kicks the ground in a huff.


    "And being low on money, you were forced to purchase that sad thing over there," Aliyah guesses the end to Richard''s story while looking at the beast that''s shuffling forward like a zombie.


    "You got it, it was either scrape money from our other funds to buy a bivol, or Sandra said I would have to pull the cart. Believe it or not, the bivol we got wasn''t the merchant''s worst one." Richard rubs the back of his head and forces a laugh.


    "Did he try selling you a dead one? Anything worst than that would be considered jerky for the road." Aaliyah jokes, earning a more sincere smile from her brother.


    "Now that I look back on it, the bivol was on its side and stank worst than the others." Richard brings his hand to his chin and acts like he''s deep in thought. We all share a laugh at the situation Richard had gotten us into.


    "So, that''s why you guys didn''t send word back to the village. You had a lot of us worried there."


    I stop laughing; why would they be worried about us? Then it clicks that Aaliyah still hasn''t told us why she was going to look for us in Drey. "Why the rush to find us, Aaliyah." I interrupt the two siblings that are still chuckling together.


    Aaliyah looks at me with a complicated look on her face. "You said you were on the road for three days," she once again dances around my question.


    "Stop stalling and tell us," I put my foot down when it looks like she''s about to avoid my question again.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Aaliyah takes a deep breath and sighs. "Fort North Ridge has fallen. Scholl is heading towards Drey." She says in a soft voice.


    Richard stops laughing and turns pale again. I can feel the blood drain from my face; I''m probably mirroring Richard''s slack-jawed expression perfectly.


    "No way," Richard mumbles.


    I find it hard to believe as well, but Aaliyah''s downcast expression says it all.


    "I bet the fort fell the day after you guys left the city, and it took a little while for the information to spread around. You picked the best time to leave. Some people have all the luck." Aaliyah grumbles out that last part.


    "Then, that means you were coming to save us?" Richard asks his sister.


    Aaliyah nods her head. "The whole area is in turmoil, and I was worried you guys might need help. I''m the fastest in the village, so I volunteered to go to the city and check up on you and see how the city is responding. I''m so happy you guys made it out safely," in one quick movement, Aaliyah is in front of her brother, wrapping him in a hug.


    She turns her head towards me while still embracing Richard and motions for me to come over and join them. My lips curl into a soft smile as I walk over to the hugging siblings.


    As soon as I''m within Aaliyah''s arms reach, she pulls me into their hug.


    I''m used to Richard towering over me when we embrace one another but being smushed in between the two tall siblings is a little uncomfortable for me. But my friend is so happy to see us; I can''t bear to push her away just yet. I''m not even sure I could if I wanted to.


    It isn''t until I spot our cart about to vanish around a corner that I realize we need to break up this touching moment. "Richard, Aaliyah, we need to go."


    "Five more minutes," Aaliyah playfully leans down and says in my ear.


    "Yeah, five more minutes," Richard copies his sister, whispering in my opposite ear, and I feel the two tighten their grip on me.


    These two!


    "Fine, we''ll play it your way," I warn the two siblings. Using Silent Chanting, Quick Chanting, and my other magic skills, I activate one of my weaker spells.


    "Cales kkie ocnos kemenbc!"


    A blast of pressurized air erupts from me as the epicenter. The blast is just strong enough to send Richard stumbling back until he falls on his ass.


    I turn around to see if the same happened to Aaliyah but somehow, she''s nearly ten feet away from me, looking smug about dodging my spell. How did she!? That spell was one of my quicker ones, and I used my skills to shorten the cast time even further. She shouldn''t have been able to notice me cast the spell, let alone dodge it! "How did you?"


    Aaliyah''s smug grin grows bigger. "I''m keeping my Mana Sense trained on the area all around us. I noticed the second you started channeling your magic. As for dodging it."


    Aaliyah vanishes from my sight, and I feel two hands grasp my shoulders from behind. My whole body tenses and my instincts scream for me to flee, but her strong hands hold me in place.


    "Moving quickly on their feet is a warrior''s best skill," I hear Aaliyah say behind me before letting go of my shoulders.


    As soon as I''m free, I jump forward and turn around to face my friend. I watch her walk over to Richard, still sitting on the ground, and offer him a hand up. She effortlessly pulls him to his feet.


    My mind is racing, thinking about what Aaliyah just revealed. Her Sense Mana skill is high enough to scan her surroundings. Has she gotten it to level 50 already, maybe higher!?


    My magic teacher could scan people he was close to with his skill, but not even he could scan a whole room, let alone maintain focus over an entire section of the forest!


    Suddenly my five years of training seem almost pointless in perspective to Aaliyah''s growth.


    Stop it, Sandra, I admonish myself. I learned a lot these last five years, and comparing my growth to someone else isn''t healthy, especially someone like Aaliyah, who has the most monstrous potential I''ve ever seen.


    "We should catch up to your cart; it''s almost outside my range." Aaliyah points down the road.


    We all jog together and quickly catch up to our slow-moving bivol.


    "At least he''s consistent," Aaliyah quips.


    "Well, now that you found us are you going to stay with us until we make it back to the village or run home and tell them about us?" Richard asks his sister as he hopes up onto our wagon''s driver''s seat.


    Aaliyah looks happy to hear the offer, but she slowly starts to frown and shakes her head. "I wish I could, but I still have some business in Drey that I need to take care of."


    I was about to join Richard in our cart, but hearing Aaliyah causes me to stumble. I regain my balance before I hear Richard start to shout.


    "What, why would you go there!?" Richard yells at his sister. I give Aaliyah a curious look myself.


    "I need to meet with my representative at Silver Herd. We had a business deal supplying goods to the general in charge of the fort. I need to see him and discuss how our partnership will work when Drey falls to Scholl." Aaliyah explains.


    "Drey is going to fall!?" Richard and I parrot each other.


    "Most likely," Aaliyah tells us with certainty in her eyes.


    "That''s an even bigger reason why you shouldn''t go!" Richard growls at his sibling.


    "He''s right, you know," I step into their conversation. "If Scholl is coming, they''ll be looking for people to defend the city. Your mana alone is enough to give you away," I point out to her.


    "I have a solution to that," Aaliyah fumbles with a string around her neck and reveals an amulet that was hidden under her clothes.


    She places one finger against the gem embedded in the amulet, and as it lights up, I lose all sense of her mana.


    "You have a mana obscuring item!" I call out in disbelief. I''m saving up for one of my own, but they cost fistfuls of gold for the cheapest ones.


    "Yep, I got a good deal on it too. I was told it''s worth 23 gold coins." Aaliyah tucks the amulet back under her clothes.


    "23!" Richard cries out in shock.


    I can barely believe my ears either.


    "How can you afford something like that?" Richard questions his sister.


    "I told you, I had a business deal with Silver Herd and the general at the fort. I''ve been making quality weapons for the army, and Silver Herd has been transporting them. Your sister is quite rich now," Aaliyah smugly grins up at Richard, who looks like he''s eaten something sour.


    "That''s why I still need to go to Drey. I need to know how Silver Herd is going to react to Scholl''s invasion, and the sooner I stop by, the easier I''ll blend in."


    Aaliyah makes a good point, but it''s still dangerous for her to go, especially by herself.


    "No way, I forbid it as your older brother." Richard surprises the two of us with his firm voice. I''m proud of him for having his sisters'' best interest at heart, but I don''t think Aaliyah sees it that way. Looking at the girl, she is staring wide-eyed at Richard in disbelief.


    I watch as the shocked look on Aaliyah''s face slowly slips into one of neutrality. "And what, you''re going to stop me?" Aaliyah''s challenge makes my hair stand on end. She''s no longer speaking like she''s trying to convince us.


    "If I have to," Richard tries to remain strong, but I can see his resolve cracking under Aaliyah''s intense gaze.


    I notice Aaliyah''s eyes flash, and Richard almost stumbles out of our carts seat. What happened?


    Aaliyah turns towards me, and I feel like she''s looking through me. It feels like everything I am is exposed to her. I don''t stumble like Richard, but I do take a step back in fear of the monster in front of me.


    The feeling quickly fades, but it doesn''t magically make me feel better.


    I suck in a breath of air and try to steady my nerves. What in the god''s names was that!?


    "A level 37 builder and level 40 mage. You both must have worked really hard, but neither of you is a match for someone like me at level 73."


    What the fuck?! She can read our levels! And 73, that''s not possible for someone who''s only 15!


    Richard looks just as broken as I am. She nearly doubles our level. Father said she''s the second strongest in the village, but I didn''t think she could have leveled that quickly since I last saw her.


    Aaliyah looks between the two of us and sighs. "It puts my mind at ease knowing you guys are safe, but I still have my own path I need to walk. I appreciate how much you both care, but this is my decision, and I''m sticking to it. Something tells me you won''t make it back to the village before I finish and return from my business in the city. I''ll be back as quickly as I can."


    Aaliyah slowly walks back the way we came and passes me. I want to reach out to her, but remembering how she looked at me a minute ago sends shivers down my spine, and my arm refuses to budge.


    I don''t even turn around as I hear her footsteps become quieter in the distance.


    When I can no longer hear Aaliyah, I silently walk over to our cart. Richard offers me a hand as I climb up and take a seat next to him.


    Neither of us says a word as the cart bounces down the forest path.


    I fold my hands in front of me and twiddle my thumbs. My head hangs low as not to meet Richards''s eyes accidentally.


    What happened back there?


    We were laughing together and celebrating our reunion when everything turned on its side so quickly.


    It was in that single moment, Richard and I truly felt Aaliyah''s strength. What has she done to gain that much power? What monsters has she faced? When I meet her gaze, I could see that she''s killed people before. My master had the same look in his eye.


    ''You will never know the true weight of magic until you''ve taken a life. The world is vast, and many of you have never seen what lies beyond our walls. When you cast magic when your life is at stake, you truly see how far you''ve come. Everything changes after you survive that first encounter; always remember that, students.''


    I thought my master was merely trying to scare us, but I can see it now. My young friend I left back in the village has changed more than I can ever understand.


    And we determined we knew what was best for her.


    "She really is strong now." Richard''s soft voice draws my attention.


    I twist my neck and see that he''s looking up to the canopy above our heads. I don''t know how to respond, so I decide to remain silent.


    "Did I ever tell you about the time when Aaliyah was still a baby, and one day she wouldn''t stop crying? My parents panicked, trying everything they could to calm her down. I remember asking how I could help, but my parents only shoed me away. It wasn''t until hours later that Aaliyah passed out from crying too much. My dad finally noticed me off to the side, brooding, and thanked me for trying to help earlier. I remember complaining that I didn''t do anything."


    "My father sat down and pulled me up onto his lap. He said that wasn''t true. I kept denying it, so dad had me make him a promise, a promise as an older brother. He asked me always to watch over my little sister, a promise I took to heart. I always watched her when she was set down on the floor to roll around, and I was beside her when she started learning to walk."


    "I chose to play with Aaliyah rather than the few other kids in the village, and I never regretted it. Everyone in our family knew Aaliyah was special. She learned to walk and talk faster than we thought possible. Soon she was running faster than me, and that''s when I first noticed she would eventually leave me in the dust." Richard''s voice sounds a million miles away at the moment.


    "She had talent in magic and anything else she put her mind to. I still tried my best as an older brother, but the gap between us widened quickly. You know, I had my own reasons following you to Drey."


    "And here I thought it was because you loved me," I quietly joke.


    "That''s true; I would''ve followed you to the ends of the world if I had to." Richard doesn''t stop looking up at the sunlight drifting through the canopy, but he gently pulls me closer to him with his arm. "But even forgetting the love I feel for you, I wanted to go to Drey to learn and level faster. Close the distance between my sister and me a little, you know." I nod up against his side.


    "Turns out she''s stronger than I could ever imagine and all I did was treat her like a child. How am I to compete with level 73?" Richard leaves the question hanging between us. "I know I shouldn''t compare myself with her, but as an older brother, it bothers me greatly."


    I wrap my arms as far as I can around Richard, giving him all the support he always shows me.


    "Do you still wish to marry someone as weak as me?" I hear him ask in a whisper.


    "With all of my heart," I reply instantly.


    Richard''s grip on me slightly tightens, and he finally looks down at me. His eyes are red, and he has the most heart-warming smile on his face. I lean forward, and we share a passionate kiss.


    When we separate, Richard asks me. "Do you think Aaliyah will forgive me when she gets back?"


    "I''m sure she will," I reassure him. "I think she''s right, and we''ll see her again before we reach the village. We can apologize for treating her like a child, and she can apologize for using that horrible skill on us."


    "Yeah, that was pretty bad. I almost fell off the cart when I made eye contact with her." I feel Richard shiver a little.


    "It felt like she was looking at every part of me at once," I try to describe the horrible feeling I felt to Richard. "And whatever skill it was, it allowed her to see our levels."


    "Did your master ever talk about skills like that?" Richard asks me.


    "Briefly," I tell him. "Skills that let you approximate another person''s level are usually tier 4, making them all unique to the person."


    "But she knew our exact levels," Richard points out. A brief silence falls between us at the implication.


    I''m tired of talking about things neither of us understands, so I change the subject. "So, when we get back to the village, you''re telling my father we''re getting married, right?"


    "Sure, as long as you tell my mom," Richard retorts.


    It only takes a moment to reconsider my options. "On second thought, we should tell our own families," I tell him.


    "Ok," Richard agrees and leans over and kisses me again. With one arm already around me, Richard''s second-hand wraps around my lower stomach, "What about the other thing?" He asks.


    I untense and let Richard support me completely. "We should wait to discuss it after we get back to the village," I tell him.


    "Alright," Richard responds.


    We move to kiss one another again, but a loud bird call from a nearby tree makes both of us jump. Damn it, in all the confusion with Aaliyah; I forgot to reapply my searching spell.


    Richard gives me an awkward look before both of us start laughing together.


    "Don''t forget what we were doing," I tell Richard as I start channeling my magic.


    "Wouldn''t dream of it, but won''t me kissing you distract you from your spell?" Richard smirks at me.


    I smile but ignore him as I prepare my spell.


    "Yana ger mecttion fetnnl sarn owr ecti tai hidantho annonnacgr!"


    I focus as the spell slowly grows to its intended size.


    As soon as I finish the spell, I only need to continue supplying it with a small amount of mana to keep it activated. I turn to Richard to tell him I''m done, but he catches me off guard with a surprise kiss.


    When we break apart, I swat at his arm. "What was that for?"


    "I wanted to see if I could get you to drop your spell with a kiss. Did it work?"


    I shake my head with a smile. "Sorry, but you''re not that great of a kisser," I tell him.


    "I''ll need to practice more than and level my skill."


    "You don''t have a kissing skill," I admonish him as he leans in and lightly kisses the nape of my neck.


    "Help me unlock it then," Richard whispers in my ear.


    "Watch the road," I playfully push my hands off of his chest.


    Richard pulls back a little and glances at our slowly moving bivol. "Don''t worry, OL Dependable will get us back to our village." Richard grins at me.


    "We aren''t calling him that," I deadpan. "Besides, what if we''re attacked while you''re acting like a beast?"


    "You have your spell up, right?" Richard raises an eyebrow at me. I nod my head. "Good, then we''re safe and moving forward. Unless you can''t maintain your focus around me?" He offers me a challenging look.


    Richard raises and lowers his eyebrows quickly, making me snort with laughter.


    It''s moments like these that remind me how much I love him. He''s been through the good and the bad with me, and we''ve always supported one another.


    I can''t wait until we return to the village and finally make our marriage official with our families.


    Hearing about the war from Aaliyah was a surprise, but I''ll be damned if I let something like that stop us.


    "What are you thinking about, sweety?" Richard asks me with a sultry voice.


    "Just thinking about what we''ll do when we get back to the village," I tell him.


    "We start our lives together," Richard kisses my cheek.


    "And what would you call the last five years?" I ask him.


    Richard ponders my question for a moment before getting a goofy grin on his face. "I''d call it wonderful practice."


    The two of us laugh together as our cart slowly moves down the forest path, towards our future together.

 Ch: 69

    ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid!¡± I continue to kick myself as I run down the final strip of the forest.


    What is wrong with me?


    I completely lost it for a second there when my brother demanded I return to the village with them.


    After our confrontation, I used my anger to fuel my running for a while and covered a lot of ground, but when I finally stopped to rest, and my emotions evened out, I realized how in the wrong I was.


    I mean, I even used Sense Soul on my brother and my best friend, for god''s sake!


    I was riding a wave of excitement from my earlier run, and seeing them in the middle of the forest was the icing on the cake. Everything was going well until brother just had to open his mouth.


    Both brother and Sandra only had my best interest at heart, but I lost my cool for some reason.


    I let out a long sigh. I''ve lived two lives, and apparently, it''s still possible to have a mood swing. It was like, as soon as brother demanded I listen to him, anger I didn''t notice I was harboring revealed itself. I felt so tired of having to defend my actions to everyone, and I just snapped.


    I¡¯ll have to apologize when I see them again.


    ¡°What a great way to loses a runner¡¯s high," I growl in frustration. I reach down and rub my cramping stomach, thinking today is only getting worse.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it just so happened to be that time again for me.


    Wait a moment, when was the last time I¡­?


    I feel my face flush when I finally understand why my body had randomly started feeling heavier this morning when I restarted my run.


    ¡°Of all the times!¡± I complain out loud.


    Despite the slowly growing pain in my stomach, I pick up speed. Stupid me never considered my period would pick now of all times to start, and being the genius I am; I didn''t think about bringing a pad with me on my run.


    Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been a while since the last time this has happened.


    Despite technology being close to medieval periods back on Earth, the women of Yurilia actually have a much easier time with their monthlies. Mother taught me what happens to growing girls from a young age and cleared up the gaps in my knowledge of the subject.


    I was initially terrified of the thought of having to deal with my body once a month, but I learned the magic of stats once again played a significant role in my new life.


    Woman''s monthlies help flush their systems, a fact every adult knew in my past life. So, what happens when a woman has a body strengthened well past anything thought possible?


    Basically, the stronger a woman is, the less often their bodies need to clean house.


    For someone like me, who''s always had a high level and impressive stats, I''ve rarely been visited by my Aunt Flow.


    The problem is I''ve been gaining a lot of levels recently, making it utterly impossible to guess when my body would see fit to give me trouble. Now that I think about it, my last period was in the middle of summer, nearly ten months ago before the goblin attack.


    I forgot I even needed to carry a pad with me with everything that''s been going on. The trees are starting to space out, meaning I''ll get to the plains around Drey soon.


    It¡¯ll be awkward to ask around for, but I can purchase a pad in Drey or from Mr. Grey if I have to.


    As I continue to run, I question if my period was part of the reason I snapped at my family?


    No, no matter how much I would like to blame my outburst on hormones, I can¡¯t use that as an excuse. Even at its worst, I''ve never had an outburst like that when I was growing up.


    It¡¯s ironic, Sandra, the one person I would try and talk to about these feelings, is one of the people I went off on.


    I push the worrying thoughts regarding my family to the back of my head and pick up more speed. I specifically picked my most comfortable pair of underwear for this run, and I''m not going to chance ruining them when I''m so close to my goal.


    I shouldn''t have to worry because of my cleaning spell, but once you get an image in your head of something dirty, especially your delicates, it''s tough to forget even after they¡¯re clean.


    My surroundings open up, and I''m officially out of the forest.


    I worry I might have to slow down as I get closer to the city so that other pedestrians can''t see how fast I''m running, but Drey''s road is surprisingly desolate. My feet blur under me as I quickly pass past the many farmsteads surrounding Drey.


    Though I¡¯m eventually forced to slow down as I near Drey''s walls, looking up, I expect the city¡¯s walls to be covered in guards, but the ramparts look emptier than the first time I visited.


    As I follow along the city¡¯s walls towards the gate, I only spot a handful of people keeping watch on the city¡¯s surroundings.


    ¡°Why would the city not see fit to properly man their walls when they know an army is approaching? What if they have some sort of shock troops that can cover large distances?¡± I once again question how the local nobles are handling their situation.


    I''m about to complain to myself a little more when I finally see the gate I entered and left through during my last visit.


    It''s no wonder there are no guards up on the walls; they''re all at the gate trying to control a max exodus of people.


    When I first came to the city, the line of people trying to pass through the gate into the city was at least three times longer than the one of people trying to leave. Instead of the gate being divided into two sections for people to enter and exit, the gate''s right and left sides are now inspecting carts of people trying to flee the city.


    Looking down the road that leads to Blaiton and Yleles, I can see a line of people and wagons stretching into the distance.


    The entire gate is packed with people yelling at the local guards to let them through.


    ¡°Reason for leaving!?¡± A guard yells over the crowd at a portly merchant who¡¯s sweating profusely, seated snugly up on his cart.


    ¡°I wish to purchase goods in Blaiton and bring them back to our glorious city.¡± The merchant answers, dabbing a handkerchief at his face.


    ¡°Liar!¡± A chorus of insults come from the people waiting in line to leave the city.


    ¡°I need to check your cart to make sure you aren¡¯t taking anything other than personal weapons out of the city,¡± the guard informs him.


    The gate guard nimbly crawls up the cart and starts shifting the goods around. When the guard inspects the goods directly behind the merchant, I watch the merchant stealthfully slip a coin pouch into the guard¡¯s pocket.


    The guard pretends not to notice that his trousers are now heavier and crawls off the merchant''s wagon. "Everything appears in order; thank you for thinking of our city." The guard waves the merchant off without a shred of guilt.


    I watch the fat merchant whip his bivol as hard as he can and race off into the distance. There is no way that man is coming back to the city.


    Other gatekeepers are denying people from leaving the city, stating multiple reasons, from a person being too old to survive the trip to Blaiton, all the way to saying that too many people of that person''s profession have already left the city.


    It would look like the guards are letting random people leave, but I keenly spot it''s the people dressed in slightly better clothes that are making it through the checkpoint.


    As I question my faith in humanity, my gut tightens.


    Watching the chaos unfold distracted me for a second there.


    I walk up to a guard who is waving yet another merchant through. ¡°Excuse me!¡± I call out to him.


    The man was so distracted by the crowd of people trying to leave the city; he didn''t notice me approaching him. When he manages to compose himself from the small fright I¡¯ve given him, he looks me up and down, scrutinizing me. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Village runner,¡± I tell him. ¡°I have business with Silver Herd inside the city.¡± I use a calm and sure tone despite the rude look the guard is giving me.


    "Runner?" The guard gives me a questionable look before a dirty smile crosses his face. "Alright, one silver, and you can enter the city."


    I¡¯m reaching for the small coin pouch I brought with me when I realize he just said a silver. Five of us entered the city last time, and even though Kervin got a discount, it was only 6 large bronze coins!


    The guard laughs at my shocked expression. I narrow my eyes at the man making my displeasure known. ¡°Why the high entry tax?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°City¡¯s in trouble, higher taxes.¡± The guard tells me in a matter-of-fact voice.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The cramping in my stomach intensifies, and the idea of ripping this man a new asshole steadily sounds like a better and better idea. Why is everyone continually looking down on me? I know I look like a young girl, but this man is supposed to protect this city. Even if I''m all for leaving Drey to defend itself, I still won''t use this situation to take advantage of people.


    I beckon the guard closer with my finger. I''m slightly taller than him, so I lean into his ear. "I have official business with Mr. Grey of this city''s Silver Herd branch. Let me through, and I won''t use my connections to report how much money you''re skimming from everyone." I briefly look at his soul, causing him to scurry away from me with a look of terror written across his face.


    ¡°Please proceed, mam.¡± The guard lets me walk past him without daring to look at me.


    I have to push my way through the crowd around the gate, but people are all too happy to let someone move to the back of the line.


    Someone tries to reach for my coin pouch in the commotion, but one karate chop later, and I''m walking past a man on the ground crying and holding his limp wrist. It looks like I need to hold back more; if someone spots me doing that when I''m not in a crowd, I might be drafted by the army.


    When I finally make it past the crowd of angry citizens into the city proper, I see the madness isn''t isolated to the gate. Many shops are being boarded up, there are almost no stalls on the side of the road, and judging by the amount of animal shit in the middle of the road, the city isn¡¯t prioritizing its sanitation any longer.


    Almost everyone I see walking around looks like they think the world is ending, and to them, it might as well be. People won''t know how Scholl will treat the city until they arrive.


    As I walk down the street that leads to the city¡¯s Silver Herd branch, I finally spot a clothing store that doesn¡¯t appear to be preparing for a hurricane.


    I push open the shop''s door and smile at an older woman operating the counter. Behind her is an older gentleman working on a thick vest; he looks up from his work and glances at me before returning to his work. I quickly spot the sword he has stashed next to his workstation.


    The area for customers to stand has colorful sample fabrics hanging from the wall. The atmosphere of the store itself is warm and inviting.


    "Hello dear, what can I help you with today?" The sweet lady beckons me over to the counter.


    I can feel my cheeks turn red. Mother has been the one to make all my pads, and It never occurred to me, I would have to walk into a shop and buy one someday.


    "Ugggg, I need¡­" I trail off in embarrassment. The gentleman working on the vest looks back at me again, which only makes my face redder.


    The woman gives me an understanding smile. "You need new undergarments?" I nod, and she beams with a soft smile. "First time buying your own? Don''t feel embarrassed; most first-timers have a hard time asking for unmentionables. My husband over there and I have run this shop for thirty years and have seen it all." She proudly proclaims.


    Her reassuring smile calms me, and after a few quick seconds of Meditation, I regain my cool. "Thanks, but it isn''t exactly underwear I need."


    I think I''m cryptic, but the old lady just nods and turns to look through her stock. "We''re usually a more tailor-made store, but we always have a few pads lying around." The woman proceeds to start moving all manner of ''specialty'' underwear to her counter.


    I thought I had what it takes to endure, but by the time I pick out what I want, I can''t even barter the price down without wanting to bury my head in my hands.


    ¡°Are you leaving the city?¡± The woman asks me after I hand her the money I owe her, motioning towards my pack.


    "Oh, I don''t live in Drey," I tell her. "I''m a runner, and I have business in the city."


    ¡°That explains why you look so fit for someone your age. But was coming here a good idea?¡± I manage to keep a respectful smile up as the older woman gives me a concerned look. I know it¡¯s what I¡¯m going for right now, but how many people are going to look down on me this trip?


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± The woman¡¯s husband says out loud without looking away from his work.


    My strained smile eases into a genuine one at the man¡¯s praise. Is he being polite, or does he notice something I haven''t noticed?


    ¡°That sets my old heart at ease,¡± the shop owner raises her hand to her chest, not questioning her husband in the slightest. ¡°We have a changing room in the back if you need it?¡± She kindly offers.


    ¡°I would greatly appreciate it,¡± I tell her.


    She leads me around her counter and past her husband. I steal a glance at the vest he''s working on and notice it''s nicer than anything I''ve seen mom make before. If most of my money weren''t tied up in materials, I probably would have tried buying something else from the couple.


    I¡¯m led to a small changing room and start changing my garments. This is another experience I missed out on last time I visited the city. I never got the chance to experience the city on my own terms.


    ¡°Everything fit comfortably?¡± The shop owner asks me as soon as I leave the room.


    "Yes, thank you very much," I offer her my sincere thanks for helping me solve one of my problems.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she tells me while leading me back through their shop.


    As we pass by her husband, I stop for a moment. "Excuse me, sir?"


    He looks up and grunts, ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°How could you tell?¡± I ask vaguely out of curiosity; I don¡¯t want to give myself away by accident.


    He grunts again and points at my pack. ¡°Your posture is too good for someone your age. You¡¯re carrying everything like it doesn¡¯t affect you in the slightest.¡±


    My eyes widen as he points out the flaw in my disguise. I lean forward a bit and tense up my shoulders, ¡°better?¡±


    He looks me over once more before nodding and going back to his work.


    Satisfied, I make my way over to the shop''s front door.


    ¡°Be careful out there, sweety,¡± the lady offers me more well wishes as I¡¯m about to open the door.


    ¡°The both of you as well,¡± I politely return.


    "We''ve been here thirty years, and we''ll be here for the next thirty as well," the old man shouts from his workstation.


    I''m about to leave when I realize I haven''t caught their names. "I''m Aaliyah. Can I have your names?" I ask respectfully.


    "I''m Ella, and my husband is named Vincen."


    ¡°Thank you for all your help; I''ll be sure to come back in the future.¡± I wave to the lovely older couple.


    I needed that, I think to myself, as I hear the shop door close behind me. Even as the city falls apart, there are still some good people in it. I turn and look at the clothing store one last time and wish them the best of luck before continuing down Drey''s street.


    With my new armor donned, I confidently continue to make my way towards Mr. Grey¡¯s branch.


    The closer I get to my destination, the closer I get to the wealthier parts of the city. Unlike the shops closer to the walls that are boarding everything up, I pass by shops that are completely empty and others with signs of magic ready to be activated to defend their businesses.


    The more affluent citizens are making it out of the city or holding up in their own forts while everyone else is left to panic.


    I wonder how Silver Herd is handling everything?


    The deeper I get into the city, the less I see signs of people panicking. And it''s not until I see Silver Herd''s Drey branch that I''m once again reminded how much of a panic the city is in.


    Multiple people are entering and exiting the building carrying rolls of parchment, and I spot three carts being loaded with goods.


    The double doors are held permanently open by two of the company''s guards allowing people to enter and leave quickly. When I enter the main lobby, I notice almost everyone I see running around is wearing Silver Herds uniform.


    People are dropping off pieces of parchment at the front desk, which the lady''s behind are frantically sorting and handing off to others waiting nearby. Maybe coming unannounced might have been a bad idea.


    While I''m considering how I should approach the front desk, a bubbly, excited voice sends shivers down my spine. "Aaliyah?"


    I make eye contact with the head receptionist, and her eyes widen in surprise. She quickly waves me over. ¡°What are you doing here, sweety? I would¡¯ve heard if you were coming.¡±


    I put on my merchant smile, ignoring the second thing she said and what it implies. ¡°My village received word from the local nobility. I figured this is my best chance to meet with Mr. Grey, so I came here by myself. Though seeing how busy everybody is, I fear I might be inconveniencing you.¡±


    "No, no," the head receptionist waves her hand in a dismissing gesture. "You could never inconvenience us. I''m sure Mr. Grey can make time to speak with you. Give me a moment," she grabs a small piece of parchment, and her hands bluer across its surface. She stamps the paper and hands it to a runner, ¡°to Mr. Grey, priority,¡± all in under ten seconds.


    The man nods and runs off.


    I wish I could move over to the nearby chairs, but the receptionist reaches out and grasps my hands with her own. "So, you came all by yourself; it must have been difficult?"


    "Not really, the run was uneventful," I try to pull my hands away, but this woman''s tentacled grip doesn''t relent.


    "That''s quite impressive," she leans closer to me, and her eyes feel like they''re drilling into me.


    I wish I could use my real strength to escape this woman, but that would just give me away. The last thing I need is this lady realizing how much I''ve improved since the last time I saw her.


    ¡°For you, head receptionist,¡± I¡¯m finally released when the runner comes back with a reply from Mr. Grey.


    The head receptionist only takes a second to read the paper before she stands up. "Just as I thought, he has time for you. Let me escort you up to his office.¡±


    I¡¯m about to decline and tell her I know the way, but she smoothly rounds the large desk and locks arms with me as Sandra would sometimes when I was smaller. The receptionist gives me a look that leaves no room for argument.


    ¡°So, how long did it take for you to get to Drey?¡±


    ¡°Not that long.¡±


    "I heard you had an accident last time you returned home; anything exciting happen?"


    ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    "Your skin looks brighter since I last saw you; what''s your secret?"


    "Staying clean."


    The woman continues to try and pry information out of me as she leads me to Mr. Grey¡¯s office. She even purposely walks slower to get more time with me. By this point, she isn¡¯t even trying to hide her intentions.


    "We should hang out after your meeting," the head receptionist offers as we come up to Mr. Grey''s office.


    ¡°Sorry, but I plan to head back towards my village as soon as I finish talking with Mr. Grey.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no fun,¡± she pouts.


    ¡°And aren¡¯t you guys busy right now?¡± I ask as the doors in front of us open.


    ¡°It will be fine,¡± the head receptionist says in a monotone voice. With a look of utter certainty, she says, ¡°Silver Herd will weather this storm and come out stronger.¡±


    She releases my arm, and I take a step away from her.


    ¡°Have a productive meeting,¡± the head receptionist gives me a polite bow and turns back down the way we came.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Before I can process what I was just told, I hear Mr. Grey call out my name from behind his office desk.


    Without his room cluttered with metal samples, Mr. Grey¡¯s office feels bigger than the last time I was here. He even has a pair of chairs placed in front of his desk, so I won¡¯t have to sit on a crate this time.


    Moving to take a seat, I spot Mr. Grey''s bodyguard in the corner as usual. "Nice to see you again, Max," I give him a polite wave.


    He returns my greeting, ¡°always a pleasure, miss.¡±


    As I take my seat, I see Mr. Grey leaning back with his cheeks puffed up with a sour expression. ¡°You greet Max before me; you wound me, Aaliyah." He says in a joking manner that sounds forced.


    "Don''t worry; I''m sure you can afford a healing potion," I smirk back at him, wondering if the stress is getting to him?


    He laughs and fixes his posture. "Not that I''m unhappy to see you so soon; I wasn''t expecting you to visit Drey as things currently are." I watch Mr. Grey''s mirthful appearance settle into something more business professional.


    ¡°Are we free to talk here?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    Mr. Grey looks surprised for a moment before glancing at Max with a serious look. Max glances around outside Mr. Grey¡¯s office before shutting and locking the doors.


    ¡°We should be fine,¡± Mr. Grey tells me.


    I have to be careful about how I go about this. If Silver Herd remains faithful to Drey and Olebert, I can''t mention how my village plans to handle the coming war. So, I start by asking something simple. "Is Kervin fine? He was around Teeburn when the fort fell, right?¡±


    "You do not need to worry about him,¡± Mr. Grey reassures me. ¡°He made his delivery before the fort fell, and our people put him and many other evacuees a day or so away from the city.¡±


    That¡¯s one thing off my chest. ¡°What about Teeburn?¡±


    A complicated look crosses Mr. Grey¡¯s face, and I swear I see a hint of anger. ¡°Fell to Scholl the minute they reached their gates.¡±


    I swallow a lump in my throat. ¡°Are they taking prisoners, or are they raiding?¡± If School¡¯s goal is to loot our entire area, our village remaining neutral may be a moot point.


    Mr. Grey looks to be thinking deeply about how he should answer my question. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear this from me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I nod in understanding.


    ¡°My informants tell me Scholl hasn¡¯t killed a single citizen that has surrendered to their rule. In fact, they''ve made it a point to bend over backward, convincing everyone they will rule the city better than Olebert ever has." That''s some good news; at least they probably won''t pillage everything.


    ¡°Does that mean they¡¯ve already started their march to Drey?¡± I ask, surprised.


    ¡°Half of Scholl¡¯s forces marched out of Teeburn this morning.¡±


    ¡°Only two weeks then,¡± I mumble.


    "Excuse me?!" Mr. Grey asks, flabbergasted. ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°An educated guess,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°You never cease to amaze me,¡± Mr. Grey gives me a big smile, but it feels forced.


    I want to keep the conversation moving, so I give a small smile at his compliment and ask my real question. "With time ticking away, how is Silver Herd planning on responding when Scholl reaches the city?"


    "You''re asking me a difficult question." Mr. Grey''s expression is stone-cold as we stare at one another.


    ¡°It would mean a lot to me if you could answer.¡± I try to convey my feelings through my eyes.


    Mr. Grey sighs, ¡°how am I supposed to say no to that?¡± He starts tapping his fingers up against his desk. ¡°If what we discuss gets out, the two of us could be in deep waters.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°All right, our branch plans to have most of our people evacuate the city with most of our resources and fall back to our headquarters. Our company has already been informed by the nobility that we are not to leave anything of value behind for Scholl.¡±


    They are abandoning the city.


    "However, a few of our merchants and staff will be ''caught up'' when Scholl moves to take the city. Those who remain will continue business for their own safety. I don''t suppose I need to clarify further, do I?"


    I shake my head, no. I understand him completely. Silver Herd plans to try and walk the line between the two forces, just like our village plans to. "Does that mean I can place one last order, or have you already started moving everything?"


    ¡°Depends on what you need?¡± Mr. Grey asks, looking intrigued.


    ¡°I would like as much Kaglese as you can bring me before Scholl arrives.¡±


    ¡°You wish to continue making the arrows, then,¡± he immediately guesses my intentions.


    ¡°Well, you did say you could find other buyers, didn¡¯t you?¡± I offer Mr. Grey a smirk.


    Mr. Grey gives a hearty laugh, ¡°I did say that.¡± He leans back into his chair, ¡°moving goods like yours will be troublesome when Scholl arrives. But I¡¯m sure I can manage something.¡±


    Now it¡¯s my turn to get serious. ¡°I appreciate the help, and I want to continue doing business with you guys, but my village also has its own plans. After I get my last delivery, it would be best if we cut off contact for a few months.¡±


    Mr. Grey goes silent and crosses his arms in front of himself. ¡°I can understand why you would want that, but you have to understand we would be fronting you quite a bit of money.¡±


    Even with what I made from the general''s arrow, I know that will only cover my debt for the earlier suppliers and my amulet. And now I''m asking for more without giving a definite timeframe of when I''ll pay them back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need insurance,¡± Mr. Grey informs me. ¡°We¡¯ll need a contract, a formal one between the two of us.¡±


    "Between the two of us, not between Silver Herd and me?" I ask him. I was expecting a contract, but I figured it would be between Silver Herd as a company and me.


    ¡°The contract will be between us; I¡¯ll be covering everything you need out of my pocket.¡± Mr. grey smiles, and I can clearly see the greed in his eyes. Was I just blind to it earlier?


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± I give him a suspicious look, to which he reins in his merchant persona.


    ¡°Because I know a good investment when I see one. As a branch manager, it would not be easy to justify extending your credit with your terms, but as an investor¡­ Your failures will be my failures, and your success will be my success."


    I get caught up in his speech briefly, but when I feel Mental Resistance activate, I realize he''s using a skill to influence my decision. Even with my skill activated, I still feel like accepting his proposal is a beautiful idea, meaning his skill is at a high level.


    I allow myself to be caught up in his skill as to not draw suspicion to myself. With a smile, I inform him, ¡°it means a lot to me that you would say that. If you¡¯re willing to invest in my work that much, it would be rude to decline.¡±


    Mr. Grey beams a smile at me, but now I distinctly see what lies behind his eyes. I thought it was all in my head the last time we did business, but I guess that was to soften me up the next time we meet. With Scholl coming, he''s probably making his own moves.


    Fine by me.


    I''ll let you think you have me by the ropes, but it''s me who''ll have the last laugh.


    ¡°Give me a moment to draw up a document.¡±


    "Can I watch?" I feign excitement. "I''ve formed a contract with Kervin, but it wasn''t an officially drafted one. I''m curious how it looks." It''s actually thanks to the effects of Mr. Grey''s skill that I can act so well. I feel genuinely good about working with him, while my skill helps me keep my wits about me.


    "Uh, sure, just give me a moment." Mr. Grey gives me a smile that doesn''t reach his eyes.


    That¡¯s right; show me everything. I wonder if I can get even more out of this lying fool?

 Ch: 70

    ¡°So, how does this work?¡± I lean across Mr. Grey¡¯s desk, watching his every movement with an excited smile on my face while bouncing on the tips of my toes.


    Mr. Grey recoils away from me and drops his skill, but Acting helps me keep up my happy fa?ade. He must have thought his skill was working too well on me and wants me to back off.


    I stop acting like I just ate a bag of sugar and back up a bit, but just enough that I¡¯m still considered quite close to Mr. Grey.


    "First, you need a proper piece of parchment," Mr. Grey tells me while pulling a tan sheet of parchment out of his desk.


    Back on Earth, most people have known nothing but plant-based paper, but here on Yurilia, parchment made from plants isn''t always the go-to. If a village needs to send a message for whatever reason, chances are they''ll use animal hide for their parchment. Mother told me plant-based paper is more common in cities but is only used in daily messages.


    Looking at the beautiful piece of parchment, I can immediately tell it¡¯s a piece of hide from a magic beast. The parchment practically glows in my eyes with earth mana and must have come from a strong beast.


    Mr. Grey smooths out any creases on the hide and places a small weight on each of its corners. He then reaches into another drawer and withdraws a pen and container of green ink. The ink itself is also magical, but it possesses a neutral flow of mana, which is interesting to see. All mana is a mishmash of elements; even when I force the fire mana out of my work when I craft, it inevitably draws out traces of air and earth mana with it.


    Every person absorbs ambient mana and converts it into their own, even those who don''t have any magic talent. The converted mana mages wield itself is a combination of all traces of mana a person naturally absorbs, allowing them to cast spells with entirely different elements. However, people like magic beasts have an affinity for certain types of mana, allowing them to easily absorb specific variants over others. In short, it''s incredibly hard to have genuinely neutral mana.


    So, to see this bottle of ink, which appears to have a perfect balance of wind, earth, fire, and water mana, is incredible in its own right. Is it like engraving ink?


    "What is that ink made of?" I ask Mr. Grey as he removes the cork from the small glass container.


    "It''s a special solution made by alchemists," he tries to hide the annoyance in his voice but now that I''m looking for small tells, his reluctance to answer me is evident.


    ¡°Sooooo, that means you have no idea?¡± It¡¯s fun to see Mr. Grey¡¯s hand pause as he¡¯s reaching for his pen when he hears my question.


    He takes a second to compose himself before meeting my gaze. Mr. Grey has reformed his merchant smile. "It''s not that I''m ill-informed, but just like engraving ink, almost all solutions are only privy to their maker. Do you wish for me to try and find you a simplified recipe like last time?¡±


    Damn, it''s hard to read him like this; I pushed too hard. "No, thanks," I try to get him to drop his guard again with a friendly smile and some reassurance. "The ink just reminded me of my own experiments back home with engraving ink. I already have too many projects on my plate as it is," I follow up with another soft chuckle.


    ¡°Are you sure? I can try if you want me to?¡± Mr. Grey offers an empty platitude, knowing I have no interest in alchemy besides engraving ink.


    "No, it''s fine, really," I insist. "I was just interested in the contract, is all," I try to turn his attention back to the parchment in front of us.


    My plan works, and Mr. Grey finally turns his attention back to our contract. "I see, then I shall explain how it works before I start drafting it. It works by one of us drafting out the agreement, and both of us signing the contract. Then, we shake as usual, and our skills will finalize everything."


    ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡± I remark.


    "Sure is; give me a minute to write everything out." Mr. Grey moves his pen over to the inkpot.


    What is this; no discussion between us first? Does he think I¡¯m that gullible, or is this a test of some kind?


    I make a split-second decision as he moves to start writing. ¡°Woah there!" I hold out my hand, and Mr. Grey stops right as he''s about to put pen to parchment. "I don''t believe we''ve talked over the terms yet," I point out to him with an accusing look.


    Mr. Grey looks shocked for a moment, but he quickly starts laughing. "Couldn''t blame me for trying," he says without a smidge of shame. "You seem a little off today; I was wondering if you''d even notice?"


    So, it was a test! Does that mean he realizes I''m on to his game? Does he know that I know, that he knows? And if he does, does he still plan on trying to indenture me to him?


    I puff out my cheeks and pout. "You see how tired I am from my run, and you try to take advantage of me," I accuse Mr. Grey in an over-the-top manner like a C grade actress might do on a soap-opera.


    "I''m just making sure I''m talking to the girl that haggled me out of a fistful of gold coins the last time we spoke." It was subtle, but I see how he drew attention back to how much he helped me last time. He doesn''t mention how it was Silver Herd''s owner that gave me a discount from the start, only how much ''he'' came down in price.


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t feel bad about me talking you down again,¡± I send him a challenging look. Both our merchant skills activate at the same time.


    "I''ll be fronting all your material costs, so I deserve a discount on the final goods." Mr. Grey gives me a cunning smile, "how about I buy all the goods you make at 60% market value."


    ¡°Including the arrows that we would¡¯ve sold to the general,¡± I scoff at his offer. ¡°Our previous deal already has you getting the last two for free.¡±


    "Don''t think I''m an unreasonable man, Aaliyah. This contract can replace our previous one as long as we include it in the details. I want us to come together and cement our relationship to both our needs.¡±


    ¡°And what about Kervin?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°I already have a contract with Kervin saying he¡¯ll be buying all my goods. How does that factor into our contract?¡± I point out to him.


    Mr. Grey laughs and gives me a dismissive wave with his hand. "Kervin works under me. He''ll be given ample compensation for being our go-between."


    ¡°And what happens when I break my contract with Kervin and sell directly to you?" I enquire about any ramifications I could possibly suffer. I can void our contract if I wanted to, but Mr. Grey doesn''t know that.


    "It depends on the type of contract and the levels of the people involved. Based on what I''ve heard, the contract between you and Kervin was only verbal, and you out level him by a wide margin. You would be the one breaking the contract, so you might suffer a bad headache for a day." Mr. Grey tells me.


    "A headache, that''s it? You break a Contract skill, and that''s all you suffer from?" I''m shocked, that''s all that happens.


    Mr. Grey chuckles, "you would only get a headache because neither of you specified the details should your contract be broken. The fact that you''re stronger than him helps you resist the backlash. If you were weaker than Kervin, then you could''ve been bedridden for several days after the skill was broken.¡±


    I breathe out a small sigh, "another example of might makes right," I mumble.


    "That''s how our world works," Mr. Grey confirms. "Levels, money, status, these are the principles that drive everything, and with the two of us working together, we might just obtain all three!" For just a second, I see Mr. Grey''s mask drop, and I can clearly see the fanatic ambition he hides.


    I want to refute him and say it¡¯s love, friendship, and loyalty that real wealth is obtained, but I can see these concepts don''t matter much to the man. Feigning understanding, I nod along with Mr. grey. If we stay on this topic any longer, I might give myself away, so I lead us back to our discussion on prices.


    "Speaking of wealth, there''s no way I''m selling my work for only 60%," I tell Mr. Grey. "I plan on forging solid tier 3 magic swords and other weapons. And if I''m lucky, I''ll be able to put some basic enchantments on them as well. We''re talking goods worth tens of gold for each piece.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°But you¡¯re forgetting I¡¯m paying for all the materials. I¡¯m only taking 40% despite agreeing to front you nearly 300 gold coins worth of ore. ¡°Mr. Grey points out to me.


    "Funny, I didn''t know you were paying for the steel we''ll be using," I cross my arms in front of me. "Other than the arrow shafts, the other stuff I make will include our village''s steel, and there''s the mithril if you want even better-quality gear."


    "Then that means you need more mithril as well. The goods I was about to front you just went from 300 gold coins to 450 gold coins. I''m afraid I''ll have to be quite insistent with 60%. You won¡¯t get any better from another merchant.¡±


    Now I got him! ¡°Ah, but I do. Kervin easily pays me 60% and gives me more depending on how much he can sell my stuff for.¡± I send Mr. Grey a challenging sneer.


    ¡°He does all that?" Mr. Grey is stunned upon hearing how well Kervin treats me. That''s right, you crafty old man, how are you going to top that? Kervin is aware I can terminate Contract skills without any backlash or consent from the other person, so he offers me more than generous terms knowing I can find a new partner anytime I want.


    Mr. Grey is forced to lean back into his chair and take a minute to think over his offer.


    The amount of money we''re discussing is leagues above any deal I''ve done in the past. I don''t mind going along with Mr. Grey''s plans because it would supply me with enough material to keep me busy until the new year. I''d have more than enough time to figure out how I would want to deal with Mr. Grey no matter what the paper in front of him says.


    Mr. Grey anxiously rubs his face with his hand. ¡°70%, that¡¯s the best I can do,¡± he tells me.


    I let a predatory smile form on my face. "That''s better; I can work with 70%. How much Kaglese do you have available?"


    ¡°8,000 pounds. And before you ask, yes, my earlier price factored in the bulk price. How many weapons can you forge with that?¡±


    "A lot," I confidently tell Mr. Grey. "I only need time; can you pick everything up after the new year when summer begins?"


    "That''s more than reasonable; anything else you feel we should discuss?" Mr. Grey asks, appearing ready to answer any of my questions, but I can see in his eyes how much he wants me to sign whatever he writes down.


    ¡°Business with Kervin, what you¡¯re giving me, how much my percentage is,¡± I count off each point with my fingers. ¡°Yeah, I think we covered all the big details. Now you just have to draft the contract, right?¡±


    "That''s correct; it won''t take long." Mr. Grey dips his pen into the inkpot. I follow along as he smoothly writes out our new contract. It starts out rather formal.


    This contract is between Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village and Lennard Grey.


    I quickly notice he includes where I grew up but not that he¡¯s working under Silver Herd.


    This contract terminates and replaces the former contract between Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village and Lennard Grey. Lennard Grey will provide Aaliyah with 300 gold worth of Kaglese ore and 150 gold in mithril ingots. Lennard Grey will use Kervin of Silver Herd to deliver said goods in a timely fashion to Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village.


    I see that Mr. Grey is making sure to specify exactly who is performing each action, leaving no room for someone to interpret the contract in any other way.


    Leonard Grey will handle the pickup of finished goods produced by Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village four months from the date this contract is signed after the new year begins. All goods produced by Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village, minus products meant for Spotted Creek Village, will be bought at 70% market value to Lennard Grey.


    According to this new contract, Mr. Grey will be paying me for all the arrows I make, including the ones we previously agreed would be free.


    While I¡¯m trying to find any hidden meaning or loopholes in what he wrote, I notice Mr. Grey has paused his writing.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Forgive me, but I forgot the last part we need to discuss.¡± Yeah, I¡¯m sure you did, I chastise the man in my head. ¡°The last part of a contract specifies what should happen to either of us should we break the terms written.¡±


    I raise my eyebrow at the man. ¡°Do we need such a clause? It sort of sounds like you don¡¯t trust me,¡± I say accusingly.


    Mr. Grey waves his hands and shakes his head. "Not at all; I''m sure neither of us wishes to back out of such a profitable deal." Mr. Grey tries to reassure me.


    "Then, why do we need to include a punishment clause? Won''t the backlash from breaking a Contract skill reinforced with an official document be enough?"


    "Normally, yes," Mr. Grey points out. "But Contract skills are vastly stronger when both parties agree on a mutual punishment should the contract be broken." His smile warm, but I know this is where Mr. Grey is going to try and trip me up.


    A part of me is curious where he¡¯s going with this. ¡°What do people usually agree to, then?¡±


    "Most commonly contracts specify an amount of money one person would owe the other should they fail to follow the standards of the contract. However, both of us are quite wealthy, and we would need to agree on an astronomical amount that would pose any threat to either of us." Mr. Grey smiles widely at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop now,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you already have an idea of what we could both ante up.¡±


    ¡°Contracts between people as strong as us need to be strong, so I suggest we both offer up 20 levels to the other should either of us happen to betray the other."


    I don''t need to feign shock. I was expecting something outrageous from the man, but I didn''t expect that. "Is that even possible?" I ask in astonishment.


    Mr. Grey slowly nods his head. "It is possible. Contracts with the same stakes were more common during the warring periods ensuring one party would never back out of a deal. Both of us could withstand the backlash from a contract skill, but neither of us could survive losing 20 levels."


    "Is this really necessary?" I act nervous, but on the inside, I''m even more curious now how he plans to trap me.


    "We both plan on following the contract. The penalty of losing 20 levels is merely there to make our partnership stronger." Mr. Grey has the smile of a fox trying to coax a hen out of the farm.


    Fine, let¡¯s see this to the end. I slowly change my unsure expression to a more reluctant agreeing look. ¡°Fine, I agree to your terms. May our bonds be unbreakable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it my way,¡± Mr. grey re-dabs his pen in the ink and finishes drafting our contract.


    Should either Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village or Lennard Grey not follow the contract to the letter, the offended party can take 20 levels from the other.


    I expected him to try and add something vaguer at the end, but the terms stating what should happen if we forgo the contract are extremely clear. That means there must be a loophole in the contract that I missed, which explains why Mr. Grey is looking extremely pleased with himself.


    ¡°Now we just have to sign,¡± Mr. Grey informs me and doesn¡¯t hesitate to write out his name at the bottom of the document.


    He passes me the parchment and his pen. ¡°Do I need to sign as Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village?¡± I ask.


    "That would be preferable," Mr. Grey tells me. "You don''t have a last name, so signing your village makes the contract stronger."


    Does anything make this contract weaker, I wonder?


    I start writing out my name, and as I finish, Mr. Grey offers me his hand. Confidently, I reach out and shake my opponents'' hand over the contact.


    The text Mr. Grey wrote down flashes, and both our Contract skills activate. Unlike the previous contracts I''ve formed with Kervin and Mr. Grey, this time is different. A more significant amount of experience is exchanged between the two of us, and it''s all filtered through the parchment.


    The hide and magic ink react to our skills, and I can see a change in the document''s mana structure. The already strong hide our contract is written on looks even stronger than a few seconds ago.


    ¡°Which of us keeps the parchment?¡± I ask Mr. Grey.


    "Do you have a secure place for it?" He questions me.


    "Not really," I tell him. "But don''t you think it would be safer in my village; I mean, an army is on its way here?"


    "You don''t need to worry," Mr. Grey assures me. "The parchment is only a physical representation of our contract. The hide it''s made of is quite strong, and our skills have already reinforced it. I believe I should hold onto it; that way, should someone from Scholl try to force your cooperation, I can negotiate for both of us."


    ¡°And who says I need you to watch out for me?¡± I fold my arms in front of me.


    "So, you want to be more involved now?" Mr. Grey smugly smiles, knowing I don''t.


    I ignore his bait and change the subject. ¡°When can I expect my delivery?¡±


    "Kervin should reach the city sometime tomorrow. But I''m sure he''ll need some rest before I send him out again. Expect your order in six or seven days."


    "Sounds good," I say, standing up. ¡°Can I get a regular piece of paper and ink to copy the contract really quick?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Grey readily hands me the supplies I need.


    I copy everything over and pocket the paper. ¡°Thanks for seeing me on such short notice. I hope everything goes well with Scholl.¡±


    Mr. Greys eyes widen as I turn around and head for the door. ¡°Wait! That¡¯s it? You don¡¯t have to leave right away, you know. I can put you up in an inn for the night,¡± he offers.


    I shake my head no and offer him a polite smile. "It''s fine, really. Everyone back in the village is waiting for me, and honestly, the energy everyone is giving off doesn''t allow me to relax here. I''d feel better camping in the woods rather than staying in an inn while the city is panicking."


    "I understand; if that''s how you feel, I won''t try to keep you longer." Mr. Grey lightly bows his head. "Stay safe on your trip home."


    ¡°Mr. Grey,¡± I offer him a final nod and move towards the doors leading out of the office. ¡°Thank you, Max,¡± I offer the bodyguard a parting smile as he holds the door open for me.


    "Have a good day, miss Aaliyah," he politely returns my farewell.


    I take stock of the man one last time as I leave. If my business with Mr. Grey turns sour, he''s one of the most likely people I would have to look out for.


    On that note, I hope I''m wrong about Mr. Grey. I understand he''s a merchant and only looking out for his best interests, but for some reason, I kept getting bad vibes every time I looked into his eyes.


    I¡¯ll have mom help me go over the contract when I get back to the village and discuss everything with Kervin when he drops off my supplies. I might even include Reel if I can figure out where his intentions lie. It sounds like he works for the head of Silver Herd, but Mr. Grey made it sound like he could order him around as well.


    Well, worrying over things that haven¡¯t happened yet won¡¯t get me anywhere.


    I need to turn my focus onto my problems in the here and now. Like, how am I going to get out of this building without being accosted by the head receptionist?


    <hr>


    Mr. grey¡¯s Point of View:


    "Has she left the building yet?" I ask Max.


    "The head receptionist stopped her, but she managed to worm her way out eventually," my bodyguard informs me.


    "Good, I don''t need that woman getting her claws into our business any more than she already is. Not that it matters much now," I laugh. "Aaliyah signed the contract, and now she''s practically dancing in the palm of my hand."


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t underestimate her, boss.¡± Max tramples all over my good mood.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± I ask my most trusted partner.


    ¡°Her growth rate is terrifying.¡±


    ¡°She may level fast, but she¡¯s still a young girl that doesn¡¯t know how the world works. By the time she realizes I basically own her, it will be too late.¡± I happily proclaim. ¡°So, what if she gains a few levels!¡±


    "It was more than a few; she leveled at least four times since she was last here."


    Hearing that causes me to choke on my own saliva. When I clear my throat, I quickly demand clarification. ¡°Four levels?!¡±


    "At least. She was trying to hide it, but her physical stats have improved by leaps and bounds.¡±


    ¡°Can you still take her?¡± I hastily ask.


    Max¡¯s face scrunches, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure. As you said, boss, she¡¯s still young. Even if she somehow out levels me, I¡¯m confident I can beat her in a fight.¡±


    I rub my face with my hand; that''s not good news. Max is already assuming she''ll pass him soon. "It doesn''t matter," I say aloud to reassure myself as much as Max. "She was focusing so hard on everything I wrote down; she didn''t realize everything I left out of the contract."


    I grab the magical document and lean back into my chair, putting my feet up onto my desk. ¡°The contract states when I pick up the first order of goods but has nothing about it being a one-time deal. It even blatantly says all goods she produces other than what her village needs must be sold to me with no mention when our contract ends!"


    ¡°Even if Giovanni catches wind of our contract, he can¡¯t break it without killing the girl.¡± I wish I could see his face when he does find out I snagged his most important contact ever.


    ¡°What do we do with Kervin and Reel, boss?¡±


    "The contract only states Kervin needs to deliver the materials the first time. You know how crazy everything has been lately; no one would think twice about it if he has an accident during all the panic." I grin at Max.


    ¡°What about Reel?¡± Max asks me.


    ¡°If the chance presents itself, we¡¯ll take him out, but we only need to kill Kervin. Then we¡¯ll fill his position with our own people we trust,¡± I explain.


    ¡°Are you sure that will work?¡± Max asks me. ¡°There¡¯s no way word won¡¯t get back to Giovanni that Aaliyah visited us today. If we make a move on Kervin, it would only confirm any suspicions he has about us."


    I snicker at my aid. "You think Giovanni isn''t already suspicious of us. That man assigned me out here to keep me at arm''s length. The only reason he cares so much is that a once in a lifetime gem like Aaliyah was uncovered nearby. Like everything else we''ve done, we''ll move slowly. After Kervin drops off the supplies I owe Aaliyah, we have months to figure out a way to get rid of him.¡±


    "And Scholl?" Max looks at me, concerned.


    "An unforeseen setback is all," I assure Max. "But one we can take advantage of. Silver herd will be split in half once Scholl takes the city, and Giovanni''s grasp on his employees will falter. As soon as Scholl takes the city, we can re-establish our ties in Teeburn."


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried about working with Scholl, boss?¡±


    "That''s the best part," I exclaim. "I''m only following the orders of Giovanni. Should our loyalty to Olebert be questioned, we can simply say we were working under Giovanni''s orders, which will damage his reputation beyond repair. If we use Aaliyah to our advantage as well as deal a lethal blow to Silver Herd, the major trading companies will see us as heroes."


    ¡°Sounds complicated,¡± Max breathes out a tired sigh.


    "Just you wait, my friend, in a years'' time, we''ll be living the good life with so much gold we won''t know what to do with it all." A large smile crosses my lips, and Max can''t help but smirk himself.


    This is a dangerous game we''re playing, but I''ve been preparing for this moment for years. And now that I have that ignorant girl under my thumb, my victory is all but assured.


    Come, Scholl.


    Come, Giovanni.


    Both of you are merely stepping stones meant to propel me to greatness!

 Ch: 71

    Master Pacore the Deathless Point of View:


    "You would think a man of my age would be able to handle anything, but we''re only two days into the march, and I''m already bored," I complain out loud.


    The gentle rocking of my private carriage makes me want to fall asleep. This is the only part of my job I hate; if I could simply teleport from one battlefield to another, my life would be complete.


    ¡°Is there anything I can get you, Master Pacore the Deathless?¡± A female attendant asks from just outside the carriage.


    I give the girl a side-long glance and see she¡¯s keeping pace with us while keeping her head bowed. It¡¯s always annoying when the attendants assigned to me refuse to look me in the eyes.


    ¡°The only thing I want is to reach Drey faster,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform the commander immediately.¡±


    "Wait! No!" I try to call the girl back, but she''s already off in the distance heading towards the front of our procession.


    "Kids these days; taking everything I say too literally," I stroke my beard. "Do you have the same problem?" I ask my guest sitting across from me.


    All I get in return from my question is a look that could kill a lesser man.


    ¡°Need anything; a cup of water perhaps? I wouldn¡¯t want people saying I¡¯m a bad host,¡± I offer with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a sword or maybe a knife if you''re offering; anything with a sharp edge will do." General Pitz grits through her teeth in frustration.


    "And what would you do if I gave you a weapon? You can barely move your limbs, let alone pick up a knife and thrust it hard enough to scratch my skin. I don''t think you could gouge out my eye even if held still until we reach Drey." I poke fun at the woman. I rarely get to converse with someone I''ve beaten in battle and longer since I''ve had a decent conversation during a campaign march.


    "Give me a blade, and we''ll find out." Lady Pitz bares her teeth at me like a wild animal, which pushes me over the edge.


    I can''t help but bust out laughing at her empty threats.


    The general has twenty of our finest sealing bands placed all over her body. Four bands on each of her arms and legs and another four around her torso ensure her Stamina and Magic pools never rise above 10%. They also have the effect of restricting physical stats by 50%. An average person would be in a coma if they were subjected to such restrictions, and only people like general Pitz and myself could remain awake after being sealed to that extent.


    ¡°Why are you dragging me along with you? What happened to my men?¡± I can see she wishes to move and grab me, but the general knows she would merely fall to the floor of my carriage if she tried to move.


    "Did you think I would leave someone like you unsupervised?" I raise an eyebrow at the general. "As for your men, they''re safe back in Teeburn."


    ¡°If any of them should come to harm, I¡¯ll rip you limb from limb!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised you still have so much fight left in you¡­ I see where your subordinate got it from.¡± I give the helpless general a large smile.


    General Pitz visibly winces when I mention her steward. ¡°Are you talking about Christopher? Did he survive your taking of the fort?¡±


    It was a wise decision to keep the general separated from her men. She only woke up recently, and I''m the only one she can turn to for information, forcing her to keep our conversations going longer. "You would''ve been proud of him," I tell my traveling companion. "He was one of the few people that could meet my gaze. He refused to answer any of my questions until I told him you were alive."


    "That fool." Though the general hangs her head in apparent shame, I catch the hint of a smile on her lips.


    A brief silence falls between us as I wait for the general to start the conversation this time. I''m sure she has many questions, and she would be a fool if she didn''t try to get information out of me.


    Finally, she decides to speak, and she doesn''t hold back, "why are you doing this?"


    "Is my strategy that complicated? I take Drey and the following cities while the bulk of my men prepare Teeburn to hold off your reinforcements. I thought a woman such as yourself would''ve already noticed based on the size of my forces."


    The general doesn¡¯t take my bait and only gives me a cold glare.


    Apparently, she¡¯s not as easy to rile up as I thought. ¡°Oh!¡± I feign realization. ¡°You mean why we¡¯re attacking Olebert in general. That¡¯s top-secret information, very need to know.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me or not!?¡± General Pitz interrupts my grandstanding.


    I want to look offended by her actions, but I''m having too much fun to remove the smile from my face. "I''ll consider telling you¡­ if you answer some of my questions first."


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lady Pitz asks me with no small amount of suspicion. ¡°I won¡¯t betray my liege or house.¡±


    ¡°And I would never ask you to,¡± I reassure her. ¡°Call me curious, but where did you get that final arrow from? I was under the impression you used all your dwarven arrows repelling our earlier advances. I was quite surprised when you managed to strike me in the end. Did you get it from a local blacksmith?¡±


    She must have been preparing herself for a difficult question because Lady Pitz''s facial features give nothing away. Her mask doesn¡¯t so much as crack as she answers my question. ¡°I wish I could say we had talent like that out here, but I''ll have to disappoint you. That final arrow I used was a sample product from the capital. In the end, it couldn''t withstand my skills; otherwise, our positions would be quite different right now."


    The general and I lock eyes. I might not have taken the time to level my noble skills enough to detect lies but the general needs another 50 years before she can deceive me. If she had that arrow earlier, she would''ve used it. She must''ve gotten it right before my forces arrived, meaning the blacksmith has to be local.


    I file that bit of information away for later and decide to move the conversation along. "That''s disappointing. What about your hobbies? I hear Lady Pitz is quite the hunter."


    ¡°And?¡± She gives me a challenging look.


    "I''m merely interested, is all," I tell her. "My specialty is more towards fighting human opponents, and I''m curious how the experience differs.¡±


    ¡°Then you should go find a monster to see for yourself,¡± she snaps back.


    ¡°Oh, come on, you must have some great stories to help pass the time,¡± I push the subject. ¡°What about that time you managed to kill a mountain hydra?¡±


    Instead of barking an insult at me, Lady Pitz looks at me, surprised. "How did you hear about that?"


    ¡°People talk,¡± I ambiguously inform her. ¡°When I was informed you were defending the fort, I went over every scrap of information we had on you. It¡¯s rare, but some people call you a dragon slayer.¡±


    I didn''t know it was possible, but the lady sitting across from me actually looks angrier than she did when she first woke up in my carriage. "Only young fools call me that, and only once before I beat the snot out of them. Like they understand the true monsters of this world." General Pitz huffs in displeasure and looks away from me.


    ¡°Come now,¡± I draw her attention back towards me. ¡°Hydras are of the dragon bloodline. You should feel proud for slaying one.¡± I try to butter her up so she¡¯ll talk more.


    "I slew the beast, did I?" The general scoffs at me. "I used a tier 4 water attribute poison on all my arrows to whittle away the beast¡¯s health over a span of 12 days. Do you think I deserve the title of dragon slayer?¡± Her eyes challenge me to disagree with her.


    "Maybe not dragon slayer, but I think you deserve credit for your kill. You found the beat''s weakness and used it against him. There is no such thing as underhanded in a fight, and it''s the same whether your opponent is a monster or another warrior." I take a swig of my nearby waterskin that''s filled with wine. After a few gulps, I offer it to the general. She looks between me and the offered alcohol a few times before she slowly raises her hand like she''s frail and takes the offered drink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think this means I¡¯m telling you anything," she snaps, noticing my smile. Lady Pitz proceeds to sip my wine and coughs as soon as it touches her lips. "What is this!?" She stutters.


    "My own personal wine," I inform her. "It''s hard for me to get drunk with my ridiculous physical stats, so you can imagine how strong I need my drink to be."


    ¡°It¡¯s practically poison!¡± Lady Pitz holds out the waterskin towards me.


    ¡°I guess you could call it that.¡± I take my wine back and quickly gulp down another mouthful before setting it aside. ¡°Feeling better?¡± I ask my grumpy companion.


    "Yeah, I''m magically better," she sarcastically answers. Lady Pitz''s cheeks are slightly red after what I guess could only have been half a mouthful of wine. She might not have the same stats as me, but her body is strong enough to survive a few sips of my wine even suppressed.


    I notice Lady Pitz looking solemnly out the carriage window. "What''s wrong? We may be marching, but I can get you anything you might need."


    General Pitz looks back at me with the red gone from her cheeks. "I don''t understand, and it''s frustrating me. You kept me alive, and you''ve split your forces. You may hold Teeburn and make your way over to Yleles, but there is no way you can conquer any further into Olebert. Tell me now, what is the reason for this invasion?!"


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I rub my beard and think over the general''s question.


    Taking a deep breath, I let out a sigh. ¡°Lady Pitz, are you aware of the geography of our kingdom?¡±


    She furrows her eyebrows in deep thought. ¡°The kingdom of Scholl is known for its rocky landscape that protects it from invaders and the large lakes that your settlements are built around. That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is how outsiders see our lands. We are viewed as an aggressive kingdom because of our view on levels and stats, but that is only a small part of our culture. You see, most of our lands are completely barren, and only the strongest can safely traverse the terrain. The six great pools are the only reliable sources of water and farmland, meaning the six great pools support 90% of our people."


    "That''s interesting to hear, but why are you telling me this?"


    ¡°To give you perspective of what¡¯s happening in my homeland," I tell her. "Our greatest lake is known as the Heart of Scholl,  and it single-handily produces 30% of our crops."


    ¡°And something happened to the lake, didn¡¯t it?¡± Lady Pitz quickly sees where I¡¯m going with my explanation.


    I nod my head somberly.


    "Did it dry up?" My coach-mate asks.


    "No, that is impossible. Underneath our kingdom is an extensive network of tunnels that connect all the great pools together. The tunnels stretch from the farthest pool all the way to the coast. That''s how the beast made it to the Heart of Scholl." I grit my teeth in frustration. ¡°The beast turned the Heart of Scholl into its lair and kills anything that steps within a mile of the pool."


    General Pitz looks at me in bewilderment. At least she has the decency not to ask why our army hasn¡¯t slain the beast yet. She silently waits for me to continue.


    "We tried to drive off the beast, but nothing worked. Even the greatest of us banding together could only hold it back for an hour. I''m sure you have an idea of what plagues us," I meet Lady Pitz''s eyes.


    ¡°A dragon,¡± she says with a twinge of fear in her voice.


    I ball up my fists in my lap, trying to hold back the rage I feel for the creature of legend. "Indeed, a pure-blooded sea dragon. Our people estimate it''s above level 400, and that isn''t the worst part."


    General Pitz''s eyes widen. "No, it can''t be."


    "Sadly, yes. The dragon is building a nest. Dragons can linger in a spot for years, but they only build a nest for one reason¡­¡±


    "¡­To lay an egg." Lady Pitz finishes my sentence. "Oh, gods!"


    "Dragons will viciously guard their nest until their egg hatches. We can''t get anywhere near the creature''s nest, so we have no idea when that might happen. If an egg is already laid, it could take up to 15 years for it to hatch, and if the dragon hasn''t laid yet¡­ it could be half a century before it leaves."


    "That''s why you invaded!" Lady Pitz growls. "You came to take our farmland. What is wrong with you people?! Did the idea of asking us for help or paying for crops never enter your king''s mind?!"


    ¡°Silence!¡± I roar. ¡°You will not disrespect my king in front of me,¡± I demand with fire in my eyes.


    Lady Pitz doesn¡¯t turn away from me and holds eye contact. I can immediately tell she¡¯s prepared to die and that she won¡¯t bow her head to me no matter how I threaten her.


    She remains silent, and I slowly reel in my intimidation skills I subconsciously activated.


    ¡°Master Pacore the Deathless, is everything all right?¡± I hear the female attendant I sent off earlier ask from outside my carriage.


    "No, leave us until I call," I order the young girl away in frustration.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± I hear her footsteps as she moves away from the coach.


    I look back at my traveling companion now that I''ve regained my composure. "My king did not decide to invade Olebert on a whim," I stress. "There were many debates on how we could obtain the food we need for our people. We diverted more hands to our two port towns, hoping to catch more fish and sea plants, but we have yet to see any results."


    "It was estimated we could purchase the extra goods from our neighbors, but our kingdom has never been considered rich. Our coffers would be depleted long before the dragon ever left. In the end, it came down to two options; we could slay the mythical beast or take the best farmland we could from one of our neighbors."


    ¡°I see,¡± Lady Pitz says with a neutral expression.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take Drey, Blaiton, and Yleles, and that¡¯s where you and your men will come in,¡± I tell the captive general before taking another drink of my wine. ¡°We¡¯ll trade your lives and the lives of any other nobles we capture in exchange for the land we¡¯re occupying.¡±


    ¡°And you think everything will happen that smoothly?¡± Lady Pitz looks at me like I¡¯m a rookie commander in over his head. ¡°Olebert won¡¯t stand still and let you take lands that rightfully belong to us!¡±


    I grin like a starving animal. ¡°I sure hope so. It was disappointing how easy it was to take Teeburn. The spies I had mixed in with the people fleeing teeburn reported Drey has no chance or resistance. But I hope Olebert lives up to your expectations, or this will be the most boring campaign I''ve ever participated in."


    My excitement must have displeased the general because she turns her head away from me and doesn¡¯t look like she wants to continue talking anymore.


    I can understand her frustration; I myself feel silly knowing my country had to go to war over crops. Even our ancestors that went to war for any reason possible had never cited food as the reason. And then there''s the difficulty of the fighting ahead. I relish a good battle, but every person we kill is one less hand to work the land.


    Depending on how the local lords try to repel us, it could set our plans back even further if we kill too many conscripts. I have until the new year to secure our position before the refugees from the Heart of Scholl will arrive to help with the farming.


    I have to take three cities and a lord''s residence, all while killing as few of their soldiers as possible.


    Even if I enjoy a good challenge, this is too much even for me.


    But I can''t stop now. The dragon has tormented our lands for a year already, and the food shortage is starting to be felt by everybody.


    I will not disappoint my king!


    I''m the undying shield of Scholl, and I will not fail!


    I sit back into my seat and close my eyes, feeling the rocking of the carriage. Every second that passes, we grow closer to Drey, closer to saving our people.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" I shout as I run down the forest path.


    How am I supposed to enjoy my run when I¡¯ve confirmed I was somehow screwed over in my contract?


    I pull up my status page for the third time today, hoping somehow it will have magically change since the last time I saw it.


    LV: 72 Experience: 880,183/ 911,219


    Health: 2,400/2,400


    Stamina 1,288.17/1,633


    Mana: 812.94/1,020


    Vitality: 240.00


    Endurance: 100.00


    Strength: 150.00


    Dexterity: 145.00


    Senses: 62.31


    Mind: 65.07


    Magic: 102.46


    Clarity: 78.55


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV76), Blacksmithing (LV69), Hammer Skills (LV57), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV39), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV32), Sword Skills (LV31), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2), Alchemy (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Steady Hands (LV16), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV14), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV60), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV37), Flash Step (LV21), Contract (LV7)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV53), Mana Skin (LV53), Inject Mana (LV52), Extract Mana (LV31), Magic Blacksmithing (LV25), Empowered Spell (LV9), Air Walk (LV1)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV38), Soul Manipulation (LV6)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Trading (LV43-45) 6,600exp


    Acting (LV32) 1,600exp


    Increase Price (LV18-21) 7,800exp


    Contract (LV6-7) 1,950exp


    Skill Experience: 17,950exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,843exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total-experience Gained: 19,793exp


    Seeing exactly where I gain my experience has been a big boon for me ever since I could better organize the information from my soul.


    I can easily see which of my skills have leveled and how much experience I''ve gained from crafting activities, including negotiating.


    Looking at the results of my meeting with Mr. Grey makes me feel the need to punch a tree with all my strength as I can over my status page again.


    Both Trading and Increase Price saw huge gains after my discussion with Mr. Grey, but one skill did not. Contract, the skill I was expecting to soar through the roof after I signed with Mr. Grey only gained two levels, and it was only at level 5 to begin with.


    If that wasn''t a good enough indicator that I was bamboozled, I only gained 1,843 experience after agreeing to such an important contract. I''ve gained more experience trading with Kervin.


    I would have to be an idiot if I didn''t see the writing on the wall. However, I''ve been going over the contract in my head for hours, and I can''t find anything that screams ''gotcha.'' Did Mr. grey write something in invisible ink? No, I was watching every move he made; there was nothing hidden in that contract. In fact, the contract seemed relatively short and to the point.


    I almost trip over nothing as I suddenly realize what''s wrong with the contract; it''s missing too many details!


    Back on Earth, you would be lucky to find a contract shorter than three pages. Hell, every time you updated an app, you would have to agree to ten pages of who knows what.


    I still don''t know what Mr. grey left out of the contract, but I''m sure Mother will have an idea once she sees it.


    I''m disappointed in myself for not noticing sooner. If I didn''t have the skill to counter contracts, I would be in big trouble right now rather than complaining about how I didn''t level my skills as much as I wanted to.


    I wonder if this is a sign, I''m getting overconfident with my abilities? I thought the contract business was beneath me like it didn''t matter, and I allowed myself to be duped. Just because I''m stronger than most people doesn''t mean I''m invincible.


    I''ll need to be more careful in the future, especially now that I know Mr. Grey has some sort of plan for me.


    While I alternate between berating myself for my slipup and complaining about my missed skill levels, I finally spot what I¡¯m looking for just up ahead.


    I spot Sandra''s search spell, meaning I''m closing in on them. Deactivating my mana obscuring amulet, I chose to approach them without scaring them this time.


    As I round the bend in the trees, I spot Sandra and Brother, who both look happy to see me despite how I left them last time.


    ¡°You¡¯re back already!¡± Brother shouts in disbelief as I approach their slow-moving cart.


    I choose to shrug like it¡¯s no big deal. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fast.¡±


    "Did you have any trouble in the city?" Sandra asks, concerned like an older sister.


    I don''t feel the need to lie to them, so I answer truthfully. "There were some small hiccups. The city is in worse shape than I thought. Everyone is trying to leave Drey, and the guards are taking advantage of that. After seeing Drey for myself, I''m all, but sure it won''t hold once Scholl arrives."


    I walk up next to their cart and go into detail about my experience in the city. Sandra makes fun of me for forgetting my pad at home while my Brother awkwardly tries to tune me out for that part of the conversation. I even tell them how I visited Silver herd and arranged for numerous materials to be delivered to the village before Scholl arrives.


    "You signed a contract," Sandra looks at me concerned after I finish recanting my short tale. "You have to take contracts seriously, I had to sign one before I started practicing under my master, and even now, it affects me."


    ¡°What does your contract entail?¡± I curiously ask.


    "It was a basic mage apprenticeship contract. It was really long, so I''ll sum it up. Basically, I can''t teach anyone anything I learned from my master until I buy out his magic rights."


    ¡°What are magic rights?¡± I scooch a little closer to the cart.


    "Purchasing magic rights from a master means you bought the right to teach others," Sandra tells me.


    ¡°That sounds stupid,¡± I scoff at the idea of charging someone twice for the same knowledge. ¡°Why is that even a thing?¡±


    "It''s how mages ensure unfaithful or disgruntled students don''t pass around their spells. Think about it, what would happen if one mage paid for their apprentice to study under another mage and have him relay everything back to the master? If you wish to teach others, you have to compensate the master for their knowledge."


    ¡°Wait! Does that mean we can¡¯t swap magic ideas?¡± I ask in astonishment.


    Sandra gives me an awkward smile telling me everything I need to know. ¡°We can talk about magic; I just can¡¯t teach you any of the spells I learned.¡±


    ¡°I guess that isn¡¯t all bad,¡± I reluctantly say, kicking a pebble into the nearby bushes in disappointment. I was somewhat hoping my spell repertoire was going to grow when Sandra came back.


    "And don''t think I didn''t notice how you changed the conversation," Sandra gives me a knowing look. "What exactly did you agree to in your contract?" And like that, Sandra went from a cool older sister to mom in under a minute.


    Lying doesn''t feel right, but I don''t feel like divulging my screw up. I look up to Sandra, who''s sitting next to my Brother, driving the cart. "It''s a little personal, but believe me, I have it covered," I reassure her.


    Sandra must see my resolve because she lets out a reluctant sigh. "Ok, if you say so. But if you need anything, make sure you ask."


    ¡°I will,¡± I nod in agreement.


    Walking next to the cart, I¡¯m reminded how much Sandra and Brother support me. I psych myself and tell them what I should¡¯ve said as soon as I saw them.


    "Hey, Richard, Sandra, I want to say I''m sorry for how I acted two days ago. Both of you were just caring about me, and I overreacted. I''m really sorry," I anxiously glance up at the two and hope that they''ll forgive me.


    Brother and Sandra share a quick look before both turning towards me. ¡°We would also like to apologize to you, Aaliyah,¡± Sandra says with a soft smile. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have tried to control you, no matter how much we care about you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we''re just as sorry as you are, little sis." Brother chimes in. "The two of us should know better than anyone what it''s like to have people question your decisions when you''re 15." Brothers joke earns a small laugh from Sandra and me.


    ¡°Thanks, but that doesn¡¯t excuse the skill I used on the two of you.¡±


    "Yeah, please don''t ever do that again," Brother gives me the same look master did after I used Sense Soul on him for the first time.


    ¡°I promise,¡± I quickly agree.


    "Speaking of the skill, what was it?" Sandra has all the curiosity of a cat. "I''ve never experienced a skill like that before, and it lets you view our levels? How does that work?"


    I know she won''t stop asking until I tell her, so I give her an outline of my skill, not divulging its tier. "You can think of it as an invasive scanning skill. It mostly lets me see a person''s level, but it can show me other things too. Like when I scanned you, I noticed something weird in your stomach. Are you¡­?"


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Both Sandra and Richard flail in their seats, stopping me before I can ask my question.


    ¡°That¡¯s something personal between your brother and me that we still need to discuss,¡± Sandra points out while placing her hand on her lower abdomen.


    It¡¯s hard to hold back my excitement.


    I look at Sandra, who seems to be glowing even more than the last time I saw her, before turning to Richard. "Dad and Camden are going to kick your ass."


    ¡°No, they won¡¯t.¡±


    I smirk at my brother. "You''re right; Mother and Sarette will get you first for not being officially married yet."


    Brother pales at the mention of Mother, and I start laughing. Sandra can¡¯t help herself and giggles along with me at Richard¡¯s expense.


    It''s great talking to Sandra and messing with Richard, but I can''t stay here much longer.  "If you promise to be nice to me from now on, I might decide not to tell everyone when I get back to the village."


    "You''re leaving?" Brother asks, surprised, and Sandra stops laughing. "Why?"


    "For the same reason; I''m scared of Mom too," I point out. "I promised her I would be back as soon as possible, and that doesn''t mean I can walk next to you guys for the next week. Besides, someone has to let our families know the two of you are safe."


    "She has a good point," Sandra agrees with me.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Brother mumbles and sets the reins down. The sickly looking bivol doesn¡¯t so much as change direction or pace even though Brother is no longer holding the reins. Was he just pretending to control the beast?


    Both Sandra and Brother dismount their cart and move to hug me.


    The three of us exchange goodbyes, and I definitely, positively, didn''t tear up when we separated from one another.


    ¡°Hurry up and make it home,¡± I call out behind me as I jog away.


    ¡°Stay safe!¡± The two shout back at me before I can no longer see them.


    I quickly gain speed and start soaring through the forest. If I push myself a little harder, I can probably make it home in time for dinner, I happily think to myself.


    It''s incredible what family can do for you. Before I saw Sandra and Richard, I was frustrated and angry, but my day feels brighter somehow after talking to them. I guess you can call it the magic of family¡­


    Ok, that was a little too sweet even for me.


    I laugh to myself as I make my way home, optimistic I can overcome any challenges I might face in the future as long as I''m careful and have help from my loved ones.

 Ch: 72

    Come on, Aaliyah, you''re almost there. I push myself a little faster, trying to catch up to the disappearing sun in the distance. I recognize the terrain around me and know I''m almost back at the village.


    As I get closer to home, I can¡¯t help but think about whatever stew mother has made tonight. After three days of near-constant running, coupled with a few biscuits and rubbery strips of jerky, I¡¯m ready to eat a real meal for a change.


    I slow down to a jog when I finally reach the village. The setting sun over our small village provides a beautiful canvas of oranges and reds. The seven moons overhead dot the tie-dyed sky with their own brilliance.


    Only a few villagers are still walking about, with most already home enjoying their supper.


    A few people wave to me as I jog past them, while others give me surprised looks.


    Word must have traveled around the village that I took a trip to Drey. Whether people are happy or surprised to see me, I can tell one thing based on the village''s feel; Camden hasn''t spread the news about Scholl yet. If he did, there would be a different air about the village.


    I personally hope everyone can remain ignorant for as long as possible. Our village has had many problems this last year, and we''re finally reaching the point people aren''t afraid to walk around the edge of the village anymore.


    Too bad Camden won¡¯t be able to remain silent for much longer. I¡¯ll need to inform him tomorrow that Scholl is already marching to Drey.


    Now that I think about it, Camden isn''t the only person I need to have a discussion with. I need to talk to mom about everything that happened with Mr. Grey. Then, I¡¯ll need to talk to master about all the materials we¡¯ll be getting and how I plan on using them.


    I let out a tired sigh; tomorrow is going to be busy.


    Oh well, I''ll leave tomorrow''s problems to tomorrow''s me. The only thing I need to worry about tonight is how to avoid being smothered by my parents, a challenge that sounds more impossible the closer I get to my house.


    Finally, I¡¯m standing in front of our familiar front door.


    I reach out and try to pull the door open, but mother and father have already bolted it for the night. Grinning, I bring my fist up and pound on the door three times.


    ¡°Who is it? We¡¯re eating!¡± I hear dad shout through the door.


    "Why do you think I''m here?!" I shout back. "I''ve been running for three days now, and I''m starving."


    The only thing I hear on the other side of the door is the screech of two chairs rapidly being drawn against the floor and the sound of father fumbling to open the door¡¯s bolt.


    "Aaliyah, is that you?" I quickly take a step back before dad smacks me in the face with the door.


    Dad''s smile is priceless as he looks at me in dumbfounded joy. While dad is frozen in happiness, mom gracefully steps past him and moves in to give me a welcome home hug. "How are you back already?" Mother questions me as she tries her hardest to squeeze the life out of me. "Did you run into any more bandits?"


    ¡°I¡¯m completely fine,¡± I tell mother while hugging her back. ¡°But can we move this inside? I wasn¡¯t joking when I said I was hungry.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, sweety,¡± mom pulls me inside past dad. While father locks the door behind us, I chant my cleaning spell, removing three days of dust and sweat.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I feel rejuvenated as a thin layer of dirt and grime falls away. Mom finally releases her hold on me so I can shake off the resulting black flakes from my spell. While I''m shaking myself like a dog coming in out of the rain, I point and laugh at my mom''s left arm.


    Mother looks down and smiles when she sees her left arm and sleeve are noticeably cleaner than the rest of her. Dad turns around from securing our door and joins in our laughter.


    ¡°It feels weird to be this clean,¡± mother jokes as she touches the skin of her left arm.


    ¡°You get used to it,¡± I tell her. A mischievous smiler crosses my face. Mother and father are both close to me, so now is the perfect time to show off the benefits of Empowered Spell to them. "Hold still for a moment," I motion to my parents to stand still. We''re all in the entryway so mother won''t get mad at the mess I''m about to make.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dad asks.


    "Wait and see," I try to sound suspenseful and mysterious. Now that I''m safely home, I can use more of my magic without worrying about being ambushed.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    I recast my same cleaning spell again, but this time I overpower it with my skill. The white light that usually envelops me slowly expands as I pour more of my mana into the spell. Mother and Father flinch as the bubble of white light slowly envelops them. As soon as I see that my spell has wholly covered both of them, I stop adding extra mana and let the spell complete itself.


    Mother and father watch in amazement as all the dirt falls off of each other. The two are so surprised I need to remind them what to do when my magic finally fades away. ¡°Make sure you shake yourselves out properly.¡±


    "This is just like when you woke up from that monster attack. I thought it was weird how you cleaned us since you said you couldn¡¯t use your magic like that, but I put it out of my mind because I never saw you use your spell like that since. Since when have you been able to do this?" Mom remarks as she and dad start shaking out their hair and clothing. Unlike me, they don¡¯t magically clean themselves every day, and the two of them are covered in black flakes.


    Mother makes sure dad wipes himself down every day after returning from work, but it''s rare for anyone in our village to bathe properly. My spell is better than any soap or shampoo back on earth, and I dare say, mother and father look almost like entirely different people after I removed every speck of dirt from their bodies and clothes.


    ¡°Everything feels funny,¡± dad complains as he shakes out his shirt. He sniffs his clothes and frowns.


    ¡°I felt the same way when I first used the spell,¡± I try to console my dad. He''s spent most of his life in the woods, and I don''t think I can remember a time when he hasn''t smelled of trees and sawdust. It must be weird for a woodsman like himself to feel so clean.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me how you did it,¡± Mother reminds me.


    I awkwardly rub the back of my head as I switch to my indoor slippers. ¡°I actually figured out how to boost my spells during my last trip to Drey. It was just after all the excitement during my return trip, the pressure to forge the arrow for the general, and the soul eater attack, I forgot to show you guys.¡±


    "You mean you could''ve been using this spell for almost a month now!?" Mom looks at me, accusingly. My spell didn''t just clean my parents. The entryway stones look like they were just cut and even our old door looks like it was replaced with new wood.


    "Hey," I hold up my hand defensively. "You know how crazy everything has been lately. To use my spell as I did requires a lot more mana than my personal cleaning spell. The only reason I can use it freely right now is that I saved my mana during my run for emergencies."


    "And helping me clean the house isn''t an emergency?" I''m pretty sure that''s supposed to be a joke, but mother looks frighteningly serious. Finally, mom''s mask of anger cracks, and she laughs at my unease. "I''m joking, sweety. I know how busy you''ve been. Come sit down, and I''ll get you a bowl of soup and some bread we got from Granny Gellar." She says she''s joking, but I''m not sure that she was.


    Either way, I take my seat at the table. Mom moves around our kitchen, scraping the remains of the stew sitting next to the fire into a bowl for me. They obviously weren''t expecting me back so soon.


    Mom sets the food down in front of me and takes her place at the table. By the looks of it, mom and dad were just about to finish their dinner.


    While I sip at my warm soup, mother leans forward across the table. ¡°So, tell us, why are you home so soon? Did you turn around for some reason?¡±


    I chuckle in-between bites. "Nope, I made it to Drey and back all in three days," I proclaim. Mother and father look at me proudly, hearing my accomplishment.


    "Then, that means you found Richard and Sandra?" Dad asks, finishing off his supper.


    ¡°Tell us everything,¡± mom eagerly demands.


    My smile cramps for just a moment. How do I want to do this? I need to talk to mom about Mr. Grey, but I''d rather leave that for tomorrow and enjoy my first night back with my parents without having to worry about anything just yet.


    ¡°Honey?¡± Mom notices my indecision. ¡°Is everything ok?¡±


    I give mom a small smile to reassure her I''m fine. "Everything''s fine¡­ it''s just that I need to discuss some things with you tomorrow, and I''d rather keep the conversation happy for tonight. Is that ok?" I''ve learned long ago maintaining honest with my family is the best option.


    Mom gives me a concerned look but nods her head in understanding. ¡°Ok, we can do that, but what are we to talk about then?¡±


    I¡¯m happy to have such an understanding family.


    ¡°Well, would either of you like to guess who I ran into on my way to Drey?¡± I playfully glance between mother and father.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    <hr>


    We spent the rest of the night talking about how I ran into Sandra and Richard on the road. Mother and father were so happy to hear the two of them made it out of the city before anything terrible happened. The three of us shared a huge laugh after I told them why the two lovebirds didn''t send us a letter and the reason Kervin will probably arrive at the village before bother and Sandra ever do.


    At one point, mom tried to ask me about Drey, but I politely told her I would tell her everything tomorrow. Besides that, mom didn''t bring the issue up again, and we laughed into the night.


    When we finally retired for the night, mother and father walked to their room, looking like an enormous weight was removed from their shoulders.


    While my parents went to bed, I still have some things I need to take care of.


    I leave my body to rest in the real world while I enter my soul with one clear goal in mind. I¡¯m here to find and gather all the skill fragments related to my contract with Mr. Grey. Opening my eyes to see the garden in my soul, I immediately stand up and scan the area.


    I used to have to traverse the entirety of my soul when searching for contract fragments, but my increased levels and skills now make the job much easier. I can scan large spots of my soul without needing to check each tree for an anomaly.


    In fact, I sense the first scattered fragment from Mr. Grey¡¯s contract not too far away.


    I don''t waste any time and move over to a tree with a pinky sized metal rod sticking out of its trunk. "Oh shit!" I can''t help but swear when I get close to the intrusion in my soul.


    The pinky sized fragment sticking out of the tree is merely the tip of the fragment. The skill fragment branches out through the whole tree and deep into the ground like a vicious tumor. All the previous contracts I''ve entered have all been verbal, and gathering the fragments scattered around my soul have been tedious to gather but otherwise nonthreatening. But this one...


    If I didn''t have my soul skills at the level they''re currently at; I''m not sure I would be able to nullify Mr. Grey''s contract.


    I concentrate on the entirety of the skill fragment in front of me and slowly pull it out of the depths of my soul. When I''m done gathering the fragment, it''s as big as the other contracts I''ve formed in the past all by itself.


    I spend a moment to patch up the gaps removing the fragment left on the surface of my soul, and move on to find the next one.


    I continue to scan my soul section by section until every fragment I gathered fits together like a neat puzzle.


    Even though the Contract skill is made from Mr. Grey''s experience, as long as it''s inside my soul space, I can shape it however I want. Maybe I should shape it into a pile of shit; that would be poetic in some way. I end up playing with the chunk of Mr. Grey''s soul like it''s Play-Dough until I return to my clearing.


    Taking one last look at the ugly lump of experience in front of me, I decide to be mature and shape it into a plaque that¡¯s inscribed with the contract I made. I lazily stick it to my ugliest tree and turn away from the plaque before I¡¯m tempted to destroy it.


    The only thing keeping me in check is the thought of terminating the contract in the future in the worst possible way for Mr. Grey.


    I''m all for merchants trying to get the best possible deal when they do business, but Mr. Grey took it too far. I mean, I''m used to having people look down on me for the first time they see me because of my age, but Mr. Grey is more than aware of how strong I am, and he still went too far.


    Instead of trying to forge a stronger bond with me, Mr. Grey tried shackling me to him as soon as the moment presented itself.


    I¡¯m going to take great joy in obliterating the contract.


    I dance around my clearing, throwing punches at thin air and spouting obscenities involving Mr. Grey until I calm down and collect myself. I learned from my meeting with Richard and Sandra that I need to spend some time letting my grievances out so they don''t compromise my future decisions.


    No matter how much I want to destroy Mr. Grey''s skill as soon as possible, I need to be smart about it. I''ll discuss everything with mom tomorrow and make plans for the future. A cold shiver travels up my spine as I think about how I should break my predicament to her. Hands down, I''ll need to reassure her I can break the contract without harming myself.


    "Uggggg," I loudly groan. Is it wrong for me to hope Scholl arrives faster? At least then, I''ll have a few months of privacy to myself, and I won''t have to worry about making any deadlines for a change.


    I let myself fall over onto my patch of grass and try to forget about all my frustrations. Using my skills, I check how long my body has been asleep in the real world. ¡°Only three hours,¡± I complain. ¡°I still have another four or five until the sun rises.¡±


    Oh well, I might as well do some soul gardening to pass the time.


    <hr>


    I sit up in my bed just as the first rays of sunlight push back the blanket of darkness covering the village. It doesn¡¯t sound like mother or father are up yet, so I quietly get out of bed and get ready for the long day ahead. I might not have gotten a proper rest last night, but the issues with my soul took precedence.


    I take my time brushing out my hair until I hear my parents start shuffling around their room. Waiting until I hear their door open, I grab my copy of the contract I signed and stuff it into my pocket before walking out of my room as soon as my parents are leaving there¡¯s.


    "Morning, mom! Morning, dad!" My parents are both surprised by my sudden greeting.


    ¡°You¡¯re up already?¡± Mom looks at me like I¡¯ve grown another head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it,¡± I roll my eyes at mom. ¡°I need to talk to you, Camden, and master, and sadly I don¡¯t think any of those conversations are going to be short.¡±


    Mother nods with a serious look on her face. ¡°Then we should get started right away. The three of us should sit at the table.¡±


    I look surprised at father, ¡°you¡¯re not going to work?¡±


    He shakes his head, no. "The boys are pulling up stumps today, and they don''t need me to supervise them. I''d rather hear about what''s going on with you."


    "The more, the merrier," I awkwardly say. Great, now I need to explain to both my parents how I screwed up.


    The three of us move into the living room and take a seat in our respective chairs.


    "Where should I start?" I ask my parents.


    ¡°From the beginning,¡± mom tells me.


    ¡°But I already told you about my run and how I ran into Richard and Sandra.¡±


    "Nice try, sweety, but I know my children better than you think, and there is no way the two of you talked and didn''t argue a single bit. I want to hear all about your journey, the good, the bad, all of it.¡± Mother straightens her back and folds her hands in front of her.


    I awkwardly smile. I wonder if Richard is aware of how perceptive mom is? There is no way Richard and Sandra are going to be able to keep their secret for long.


    ¡°Everything, huh?¡± I take a deep breath and slowly exhale, mentally preparing myself for what¡¯s to come.


    I start by telling my parents the full interaction I had with Richard and Sandra when I first found them in the forest, even the part where I used my particular skill on them right before leaving.


    I expected mom or dad to interrupt me and condemn my decisions, but they both let me continue talking without interrupting me once. My parents remain expressionless until I get to the part about me entering Drey and their blank looks turn horrified when I describe the state of the city.


    Next, I tell them how I needed to buy a pad because I stupidly forgot one and the lovely couple that helped me, bringing a small smile back to their faces.


    I carefully describe the state the Silver Herd branch was in and how Mr. Grey quickly made time for me. Mom nods like it was only natural that they made time for me.


    Now comes the hard part. I can¡¯t meet my parent¡¯s eyes as I go into great detail about my conversation with Mr. Grey. When I describe the contract''s details, I remove the piece of parchment from my pocket and slide it across the table without looking up.


    The sound of my mother picking up the paper causes a cold sweat to form down my back. A deep silence falls between us as mother examines the contract.


    "Aaliyah, what were you thinking!?" When mother finally explodes at me, it''s like I''m struck by lightning, and my body is paralyzed. "Do you know what you''ve signed!? There''s no end date specified, meaning you''re required to sell to the bastard for the rest of your life! How could you sign something like this!?"


    I feel like I''m three years old again, and even though I''m much stronger than my mother, I feel small and helpless when she yells at me. She hasn''t scolded me like this since I was four when Richard and I were playing outside and started throwing mud at each other and came home looking like mud golems.


    "Silvia," dad cuts into mother''s angry rant, and everything goes quiet again. "Aaliyah, look at us." Dad''s calm and assertive voice finally draws my attention away from the table and up to my parents.


    Dad has a concerned look and is holding mother''s hand. Mom looks at me angrily, but she has tears in her eyes. "Why did you sign such a thing?" Dad asks in the calmest tone I''ve ever heard.


    ¡°I was overconfident in myself,¡± I freely admit. ¡°One of my skills allows me to destroy contracts I form with people without consequence, so I didn¡¯t put as much effort into checking the contract as I should have.¡± I start sniffling halfway through my explanation.


    "You can break this contract?" Mother asks, holding up my copy. "Without hurting yourself?"


    I slowly nod to mom''s question.


    Mother wipes at her red eyes. ¡°At least there¡¯s some good news,¡± mother straightens herself up and puts on more of a teaching expression now that she knows my life isn¡¯t ruined. ¡°You realize how bad this contract is, right?¡±


    I start to nod again, but mother snaps at me. "Use your words."


    ¡°I figured out parts of where I went wrong during my run back home. It was obvious I screwed up when most of my skills gained a few levels while Contract only gained one.¡± I explain to mom in a defeated tone.


    ¡°Yes, but do you see the holes in this contract?¡± Mother pushes the paper back towards me for me to read again.


    This contract is between Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village and Lennard Grey.


    This contract terminates and replaces the former contract between Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village and Lennard Grey. Lennard Grey will provide Aaliyah with 300 gold worth of Kaglese ore and 150 gold in mithril ingots. Lennard Grey will use Kervin of Silver Herd to deliver said goods in a timely fashion to Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village.


    Leonard Grey will handle the pickup of finished goods produced by Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village four months from date this contract is signed after the new year begins. All goods produced by Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village, minus products meant for Spotted Creek Village, will be bought at 70% market value to Lennard Grey.


    Should either Aaliyah of Spotted Creek Village or Lennard Grey not follow the contract to the letter the offended party can take 20 levels from the other.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with the first two parts, but I can see in the third section how I have to sell almost everything to Mr. Grey.¡±


    ¡°That is the biggest problem but not the only one,¡± mom informs me. "Do you see in the second section how he mentions Kervin by name but doesn''t in the third? That means after Kervin drops of your materials, Mr. Grey can send his own people to work with you from now on. He also left out a term period all contracts should have."


    ¡°Term period?¡± I ask.


    "Most contracts specify how long two people are to do business before they need to renew the contract. Usually, contracts have short term periods because our world has many dangers, and businesses have to adjust their plans. Most contracts only have a term period of six months to a year."


    ¡°I should¡¯ve thought of that,¡± I mumble under my breath.


    ¡°But what really bothers me is the clause at the end about the consequences you choose should either of you break the contract.¡± Mother looks ready to explode again after mentioning the last part of the contract.


    ¡°Mr. Grey told me the contract becomes stronger depending on the consequences, so I agreed to the terms thinking they didn¡¯t matter to me,¡± I sheepishly tell mom.


    Mom grits her teeth in anger. "Well, it''s obvious this Mr. Grey was planning something sinister from the start. He purposely suggested this type of consequence, knowing you couldn''t report it to the authorities. You see, contracts involving the loss or transfer of levels were quite popular a long time ago. Nobles would pay commoners to sign contracts stating they would gain all their levels when they die.¡±


    "You can do that?!" I ask in sheer disbelief, with my father mirroring my shocked expression.


    Mom doesn¡¯t confirm or deny my question, only continuing her explanation. ¡°The nobles and rich exploited this system to gain levels without having to do anything. Of course, there were limitations; just because a contract says you''ll take all the levels from another person doesn''t mean a skill can reinforce such a demand. Depending on the Contract Skills of the parties involved, only a fraction of a person''s levels and experience would transfer over."


    "But with hundreds of contracts, nobles would still get a lot of levels," I point out to mother.


    ¡°Verry good, dear. Despite the limitations, nobles used contracts to gain levels for themselves and their families. However, no meal is free. I¡¯m sure you know skill levels play a big part in your leveling.¡±


    I nod along with mom. I¡¯m probably the only one who knows just how much skill levels intermingle with the experience we earn and how it equates to levels.


    "Well, the nobles who gained numerous levels by absorbing commoners'' levels started to find out their skills weren''t increasing any further. In fact, the only skills the nobles would see rise were basic skills like Cooking, Cleaning, and other various skills commoners use daily. The nobles still gained access to more status points, so it took a whole generation for them to realize they doomed their descendants."


    "Nobles, like all parents, like to brag about their children and grandchildren. Contracts were formed, so the children of nobles would be over level 30 by the time they were twelve."


    "Ooooooh," I exclaim, understanding where this is going.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± mom gives me a proud look. ¡°The nobles¡¯ children were essentially poisoned by the foreign levels. It became hard for them to gain even simple skills like Writing and Mathematics, let alone ruling skills that distinguish nobles from commoners. It didn¡¯t take long for the nobility to outlaw the using of levels as collateral in all contracts.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t know that,¡± I complain to mom.


    She shakes her head. "That doesn''t matter; you would be seen just as guilty as Mr. Grey for accepting the deal, a fact I''m sure he''s ready to use the first time you try to complain about the contract."


    Well fuck, I ball my hands into fists. I''m shaking in my seat; I''m so angry. I''m angry at Mr. Grey for tricking me like that, but I''m mostly angry at myself for falling for his trap.


    As if somehow sensing that I¡¯m blaming everything on myself, mom and dad each reach over to me with their free hands. Mom takes my right hand with her left, while dad grasps my left with his right, all while the two of them keep holding each other''s hands for support. Though it''s a simple gesture, holding hands with my parents reminds me they have my back and that I''m not alone.


    ¡°So, what should I do, mom?¡±


    ¡°We can discuss that in a second. First, finish your story,¡± mom tells me.


    I have to chuckle at mom''s thoroughness. It only takes me five minutes to tell my parents how I left Silver Herd and threatened the same guard to let me out of the city. The rest of my trip back home was just as uneventful, excluding meeting up with Richard and Sandra and apologizing for what I did.


    "Then I made it home and had dinner with you guys," I wrap up my trip. "Now, can you please tell me what I should do with Mr. Grey?¡± I beg mom for her ideas on the subject.


    ¡°It will be hard to plan ahead when all the parties aren¡¯t here,¡± mom tells me in a matter-of-fact tone.


    ¡°You want me to invite Mr. grey here?¡± I ask in disbelief.


    ¡°Who else does your contract concern?¡± Mom hints to me.


    ¡°Kervin,¡± I guess.


    "Exactly, he''s been your partner for a long time now, and your contract puts him out of the job. Plus, you don''t want to do anything until you have your materials, right?" Mom gives me a sly grin. "And I''m sure that dark, scary fellow following Kervin around will want to hear about your contract as well."


    ¡°You think we can trust Reel?¡±


    Mom''s smile widens, "oh, yes. Silver Herd''s main office definitely sent him to gather info on you. That includes the fact that one of their branch managers is trying to poach one of their best craftsmen all for himself.¡±


    I blush a little at the praise, but I see what mom is saying. I''m not the only one who will want revenge on Mr. Grey, and again the more, the merrier.


    Mother and I share a devilish smile, and dad''s hand suddenly become clammy. Mother and I look at dad, and he flinches. Oh, the smiles.


    The two of us share a small laugh at father''s expense, which helps to lighten everybody¡¯s mood, including dads.


    I pull my hands out from my parent¡¯s grip and stand up. ¡°Thanks for listening.¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± dad reassures me.


    "I''ll continue to look over your contract with Grey," mom helpfully replies. "Are you going to meet the headman next?"


    "Yeah, one meeting down, two more to go." I move around the table and give my mother and father a hug. "I''ll be back as early as I can," I tell them.


    Dad smiles, "take your time."


    I run to my room to grab my axe and knife I borrowed from father and move to the entryway to change my shoes.


    Unlocking the door, I move to push it open.


    ¡°Be safe,¡± mother calls out to me.


    ¡°I will,¡± I reassure her with a smile.


    I push the door open and smell the fresh forest air.


    ¡°Oh, and honey!¡± I freeze just as I¡¯m about to step outside and turn back to mom. ¡°Don¡¯t think I forgot about that skill you used on us before you left,¡± mom says with the brightest of smiles. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss your punishment when you come back home.¡±


    I feel the color drain from my face.


    "Don''t you have somewhere to be?" Mom''s reminder brings me back to reality, and I turn and flee before mother says anything else.

 Ch: 73

    RUN AWAY!


    My highly trained instincts scream at me to flee as soon as possible. I know better than to turn around and glance back at the monster behind me. Digging my boots into the ground, I prepare to launch myself into the distance with everything I have.


    Just as I¡¯m about to execute my escape, the gods see fit to throw a wrench at me in the form of a smiling Nicolas. ¡°Aaliyah! Good to see you back. Morning Mis Silvia.¡±


    Nicolas happily walks up to me without noticing my tensed posture, greeting me and my mother, who I¡¯m assuming is standing in our doorway.


    ¡°Father heard you were back already. If you¡¯re free, could I ask you to join us at our house? The whole family is interested to hear about your journey to Drey. Oh, where are my manners? Would you like to¡­?¡±


    "Perfect timing, Nicolas; let''s go see your dad." I interrupt the fool before he invites mother to join us. I spin Nicolas around and start pushing him towards his house before he accidentally gets me killed.


    ¡°But I was just about to...?¡± Nicolas stumbles over himself as I push him harder into the distance.


    I don¡¯t hear anyone following us, so I look over my shoulder to see if we¡¯re in the clear, hoping the dragon retreated to its den.


    I''m forced to swallow a lump in my throat when I see that mother is still standing in our doorway, smiling at my retreating figure.


    I almost pick Nicolas up in a bid to run away faster.


    My body finally untenses and I quit pushing Nicolas as soon as we round the closest building, putting us out of sight from mother.


    "What was that all about?" Nicolas asks, confused about the situation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± I flatly tell Nicolas as I start walking towards his house.


    ¡°But?¡±


    I turn on the future leader of our village. ¡°D-O-N-T A-S-K,¡± I slowly spell it out for him with fire in my eyes.


    Nicolas rapidly nods his head and doesn¡¯t say anything further during the short trek to the headman¡¯s house. Pushing Camden''s front door in and walking over to the drawing-room almost feels second nature at this point.


    "Aaliyah, dear!" Sarette springs from her seat and swiftly moves in to hug me as soon as I walk into the room.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Camden offers me a greeting from his seat, content to let his wife be the hands-on one.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back,¡± I say half-heartily, still not having emotionally recovered from my last encounter with mom.


    Sarette pulls back from me and looks me over. "Is everything ok?" Crap, I forgot she''s just as perceptive as Mom. Sarette looks over to Nicolas, who walks past us and joins a spot next to his brother before frowning. ¡°Did your mother not come with you?¡±


    It''s hard keeping my body from shivering at the mention of my mother.


    ¡°I tried inviting her, but¡­¡±


    "I already discussed everything with my parents earlier," I cut off Nicolas before he can throw me under the cart.


    Nicolas looks like he¡¯s ready to say something else but stops when I give him a death glare.


    Sarette looks between her son and me before a sly look of realization crosses her face. "That''s ok; I''m sure your mother will stop by later." Sarette gestures for me to take a seat.


    Camden doesn¡¯t waste much time, only waiting to start asking me questions until my butt touches the seat. ¡°If you¡¯re back early and uninjured, I assume your run went well?¡±


    I lean back into my seat and wait a few seconds to answer. "Yes, and no," I tell everyone in the room.


    Camden leans forward, ¡°did something happen?¡±


    "I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?"


    Camden turns to his wife, and they share a silent moment between the two of them before turning back to me. "The good news first, please."


    A smile crosses my face. ¡°The good news is that Sandra and Richard are doing fine. I ran into them on my way to Drey. They left Drey before the news about Scholl taking the fort reached the city.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re on their way here!? My baby¡¯s almost home!¡± Sarette shouts with joy.


    I know it''s terrible of me, but I giggle at Sarette''s antics, knowing Richard and Sandra aren''t exactly going to be home soon.


    "What?" Sarette quickly notices me, trying to hold back my laughter.


    "It might be longer than you think before the two of them make it home," I tell her.


    I go into detail explaining how Richard and Sandra are traveling with the slowest bivol I¡¯ve ever seen and that it could take them days before they make it back to the village.


    Camden and Sarette stare at me with mouths open in shock when I finish telling them everything while Sandra¡¯s brothers are trying not to fall over laughing at their sister¡¯s misfortune. Being a good friend, I make a mental note to tell Sandra how her brothers laughed upon hearing her dismay. I mean, we younger sisters have to stick together.


    Camden and Sarette slowly come out of their stupor and share a small laugh at the situation.


    After a few minutes of everyone enjoying the news of our family members'' inevitable return, Camden asks me with a hopeful voice, "I don''t suppose that was the bad news?"


    The laughter fades when I don''t say anything.


    "That''s unfortunate," Camden anxiously rubs the back of his neck. "Well, don''t keep me waiting; what''s the bad news?"


    I make eye contact with Camden and decide to rip the band-aid off. "Scholl started their march on Drey two days ago."


    "Already?" Camden asks in disbelief. "Are you sure?"


    I nod, confirming his fears. ¡°I got the information from Mr. Grey, a branch manager from Silver Herd, so I''m sure the intel is accurate."


    ¡°Is there any chance Drey will be able to hold out against Scholl?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± I confidently tell Camden. ¡°Everyone of importance is fleeing the city as we speak.¡±


    I tell everyone how I witnessed the guards taking bribes and how all the merchants were either running away or shoring up their businesses. Everyone becomes shocked the more I tell them just how bad the city was while I was there.


    Camden leans back into his chair and ponders over everything I just told him. ¡°If you talked to the branch manager in Drey, did he mention how Silver Herd is handling the situation?¡±


    ¡°Silver Herd is taking the same approach we discussed earlier and pulling back their people for the time being. I bet they¡¯re waiting to see how Scholl manages the city after they take it and what their plans are in general.¡±


    "So, you think we should wait for the city to fall?" Camden asks me for my opinion.


    "More now than ever," I respond. "Probably in less than two weeks, Drey and its surrounding villages, which includes us, will be under new leadership. If our loyalty is questioned in the future, we just have to say we sent a cart of supplies, but by the time it reached the city, Scholl had already taken over. If that wasn''t enough, Mr. Grey gave me the impression that he thinks our village should stay secluded and avoid what''s to come altogether."


    ¡°That might be our best option,¡± Camden lets out a deep sigh.


    "You should call for a village meeting later today or tomorrow morning," I offer my thought on the matter.


    ¡°Do we even need to tell the village?¡± Brandon asks. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if they stay ignorant of the situation? People might panic if we tell them Scholl is invading.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all the more reason to tell everyone,¡± I flatly respond to Sandra¡¯s second brother.


    ¡°Why?¡± Braddon gives me a challenging look for an explanation.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Nicolas cuts in between us. ¡°The village needs to know what¡¯s happening. No matter how you look at it, Scholl will be our new ruler soon. If they come to the village and no one is aware of what''s happening, we could have a major problem on our hands."


    ¡°People could die,¡± Camden looks up from his chair at his two sons.


    ¡°And we¡¯ll lose all the trust we¡¯ve built over the years,¡± Sarette points out to everyone.


    ¡°Plus, there is the long game we have to think about,¡± I add. Everyone gives me a puzzled look, not understanding what I mean. ¡°All your reasons are important for the short-term, but I''m thinking about what might happen in the future. What if, in a few years, Olebert retakes everything? If any of the villagers are questioned why they didn''t support Olebert, it will become quickly apparent they had no idea what was happening."


    "All the blame would go to," I look at Camden, who''s gone a little pale. I don''t need to finish my sentence.


    Camden clears his throat. ¡°Aaliyah is right; we need to tell the village what''s happening. We''ll keep it a secret that we plan on dragging our feet until Scholl conquers Drey. But we''ll still have the village prepare supplies that we''ll ''send to Drey.''" Camden stresses the last part.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Everyone in the room nods in understanding.


    "Nicolas, Braddon, I want the two of you to spread the word that there will be a village meeting first thing tomorrow morning and that attendance is mandatory." Camden gives orders to his two sons, who both nod in understanding.


    Camden turns his attention to me. "When I explain everything to the village, I''ll mention your experience in Drey. Is that alright?"


    ¡°Do what you have to,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± Camden bows his head towards me.


    "Oh, stop," I tell him, feeling a little bashful. "We''re practically family, and I love this village as much as you do."


    ¡°Awwww,¡± Sarette gets up from her seat next to her husband and moves over towards me, and wraps me in another hug.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best thing I¡¯ve heard all day,¡± Camden remarks with a smile. ¡°Is there anything else you can think of before I send my boys off to notify the village?¡±


    "Anything else?" I stop and think. Have I forgotten anything? I informed them of Scholl, Drey, and when Sandra should be back; does anything else matter? My deal with Mr. Grey is my business, and I don''t plan to do anything about it until Kervin drops off my last delivery.


    Oh, shit! I forgot to mention Silver Herd will be pulling back their deliveries for the next few months.


    "What is it?" Camden notices I thought of something.


    ¡°Well, there might be one thing I forgot to mention,¡± I sheepishly reply. ¡°Kervin is delivering a large supply of materials for me around the same time Sandra and Richard are supposed to return to the village.¡±


    ¡°And why is that something I need to be concerned about?¡± Camden raises an eyebrow in suspicion.


    ¡°I told you how Silver Herd is recalling their people; well, the delivery Kervin is bringing me will be the last one for a while.¡±


    "Come again?" Camden doesn''t look too happy to hear the village is losing one of our best assets. Having a merchant regularly come to our village has played a significant role in everybody''s lives. It was thanks to Kervin that we were able to get enough meat when the chameleon spiders drove the local wildlife away.


    "Silver Herd doesn''t want to draw suspicion towards our village. After Kervin drops off my supplies, we''ll need to send people to Drey if we need to purchase anything like every other village."


    Camden brings his hands up to his face and rubs his temples. ¡°That¡¯s just great.¡±


    Sarette releases me and moves back over to her husband to offer her support. ¡°It will be ok; didn¡¯t Braddon just tell you a few nights ago that the hunters noticed fresh game tracks near the village?¡±


    "That''s right, Dad," Braddon helps to relive Camden''s worries. "Now that spring is here, the animals the spiders scared away are returning to their hunting and grazing grounds."


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget our fields are rapidly expanding thanks to all the trees being cut down. This year we¡¯ll have our largest harvest ever,¡± Nicolas exclaims.


    Not wanting to feel left out, I offer my own words of encouragement. "Our village has overcome everything thrown at us this year. You think not seeing Kervin for a few months is going to break us?¡±


    Camden looks up at me, and I can see his mood brighten up. "You''re right; not having a merchant visit our village isn''t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Our village will do just fine by ourselves. It''s good that you told me about this now so that I can cover it during the village meeting tomorrow."


    ¡°Sorry I forgot to mention it sooner,¡± I apologize for my oversight.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ but that is the last thing, right?¡± Camden hesitantly asks.


    Everybody in the room turns to look at me like they''re daring me to give them any more bad news. I wave my hands and shake my head, "that''s everything, I promise."


    It¡¯s funny to see Sandra¡¯s entire family let out a collective sigh of relief.


    "Now that all the important stuff is taken care of, would you like to have some tea with me, Aaliyah?" Sarette gives me one of her beautiful smiles.


    It''s tea time already!? I need to get out of here before mom shows up. "That''s very generous of you, but I still need to visit Master Del and let him know I made it home ok." I move to leave the room.


    Sarette frowns for a moment before she starts smiling at me again. ¡°Maybe tomorrow then with your mother.¡±


    ¡°That sounds nice,¡± I lie through my teeth. I face Camden, ¡°thanks for having me.¡±


    ¡°It should be I thanking you,¡± Camden chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the meeting tomorrow.¡±


    "Of course, and I''ll tell Master about it, so Nicolas and Braddon don''t need to walk all the way out there." I wave goodbye to everyone and quickly exit the drawing-room.


    I take brisk steps until I''m at their front door, and as soon as I''m outside, I take off towards the nearest tree line. Thank goodness I didn''t accidentally run into mother; I''m not ready to know what she thinks my proper punishment should be. Mother is usually quite fair, but she can be vindictive at times, and she knows me well enough to come up with a punishment that takes into account my skills and status.


    No, I shouldn¡¯t think about that right now.


    I walk along the village''s edge until I reach the path that leads to Master''s house. As I walk along the small trail, I think about how well Kervin''s cart will fit through here. Kervin''s cart is slightly bigger than the one Master, and I use to move ore around, and it''s already a tight fit getting it through here.


    I have no intention of transferring every bit of ore Kervin is bringing me between our two carts and hauling it back and forth. It will be much easier to expand this pathway and just have Kervin drop my ore off in Master''s clearing.


    If I ask Dad for some help and convince Master to get up from his bench, I¡¯m sure the three of us could widen the path enough in two or three days. Just another thing I need to talk to Master about.


    Despite this being the third meeting today, I find myself looking forward to this last meeting the most. When I reach the edge of Master¡¯s clearing, my eyes immediately fall on the stone kin who appears to be sleeping.


    Making my way over to Master, I know he has already noticed my approach, but I decide to play along for the fun of it. "Master, you asleep?" His eyelids don''t even quiver as I call out to him.


    Is he really asleep this time?


    I decide to test my prone master the best way I know how, with a bucket of water.


    Like a ninja, I move over to the nearby well and fill a bucket up with water. Before I walk over to Master, I clear my head of any ideas involving dumping water on him. After some experimentation, I''ve learned Master''s Danger Sense skill doesn''t activate until you commit to an attack. If I walk over to Master thinking about throwing a bucket of water on him, his skill will warn him before I ever get close. But if I say I plan to set this bucket of water down next to him, his skill won''t be alerted.


    It''s hard not to think about something you know you want to do, but I always enjoy a challenge. I slowly make my way next to Master with the intention of setting the bucket down next to him. Right before I set the bucket down, I change my grip and prepare to dump its contents all over Master.


    As a savage smile crosses my face, in one swift movement, I see Master¡¯s hand reach out to the bucket and flip it backwards on me.


    ¡°Damn, why do you always have to have that blasted skill on?¡± Master sits up and complains that Mana Skin kept me from getting wet.


    It takes me a moment to realize what just happened; Master flipped my prank on me at the last second!


    ¡°You never know when it¡¯s suddenly going to rain,¡± I give Master a gloating look.


    ¡°Or when your apprentice will try and mess with you when you¡¯re sleeping,¡± Master grumbles.


    ¡°Oh, come on. Were you really asleep?¡±


    "Maybe?" Master doesn''t sound very convincing. "Why are you here?" He asks, standing up.


    ¡°Because I thought my master would like to know if his apprentice made it back safely.¡± I grin at Master.


    "And why would I need that? I have a monster as an apprentice, and I''m sure she can handle herself." Master crosses his arms in front of his chest.


    I move in and give Del a hug. "I missed you too," I tell him.


    Master grumbles like a cranky grandpa, but I see the smirk he''s trying to hide.


    "Alright, get off of me," Master gently pushes me away and sits back down on his bench. ¡°How did your trip go? Did you get the materials you were after?¡±


    I move over to the closest bench and sit down with a huff. ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    For the third time today, I explain what happened during my trip. I know Master doesn¡¯t care too much about how I found Sandra and Richard in the forest, so I gloss over most of everything until I get to my talk with Mr. Grey and everything that resulted from it.


    "I told you time and time again; merchants are the true monsters of this world." I let Master rant and tell me how he told me so.


    "You were right, ok! You think I haven''t heard all this from my mom already," I complain.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re starting to listen?¡± Master levels a challenging look at me.


    ¡°Hey, if I wanted to listen to someone yell at me, I would head home right now. I thought you would be more interested in the big ass shipment of materials I have coming in."


    ¡°Got a scolding waiting for you at home?¡± Master asks curiously.


    ¡°More like my punishment for using my skills on my parents before I left.¡±


    "Then I guess I don''t have to worry about you bothering me for the next few days," Del jokes.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    "Think about it, brat. Does any of your mother''s punishments leave time for you to come to work?"


    Oh, gods, he''s right! "But we need to¡­"


    ¡°Wait for you to return,¡± Master interrupts me and laughs so hard he grabs his stomach.


    I feel my face starting to blush while I wait for Master to calm down.


    I hope Master''s prediction isn''t correct. The path needs to widen, and I still need to test my physical limits before I start crafting for real. I spent most of my resources crafting the general''s arrow and couldn''t do much else until I got more. That left me with little to do, so I''ve only crafted a few spears and arrows for the village.


    I¡¯m ready to get behind the forge again and push my skills further. And once Kervin brings me my kaglese, the first thing I¡¯m going to do is make a new sword and knife.


    ¡°Can we get back on track now?¡± I ask Del as he starts to calm down.


    "What do you feel we need to discuss?" Master lays back down on his bench.


    "The first thing that comes to mind is where are we putting all the ore that''s coming, and how are we moving it here?" I place my hands on my hips, but Master has already closed his eyes again.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you already have a plan in mind,¡± Master Del remarks without looking at me.


    Fine, if you want me to get to the point, I will. "We need to widen the path that leads to your house." Finally, Master cracks an eye open. "This probably won''t be my last large delivery, and neither of us wants to shift around a whole cart of ore. It will be easier if we make room, so Kervin can drive up and drop off or pick up whatever we need."


    "You want to bring the merchant to my house?" Master looks at me like I''ve gotten into his special drink.


    "It makes the most sense," I point out to Master. "You can wait in your house when they come by, but it''s getting to the point moving all the goods I make to Kervin''s campsite is getting old. Silver Herd has already told us they know who you are, so it''s not like you need to remain mysterious. Besides, having a scowling stone kin behind me might make negotiations easier."


    Master Del doesn''t exactly appreciate my joke, which I can understand why. Master is used to remaining out of sight, but I think it will be good for him to see more people, even if those people involve Reel.


    "Do what you want," Master reluctantly agrees and rolls onto his side, facing away from me.


    His pouting makes me want to tease him. ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll ask my dad to help us after I appease my mother.¡±


    Master quickly sits back up, ¡°who said I would be helping?¡±


    ¡°Because if you leave me to do it all by myself, I¡¯ll cut down trees until your house can be seen from the village.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I would!¡±


    ¡°Why did I have to pick such an annoying disciple?¡± Master hangs his head and shakes it back and forth.


    ¡°Funny, I remember deciding to make you my master, not the other way around.¡±


    Master sighs in defeat. ¡°Alright, so what happens after we widen the path and you get your materials? What¡¯s your plan going forward?¡±


    I''m about to make a joke about kicking ass and taking names until I notice Master is asking with a serious expression. I discard my playful banter and layout what I want to do. "My first goal is to research the kaglese and find out the best ratio to mix it with steel and mithril. Then I need to forge myself a new sword and knife."


    ¡°And after that?¡± Master Del asks.


    ¡°Then we finish making the rest of those special arrows. And with the rest of the kaglese, I''ll make some magic weapons.¡±


    "To sell to this, Mr. Grey?" Master brings up a good point.


    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about that in the future. We have four months to craft what we want before I have to deal with him,¡± I tell Master the short version of my plan.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Master looks at me like he knows I have something else in the works.


    I look Master straight in the eyes. "I plan to start making short trips into the magic dense zone."


    Master stands up from his bench, looking like a concerned parent. ¡°Why would you possibly want to go there?¡±


    "The same reason anyone ever goes into magic dense regions," I reply. "I want to look for new ore samples, magic ingredients, and I want to see the creatures that call the region home."


    ¡°Just because you can probably face a chameleon spider on your own doesn¡¯t mean you can hunt every magic beast.¡±


    "I didn''t say I wanted to hunt magic beasts," I correct Master. "During my trips away from home, I realized I want to see more of this world. I don''t plan on leaving yet, but I owe it to myself to start expanding my horizons, and that includes seeing what lies deep in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Have you told your parents this yet?¡±


    I scoff at the idea. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that crazy? I know I¡¯m not ready to travel into the magic dense area yet, let alone tell my parents my plan. I need to get a handle on my stats and skills, and that''s not even considering the gear I''ll need to make."


    ¡°Why did you have to tell me this?¡± Master rubs his face.


    "Because you asked," I tell him. Master lowers his hands and meets my gaze. "I know Master has my best interest in his heart, and I want you to know my plans, all of them."


    ¡°Torrow¡¯s forge! How am I supposed to yell at you after that?¡± Master sits back down on his bench. ¡°I can¡¯t condone letting you go into the magic dense region of the forest¡­ not without me.¡±


    "Sounds good to me," I happily exclaim. "I always wanted you to join me, but I didn''t know how to ask. Thanks for volunteering.¡±


    Master Del looks at my happy expression in shock before a reluctant smile crosses his face. ¡°I guess I walked into that one.¡±


    ¡°Would it make you feel better if I said you were the best master an apprentice could wish for?¡±


    ¡°It might.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are,¡± I tell Master Del with the biggest smile ever.


    "So that''s what a demon''s smile looks like," Master jokes.


    "Does that mean you''re selling me your soul because I''ve seen it, and it looks delicious?" I lick my lips, and Master goes silent. "Too far?" I ask.


    ¡°Too far,¡± Master quickly agrees. We both share an awkward laugh before we sit in silence together. ¡°Do you plan on staying here for the rest of the day?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I groan, standing up. ¡°I need to go home and face a real demon.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that.¡± Master lays back down on his bench and closes his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see you if you survive.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the words of comfort,¡± I say sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be back in a few days, so be ready to remove some trees by then.¡±


    Master grunts in confirmation and waves his hand like he¡¯s shooing me away.


    I guess now''s a good time to tell him about the village meeting tomorrow. "By the way, we have a village meeting tomorrow morning, and attendance is mandatory. Make sure you''re up in time.¡± I playfully chastise Master as I walk away.


    I don''t look back at Master, but I think I can hear him swearing under his breath.


    <hr>


    Did our door always look this intimidating?


    I stand outside my house, contemplating my life choices that got me to this point.


    "Ok, that''s enough drama for one day." I reach out and pull our front door open. It''s fun to exaggerate to an extent, but there is a time and a place for everything. I made a choice to use my skills on my parents, and I accept responsibility for it.


    I know mother would never hurt me, and the only reason she still scolds me is because she''s a good mom.


    Deactivating Mana Skin and switching out my shoes, I confidently walk over to my mother, who is stitching one of Dad''s trousers in her sewing corner.


    ¡°Back all ready, sweety?¡±


    "Yeah, I finished talking to Camden, and Master Del. Figured I¡¯d come home and see my beautiful mother.¡± Overexaggerating doesn¡¯t include brown-nosing.


    "That''s good to hear," is all mother says, and silence falls between us.


    I stand in place while mother¡¯s hands dance across father¡¯s pants, sealing any and all nicks and tears.


    Finally, Mom speaks. ¡°I want you to clean the whole house.¡±


    I can''t help but be a little shocked by her request. Sure, cleaning the house might seem challenging, but with my skills, I could do it in half a day if I hurry. Heck, I can get most of it done before dinner if I start now. "I understand, Mom. I''ll get started right away."


    As I turn away to get the cleaning supplies, Mom says, ¡°I don¡¯t think you do.¡±


    I turn back to face Mom as she sets Dad¡¯s pants down. "I want you to clean the house using that spell of yours. I want everything to look brand new by the time you''re done." Now that sounds more like one of Mom''s punishments.


    I want to complain, but I know that will only make things worse.


    ¡°And then when you¡¯re done with our house, I want you to clean your brothers.¡±


    The sudden doubling of my work is too much, and my mouth moves before my brain catches up. "Why!?" I whine.


    Mother answers me with a cold smile. ¡°Do I need to have you clean Sarette¡¯s house as well?¡±


    "No," I hang my head, knowing when I''m beaten.


    ¡°Good, you can start tomorrow after the village meeting,¡± mother picks up Dad¡¯s pants and finishes her work. I know this is where I should walk away.


    I move to my room without saying anything else and gently close my door behind me. Flopping down on my bed, I groan into my sheets.


    Once again, my mother found a way to punish me in a way even I would find challenging. My extended cleaning spell uses up a lot of mana, and I''m not sure if I could cover our whole house in a day before my mana pool runs out.


    If that wasn''t the worst part, my brother''s house is even bigger than ours! I remember him bragging about his design and how he was preparing for the future. I''m going to strangle him when he finally makes it to the village.


    I feel the spring breeze blow in from my high window, and I realize I''m feeling a little tired.


    I didn''t do anything physical today, but I still find my eyelids feeling heavy. An afternoon nap sounds better the longer I lay face down on my bed.


    Screw it, I kick off my slippers and get comfortable. I feel my consciousness slowly slip away as I fall into a deep sleep for the first time in a while.

 Ch: 74

    "I want to thank all of you for coming today." Camden stands slightly above everyone, addressing the whole village with his family standing next to him for support.


    I¡¯m standing with my parents off to the side, more interested in everyone¡¯s reactions to Camden¡¯s speech rather than its contents. Having a village meeting around the start of spring isn''t unusual, but it doesn''t look like anybody expects good news after this last year.


    "We''ve had a challenging year, but we''ve grown stronger as we overcame each adversity." Camden pauses for effect, and a few people clap in support.


    Looking around, I see Markus and Ezekiel with sour expressions; the two are aware of what this meeting is really about. Not too far away from the antsy farmers is Anastasia trying to hide her worry behind a mask of indifference.


    "We overcame goblins, magic beasts, and a food shortage, one disaster after another, and we did not falter. Nor will we falter in the future!" Camden raises a proud, defiant hand into the air, but his downcast expression is a stark contrast to what he''s saying. Everyone sees the look on Camden''s face, and people quickly become antsy.


    ¡°I truly wish I could stand here and tell you things are turning around, congratulate everyone for surviving the frost and the returning of the local wildlife, but it is my job to protect all of you!¡± I notice how Camden sprinkled in a few positives before he delivers the bad news.


    ¡°It pains me to have to inform everyone that Scholl has taken Fort North Ridge and Teeburn and that they appear to be marching on Drey.¡± And like a lit powder keg, the villagers explode upon hearing Camden¡¯s news.


    More than a few people start crowding in front of Camden, shouting questions at him. I take a step back with my parents, not wanting to get drawn into the mayhem.


    "Order!" Camden shouts, trying to gain some control over the masses. When people don''t respond, Camden is forced to use his crowd control skill. ¡°I will have Order!¡±


    People stop shoving one another, and everything goes quiet.


    "I understand your concerns, and I''m sure many of you have questions, but if you only shout over each other, I can''t explain anything to you." I feel Camden retract his skill, and thankfully the mob remains silent. "A little while ago, I received a letter from the earl by the lord of Drey demanding we send supplies to help combat the invading army. Over the next two weeks, we''ll harvest the wortel and send part of our harvest to Drey along with any other supplies we can do without."


    "We''re starving, and you want to give our food away!?"


    ¡°How can you do this to us!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dooming us all!¡± An angry farmer in front of Camden shouts in his face.


    Camden could easily reactivate his skill to handle the situation, but he wisely waits for the people to calm down independently. Our headman stands in front of everyone like a mountain, unmoving as people hurl accusations and insults at him.


    The villagers quiet down once they realize Camden isn''t refuting their claims and is only waiting silently. Once the last person stops talking, Camden addresses everyone. "Do you think I want to send our crops to Drey? Do you think I''m unaware of the challenges we''ve faced this winter? My family has eaten the same dried meat you have. Do I have to remind you all it was my wife with her bookkeeping that allowed the village to purchase those additional provisions from Kervin? Do you think I want to give away your hard work?"


    ¡°Then don¡¯t!¡± A brave villager yells out.


    Camden sadly shakes his head. "We received an official order from Earl Vagan. Does anyone suggest we ignore it?" Camden scans the crowd, and anyone he makes eye contact with looks down in defeat. Everyone knows it would be treason to ignore the earl''s orders outright.


    Looking at how the crowd is responding, I see Camden in a new light. It''s honestly amazing how he can manipulate everyone so easily. Camden seamlessly shifted all the blame onto big brother. Blaming your superiors is the oldest trick in the book, and the villagers are eating it up. Instead of blaming Camden for everything, people will direct their anger at the faceless nobles, demanding we hand over our food.


    "What will we do for food?" A concerned woman asks Camden as he''s looking over the crowd.


    "It will be difficult, but together, our village will overcome this challenge, just like the others. Thanks to everyone''s hard work this winter removing trees, our fields have increased by nearly 20%. And as I said earlier, our hunters have spotted tracks indicating animals are moving back into the forest now that the spiders are gone. We''ll have to continue rationing until the new year¡¯s harvest, but we should be able to meet the earl''s demands." Camden informs everyone with a reassuring smile.


    Again, Camden used the word demands when referring to the earl¡¯s request while holding back information. He isn¡¯t mentioning how it wasn¡¯t just food the earl asked for and tactfully leaves out how we high-leveled people would also need to leave the village.


    I notice Camden can keep up a confident appearance talking about our food problems because he knows that by the time our supplies near Drey, the city will already be lost to Scholl, and our ''war donations'' will be brought back home.


    ¡°How long do you think the war will last?¡± Another person asks.


    ¡°Yeah, what if Drey wins quickly and sends Scholl packing?¡± I hear Lucas¡¯s voice cut through the crowd. The junior hunter is too optimistic for his own good.


    Camden finds me in the crowd and makes eye contact; it''s his way of asking for permission to use my name again. I lightly nod, giving Camden permission to talk about my experience in Drey.


    ¡°I thought the same thing,¡± Camden tells everyone. ¡°What if Scholl can be defeated? Drey is much more secure than Teeburn, so I asked Aaliyah to visit Drey on my behalf. I¡¯m sad to say her opinion of the city was not good.¡±


    People start whispering to each other, and the villagers closest to me steal glances in my direction.


    "Based on what Aaliyah saw, Drey is in the middle of a mass evacuation. Merchants are fleeing the city while the guard is preparing for war. It doesn''t appear Drey will have an easy time defending against Scholl."


    That might just be Camden¡¯s biggest understatement yet. He makes it sound like Drey stands a chance when I¡¯m willing to bet the city will surrender once Scholl¡¯s commander sneezes in their direction.


    ¡°Then what happens if Scholl comes to our village? What if they bring an army?" A lady named Marry asks, holding her eight-month-old boy in her arms while standing close to her husband. The only reason I recognize her is that she''s the latest person in our village to give birth, and babies are a hot topic in a small village.


    Camden keeps a straight face, but I can tell that he was ready for this question. "Our village is the deepest village in The Endless Forest; I don''t see Scholl marching their armies out here," Camden reassures the concerned mother.


    "Of course, that doesn''t mean an inspector or small platoon of Scholl''s soldiers won''t come to see the village. If that should happen, I want to make it clear that we, as a village, need to be accommodating but firm." Camden notices he lost a few people, so he explains. "If anyone from Scholl arrives at our village, we should treat them with respect and offer no insult. However, if Scholl comes looking to attack us¡­ well, our village was able to slay the goblin horde after all."


    ¡°Before any of you panic, let me tell those of you who don¡¯t know, Salus is building an armory for our village. Again, thanks to Aaliyah¡¯s hard work, we have a collection of spears in case anything attacks the village. She has kindly been donating her work ever since the goblin incident,¡± Camden praises me in front of the entire village.


    I feel my cheeks heat up as a lot of people offer me praise, and even a few cheers. Mother and Father each support me with a hand on my shoulder, keeping me from hanging my head in embarrassment.


    "I know how difficult this last year has been; it was probably the most challenging in our village''s history. It seems like one disaster follows us after another, but I refuse to look at it that way!" Camden boldly proclaims. "After each disaster, our village has grown stronger. The younger generation is leveling at unprecedented rates, and we''ve cleared more land this year than in all the time I''ve been headman combined. We may face more danger in the future, but thanks to everything we''ve been through, we''re more prepared than ever!"


    I watch as more and more villagers get sucked into Camden''s speech. Even though he hasn''t solved anything, thanks to Camden''s magnetism, the people feel at ease and reassured that everything will be alright.


    I¡¯m conflicted over how I should be feeling. I understand Camden¡¯s manipulation is vital for the village''s survival, but that doesn''t help remove the bad taste in my mouth.


    When I lived back on Earth, I never cared for politics. Everything seemed needlessly complicated and drawn out, leaving me, like many others, uninterested in what our elected officials were doing, content to go home and tune out the world.


    Though I admit there were many faults with the government in my past life, transparency wasn¡¯t one of them. There were always people fighting for each side of an argument making it hard for leaders to hide information from the public.


    I see now how information is truly the most valuable thing in any world.


    The only way my fellow villagers hear anything about the outside world is through Camden. Though they may question him at times, he¡¯s their only source for information. I wonder if anyone is even contemplating the option that Camden didn¡¯t tell them everything?


    A part of me wants to tell everyone the truth about Scholl and how they¡¯re going to take Drey, but I know that will only open up a new can of worms, that quite honestly, I don''t think the village is ready for.


    I believe Camden made the right choice, but is it right for me to withhold everything I know based solely on what I believe to be right? I don''t have long to ponder over the issue regarding the freedom of information before Camden starts to wrap things up.


    "I don''t want to keep anyone here longer, so I''ll end the meeting with this. As a village, we can overcome anything as long as we work together!" Camden says with a proud look on his face.


    I think his speech and delivery were a little cheesy, but the villagers love it. Many people still walk up to Camden with questions as the crowd starts to disperse, but they aren''t as aggressive as when he started.


    Sarette is waving Mother over, probably wanting her to join her for tea and discuss everything Camden talked about. Mom shakes her head no and mouths later to her friend. Sarette pouts before reluctantly nodding at Mother. I''m surprised Mom doesn''t want to stay and talk with her friend.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we go home,¡± Mom remarks.


    ¡°Yeah, I got to go to work,¡± Dad grumbles. ¡°Have to prepare the land around the fields some more.¡±


    Mother moves in and kisses Dad before the three of us separate. Dad starts walking over to the fields while Mother and I walk home together.


    The two of us don''t say anything to one another all the way home. After we walk through the front door, I kick off my shoes and change into my slippers. Well, time to get started on my punishment.


    I start walking to the back of the house, thinking I should start with Mom and Dad''s room first, then work my way across the house.


    ¡°Are you going to start cleaning?¡±


    Why is Mom asking me that? ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to do your room first,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Mom says in a passive tone.


    This is weird. Usually, Mom likes to act scary or intimidating when I''m being punished, but something feels off. It almost feels like Mom doesn''t care about my punishment anymore.


    Even if Mom¡¯s heart isn¡¯t in it, I¡¯ll still clean the house anyway. I do feel bad about using my skills on her, and I can just consider this magic training.


    I walk into my parent''s room and take note of where everything is. Once I cast my spell, I''ll need to clean everything in a specific order; that way, I don''t re-dirty anything by accident.


    I quickly measure the dimensions of the room with my Measurement skill and calculate where the center is. My cleaning spell expands from my body; so as to not waste my mana, I need to be in the center of the room when I cast my spell.


    The center of my parent¡¯s room happens to be the bottom left corner of their bed, giving me a comfortable place to sit and work my magic.


    I activate Mediation and focus on my mana network. It¡¯s nice taking the time to feel my mana before casting my spell. The last few weeks, I''ve been incredibly busy, and I haven''t spent as much time meditating as I would''ve liked to have.


    Once I feel that everything is ready, I cast my spell.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Still in meditation, I track my mana as it forms my spell. When I see my cleaning spell ready to activate, I use Empowered Spell. I watch carefully as my skill forms under my spell and slowly inflates like a balloon as I pour my mana into it. As my skill grows larger, it merges with the spell and stretches it while mixing with the extra mana.


    This is the first time I''ve taken the chance to study how Empowered Spell affects my magic, and it''s interesting to see how it works. I want to watch as I pump more of my mana into my skill, but I need to see how much space my spell covers in the real world.


    I open my eyes and nearly lose control over my spell when I see my Mother standing off to the side. Thankfully, I have excellent control over my mana, and I keep the spell from crumbling.


    I know this is her room, but I''m curious as to why Mother chose now of all times to come into her room. Before I let my curiosity get the better of me, I need to finish my spell. The white barrier indicating where my spell is going to clean has already covered 80% of the room. Pumping a little more mana into my skill, the barrier expands, covering the parent''s entire bedroom is in a soft white glow.


    I stop putting mana into my Empowered Spell skill, and the cleaning spell activates.


    Mom''s room turns into an evil snow globe as it starts raining black flakes. My spell didn''t just clean the parent''s furniture but the ceiling, walls, and floor as well. Mom and I watch as over 20 years of dirt, dust, and cobwebs peel away from the rafters above.


    Of course, not all the black flakes neatly fall to the floor, meaning I''ll have to dust off the remaining debris from the ceiling and walls before I can get to anything else. Clean top to bottom, they say.


    But before I get to that, I turn to Mom. ¡°Do you need something out of your room?¡±


    She ignores my question and glances around the room. ¡°We¡¯ll need a broom to get up high first.¡±


    "What?" I ask, confused.


    Mother shakes out her hair to remove all the black flakes that fell on her and ties it up. "I think it was obvious; I''m going to help you. Wait here while I grab the supplies." Mom exits the room without saying anything else, leaving me standing there confused about what''s going on. I thought this was my punishment?


    Mom quickly returns with a broom and the cleaning pail with some rags. She hands me the broom like nothing is wrong with her being here.


    I stare down at the broom in my hands.


    "If you want to finish today, you might want to get started," Mom tells me with a smile.


    After being reminded what I''m supposed to be doing, I use the broom to dust the rest of the black flakes off the ceiling and walls.


    Next, we shake out the bed sheets and wipe down the bedposts, all while awkwardly not talking to each other.


    Together we clean everything from the parent¡¯s clothes trunks to every inch of the floorboards. Overall, I¡¯d say it only took us twenty minutes to clean the room.


    From the doorway, Mother and I take a minute to look at our handiwork. Everything looks brand new; every plank of wood, whether it''s part of the floor or ceiling, looks like it was freshly cut today. The brass hinges on Mother and Father''s trunks sparkle with a golden glow you only see when you pull it fresh out of the forge.


    I check my mana pool. Casting the extended cleaning spell cost me around 190 mana, about eight and a half times the amount of mana I usually use to activate my spell. I used Extract Mana the whole time we were cleaning to help regain some of my mana, bringing my overall cost to clean a room down to about 180 mana.


    I''ll need to cast the spell another two times to clean my room and the hallway, which will bring my mana pool down to 480. Depending on how much mana it takes to clean our living space and kitchen, I might need to rest for a few hours before I can finish the house.


    ¡°One room down,¡± I remark.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move on to the next one,¡± Mom picks up the cleaning supplies and walks into my room. I silently follower her, still questioning why she¡¯s helping me.


    I know my room by heart, so after I set the broom I''m carrying down, I move to the center of my room and renter my meditative state. But it''s much harder to focus this time, knowing Mom is in the room watching me.


    Aww, screw it! I drop Meditation and turn to Mother. "Why are you here?" I finally ask her.


    Mom''s eyes widen in surprise at my sudden question, but she quickly catches her bearings. "Do you not want my help?" She coyly asks.


    I frown in frustration. ¡°You know what I mean. Is it that you think I won¡¯t do my job correctly or something?¡±


    Mother slightly reels back, looking hurt by my accusation. ¡°I know you would never do that.¡±


    I can¡¯t help but raise my voice. "Then, why are you here? It''s honestly distracting, and I can''t afford to mess up with my magic if I want to finish cleaning our house today."


    A look of sadness flashes across Mom''s face, "I''m sorry if I''m distracting you; I was just hoping we could use this time to talk."


    Now I¡¯m the one who¡¯s surprised. ¡°What about; is it my punishment?¡±


    For a change, Mom appears unsure of what to say. ¡°That and other things,¡± she answers.


    This doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s going to be a quick conversation. ¡°Alright, but give me a minute to cast my magic.¡± Mom nods in understanding and takes a step back to give me some extra space.


    It takes longer than the first time, but I eventually manage to cast my spell after focusing for five minutes. My spell¡¯s white light coves everything in my room, and I can see how much filth has accumulated over the years. I take pride in how well I''ve kept my room clean since Richard moved out, but apparently, I haven''t been doing that good of a job because my room is covered with almost the same number of black flakes as my parents'' room was. The only exception I can see is that my clothes and bed are less dirty because I regularly clean them with my magic.


    ¡°Your clouds are gone,¡± Mother points out to me.


    Looking up, I can see that she¡¯s right. I guess my spell considered my old paintings as stains.


    "That''s unfortunate; I always liked seeing your clouds." I hear a hint of sadness in my Mother''s voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to paint some new ones then. Maybe they¡¯ll actually look like clouds this time,¡± I joke as I grab the broom and start cleaning my walls and ceiling.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s another sign that you¡¯re growing up,¡± Mother sighs and starts helping me clean my room. I don¡¯t know how to respond to that, so I keep quiet and clean.


    ¡°It feels like my little girl is growing up faster each time I see her. Running off on her own.¡± Is Mom going through a mid-life crisis or something?


    I feel now is a good time to apologize for using my skill on her and Dad. "Hey, Mom, I''m sorry how I acted before I left for Drey. I shouldn''t have used my skills on you and Dad."


    Mom doesn''t look at me, but I see her shaking her head. "We didn''t give you much of a choice, did we?"


    I freeze in place; did Mom just admit she was wrong? ¡°What are you saying, Mom?¡±


    She turns towards me with a downcast expression. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t been as supportive as I should¡¯ve been. You¡¯re growing up and making your own decisions now. It¡¯s just hard always watching you throw yourself into danger.¡±


    I rub the back of my head. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly go looking for trouble.¡±


    "But you don''t avoid it either," Mom points out, and I don''t have a counter-argument for that.


    ¡°So, this punishment,¡± I trail off.


    ¡°Was time set aside for us to talk,¡± Mom matter-of-factly answers.


    "We could''ve just talked after dinner, or I could''ve set some time aside for you."


    "Oh, really?" Mom glares at me, skeptically. "Tell me then, what were your plans if I didn''t tell you to clean the house? Would we have had time to talk?"


    I look away, knowing she has a point.


    "That''s what I thought. I know how hard my baby works, and it''s difficult for me to ask you to set time aside for me." Mom finishes wiping down my dresser and the shelf I keep some of my favorite rock samples on.


    I have been taking fewer vacation days recently. Even though I don¡¯t have much work to do at Master''s, I still spend the day trying to figure out how to make engraving ink. Have I been falling back into my old habit of overworking myself?


    Shaking out my sheets, we only have the floor left to clean. I start sweeping while Mother grabs the bucket of water. ¡°I¡¯m afraid one of these days you¡¯re going to leave the village and never come back.¡±


    I want to disagree with her, but anything I say would be a worthless platitude. This world is dangerous, but I have no intention of spending my whole life in this village.


    "I want to tell you that will never happen, but one day I do plan on leaving the village, not forever, but I want to see the world and all the magical things it contains."


    Mom and I stop cleaning for a moment and just stare at one another.


    ¡°I would expect nothing less,¡± Mom tells me in a sad yet proud tone.


    "I can promise you this, though," I tell Mother. "It will be a few more years before I leave this village, and even when I do leave, you can still expect letters detailing where I am. I promise I won''t disappear on you," I reassure her.


    ¡°I guess I can accept that.¡± Mom wipes away tears forming under her eyes. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to stop worrying about you and scolding you when you do something stupid.¡±


    "I wouldn''t have it any other way." I walk over to Mom and give her a big hug. "Does this mean you''re going to stop forbidding me to do things?" I whisper in Mom''s ear.


    "It''s your life to live," Mom responds. "But don''t think I won''t tell you how I feel about whatever stupid or dangerous thing it is you are doing. I am a Mom, after all."


    ¡°Deal,¡± I quickly agree.


    We stay together for a few minutes before separating and getting back to work; we have a house to clean after all.


    <hr>


    I lie down on my bed and stare up at my blank ceiling.


    Today didn''t pan out like I thought it would but clearing the air with my Mother was the best thing I could''ve hoped for. Knowing Mom isn¡¯t going to try and forbid me from doing things anymore is a load off my shoulders.


    After our heart to heart, we spent the rest of the day cleaning together, and if I''m being honest with myself, it was the best day I''ve had in weeks.


    I ended up needing to take a break and recharge my mana after we finished up the hallway, but Mom and I spent the time talking, and the time just flew by.


    Now our whole house looks brand spanking new, and it''s only the second good thing that came out of today.


    Putting aside the progress I made with Mom and having the house so clean you could eat anywhere off the floor, a handful of my skills leveled up, finally pushing me into level 73.


    I can¡¯t help but smile at my status page after I distribute my ten status points.


    LV: 73 Experience: 12,783/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,431.88/1,650


    Mana: 317.54/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.00


    Strength: 152.00


    Dexterity: 150.00


    Senses: 62.32


    Mind: 65.09


    Magic: 102.48


    Clarity: 78.56


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV76), Blacksmithing (LV69), Hammer Skills (LV57), Axe Skills (LV55), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV32), Sword Skills (LV31), Sewing (LV24), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2), Alchemy (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV41), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Steady Hands (LV16), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV14), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV60), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV37), Flash Step (LV21), Contract (LV7)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV53), Mana Skin (LV53), Inject Mana (LV52), Extract Mana (LV32), Magic Blacksmithing (LV25), Empowered Spell (LV12), Air Walk (LV1)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV39), Soul Manipulation (LV6)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Cleaning (LV52-53) 5,250exp


    Cooking (LV40) 2,000exp


    Extract Mana (LV32) 8,000exp


    Empowered Spell (LV10-12) 8,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV39) 19,500exp


    Skill Experience: 43,000exp


    Crafting Experience: 819exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total-experience Gained: 43,819exp


    I put five points into Dexterity, two into Strength, and three points into Vitality.


    Sense Soul leveled up after I gathered all the contract fragments two days ago and the rest of my skills leveled today while cleaning and helping Mom make dinner. I even got a few experience points for all my hard work.


    I''m happy about everything I gained today, but now that I''m lying in bed, I''m kicking myself for not waiting to distribute my status points until tomorrow morning. After using so much mana today, my head feels empty. But thanks to distributing my status points, my body feels more awake and energized than ever.


    I want to go to sleep, but I''m not physically tired. I can''t even cheat by going into my soul because that won''t help alleviate my mental fatigue. I''d go for a run around the village, but the sun has long since set, and I don''t want to freak out the hunters on night patrol.


    I¡¯ll just have to meditate here and hope my body decides it¡¯s tired soon.


    Still, overall, a good day.


    <hr>


    Silvia¡¯s (Aaliyah¡¯s Mom) Point of View:


    ¡°Judging how neither of you yelled at each other during dinner, I¡¯d say your talk with Aaliyah went well.¡± Darrius pulls me closer to him.


    "It was nice spending the whole day with her," I smile, thinking about the time I spent with our daughter.


    "Did you talk about how we decided to respect her decisions more?¡±


    I reach out and touch my husbands'' arm, fallowing it down until I find his hand. Darrius takes my hand in his own and gives it a supportive squeeze. "I told her I would still give her my opinion on everything."


    Darrius chuckles, ¡°I don¡¯t think Aaliyah would¡¯ve believed you if you said you would support her with no strings attached.¡±


    I try to hit Darrius with my free hand, but pounding on his chest is like hitting a tree with my Strength. Darius laughs harder when I stop because my strikes aren''t doing anything.


    ¡°She wants to leave the village,¡± I mumble.


    Darrius stops laughing and leans in close to me. "Is she planning to leave in the next few months?" He asks, concerned.


    ¡°No, she said she wouldn¡¯t leave for a few more years.¡±


    Darrius lets out a loud sigh of relief. "You scared me there; I thought she wanted to leave now."


    "Not now, but she does want to leave."


    ¡°We already expected that,¡± Darrius reminds me. ¡°Once that girl learned how to walk, we knew our small village was never going to be able to contain her.¡±


    ¡°But what if something happens to her?¡±


    "What if something happens to her here?" Darrius questions me. "We let Richard leave the village, and he was a much lower level than Aaliyah."


    "Yes, but Richard was only leaving the village for a few years, and he had Sandra there to keep him in line. Aaliyah may be strong, but Strength and stats aren''t everything, just look how that bastard Grey tricked her into signing that contract."


    Darrius leans in and kisses my neck. "Do you think keeping Aaliyah here will help her reach her full potential?"


    ¡°No,¡± I reluctantly reply.


    "When the year rolls over, Aaliyah will participate in the new year festival, and she''ll be considered an adult. We discussed what would happen if we tried to hold her back."


    "I know," I say in a tiny voice. We''ve been discussing the same thing since Aaliyah went on her last trip to Drey. It was apparent that if we didn''t respect Aaliyah''s decisions more, we would lose our daughter. "Why couldn''t she be more like her brother and pick a nice village boy to settle down with."


    Darrius scoffs at the idea, and I can''t help but giggle myself. No matter how much I wish for Aaliyah to have a quiet life, I know that will never be her.


    ¡°The only thing we can do is try to steer her towards good decisions and support her choices,¡± Darrius whispers in my ear.


    "You steer; I''ll point out the direction," I tell him.


    "And I''ll be there to remind you not to go overboard," Darrius pulls me up against him and kisses me before I can retort. He always does this when he wants to end an argument.


    Our lips part, and I feel my body relax in his embrace before sleep starts to take me. I drift to sleep happy I was able to make up with my daughter.

 Ch: 75

    "So, which is more fun, helping your mother clean your brother''s house or clearing trees with your old man?" Dad gives me a goofy grin as he drags the tree trunk he just fell over to the cart.


    "Honestly?" I ask Dad with a straight face, looking like I''m about to drop a major truth bomb on him.


    Dad freezes as he''s lifting the lumber into the back of the cart, not expecting my reaction.


    I can''t hold my straight face for long, and I quickly smile at his duress. "I''m just messing with you, Dad. I''ve actually enjoyed the time I spent with both of you."


    ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed it too,¡± Dad mirrors my grin.


    "And I suppose I''m the third wheel in all of this." Dad and I turn to see Master grumbling as he drags over a small tree.


    ¡°Kind of hard to forget about you when you complain every five minutes,¡± I quip.


    "Then next time, don''t drag me out of my clearing against my will for two days."


    ¡°I dragged you here?¡± I raise an eyebrow at Master.


    Maser Del doesn''t take the bait and instead focuses on the tree he''s dragged over. I watch as Master lifts his axe over his head and swiftly brings it down, cleanly cutting branches from the tree with each beautiful swing.


    Dad sees me watching Master Del, and not wanting to be outdone, starts cutting up a nearby log. The poor timber stands no chance against Father''s skills, and soon Dad is matching Master''s pace.


    Boys, having to compete over everything.


    ¡­


    Feeling left out, I contribute by helping load everything they''re cutting into the cart Master and I usually use to haul ore from the mine.


    While I¡¯m loading everything, I can¡¯t help but compare each of our stats and skills. Dad¡¯s level was around 35 back when he showed Richard and me his stats. He said he grew to level 42 a while ago, so maybe he''s 43 or 44 now. Dad was already a Strength build back when I was little, and I''m sure he''s already put more points into it.


    ¡°Hey, Dad. I¡¯m curious, what¡¯s your Strength stat at these days?¡±


    Dad pauses working and turns to me before glancing at Del, who''s watching us out of the corner of his eye. "You know that''s personal information, Aaliyah."


    ¡°And who¡¯s he going to tell?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Master sounds a little offended.


    "Oh, I''m sorry, are you going to tell everyone in your knitting club," I cut off Master''s whining with a lot of sarcasm before turning back to Dad. "Please, I''m trying to judge where I''m at stat-wise. I''ve gained a lot of levels in a short time, and I want to compare it to other people. You invest most of your points into Strength, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Dad sends another quick look at Del but gives up in the end. "I used to put the majority of my points into Strength, but your mother said she didn''t want to outlive me, so she''s made sure I put most of my points into Vitality these days."


    I''m surprised to hear that; I''m sure Dad is still stronger than me. "But it''s higher than 150, right?" I ask.


    Dad nods his head. ¡°My Strength is 168 after my last level up. Why, have you passed me already?¡±


    He''s only 16 points higher than me, but being a beast of a man who chops down trees all day, it''s understandable that his overall Strength seems higher than mine. "Not yet," I grin at Dad.


    "That''s good to hear; I get to keep my pride as a strong father for a little while longer," Dad playfully jokes.


    I laugh along with Dad, but a few things have become clear to me thanks to that bit of information. Strength is the most common stat villagers and commoners invest in after Vitality. But according to Mom, people spread their points out more, unlike focusing on one stat as Dad does. The average villager is only around level 35, meaning I''m probably 50% stronger than the average field hand, and that isn''t factoring in that not everyone chooses to invest as heavily into Strength as some people do.


    But how strong am I?


    I was able to get my physical stats up to the high 20''s through stretching and exercising every day before I started increasing them with my free points. That said, I wasn''t pushing myself like pro athletes back on Earth. If I''d have to guess, I''d say a trained athlete would have around 50 points in Strength and Dexterity depending on what sport they were training for.


    If I''m going off numbers, I would be three times stronger than the pros back on Earth. But physical condition can¡¯t be measured on a linear scale. If a basketball player was suddenly made three times stronger, would that equate to him being able to jump three times higher? Would they be able to go from jumping 2.5 feet to 7.5 feet, or would they go higher?


    Then you have to factor in skills. I can run at incredible speeds for an extended period of time, not just because I have high physical stats but also because my running skills help as well.


    I can take Dad as an example. There is no way Dad has a higher Strength stat than Master, yet he can keep pace with him because most of his skills are geared to felling trees while Master''s aren''t.


    ¡°Think and work at the same time!¡± I Flash Step away from Master who suddenly appeared next to me and shouted in my ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on me! I almost swung my axe at you,¡± I grit my teeth and threaten Master.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sneak up on anyone. You were so caught up in your thoughts you didn¡¯t notice me walk up to you.¡±


    "No," I say in disbelief. "Was I?" I turn and ask Dad''s opinion, only to see him coughing into his hand, trying not to laugh at me.


    Damn it, I wasn¡¯t paying attention, and worst of all, both Master and Dad caught me red-handed.


    Del and Dad share a rare moment of camaraderie over my embarrassment and start laughing together. I huff in annoyance and move over to a tree lying on the ground in the distance to get away from the two laughing men.


    I take my time chopping up the tree to regain my composure and wait for the nearby laughter to die down.


    It isn''t long before the moment passes, and the two oversized children go back to ignoring one another. This might be the one time I''m happy they still aren''t on regular speaking terms. The two will make small talk when Mother invites Master over to keep her happy, but if they don''t have a reason to speak to one another, they won''t say a word to each other.


    I shake my head in disapproval. People think women are the ones who hold a grudge the longest, but obviously, they''ve never seen two hardheaded men fight before.


    It''s said to say, but I''ve given up trying to get them to repair their relationship. I already consider it a win that I can get the two of them to work together when I ask for a favor. Plus, as Mom likes to tell me, it isn''t my job to fix everything. I did my best; now it''s up to the two of them to decide whether or not to bury the hatchet.


    Carrying as much wood as I can, I walk back over to the cart and throw everything in the back.


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± Dad asks me as he walks up next to me and throws his own load of wood into the cart.


    It doesn''t sound like he''s trying to make fun of me, so I tell him the truth. "I was considering how a person''s Strength stat and their skills play into their overall strength."


    ¡°You should¡¯ve asked,¡± Dad smiles at me. ¡°I could¡¯ve saved you some time and told you it¡¯s pointless to ponder someone else¡¯s abilities. Even if you know a person¡¯s stats, skills, and physical condition, the only person who can tell you their limits is the person themselves. Everybody is different, and there are too many factors in what makes us, us. Does that make any sense to you?¡±


    ¡°You know it does,¡± I nod with a small smile.


    While Dad and I are having our moment, Master walks past us carrying a tower of logs and branches. With a small grunt, he easily flings the wood into the cart.


    After seeing that feat of strength, I got to ask. "Hey, Master. What''s your Strength stat at?"


    Master pretends not to hear my question and moves to pick up more lumber.


    "Oh, come on," I beg in a whiney voice that I know he hates. "You heard Dad''s, and you know mine. You can''t throw everything around like it weighs nothing and expect me not to be curious."


    Master stops picking up the wood and looks at me. He sees the burning fire of curiosity in my eyes and drops everything with a big sigh. ¡°I¡¯m only telling you because I know you won¡¯t leave me alone until I relent.¡± Master pauses for dramatic effect. ¡°My strength stat is 420.¡±


    "Holy shit," I swear aloud as my jaw hits the floor. Dad doesn''t even say anything because he''s just as surprised as I am. I mean, come on; Master''s Strength stat is almost triple my own!


    Wait! That number doesn''t make sense! Master has to have a decent amount of points invested in Dexterity, so are the rest of his stats close to zero? "Are you messing with us?" I narrow my eyes at Master.


    Del frowns, "I tell you one of my stats, and you call me a liar!?"


    "But what you said doesn''t add up," I defend my reasoning. "The rest of your stats would have to be trash if you invested so heavily into Strength. I''ve seen your work, and I know that you can sense when I''m approaching you. Unless your level is a lot higher than you sad it was, something is off."


    Master rubs the back of his head. ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t want to say anything.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± I want to ask more when Dad puts his hand on my shoulder and shakes his head.


    If someone asked me what my biggest character flaw was, I''d have to say it''s my curiosity. I know it''s rude for me to pressure Master to answer my questions but what if he has some secret to boosting his stats or something.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I try to hold myself back, but I''m practically shaking with curiosity and excitement.


    Dad looks surprised to see me acting like this, but that''s because any experiments I do at home are usually while he''s out working. Mother has seen me get sucked into my work when I''m trying something new, and Master has seen me like this more times than one could count.


    Master relents and gives me a hint. ¡°If you must know, I have more freedom to distribute my points unlike you humans do, especially in regards to Vitality. That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say on the subject.¡± That''s the hint Master gives me before he returns to work.


    While Master hauls the rest of the lumber, Dad uses a shovel to flatten out some divots in the ground. Even if we removed the trees, a large cart filled with goods would have a hard time traversing the trail if we left the ground uneven.


    I go through the motions of helping my father, but my mind is occupied thinking about what Master told me.


    What did he mean about freedom and Vitality?


    Vitality is the most crucial stat; the more you have, the safer you are. Every person focuses on Vitality to keep themselves safe and to live a long life. Was Master suggesting he didn¡¯t put many points into Vitality? Everyone needs extra Vitality to live longer.


    No, humans need extra Vitality to live longer.


    Master isn''t human; he''s a stone kin, a race that naturally lives longer than humans. My parents taught me always to put a few points into Vitality each time I level up to increase my overall lifespan. My Vitality dwarfs my other stats at a staggering 243. If I didn''t put as many points into Vitality, I could also have a Strength stat of 300.


    Maybe I should change how I distribute my points in the future? My Vitality is already high enough, so I could focus more on Strength and Dexterity? It¡¯s working fine for Master, and his Vitality is probably around 100.


    I stop shoveling when I realize the problem with my master''s Vitality. Sure, he already has a longer lifespan thanks to his race, but that doesn''t help Master in regards to how much damage he can take. Just because he naturally lives longer doesn''t mean he won''t die if he''s stabbed in the heart. In fact, Master is the epitome of a glass cannon.


    I worryingly glance at Master, and we make eye contact. His expression is easy to read; Master doesn''t want me to say anything about his weakness. It''s no wonder he wanted to remain silent; Master has the same Vitality as a level 35 villager. If Del made one wrong move during the goblin extermination or while fighting the chameleon spiders, he would''ve died before ever making it back to the village for treatment.


    Dad, heedless of my internal plight, decides now is a good time for some small talk. "Why the sudden interest in people''s Strength?"


    I''m thankful for Dad''s sudden interruption; I need the distraction. Master decided to distribute his points as he did, and worrying about the past is pointless. I make a mental note to act as the vanguard next time something happens, but until then, life moves on as it always has been.


    ¡°Are you spacing out again?¡± Dad playfully asks when I don¡¯t immediately respond.


    "You wish," I smirk back at him. "I was just thinking about something important, is all, but I did hear your question. The reason I''m concerned about my Strength is that I learned how to fly during my run to Drey, but it relies heavily on my Magic and Strength stats." I casually continue working.


    ¡°You what!?¡±


    ¡°You what!?¡±


    Father and Master echo one another. Both men drop everything that they''re doing and crowd around me.


    ¡°Did you say you can fly!?¡± Dad excitedly shouts in my face.


    "How is that possible?" Master tries to play it cool, but I can see he''s interested too.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really flying,¡± I tell them. ¡°It¡¯s more like running through the sky.¡± I take great joy in downplaying my accomplishment and the fevered looks I get in return.


    ¡°Show us,¡± Dad demands, looking like a child attending the circus for the first time. Master eagerly nods along with the suggestion.


    Well, I have plenty of Mana and Stamina, and I haven¡¯t had a chance to use my new skill since I unlocked it. It doesn¡¯t take long for me to talk myself into showing off my skill. And thanks to clearing the trees, there¡¯s a break in the canopy I can aim for.


    "Alright, alright," I wave back, Father and Master. "Give me some room."


    The two men hop back like frightened cats, giving me enough room to activate my skills.


    This is a good chance for me to test out the limits of my leg strength. Instead of running, I bend my legs and prepare to jump straight up without a running head start.


    I push off the ground with tremendous force, trying to get as much air as possible. The ground gets farther away as I use Measurement to gauge how high I can jump.


    As soon as I feel my body start to drop, I activate Air Walk and leap higher into the canopy. My initial leap propelled me eight feet into the air, and I don''t need to use Air Walk again until I''ve climbed another ten feet, reaching nearly eighteen feet above the ground.


    I was right; my skill provides a much more stable footing for me, allowing me to jump higher.


    Father and Master shout in surprise as I use my skill again and break through the opening in the canopy. I lose sight of the ground as I climb higher and higher with each step.


    With my sixth step, I estimate I''m close to sixty feet into the air, and I can clearly spot our village. The view is fantastic, but I''m burning through my mana, and I still need to see how far forward I can jump while using my skill.


    I tilt my feet and push off the barrier at an angle, launching myself forward, more than upwards. The wind rushes past my face as I start sprinting through the open sky.


    I circle around the place I came out of the trees while keeping in mind how many steps I''ve taken and how much mana I have left.


    After my fifteenth step, I reluctantly decide to go back down. I wish I could spend the rest of the day up here, but that''s not possible. Yet.


    As I descend back towards the ground below, I promise myself to practice Air Walk every chance I get. I felt my skill level during the testing, and even though it was insignificant, the mana cost did reduce by a fraction of a point. If I can get Air Walk up to a high enough level, I''m sure my treks through the sky will become much longer.


    I have to use my skill two more times during my descent to break my fall, but I touch down right on top of the footprints I left behind when I took off in the first place.


    Both Father and Del stare at me in silent amazement. I''m not sure how well they could see me above the tree line, but it must have seen enough because they''re frozen in shock. "I still need to practice more, but I think it''s a good skill," I haphazardly say while retying my hair. Some strands came loose when I was running, and I''m not too fond of it when it covers my eyes.


    The casual dismissal of what I just did is enough to bring the two men back to Yurilia.


    "That was the most amazing thing I''ve ever seen!" Dad exclaims.


    "I have to agree." Master, who is much more used to seeing me do the impossible, isn''t as surprised as Father but is no-less impressed by my new skill.


    "It will be cooler when I can use it more continuously," I tell them as I move to finish up our work.


    Dad and Del follow my example while returning my earlier questions tenfold. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Dad inquisitively asks, filling in the last pothole.


    I explain while helping Master finish loading the last bits of wood into our cart. "I was only up there for a few minutes, and it cost me almost 650 mana."


    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Dad asks, unaware of just how much mana I have and how taxing my skills can be.


    ¡°Staying up in the air cost me 63% of my mana pool. So yeah, it¡¯s a lot,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Master asks from my side.


    I look at Master and grin one of my biggest smiles. ¡°Every second of it,¡± I happily proclaim.


    While we finish with the last parts of expanding the trail to Del''s house, I explain how I discovered my new skill and how I fell on my face the first time I managed to use it.


    "Sounds like you," Master jokes as we push and pull the cart back towards his clearing. Master is in the front pulling the cart, while Dad and I work together to push it from behind.


    The three of us laugh as we roll into Master''s clearing. We park the cart next to a large pile of wood that''s sitting off to the side. The pile represents all the work we did over the last two days; while most of it will be used in the forge, the unburnable stuff will be saved for construction. Off the top of my head, I can think of a few places in the mine the large logs would come in handy.


    It''s easy for the three of us to unload the cart, and when everything is done, I stand in front of Master and Dad. "Thanks for helping me clear the trail. I know you were busy, "I smile at Dad. "And I know you don''t want people coming to your house," I turn and smile at Master. "But despite everything, the two of you came to help, no questions asked." I politely don''t bring up the fact Master complained most of the time.


    ¡°Anytime, sweety,¡± Dad wraps his arm over my shoulder and drags me into a quick hug.


    I look at Master to see what he has to say, but he decides to pretend he only came for himself. "Well, I had to make sure you didn¡¯t cut down all the trees between my house and the village.¡±


    I smile, knowing Master came because I asked him to, whether he wants to admit it or not.


    I wait to see if Master and Dad will share a handshake or something acknowledging each other''s help, but the moment is ruined when I sense someone closing in on Master''s clearing. "We have company," I warn them.


    The three of us turn towards the trail just as Braddon comes flying into the clearing, looking excited. He glances at us and says only two words before running back down the trail. "They''re back!"


    It doesn¡¯t take me long to realize what he meant, Sandra and Richard finally made it back to the village!


    Dad takes an extra minute to process what Braddon just said, but his face lights up like the sun when he comprehends his son is back home. Dad doesn''t say anything as he takes off towards the front of the village.


    I''m about to join him when I remember I was just thanking Master, and it would be rude of me to run off without saying anything.


    I turn to apologize to Del, but he waves me off first. "Go see your brother; I''m fine."


    ¡°You could come too,¡± I offer.


    Del shakes his head. ¡°Too many people; besides, it isn¡¯t my family returning.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, rest day tomorrow?¡± I ask as if I don¡¯t already know the answer.


    ¡°Take all the time you need.¡± Master walks over to his bench and plops down.


    With that taken care of, I turn and activate Double Step. I fly down the renovated trail and pass Braddon and Dad when I hit the village. The trail to Del''s house is already close to the village''s entrance, and it isn''t long before I spot the crowd of villagers gathering around the cart pulled by a nearly dead bivol.


    Every villager and their mom try to get close to the cart to congratulate the duo on making it home.


    Everyone knows why Sandra left to study in Drey, and people are excited to see the village''s first mage. Magic is the thing every villager secretly yearns for, and many think it can do anything; that''s why people who know magic are regarded so highly. Like Anastasia, she can only use a small amount of healing magic, and that''s enough for her to be treated better than everyone else.


    I move up to the crowd and ask for people to make way, but everyone is too preoccupied with Sandra and Richard to pay attention to me.


    Fine, I¡¯ll do this the hard way. I use the same method I used to get through the group of people trying to get out of Drey.


    I put my hands together and hold them out in front of me like a snowplow and slowly take a step forward. I don''t push hard, but people have no way of holding their ground against me with my stats. With each step I take, the two people directly in front of me are forced to the side.


    A few people turn to yell at me for pushing them, but once they see who I am, their complaining stops fast.


    Soon I''m at the front of the crowd, and I see Mother and all of Sandra''s family, minus Braddon, are already here smothering the couple with love.


    I can vaguely hear Dad shouting at the crowd to let him through behind me, but unless he starts bulldozing his way through like I did, I don''t think he''s going to make it through that mess of people.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Sandra notices me and motions for me to join the group hug. I don¡¯t need to be told twice.


    As I hug my best friend and Sarette who refuses to let go of her daughter, Mother notices that I showed up. "Aaliyah, where''s your father and Braddon? I thought the two of you were working together?"


    ¡°I think Dad is stuck outside the crowd with Braddon.¡± I point in the direction I last heard Dad¡¯s shouting.


    Camden, who''s standing nearby, smiling at his happy wife and daughter, chuckles. "We should probably move this reunion elsewhere." Camden climbs up onto the unmanned cart and uses his skill that amplifies his voice. "I want to thank everyone who showed up to congratulate my daughter and Richard''s safe return. It means a lot to our families that you care so much. But this cart needs to be moved and this poor bivol taken to the stables. Please make room for us."


    The crowd reluctantly starts to part in front of the beast. Almost as in a trance, the bivol starts slowly walking forward as soon as it has the room. I''ll give the beast one thing; it''s persistent.


    Thanks to the new opening in the crowd, Dad and Braddon are able to join everyone. We all walk as a group through the village until we arrive at Brother''s house. He uncouples the cart, saying he''ll unload everything later.


    Next, we take the zombie bivol to the stables. The weird beast obediently walks into the enclosure and stands perfectly still in the middle, content not to do anything.


    ¡°I give that thing a day before it drops dead,¡± Braddon says what we¡¯re all thinking.


    "I don''t know. He brought us all the way from Drey; he''s stronger than he looks," Sandra points out to her brother.


    ¡°Anything looks stronger than that bivol,¡± Braddon jokes.


    We all laugh and start walking towards the headman''s house. Sandra and Richard start telling us stories of their time in Drey, which we all attentively listen to, even as we file into Camden''s house and into the drawing-room.


    Sarette serves tea, and everyone enjoys each other''s company.


    "It sounds like you guys had a good time," Camden comments after one of Richards''s stories involving renovating a merchant''s shop.


    ¡°It was fun,¡± Sandra tells her dad. ¡°Plus, we got to know each other better after living together for five years.¡±


    Camden tries really hard not to let his face cramp up while Mother and Sarette share a smile between the two of them.


    ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯re ready to have your wedding ceremony?¡± Sarette eagerly asks her daughter.


    Sandra and Richard hold each other¡¯s hands, both blushing and nod in agreement.


    Mother and Sarette squeal at such a high pitch I¡¯m surprised the china didn¡¯t shatter.


    ¡°This is wonderful news; we¡¯ll have to start making your wedding cords!¡± Mother looks so happy. Wedding ceremonies are much more spiritual in this world. The bride and the groom stand in front of their families while a person of power, usually the village head, conducts a ceremony binding the couple together. Each side of the family constructs a colorful tassel used to wrap the couple''s hands together, signaling their bond to each other and the gods.


    It¡¯s expected for the women of each family to sew the tassels, so I have a feeling I¡¯ll have to set aside some more time for Mom in the future.


    "We have to celebrate!" Sarette exclaims. She stands up and leaves the room, only to come back with a bottle of wine and enough cups for everyone.


    I secretly glance at Sandra and see that she¡¯s looking at the bottle of wine like its poison.


    "You don''t have to break out the wine yet, Mom." Sandra tries to convince her mother to put the alcohol away, but just like my mother, Sarette doesn''t change her mind that easily.


    "Nonsense, this a joyous occasion, our families will finally be united. Oh, we should have the ceremony during the new year''s festival! That way, the whole village will have to attend your wedding!" Sarette becomes more excited the more she talks.


    ¡°Food is tight, but we¡¯ll only need one feast if everything is celebrated together.¡± Sarette continues to talk as she starts pouring cups of wine and passing them out. ¡°I know you haven¡¯t attended your first new year¡¯s festival yet, but I don¡¯t think anyone will mind if you have your first drink now.¡± Sarette happily hands me my own cup of wine.


    I stare down at the dark red substance wondering how it''s going to taste. I wasn''t that much of a drinker in my past life, and I distinctly remember hating the taste of wine.


    At least I¡¯m not the only one not excited about the beverage.


    Sandra takes the offered cup from her mother, and I can see her trying to think of a way out of this situation. Richard isn''t much better; he looks like he''s about to start sweating.


    "A toast to our families finally being united," Sarette holds up her glass, and everyone mimics her. Sarette takes the first drink, followed by everyone else.


    I sip my wine, seeing if it tastes good, and I''m happy to find out it isn''t that bad. I''m no wine expert, but it''s very fruity, like juice with a kick.


    Everyone but Sandra drinks their wine with a smile. It doesn¡¯t take long for Mother and Sarette to notice something is up.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drinking, dear?¡± Mom asks Sandra.


    Sandra sets her cup of wine on the table without saying anything. Now everyone in the room is aware something is fishy.


    ¡°No!¡± Sarette shouts, looking at her daughter in disbelief. Slowly everyone realizes what¡¯s going on.


    Funny thing, in this world, almost all forms of science are stuck in colonial times but not medicine. Healing magic has allowed mages to study the human body and what ails it to quite a degree. And the fields of medicine mages have studied the most are poisons, pregnancy, and childbirth, the trifecta of reasons a noble is most likely to call on a healer.


    Needless to say, it has long been known that alcohol is not good for a pregnant woman.


    Camden stands up and is the first to ask. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant!?¡±


    After Sandra nods, a lot of things happen all at once. Camden''s face goes through every emotion possible, briefly stopping at anger when he looks at Richard before settling on happiness for his daughter. Mom and Sarette rush over to Sandra''s side, asking the usual questions like how far along she is and all that good stuff.


    ¡°I noticed my mana acting weird, so I saw a specialist a few days before we left Drey. She said I''m only four weeks along," Sandra explains before looking concerned at her mother. "You aren''t mad, are you?"


    ¡°Why would I be mad?¡± Sarette asks, concerned.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re not married yet,¡± Sandra tentatively explains.


    ¡°Oh, honey,¡± Sarette smiles at her daughter. ¡°The two of you love each other, right?¡±


    "With everything," Richard smoothly replies, causing Sandra to turn a deep crimson.


    ¡°Good answer,¡± Camden growls.


    "Ignore him; my father was just as grumpy when I told him I was pregnant for the first time," Sarette reassures Sandra and Richard. "I can tell by how much you two love each other, that it doesn''t matter if you''re married yet. Though, it does give us more of a reason to celebrate your union."


    It''s beautiful watching such a touching moment. I''m about to wipe a tear from my eye when I notice Mom staring at me. "Why weren''t you surprised?" She asks me, and the room goes silent.


    "What do you mean?" I try to act clueless.


    ¡°Everyone looked surprised when Sandra nodded to Camden¡¯s question, everyone but you.¡± Mom, Sarette, Camden, and even Dad look at me accusingly.


    I can¡¯t tell them I noticed part of Sandra¡¯s soul doing something weird in her uterus when I met them in the woods.


    I take too long to think of an answer.


    "You knew, didn''t you?" Mom sounds sure she already has her answer.


    Well, shit! This is what I get for keeping a friend''s secret.


    Worth it.

 Ch: 76

    "Don''t you think some flowers would go perfect right here?" Mom and I watch smiling from Richard''s kitchen table as Sandra directs Brother on how he should rearrange his house now that he has all this extra furniture. "If you open the window behind them, it would brighten up the room."


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Brother nods along with Sandra¡¯s idea but mother and I can see he¡¯s just resigned himself to do whatever Sandra suggests.


    Mom and I came over this morning to see how Richard was settling in after yesterday''s family reunion, only to find the two love birds already hard at work organizing their love nest. That was four hours ago.


    It was hilarious watching Sandra take control over everything just like Mom would, but I''m starting to think Richard is into that kind of thing. That or Richard has the patience of a saint.


    We tried to offer our services to help speed things along, but Richard and Sandra both agreed they wanted to handle everything themselves.


    ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re moving in with Brother?¡± I ask Sandra as she starts placing small knickknacks around the room.


    Sandra smiles awkwardly at my question. ¡°That was the plan, but Father wants me to stay in my old room until we¡¯re married.¡±


    Ouch, that has to suck for both of them.


    ¡°The thing is, my old room doesn¡¯t have the space to hold everything we brought back with us, so it¡¯s only natural I have to store my things here and set up a space to practice in.¡± Sandra winks at Mom and me. Sorry Camden, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to keep them apart no matter hard you try.


    "Whatever works best for the two of you," mother smiles at her future daughter-in-law.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to turn one of the rooms into a study, like magic tomes and stuff?¡± I latch on to the part of the conversation regarding magic.


    ¡°Yes, and you can¡¯t go in there,¡± Sandra tells me, looking apologetic.


    ¡°Your contract?¡± It¡¯s not hard to guess why she won¡¯t let me see her magic stuff.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sandra confirms my guess. ¡°I can¡¯t knowingly let others look at my reference materials, not even Richard.


    "It''s true; she kept everything in a locked trunk while we were living in Drey."


    ¡°My contract with my master stipulates I need to do everything I can to keep others from stealing my spells. Even against family,¡± Sandra tells me with a frown.


    You have to love the secrecy and paranoia of this world.


    ¡°I get it,¡± I let out a sigh. I then remember what I wanted to ask Sandra now that we have some free time without everyone yelling at me for keeping her pregnancy a secret. "But just to make sure, we can still discuss magic, right? I mean, we can still bounce ideas off of each other, or is that against the rules?"


    ¡°That¡¯s a little complicated,¡± she informs me. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to discuss basic mana sensing and manipulation techniques but none of my Master¡¯s personal methods.¡±


    ¡°Then we can talk about subjects he never taught you, like enchanting,¡± I confirm.


    ¡°Sure, we can talk about that. Other than teaching us what enchanting is, my master knew nothing about runic magic.¡±


    Now I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness; I could really use someone to help me bounce ideas around."


    Sandra looks at me, eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re studying runic magic!¡±


    I give her a cocky grin. ¡°Well, when you don¡¯t have access to a bunch of spells, you get creative. I bought some magic items from Silver Herd and started deciphering their runes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Sandra exclaims. ¡°But what do you need me for? I don¡¯t know anything about enchanting.¡±


    "I don''t need help with the runes," I tell her. "It''s the damn engraving ink that''s holding me up. I already have a collection of runes I can draw, and an engraving pen Master made for me, but neither of those matters if I can''t figure out how to make engraving ink. I¡¯ve only managed to figure out the first step,¡± I air my problems to my best friend.


    ¡°And how do you know how to make engraving ink in the first place?¡± Sandra narrows her eyes, knowing engraving ink recipes are just like a mage''s spell repertoire and are highly secretive.


    ¡°A friend gave it to me,¡± I say mysteriously.


    "A friend?" Sandra repeats, not convinced.


    ¡°Someone who wants me to succeed gave me a general outline on how to craft engraving ink.¡±


    "It sounds like you have everything you need then; what''s the problem?" Sandra walks over to the table and takes a seat. Mother listens in on our conversation, fascinated on the subject, while Brother moves some furniture around, careful not to make too much noise.


    "The problem is when I said, general outline, I meant it''s vague as shit!" I complain.


    "Language," Mother scolds me.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way I can put it,¡± I grumble. ¡°So, the first part of the instructions was to mix devil¡¯s poke and eathrosse with some water.¡±


    ¡°Ok?¡± Sandra and Mom don¡¯t see the problem, neither know chemistry instructions that vague are basically pointless.


    I let out a self-deprecating laugh. "After spending days testing, the first step should have gone like this: First, mash the eathrosse into a paste. Then mix 2 ounces of eathrosse paste with 16 ounces of purified water. Dice 5 ounces of devil''s poke and add it to the mixture. Lastly, stir the entire mixture until it becomes a purplish-black color."


    After I finish explaining the first step, the room has gone silent. Sandra, Mother, and Richard are all giving me sympathetic looks. "I wasted nearly eight gold coins in materials just figuring out the first step." The three of them hiss, understanding the pain of losing that much money and having so little to show for it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the next step?¡± Sandra hesitantly asks.


    ¡°Heat mixture,¡± I tell her.


    Sandra waits for me to add more, but she soon realizes that''s all the instruction I have. "That can''t be all!?" She asks in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s all it said for step 2. I¡¯ve started heating the mixture with gradually increasing temperatures, but after being exposed to the improper temperature for twenty minutes, the mixture becomes unstable and dissolves itself." Words can''t describe how I feel. All I know is, I have a deep respect for the people who pioneered the study of chemistry.


    I know everything could be considered a part of chemistry, but the people who try to create something new from nothing or only using small bits of information are real geniuses. Discovering new elements, concocting cures for illness; makes me wish I paid a bit more attention in science class.


    ¡°You can see my problem,¡± I say with a sour expression.


    ¡°Gods, Aaliyah, I don¡¯t know how you think I can help?¡± Sandra looks at me like I¡¯m asking her to help me slay a dragon.


    "Just having an extra set of eyes will help the most," I tell her.


    Mother frowns, ¡°why didn¡¯t you ask me for help, then?¡±


    "I would''ve if you had the right eyes," I inform Mom. "I need someone who can perceive mana. The materials I use have a high magic concentration, and judging how the mana reacts is the best indicator when something is going wrong." Thankfully Mom doesn''t look offended and nods in understanding.


    I turn to Sandra, ¡°that¡¯s why I could use your help.¡±


    She thinks over my offer for a second before agreeing. ¡°Sure, but don¡¯t blame me for burning away your materials.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± I tell Sandra. ¡°I don¡¯t expect results right away. In fact, I space out the days I experiment so I don¡¯t get caught up in the failures and make more mistakes. We can decide on a time to work together after you settle back in."


    ¡°That sounds like a plan,¡± Sandra smiles.


    "Speaking of which, how is that going for you?" Mom questions Sandra. "I can say we were all quite happy to have Richard back home with us again."


    "It''s been nice." Sandra has a smile on her face, but you can tell her heart was exactly in her answer.


    Never to let something slip past her, Mom pries into Sandra¡¯s business. ¡°Oh, is something the matter?¡±


    Sandra has a complicated look. ¡°It¡¯s nice being back home, but my parents are already smothering me. My Mom wants to talk about nothing but my pregnancy while my dad is making it difficult to spend time with Richard and won''t stop asking to see the spells I''ve learned. I know part of the reason I was able to study in Drey was to bring magic to our village, but they''re just so¡­"


    "Annoying," I say aloud the word Sandra was searching for.


    "I was trying to think of a nicer way to say it," she smirks at me. "Then, after I shook off my parents this morning and came to help Richard, I find out he had a nice dinner with his family and came back to his house like he never left the village.¡±


    ¡°A nice dinner,¡± I laugh. ¡°We spent the whole time making jokes about how your dad is going to kill him when no one is looking.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Sandra whirls around on Richard. ¡°I thought you said you had a normal dinner with your family?¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "I did; it was pretty normal for our family," Richard says in a matter-of-fact tone. The three of us start laughing while Sandra sits there uncomprehending. "I tried to throw Aaliyah under the cart by reminding my parents how she kept our secret, but they didn''t take the bait."


    I glance at Mom and then smile at Richard. ¡°You really are ungrateful; you know that? Who do you think cleaned your house for you before you got back? And besides, Mom already yelled at me with Sarette, and we¡¯re past that now, get over it.¡±


    Richard looks surprised at Mother, "already?"


    Mom sagely nods her head. ¡°I already told Aaliyah how I felt about her decision to keep me out of the loop. What¡¯s done is done.¡±


    "Who are you, and what have you done with my mother?" Richard takes a step back from Mom, feigning shock.


    ¡°Mom and I have an understanding between us," I boast of our new relationship.


    "That doesn''t mean I''m not mad about you keeping Sandra a secret from me." Mom quickly pulls the wind out of my sails.


    I want to complain and point out I did it for my brother, but I don''t think Mom would buy that.


    But all is not lost! Like an angel, Sandra swops in to protect me from the demon. "Please don''t be mad at Aaliyah; she only kept quiet because I asked her to. Richard and I hadn''t finished discussing what we should do when Aaliyah found us in the woods, and we couldn''t have her telling everyone before we were back in the village. I''m sure you understand."


    And like that, the demon was critically injured and had to retreat. ¡°I completely understand why she did it," Mom smiles and reassures Sandra that she''s not mad anymore. But when Sandra looks away for a brief moment, Mom casts a sidelong glance at me, and I see an evil twinkle in her eye. The demon will not forget this loss.


    I''ll have to look forward to helping more with Richard''s marriage twine, or she''ll probably wake me up early on the days I try to sleep in. The demon always comes back with a vengeance.


    At least it¡¯s never boring in our house.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something more fun,¡± Mom suggests.


    ¡°Like what?¡± I ask.


    Mom claps her hands together. "Oh, I know! I saw Richard moving your clothes trunk around. Did you bring back any new styles from Drey?"


    "I sure did. Would you like to see them?" Sandra stands up and heads for the trunk Richard set off to the side nearby. Richard has to take the trunk to Camden¡¯s house later after he finishes everything else.


    Sandra opens the trunk and pulls out a blue dress, and holds it up for us to see. "Richard got me this for my last birthday."


    ¡°It looks great on you,¡± Mother compliments Sandra. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my boy would have an eye for women¡¯s clothes. What else do you have?¡±


    And like that, we start a fashion montage.


    Time slowly slips by as Richard gets close to finishing unpacking everything, while Sandra shows us the final clothes she bought back from Drey.


    I thought it would become dull just looking at clothes for so long, but after a whole life of being surrounded by plain garments, it was actually interesting to see what nice fabric looked and felt like. At one point, Sandra tried to get me to try on one of her dresses, but I got out of it by mentioning how much of a size difference there was between us. I''m a lot taller than Sandra, and I''d ruin anything she tried to have me squeeze into. That''s my excuse, and I''m sticking to it.


    Our good times are put on hold when someone knocks on Brother''s door. Richard answers to find Nicolas standing on his doorstep. "Hi, is Aaliyah here with you?" He asks, not noticing me yet.


    ¡°Nicolas,¡± I call out.


    ¡°So, you are here,¡± Nicolas squeezes past Richard without being invited in.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡±


    "Kervin is at the front of the village, and he asked me where you were. I checked Master Del''s, but he said you weren''t here today. I figured you¡¯d be with my sister.¡±


    "Kervin is here already?" I can''t say I''m not surprised. I figured he was at least another couple of days out. He must have left Drey not long after he returned if he''s here already.


    "Yes, we already unloaded the few crates of food he brought, but his cart is filled with rocks."


    "Ore," I correct Nicolas. "This is some unexpected good news," I get up from the table. "I need to meet with Kervin, but I''ll be back when I''m done," I tell Mother and Sandra.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡± Sandra tells me.


    ¡°Make sure you talk to Kervin about your contract,¡± Mother reminds me.


    "Of course," I respond as I walk out of my brother''s house, followed by Nicolas.


    We quickly walk through the village, finding a small crowd of people around Kervin. "I''m sorry, but I can''t take any more orders. Silver Herd is restricting its routes until Scholl is dealt with; this is my last delivery for now."


    ¡°Then what¡¯s with all the stones then!?¡± A villager shouts.


    ¡°That is a delivery for miss Aaliyah, who placed the order in advance,¡± Kervin calmly explains.


    "But we need you to deliver us meat," A woman pleads. Kervin''s business smile cracks a bit, and you can see that he''s not fond of what''s happening either.


    ¡°Now, now,¡± Camden¡¯s strong voice silences everyone. Nicolas moves next to his father as he walks over. ¡°Do you expect him to sneak past Scholl just to deliver us some biscuits and jerky? We can¡¯t blame him or Silver Herd for stopping their deliveries. We should be happy he took the time to make one last run to our village despite the circumstances. Give the man some room, so he can finish his business and get back to Drey before Scholl arrives.¡±


    Camden''s argument was well thought out and certainly planed. I wondered why he didn''t bring this issue up when we had the village meeting, but I can see how spreading out the bad news and having time to prepare an argument paid off in the end.


    ¡°Thank you, Headman Downs,¡± Kervin offers a polite bow. ¡°But let me assure everyone that we are not terminating this route. As soon as the roads are safe again, I¡¯ll return.¡±


    The people reluctantly agree and start heading back into the village.


    When everyone except Camden, Nicolas, and myself are gone, Kervin lets out an enormous sigh of relief. "Thanks again; I was worried about how I was going to convince them to leave."


    "It''s hard times, lately." Camden also visibly relaxes now that the merchant problem is solved. "I''m very grateful that you brought some more dried meats with you. Aaliyah told me this would be your last delivery for a while, but she never said you''d be bringing more food with you."


    "That''s because I didn''t know," I admit to Camden. "I only negotiated for my materials, not more food; it never crossed my mind."


    "That was my idea. I figured your village might have a hard time without regular supplies, so I brought some extra crates I could cram on top of everything."


    Kervin isn''t joking about cramming everything. The cart he brought this time is larger than his usual one, and it''s driven by four silver bivols, all bigger than the pair he usually uses. And this larger cart is piled high with kaglese ore, with crates strapped to the side, which I believe are holding my mithril.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get what I owe you,¡± Camden leaves to get the money from his house.


    ¡°Meet us at Master¡¯s place when you get back,¡± I tell him as he¡¯s walking away.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Camden shouts back.


    "We''re going to your master''s house!?" Kervin asks, surprised; he knows that my master doesn''t like dealing with people.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, unless you want to move all this ore back and forth for me?¡± I give Kervin a sly grin.


    ¡°I¡¯m good; lead the way.¡± Kervin hops back on his cart and has his bivol follow me.


    Lurte and Ryiba flank each side of the cart while Reel comes up next to me. ¡°How are you doing? I heard you ran to Drey all by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Someone has a big mouth; was it that receptionist lady?¡±


    Reel chuckles, ¡°maybe?¡±


    ¡°Well, after hearing about Scholl, I needed to place a large order before they take over the area.¡±


    ¡°You know about that, huh?¡±


    ¡°Not hard to see the obvious,¡± I dryly respond.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how few have noticed what¡¯s happening. Well, not everyone can be a genius monster like you, I guess,¡± Reel laughs at his own joke.


    ¡°Or a spy-assassin, like you,¡± I counter, causing Reel to laugh harder.


    "I am quite good at my job. Speaking of which, how did you get Mr. Grey to front you all this?" The mirth in Reel''s voice disappears, and he gives me a serious look.


    "I''ll tell you and Kervin about it after we unload everything," I brush him off for now. I still need to confirm with Kervin whose side he''s on.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Reel agrees to wait.


    A silence falls between Reel and me until Kervin calls out from his seat up on the wagon. ¡°This trail looks freshly made.¡±


    I talk over my shoulder. "We just finished it a few days ago. We widened it and filled in all the divots so your cart can get through."


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m not happy to finally see where you work, but what changed? I thought you said your master doesn¡¯t want to deal with me,¡± Kervin asks me, probably wanting to make sure nothing is wrong.


    "Who said my master would be dealing with anyone? Even if he decides to sit nearby and watch us, I''m the one you have to worry about." I make sure to stress the fact that they¡¯re not to bother Master.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kervin bows his head.


    ¡°And you,¡± I turn to Reel.


    ¡°What?¡± Reel responds in a sassy tone like he doesn¡¯t care about anything I say.


    ¡°If you bug Master in any way, whatsoever, I¡¯ll hold you down while he uses your face for an anvil,¡± I threaten the annoying rogue.


    Reel chuckles, thinking I''m joking, but he stops when he sees how serious I am. I see Kervin as a friend and business partner, while Reel is an ok guy that''s saved me in the past, but neither of them is as important to me as Master Del. If they screw this up, I''ll find someone else to work with, even if I have to turn to Scholl.


    ¡°Ok, be on your best behavior," I remind everyone as we enter Master''s clearing.


    Master''s clearing is quiet. I wasn''t expected to show up today, so the forge is cold, and Master is resting on his bench. Kervin looks around the clearing before noticing Master while Reel zeros in on the sleeping stone kin immediately.


    Of course, I act like Master resting out in the open is no big deal, guiding the cart over to the spot Master and I agreed we should put the ore. "Right here is good."


    Kervin pulls back on the bivols reigns, and the expertly trained animals stop without moving forward an inch.


    Kervin hops off his cart. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡±


    "I''ll take the crates of mithril and put them in the shed. You guys can start offloading the ore; just put it in a pile next to the cart," I direct Kervin.


    "Sounds good, let''s get going," Kervin proceeds to pull up his sleeves.


    ¡°You¡¯re helping us, boss?¡± Ryiba asks, surprised.


    "Don''t get used to it; we need to offload everything as quick as possible and get back to Drey, preferably before the siege spells start flying." Kervin picks up one of the shovels they brought with them and starts shoveling ore over the side of the cart.


    I untie the six crates strapped to the cart and check to make sure everything''s here. Each crate I open makes my heart beat faster when I see every box is packed with mithril ingots; enough I need to take a second to catch my breath before I have a heart attack. 150 gold coins worth of mithril, that''s enough money for a family to live off of for the rest of their lives.


    Gingerly, I move each crate into our materials shed and move to help the boys shovel the kaglese. It¡¯s nice to see even Reel is helping, but Kervin¡­


    ¡­Kervin is struggling to keep up with everyone else. He must not have invested that much in his Strength stat. He isn''t slow, per-say. It''s more that everyone is moving around him, slowing things down.


    ¡°Switch with me, Kervin.¡± I motion for the merchant to hop out of the cart.


    "I can help," Kervin whines like a boy being told to stand off to the side while his dad works on the car.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they appreciate your help, but you¡¯re slowing everyone down,¡± I tell him how it is.


    Kervin turns to look at his bodyguards for help, but they refuse to meet his gaze. With a look of embarrassment, Kervin gets down from the cart and hands me his shovel.


    I take Kervin''s place. "Alright, ladies, let''s speed it up." The roles are soon reversed; instead of moving around Kervin, the three bodyguards are forced to match my pace.


    Thanks to my pushing, it only takes us an hour to unload the contents of the cart. I hop down with only a little sweat to show for my work while Reel, Lurte, and Ryiba hang onto the side of the cart, wheezing harder than a chain-smoker.


    Lurte and Ryiba seemed to have decent Strength stats, but neither had much Dexterity, making the shoveling harder than it needed to be. Reel was the most helpful, but even he got tired after moving that much ore.


    I¡¯m probably just used to mining with Master.


    Now that the easy part is done, I need to talk to Kervin.


    As I walk over to him, Kervin calls out to me. "You were right to kick me out; if I tried to help any longer, the sun would have gone down before we finished."


    I smile at his self-deprecating joke, but I need to move before Reel recovers enough to join us. I walk us farther away from the cart and lean in close to Kervin, whispering in his ear. ¡°Who does Reel work for, Mr. Grey or your boss Giovanni?¡±


    Kervin looks at me, confused for a second, but answers my question all the same. "He definitely works for Giovanni; why?"


    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s really important.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kervin replies with certainty. ¡°You¡¯re starting to worry me.¡±


    I take a step back from Kervin now that I know Reel isn''t spying for Mr. Grey; you can never be too sure.


    "Why is my allegiance being questioned?" Reel walks over to us, eyes narrowed. So, he could hear us even at this distance.


    ¡°Just confirming who you¡¯re spying for,¡± I honestly tell him.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    "I needed to make sure you weren''t on Mr. Grey''s payroll." Kervin and Reel are surprised by my answer.


    ¡°Why would that matter?¡± Kervin asks me.


    I rub the back of my neck. It always sucks telling people how you screwed up.


    ¡°Does it have anything to do with how you got all these materials?¡± Reel is quick to guess the reason for my problem. He frowns when he sees my reaction. ¡°Did he do something?¡±


    "I signed a shitty contract with him for the materials, and I got screwed over because I didn''t know what to look for."


    "You what!?" Reel reacts just like Mom did. Kervin is surprised for a moment, but he has a look of realization before relaxing again.


    ¡°No need to yell,¡± I complain.


    ¡°There is a reason to yell! Tell me exactly what you signed, word for word!¡± Reel pressures me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I agree before he disturbs Master.


    I tell Reel and Kervin the details of the contract I signed. I''ve read my copy enough I can recall it word for word like Reel wanted me to. By the time I finish telling them the details Reel looks like he''s ready to explode with anger.


    "That slimy bastard! Has he forgotten how much he owes to the Turrini family? And those terms, he expected he would be found out eventually!" Reel starts pacing back and forth. "How am I going to tell Giovanni he outmaneuvered us?!"


    Kervin and I are surprised to see this new side to Reel. Reel has always seemed calm and composed no matter the situation; to see him freak out like this is reassuring in its own way, even he can¡¯t hide his emotions all the time.


    ¡°Why are the two of you so calm?! Do you not realize the severity of what you did!?¡± Reel advances on me with the rage of a thousand suns.


    I know it''s horrible of me, but I can''t help but mess with him. Ignoring the steaming assassin, I turn to Kervin. "You didn''t tell your boss about my skill?"


    Kervin realizes what I''m going for and plays along, happy to get back at the man who always gives him trouble. "Of course not; it isn''t my job to give away all your secrets; it''s his." Kervin points a finger at Reel. "You should know I always have your best interests at heart."


    "I wouldn''t go that far," I roll my eyes at Kervin''s over-exaggeration.


    Reel finally catches on that there¡¯s a reason we¡¯re both so calm. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±


    Now Kervin ignores Reel and keeps talking to me. ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice, plus I don¡¯t want to deal with Mr. Grey all by myself.¡± I glance to see if Reel is still worked up, only to see he¡¯s taken a step back and collected himself. Damn, there went my fun.


    ¡°Are the two of you finished now?¡± Reel folds his arms like a disapproving parent.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who freaked out without asking for my opinion,¡± I point out.


    "Fine, that was unprofessional of me," Reel admits without looking like he cares about the apology. "Now, would you please tell me what skill you''re referring to?"


    "Nothing much," I hold out my hand and look at my fingertips as if I just got a manicure. "I just have a skill that lets me destroy contracts I''ve made with people," I casually tell Reel.


    Reels expression slackens into one of shock. ¡°You can do that, even though it was magically signed and everything?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± I grin.


    Reel straightens himself out and starts walking towards the forest. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a leak.¡±


    ¡°Tell Giovanni I said hi,¡± I call out before he enters the trees.


    Reel stops and looks back at me, ¡°I will.¡±


    Kervin and I are grinning ear to ear.


    "I don''t know what you''re smiling about," Reel says to Kervin with a straight face. "According to the contract she signed, you''re no longer needed after this delivery. It will be a miracle if we aren''t ambushed before we reach Drey."


    Kervin¡¯s smile quickly fades away and is replaced with a look of horror. That was a good comeback.


    I turn and ask Kervin, ¡°what were your plans after this?¡±


    ¡°We were supposed to head straight back to Drey and report to Mr. Grey about the delivery. I was one of the people chosen to stay behind and work under Grey when Drey falls to Scholl.¡±


    That''s not good. Not wanting to rub salt in Kervin''s wounds and say the wrong thing, I turn away, only to see Lurte and Ryiba standing nearby. They''ve gone pale, meaning they''ve caught enough of the conversation to know what''s going on.


    I should do something to break the tension. ¡°You have any tea?¡± I ask Kervin.


    ¡°What?¡± Kervin is surprised by my question.


    ¡°Tea, you have any?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    "Good, you grab the tea, and I''ll start a fire and grab a pot out of Master''s house. I don''t know how long Reel is going to take, but I doubt you guys are leaving as soon as you thought you were. Might as well have some tea while we''re waiting," I give Kervin a reassuring smile.


    I move to get everything ready before Kervin can disagree with me. He needs something to get his mind off what Reel said.


    ¡°You want some tea?¡± I call over to Master as I stack a few logs in the forge.


    "No," Master shouts back without shifting from his laying position. It''s a good thing Master said no; I don''t think he has many cups in his house.


    I look up at the sky to see where the sun is; we still have a while before it starts to get dark.


    I hope Reel doesn''t take too long to return. I promised Mom and Sandra that I would be later, but none of us can leave until we hear what Giovanni has to say. We can''t have our plans messing with each other.


    Gods, I hope the tea helps with what happens next.

 Ch: 77

    Reel/Four¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°That¡¯s the contents of her contract,¡± I finish explaining to Boss Giovanni.


    "That son of a bitch!" A loud thumping sound echoes through my communication device, most likely from Giovanni slamming his hands against his desk or throwing something. "Does that bastard think he can screw me!?"


    "Boss, calm down," I hear Marshall try to reel in Giovanni''s anger. I can only imagine what the Boss must be feeling right now. I would still be angry too if I hadn''t had the time to calm myself while moving into my magic tools transmission range.


    ¡°I knew he was moving behind the scenes, trying to gain more power through Teeburn, but I didn¡¯t imagine he would be this brazen!¡± The line goes silent as Giovanni simmers in his anger.


    "He probably took his chance because of Scholl''s invasion. After they take the city, he''ll be cut off from the main branch and have free reign to do as he pleases. Grey must have realized even if we found out about his contract with Aaliyah, we don¡¯t have the time to do anything about it,¡± I give my honest opinion of the situation.


    I hear Giovanni sigh on the other end. "You''re probably right, Four. Grey saw his opening, and he went for it, and with the terms of the contract, nothing short of killing the man will solve anything."


    ¡°Should I dispatch more numbers?¡± Marshall asks Giovanni.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t most of them on assignment, making preparations for after Scholl takes Drey?¡± I listen in as Giovanni and Marshall discuss their options.


    ¡°Two and Five are here in Blaiton, keeping an eye on the advance scouts Scholl sent to infiltrate the city; I suppose we could send one of them to help Four." Though Marshall made the suggestion, I can tell he''s against the idea by the tone of his voice.


    I¡¯m touched he¡¯s willing to send me reinforcements even though it¡¯s a bad idea.


    ¡°Are they making any moves?¡± Giovanni asks, concerned.


    "They appear only to be gathering information, but one did try to infiltrate the premises posing as a laborer looking for work. Luckily, Two was already watching the individual and informed us about the spy before anything happened."


    ¡°Did we manage to get any information out of him?¡± Giovanni asks Marshall.


    "No," Marshal''s disappointed voice transmits through the communicator. "The person took some sort of poison when he was caught that rendered him permanently unconscious. I have him locked in the basement, but it''s been four days since we captured him, and he hasn''t so much as twitched."


    ¡°Are you keeping him alive?¡±


    ¡°I have people feeding him a nutritional paste. If Scholl takes the city, I figured we could earn some goodwill if we return their man alive."


    "Excellent thinking, Marshall," Giovanni praises his right-hand man. That''s quite the plan; I would''ve killed the spy and be done with it.


    ¡°Four,¡± Giovanni addresses me.


    ¡°Yes, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Is there any danger to Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°No, she seems quite fine, and I don¡¯t see a reason for Grey to make a move against her.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what about yourself and Kervin? Do you think you are in any danger?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± I immediately respond to Boss Giovanni. ¡°The contract Aaliyah signed only stated Kervin was to deliver the materials. Grey wouldn¡¯t have worded it like that if he didn¡¯t have plans to remove Kervin afterward. Chances are there is an ambush waiting for us somewhere between the village and Drey.¡±


    "Are you able to take care of it?" I''m happy the boss is confident in my skills, but I''m working blind here.


    "If I were by myself, I would say no problem. But in regards to guarding Kervin, it all depends on how much Grey wants him dead. I at least know there will be an ambush, so I can prepare and keep an eye out, but if Grey sent someone close to my level or a large group, I''m not confident I can guarantee Kervin''s life." That''s my assessment of the situation; now, it depends on what Giovanni wants me to do.


    ¡°Is the village safe?¡± The boss¡¯s question comes out of nowhere. Why does he care about the village; he should only care about Aaliyah¡¯s safety?


    Oh, yeah! Having to deal with Aaliyah all the time, I forgot he exiled his daughter to this village. People say Giovanni''s daughter is dead to him, but I guess that isn''t wholly the case. "I don''t think the village has anything to worry about," I reassure him. "From what I gathered, the village plans to hold up until things settle down. They''re also in the process of building an armory, and if it''s filled with weapons Aaliyah made, I''m sure they can defend themselves if they need to."


    ¡°Good," Giovanni sounds more relieved. The connection goes quiet, but we''re still connected. I patiently wait for the boss''s decision.


    "Alright, four," Giovanni gives me my orders in a commanding voice. "Escort Kervin out of the forest to the best of your abilities. Your life remains the top priority, but only abandon Kervin if there is no other choice.¡±


    ¡°And when we leave the forest? Are we to return to Drey?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No, skip Drey and bring Kervin to Blaiton. We¡¯ll regroup while Scholl takes the city and figure out a way to get Aaliyah out of her contract even if it means killing that old bastard Grey.¡±


    I smile hearing my orders, partially because of how much Giovanni values me and partially because I have yet to give the boss the good news. "That won''t be a problem," I say into my magic tool.


    The other end goes silent for a moment. ¡°Explain,¡± Marshall orders.


    "Aaliyah already has a way to null and void the contract without harming herself.¡±


    "That''s impossible!" Giovanni''s surprised shout reverberates through the trees.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Apparently, she has a skill that allows her to one-sidedly destroy contracts she makes with other people.¡±


    ¡°Amazing!¡± Giovanni exclaims.


    "Why didn''t you tell us this earlier?!" Marshall snarls through the connection.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°You!¡± Marshall sounds like he¡¯s ready to explode.


    "That''s enough; you know how Four is, Marshall," Giovanni orders his bodyguard to stand down. I''ll have to pay for that when I return to Blaiton, but it was worth it. Giovanni addresses me, ¡°Four, if she can remove the contract herself, what are her plans going forward?¡±


    I stop laughing and get serious. ¡°Aaliyah sounded like she also plans to bide her time. She has four months before Grey comes looking for his goods.¡±


    Giovanni thoughtfully hums. "That''s smart of her. The war situation makes it difficult for any of us to move; that goes for myself and Grey. If either side rushes, the other will win. Does Aaliyah sound like she wants to work with us?"


    "Most defiantly, she sounded quite mad at Grey, and she mentioned working with you to Kervin. Of course, we could just pull back and wait for her to get to level 100 and let her deal with Grey on her own," I joke.


    ¡°As tempting as that sounds, I think I¡¯d prefer it if we remove the tumor before it grows any bigger.¡± I can picture Giovanni scowling on the other end of our connection. ¡°Let Aaliyah know we¡¯ll be in touch going forward. And Four.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    ¡°If you run into any fools in the forest, kill them all!¡±


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± I smile into the magic tool.


    <hr>


    Aaliyah¡¯s point of View:


    This is the worst tea party I¡¯ve ever attended.


    Kervin and his two guards stand around looking somber, sipping tea like they''re about to be executed.


    I know things are bleak for them, but they still have Reel. He can be an ass at times, but Reel is strong and loyal. There is no way he would leave them to die¡­ unless he was ordered to, and I don''t see Giovanni doing that. But I''ve been wrong before.


    I look over where Reel walked into the forest. It¡¯s been over an hour since he left to contact Giovanni, and even I¡¯m starting to get a little worried he left Kervin behind.


    No, I can¡¯t think like that. If I¡¯m going to work with Reel and his boss, I have to have to trust they¡¯ll do the right thing. I¡¯ll prepare for the worst-case scenario, but I¡¯ll trust in Reel and Giovanni until they prove to me I can¡¯t. But I¡¯m sure as hell not signing any more contracts.


    I try to think of something to say to cheer everyone up, but nothing comes to mind. While I''m brooding over what I should say, I smile when I sense the familiar void of mana in the forest nearby.


    ¡°He¡¯s back,¡± I grab everyone¡¯s attention and look at the area of trees where Reel will emerge from.


    ¡°And here I thought I was being sneaky,¡± Reel smiles as he walks into Master¡¯s clearing. ¡°I was told my magic tool would perfectly hide me from spells up to tier 4. I guess I''ll need to get my money back."


    ¡°You should let me see it first. I¡¯ve studied my mana obscuring magic tool, but it only scrambles the magic around a person. Whatever you¡¯re using creates a void, so magic senses and spells can¡¯t penetrate it.¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Then how are you always able to find me?¡± Reel gives me a dubious look.


    "A lot of scary things have popped out of the woods over the last year, so I make sure to scan my surroundings constantly. An area void of magic is just as suspicious as a hidden monster."


    Reel shakes his head like he doesn''t believe what he''s hearing. "I''ve stalked plenty of mages, and not one of them was able to sense me. Sensing an area void of magic shouldn''t be possible."


    ¡°I feel bad for the people you were stalking. If they practiced their skills more, you would¡¯ve had more of a challenge,¡± I grin at Reel as he joins our grim tea party with a smile. ¡°So, what¡¯s the word from your boss?¡± Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba move in close to Reel, anxious to hear their fate.


    ¡°Giovanni said he would be in touch and asked you not to do anything rash." I''m happy to hear about Giovanni''s support, but I''m more interested in what''s happening with Kervin''s situation.


    ¡°What about us; what do we do?¡± Kervin pleads for an answer.


    "What else are we supposed to do? We leave," Reel tells Kervin.


    Kervin is so surprised his mouth opens, only nothing comes out. "That''s it," Ryiba does not have the same problem as Kervin. "What are we supposed to do about the assassins!?"


    Reel''s expression hardens and draws one of his daggers for show, forcing everyone to take a step back. "We kill anyone stupid enough to try. Their cover has already been blown, so as long as we''re careful, we can ambush them."


    ¡°Can¡¯t we wait for backup or something?¡± Kervin anxiously asks Reel.


    Reel shakes his head. "There''s no time for us to wait for reinforcements. If we don''t leave now, we''ll be cut off by Scholl''s army. Then there''s the possibility that the people Grey sent after us will come to the village if we stay here any longer. And Giovanni was quite clear we''re not to endanger the village."


    Lurte and Ryiba put their hands on their weapons, mentally preparing themselves while Reel continues to explain. ¡°After we ambush our attackers, we leave the forest and join the wagon train heading for Blaiton.¡±


    Kervin perks up. ¡°We¡¯re not going back to Drey? What about my house?¡±


    Reel grins, showing off his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stop by Drey as we pass by, but I won¡¯t be protecting you.¡±


    Kervin sags in defeat. I can understand how he''s feeling; he has years'' worth of goods stored in his house, and if he leaves it behind, it''ll probably be looted in the chaos.


    ¡°You can buy a bigger house and fill it with as much crap as you want after you sell my goods,¡± I try to cheer him up. ¡°But you can¡¯t sell anything if you¡¯re dead,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Kervin sighs.


    ¡°We should get everything prepared and leave soon,¡± Reel informs everyone.


    ¡°Who made you the boss,¡± Ryiba challenges Reel.


    Reel raises his nose and looks down on Ryiba. "From here on out, I''m in charge, and if you want to live, you''ll follow everything I say."


    Ryiba looks like he wants to punch Reel in the face, but Lurte stops him by putting a hand on his friend''s shoulder.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ryiba reluctantly agrees to Reel¡¯s terms.


    I step forward, ¡°if you need some help, I can go with you guys.¡± I don¡¯t want to find out later that Kervin was killed because of the contract I signed.


    ¡°No,¡± Reel quickly denies my help.


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m just as strong as you are, maybe stronger,¡± I challenge back.


    "Your life is more important than any of ours," Reel tells me with an expressionless face. "If we die, Giovanni will avenge us. If you die, Giovanni will kill us and lose everything he''s invested into your growth."


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± I whine.


    ¡°That¡¯s how the world works,¡± Reel flatly tells me. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving!¡± Everyone is slow to move at first, but Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba follow Reel''s orders and get the cart ready and get moving in no time at all.


    I stand next to my pile of ore, watching the group disappear back down the path that leads to the village. Master, who¡¯s been listening in on everything, walks up next to me. ¡°They¡¯ll be ok. That man is quite strong.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I respond in a quiet voice. Again, people are going out of their way to protect me; it makes me feel weak and useless. And I''m not weak or useless!


    I need to improve more, so this never happens again. ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    "I''m heading home; make sure you sleep well tonight because tomorrow we''ll be busy."


    ¡°I figured. Hurry home before your mom gets mad,¡± Master playfully nudges my side.


    ¡°Ok, see you tomorrow.¡± I bid Master goodbye and slowly walk home, thinking over what needs to be done¡­ what will be done. I¡¯ll make the best equipment ever!


    <hr>


    Day one of forging my new gear is in full swing. Mana Skin struggles to protect me from the heat given off from the smelter. The flames are charged with mana from the blacksmithing logs and the magicite we''re using as fuel.


    Even the early spring breeze isn¡¯t enough to combat the heat radiating off the furnace.


    While I care for the smelter, Master is filing up a wheelbarrow with kaglese ore and bringing it over for me to add to the molten glob of metals.


    The gods should bless Master. By the time I arrived this morning, he already had the fire going and a pile of fuel ready to keep the smelter going all day.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m ready to tap the slag again!¡± I shout over the roar of the flames.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll grab the mold." Master brings over one of the simple wooden molds we built. Slag is the molten waste rock we don''t need from the kaglese ore. We usually work with relatively pure iron, meaning we don''t have to deal with that much slag. However, the kaglese ore is mostly waste rock, so as we smelt it, we''re continually draining the slag.


    We''re using the mold to make slag bricks. I''ll have to test the exact composition of the slag later, but depending on their hardness, we might be able to use them in construction or grind them up to create a type of concrete. Waste not what you can use.


    Master moves the mold into place, and I open the valve with a long steel piece that we added an insulated handle to. The molten slag looks like lava as it pours out. Once the mold is full, I close the tap and start shoveling more ore into the smelter.


    When the smelter is full again, I can back away for a moment and catch a breath of fresh air that won''t burn my lungs. The new ore needs to melt and mix with what is already in the smelter. We don''t drain the smelter completely because keeping some of the molten metal in there helps liquify the new ore faster, saving us valuable blacksmithing logs and magicite.


    "Here," Master hands me a waterskin, which I quickly drain.


    "Thanks," I say, handing him back the now empty waterskin. "How many slag bricks does that make?"


    ¡°That was the twelfth.¡± Master gestures over to the side where the slag bricks are cooling.


    Each brick is 18¡¯¡¯ long, 8¡¯¡¯ wide, 8¡¯¡¯ tall. The bricks aren''t as heavy as if they were pure metal, but they show how much ore we''ve already processed. And all we have to show for our work is three ingots of kaglese, with probably another one and a half worth still molten in the bottom of the smelter. It goes to show how hard the metal is to process.


    "We''re making good time, at least. How much do you think we''ve smelted?" I ask, looking at the pile of ore Kervin delivered yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯d say we¡¯re a little over 10% done,¡± Master gives me his best guess.


    I calculate we''ll have approximately 120 slag bricks and 40 kaglese ingots before the day is through with some quick math. Forty ingots, that''s what I have to work with until the new year. Other than the arrows I have to make, everything will be mixed with steel and mithril to produce the optimal alloy.


    ¡°This is going to take a long time,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°I remember someone telling me she wanted to do everything at once,¡± master mocks me with a shit-eating grin.


    "Can you blame me? I''m tired of using Dad''s spare axe every time I leave the house. I need something stronger that can handle mana properly."


    "Kaglese doesn''t react to mana like your old sword did," Master points out to me.


    ¡°It will when I enchant it!¡± I snap back.


    "Oh, and how are your experiments going? The last time you practiced in my clearing, I couldn''t sleep with all your frustrated shouting."


    I don''t have a response to that; instead, I tell him about Sandra. "Sandra agreed to help me experiment with the engraving ink. With two people working on it, I''m sure we''ll have more success."


    ¡°Really?¡± Master asks, surprised.


    "No," I admit. "But there''s always hope." Master and I share a laugh.


    We relax for a few more minutes before I need to add more ore to the smelter.


    As I¡¯m shoveling, Master asks me, ¡°you sure you don¡¯t want to take turns?¡±


    ¡°With your Vitality?! You¡¯d probably burst into flames,¡± I yell over the forge.


    "Girl, I''ve been working around heat longer than your parents have been alive. Vitality isn''t as important as you think it is. I wish I never answered your stupid question in the first place."


    I shovel quicker, so I can have this conversation without worrying my mana skin might ignite from the heat. Once the smelter is full again, I add a few more logs and magicite to the fire before moving back over to Master Del.


    "You should have told me sooner," I complain. "After you got hurt, you told me you had too much Vitality for Anastasia to heal you; it''s no wonder you needed two days to heal?" I go full-on mom mode and stare accusingly at Master.


    "You''re 50 years too young to admonish me. The reason I told you that was because I didn''t need you fussing over me like you are now. I may have a low Vitality compared to you, but it''s the same as any other villager. I chose to invest most of my points into Strength to combat my mana weakness as a kid, and it isn''t good to change your stat distribution halfway through your life."


    "I''ve been able to put more points into Endurance, and I have the tier 4 skill Heat Resistance skill. I might not be able to block everything like your mana skill, but when it comes to a forge, I''m confident I''ll outlast you. It is not your job to worry about me."


    "Now that you mention it, I could use a longer break," I admit.


    ¡°Scoot over and let me show you how it¡¯s done,¡± Master strolls up next to me and recoils. ¡°Torrow¡¯s forge, that¡¯s hot!¡±


    ¡°Still want to help?¡±


    "I got this," Master says confidently. "Grab the mold from one of the cooler slag bricks and get ready."


    "Right away, Master Del," I playfully salute, which gets me a confused reaction from Master.


    Today may be all hard work, but at least it''s easy. Tomorrow is arguably the most essential step, and though it won''t be as labor-intensive, it will be mentally.


    <hr>


    Day two of forging and I let out a long yawn just as I finish organizing my workbench. After yesterday my body is still a little sore, but at least I passed out last night without having to hop into my soul.


    ¡°Tired?¡± Master asks as he preps the forge for me.


    "It''s weird, I got the best sleep last night, but I''m still tired.¡± I stretch out my arms and jump up and down, trying to get my blood pumping.


    ¡°I know a good solution.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I humor Master, knowing where this is going.


    "Sleep more," Master tells me and starts laughing; I can''t help but smile at his punch line.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that,¡± I tell him.


    I wait for the fire to reach a proper temperature, grab a kaglese ingot with some tongs, and put it in the fire. Once it starts to glow, I move it over to the anvil, where I proceed to use our axe to cut off even chunks of the ingot. I need five small samples of kaglese for my first round of experiments.


    The goal of today is to find the best ratio of kaglese, steel, and mithril. I need to know the alloy ratio if I¡¯m going to make the best products I can without wasting my kaglese stockpile.


    Using a scale, I weigh out each piece of kaglese and note down how much it weighs. Master informed me the kaglese alloy he was most familiar with was 55% steel, 35% kaglese, and 10% mithril. Kaglese is already a good mana conductor, so the amount of mithril makes sense to me.


    I can add the mithril later, so I start by testing kaglese and steel combinations. Master and I made what we call testing crucibles in our spare time for just these kinds of situations. The last time I was testing metals, we only had two crucibles, and it took a long time to test all the ratios. This time we have five small crucibles, three of which can fit in the forge at once.


    The first sample I prepare will follow Master''s ratio. For the other four samples, I''ll change the percentages by 1% each. I jot down which crucible holds each sample and the ratio it will use.


    Pot 1: 55% Steel ¨C 35% Kaglese ¨C 10% Mithril


    Pot 2: 54% Steel ¨C 36% Kaglese ¨C 10% Mithril


    Pot 3: 53% Steel ¨C 37% Kaglese ¨C 10% Mithril


    Pot 4: 56% Steel ¨C 34% Kaglese ¨C 10% Mithril


    Pot 5: 57% Steel ¨C 33% Kaglese ¨C 10% Mithril


    I hope the ratio with higher steel content ends up being the better option, that way, I can save some more kaglese.


    Sealing the pots one by one, I start moving them into the forge. Like with the smelter yesterday, I need to watch the forge''s flames to ensure everything remains hot enough to melt the samples. The kaglese is stronger than the steel and melts at a higher temperature, so if the forge doesn''t stay hot enough, the two metals won''t combine right.


    Kaglese is known for being a hard metal to work with and not bonding correctly. Still, thanks to my mana senses, I can monitor each crucible and know if everything is melting adequately based on the individual metals'' internal mana. When they fuse correctly, there is a noticeable shift in the molten alloy''s structure.


    Once again, my mana skills play a huge role in my success. If I didn''t practice Sense Mana so much as a kid, I wouldn''t be able to sense such intricate details today. Thinking about it, Sense mana is almost to level 80. After I broke through the test on level 75, my skill leveled slower, like Meditation, but I''m sure my abilities are improving. It might be hard to tell, but I can scan a hair farther each day.


    I know such small gains can seem unimportant at times, but I spent months as a baby doing nothing but trying to sense my mana, so I can appreciate steady growth.


    While the crucibles are heating up, I glance over at Master, who''s lying down on his bench. I''ll call him over when I need to start working the metal samples, but until then, I''ll leave him be.


    Master understands what I''m doing, but he''s never had to care about perfect mana to strength ratios before.


    After I go through all five samples, I¡¯ll add the mithril to each and see how they react.


    The steps will have to be repeated dozens of times, and I expect to go through at least 25 samples today. Perfection is hard to obtain but worth it.


    I plan to earn a lot of experience through my crafting and subsequently create the best weapons and goods I can. But first, I need to get these ratios right and craft my new gear. That will be the fun part.


    <hr>


    I walk into Master''s clearing on the third day of forging my new gear with the wind at my back and a pep in my step. After two days of nonstop prepping, I¡¯m ready to start crafting.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming earlier each day,¡± Master calls out to me as I approach the forge. He¡¯s still moving blacksmithing logs and magicite over to the forge for later.


    "I''m excited to get to make something finally," I smile at Del.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Master chuckles. ¡°There is nothing like working a new metal for the first time. And I¡¯m sure that feeling is double for you after you put so much effort into your preparation.¡±


    I¡¯m happy to have someone who understands me. Unlike two nights ago, I was so excited for today I couldn¡¯t fall asleep last night and was forced to meditate in my soul.


    "I''ll get the forge going while you prepare your crucible." Master helps me get started just like the last few days.


    I move over to use the scale and weigh out the exact proportions I need. I''m using our largest Crucible because I need enough metal to forge a dagger and a sword. These two weapons will be the first things I make with my improved alloy, but they won''t be the last.


    I chose these two to start with because they''re more straightforward in design and give me a chance to get used to the metal. My overall goal is to create four weapons for myself, a dagger, a sword, an axe, and a war hammer. I love practicing with a sword, but I''m not ignorant enough to not realize a heavier weapon is more suited for me.


    The sword and dagger can be made today, but I''ll need to spend a day on the axe and war hammer individually.


    I finish weighing and calculating the materials to my exact specifications. Yesterday I concluded the alloy''s optimum ratio turned out to be 53.4% Steel, 37.4% Kaglese, and 9.2% Mithril. Overall, the alloy was more expensive, but the final product was definitely at least low tier 4 in quality.


    After adding everything into the crucible, I seal it and place it in the forge.


    "What are you making first?" Master asks now that we have some downtime. The only thing I need to do is watch the forge''s temperature.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make a dagger first, then a sword.¡±


    "Sticking with a sword, huh?" Master is obviously thinking I''m making a questionable decision.


    "That''s to start with," I point out before he gets the wrong idea. "I also plan on creating an axe, war hammer, and some armor for myself."


    Master Del nods approvingly. "That''s good; I was worried I''d have to talk you into changing weapons. The armor won''t hurt you either."


    ¡°The armor will be the most challenging part, so I¡¯m saving that for last. I¡¯m already thinking of designs that would protect me and won¡¯t hinder my movement too much.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±


    "I was thinking of making plates that could be attached to some strong leather. Maybe cast my arms and legs and make the plates perfectly fit over my shins and forearms. It would leave my joints open, but I think it will be an ok trade-off.¡±


    ¡°Sounds reasonable,¡± Master remarks.


    Our conversation quietly dies out, and my mind goes to Kervin and Reel. "Master?"


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    "Do you think Kervin and them are doing ok? They''re getting closer to the edge of the woods by now."


    Master looks at me out of the corner of his eye before looking up at the sky. He doesn''t outright assure me that they''ll be ok and chooses to think over my question before answering.


    "I''m not sure," Master finally admits, still looking up at the passing clouds. "All I can tell you is I think they have a fighting chance. That Reel fellow seemed quite strong and bloodthirsty. If he''s in charge, they might make it. The only thing you can do is believe in them and pray to the gods for their protection."


    I scoff at the notion of praying for salvation. I can think of a goddess who would love to watch people kill each other rather than save them.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t dismiss the gods,¡± Master frowns at me.


    "Sorry," I apologize even though I don''t mean it. I have no intention to mock people''s religions; hell, it''s pretty hard to when you''ve met a divine being. I won''t pretend I know what the other gods are like, but I don''t want to risk drawing their attention to myself.


    Instead, I¡¯d rather do what Master said and wish everyone a safe journey to Blaiton. It would be nice if everyone was wrong and Mr. Grey didn¡¯t send out assassins, but I don¡¯t think any amount of wishing will help with that.


    I get up and add some more fuel to the fire. I''ll create the best weapons I can, and next time I''ll make sure I can help them.

 Ch: 78

    ?????????? Point of View:


    ¡°When will they be here!? We¡¯ve been sitting here for two days!¡±


    ¡°We should¡¯ve moved closer to the village.¡±


    "Quiet, all of you! I paid you, so you do what I say! Now shut up, or I''ll cut your tongues out myself!" I snarl at the two filthy bandits, releasing a small part of my killing intent to establish authority.


    The two bandits next to me cringe back in fear.


    It''s annoying I have to deal with such rabble. Once this job is done, I''ll take great pleasure in silencing each of them.


    I usually only work with my three men, but this job is different. Mr. Grey hired us to kill someone under the protection of a Number. The average person doesn''t know of their existence, but people in our field are painfully aware of the private high-leveled soldiers the Silver Herd company employs to deal with its problems.


    Silver Herd might not be considered one of the major trading companies yet, but they¡¯ve adopted the practice of recruiting ¡®problem solvers¡¯ since their conception.


    The Numbers, as they''re called, are sent out to take care of the darker sides of Silver Herds business. We''re on the outskirts of Olebert, and there aren''t many who do what we do. Killing, kidnapping, extortion, spying, we do all of it; only the Numbers are said to do it better.


    I don''t know why a Number is escorting a nameless merchant I''ve never heard of, out here in the middle of nowhere no less, but that doesn''t matter. We''re not paid to ask questions; we do our job as ordered and nothing more.


    And because of the difficulty of this job, I had to bring in some fodder.


    The bandits don''t know who they''ll be charging at, and that''s how I''m going to keep it. All of them are meant to die, so long as they buy us enough time to complete our mission.


    The Number may be the most challenging aspect of the job, but he''s not our target. We were promised a bonus if we could kill the Number; however, our primary goal is to kill the merchant known as Kervin. But unless the Number severely falls under my expectations, we plan to kill the merchant and flee while the Number murders all the idiots we brought along with us. If any of them survive, we''ll catch them at the meet-up point and finish off the survivors.


    I have no intention of dealing with the Number unless I absolutely have to.


    Mr. Grey informed me I should be close to his level, but that means little in our line of business. A young man at level 10 can easily stab and kill someone three times his level if he has the necessary skills. Ours is a job of surprise; whichever side who can surprise the other the most usually wins.


    That''s why we''re three days away from the village instead of waiting for them by the forest''s entrance. If, for some reason, Mr. Grey is wrong and the Number knows about the contract on the merchant, switching up our plans will be the best strategy.


    I let out a soft sigh so quiet the bandits don¡¯t notice. Facing off against someone who knows your usual plays are the worst.


    The bandit closest to me swats the back of his neck. ¡°Damn bugs! Why did we have to set up so far into the woods?!¡±


    Moving forward, my arm stretched out, I resist the urge to strangle the smelly man. Thinking about how easy it would be to kill him, I only pause my advance when I hear something faint on the wind.


    The bandit levels his spear at me to defend himself, but my senses are trained elsewhere. In the distance, I hear the mating cry of a forest finch; only forest finches don¡¯t start their mating season until mid-summer. That¡¯s the signal the cart is approaching!


    I turn my attention back to the bandit cowering in front of me. I make a fist and point two fingers down the road. The bandit and his friend¡¯s eyes widen in understanding and move to take their places.


    I''m sure my other associates detected the signal and are moving the other bandits into position as well. We''ll attack the cart from each side with a four-prong attack.


    After signaling us, Dennis will have his group let the cart pass and ambush them from the rear. Jake will attack their left flank while Oren moves in from the right. I¡¯ll take the front, and they won¡¯t know what hit them.


    We¡¯ll let the bandits charge forward and wait for the perfect chance to kill the merchant. Then we¡¯ll make our escape into the woods.


    The forest is silent as the sound of a cart jostling down the forest path grows louder. Any moment now, we should be able to see it.


    As soon as the cart comes into view, I move to signal the bandit''s attack, but freeze upon seeing the cart is empty! The reigns controlling the four silver bivol are loosely tied to the cart, and the pack animals are steadily marching forward on their own. In the bed of the cart, there are three crates next to one another but nothing else.


    Damn, did the Number sense us!? Did they abandon the cart and cut through the forest!? It would be nearly impossible for us to find their tracks and catch up to them.


    First, we need to inspect the cart for any clues.


    I signal for the confused bandits to move in. My men and I will hang back, just in case they booby-trapped it.


    Seven of the nine bandits move from their hiding spots and slowly approach the cart. Where are the two that were with Dennis?


    My instincts scream at me that something is wrong, but I don''t have time to call back the bandits before they reach the cart.


    Two of the crates'' tops fly off, and two men in hide armor burst out wielding bucklers and swords. With the viciousness of cornered animals, the two bodyguards swing their swords, instantly killing the four closest bandits.


    Shit, they had their own ambush planned for us! That means!


    The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I roll to the side, just as a dagger slices the air where my neck was a moment ago.


    ¡°Good instincts,¡± I hear as I roll and spring to my feet, drawing my short sword.


    I stare down at the man who materialized next to me without making a sound. What stands out the most to me is how calm and happy he appears to be. He has a sadistic grin plastered across his face, enjoying the fact I survived his first strike.


    Damn the gods! With my luck, I got one of the crazier Numbers. He must have circled around us. I can only assume he''s already killed Dennis because I don''t see the bandits that were supposed to be with him. Did the Number know our signal, or did he wait for Dennis to signal us, kill him, then circle around to the front, all in under three minutes?


    I hear the screams of the bandits we hired, but I don''t take my eyes off the Number in front of me. The rest of my team will have to take care of the rest while I stall this monster. They know we need to focus on killing the merchant. If the Number is with me and the other two guards were hidden inside the crates, it stands to reason the merchant is hiding inside the third one.


    "I''m curious, how much did Grey pay you? Not enough, I suppose, if you only brought this riffraff with you." The Number taunts me.


    He might be fishing for information, so I keep my face neutral.


    "Silence, huh? You''re no fun. I''m sure she would banter in this situation," the Number flicks his wrist, throwing the dagger in his right hand at my face. I move my head to the left and hear the thunk of the blade hitting the tree behind me.


    The Number rushes me, drawing another dagger to replace the one he just threw. I parry the new dagger in his right hand with my short sword and use my free hand to grab his left forearm, stopping him from stabbing me with his other blade.


    I try to knee him, but he raises his leg to block me. Each of us pushes against the other, testing to see who is stronger. I have more Strength, but he has the better footing.


    While we''re locked together, I take a split second to glance at the battle around the cart. All the bandits lie dead already, with Jake and Oren squaring off with the two bodyguards. They''ve ditched their bows for their swords. The remaining crate looks like a pincushion, meaning we only need to confirm the body inside before we can retreat.


    I need to gain some distance from the Number.


    I stop pushing back, letting the Number push me over. As we fall, locked together, I bring my foot up to his armored chest and push with all my might as soon as I hit the ground. The Number is launched over my head, through the air, backflipping before landing on his feet.


    I quickly scramble to my own feet before he can catch me with my guard down.


    "You''re decent, but not very original," the Number sheathes the dagger in his right hand and pulls out a different one that was hidden near his back. The new dagger has a sheen on the blade''s edge, most likely poisoned. "You haven''t fought that many assassins close to your level, have you? It shows in how you approached your ambush. If I weren''t with them, 99 out of 100 times, you would''ve easily killed everyone, but I know how you operate. When you''re facing someone you can''t beat in a fair fight; you need to be extra creative. I once watched a girl blow herself up to kill all her attackers. That''s creativity!"


    This man is pissing me off! And who does he keep comparing me to?


    This time I take the initiative to attack the Number. I slice at his right side, and as expected, he blocks with his poisoned dagger, but he isn''t the only one with a knife. In one fluid motion, I draw my own knife and slice at his face.


    The Number takes a step back, narrowly avoiding me nicking his eye. His cheek starts to bleed, but he ignores the wound. Instead, the Number tries to stab me with his non poisoned dagger after I missed my mark.


    I step back with my left foot and bring my dagger in close for defense. Our blades meet again, and I can feel his superior weapon digging into mine. Unlike him, I don''t have a wealthy backer throwing money into my equipment. My short sword is my best weapon, but I can''t risk getting cut by his poisoned dagger.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Again, we¡¯re forced into a tense stalemate, only momentarily breaking off from one another to catch our breaths. I''m breathing more heavily than the Number, and that isn''t a good sign.


    Come on, Jake, Oren, I need the two of you to hurry up!


    The Number recovers faster than me, and I''m forced to retreat as he advances on me. The longer we exchange attacks, the more the Number seems to be enjoying himself. His strikes are becoming sloppier, but they''re coming at me faster than before and are much more difficult to predict.


    He dances around a tree and rushes at me with both of his daggers raised like a snarling farkas. I try to switch my stance to better parry his strike, but he¡¯s on me before I can properly root myself in place. With my stance broken, I can''t block both of his strikes, so I make a split-second decision and use my short sword to perry the dagger in his right hand.


    When our blades meet, the Number steps forward and slices at my elbow joint, where there is a small gap in my armor. He doesn''t hit anywhere near anything vital, but I can feel the blood start to leak in between my skin and armor.


    The Number backs off after his successful strike and gives me a predatory grin. "And it''s my win."


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet!¡± I break my silence, getting my feet back into position.


    "Oh, but it is," the Number holds up the dagger in his left hand. The sheen on the dagger is unmistakable.


    ¡°But when?¡± I ask, the color draining from my face.


    His smile says it all. He must have switched his daggers when he moved around the tree.


    I don''t know what kind of poison he''s using, but it doesn''t matter at this point. Looking at Jake and Oren, I see they''re still being held back by the guards. Damn, Grey told us the other two wouldn''t be a problem. I guess he was wrong about everything.


    "Jake, Oren, retreat!" I shout. Both of them don''t even spare me a glance as they follow my orders and dash into the forest in opposite directions.


    I grimace as my arm starts to feel like pins and needles are erupting from my skin. Gritting my teeth, I turn back to the Number who''s still smiling at me. I¡¯m probably already a dead man, so I need to hold him off until the two of them can get far enough away.


    I ready myself, but the prickling sensation that feels like frostbite is steadily spreading throughout my body.


    "Painful, isn''t it?" The Number taunts me with a smile. "I this was going to be more of a challenge, so I used one of my best poisons. I call it Winter''s Bite, It''s a rare type of ice attribute poison. It mixes in with your bloodstream and freezes everything it comes in contact with. Your very blood turns into ice crystals, which shred your body from the inside out. Your organs will slowly fail you as it feels like you¡¯re walking through a snowstorm naked.¡±


    ¡°Sick, bastard,¡± I mutter through chattering teeth.


    "I wonder if your comrades will make the same expression as you when I corner them?" The Number turns his back on me. He must think there¡¯s no more point in fighting me, he¡¯s probably intending to hunt down Jake and Oren.


    Despite the overwhelming pain and cold I''m feeling, I force myself forward. One strike is all I need to take this bastard with me!


    Sadly, as soon as I move to stab the Number, he dodges me. He was expecting my suicidal charge, damn.


    I can''t react with my dulled senses as he stabs one of his daggers into my side and the other into my shoulder. Dropping to the ground, I lose the little feeling I still had in my limbs.


    The Number turns his back on me again, sure that I don¡¯t have anything left in me and shouts to his companions. "This one is finished. Be on the alert as I hunt down the other two. Oh yeah, you can come out now, Kervin."


    It''s hard to move my head as everything goes cold and dark, but I manage to see our target crawl out from underneath the cart. He wasn¡¯t even in the crate; he was hiding near the cart''s axels. The third crate was just another decoy. Everything was a total loss on our part.


    After the Number sees that his client is ok, he takes off into the woods, hunting down my friends.


    I pray that I don''t see them on the other side. The last thing I think about is, who was the Number comparing me to, another foe? Or was it someone strong who earned his respect?


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°What do you think, master?¡± I show off my quenched sword and set it down next to my knife.


    ¡°You changed the design of your sword,¡± master quickly spots the differences in my work.


    ¡°I liked my old design, but it didn''t have the power I needed. I thought about making another katana, only this time making it three times as thick, but that seemed counter intuitive. So, this time I decided to make a scimitar. It will be bigger, heavier, and just as deadly as my katana," I explain my design choice to master.


    ¡°Is that wise? You¡¯ll have to get used to a new type of sword.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just treat it as a new challenge,¡± I reassure him. ¡°Besides, it won¡¯t be my main weapon anyways. I¡¯m sure the axe and hammer I make will be a much better fit for me.¡±


    Master hums in agreement.


    As fun as it is comparing notes with Master, I need to get a move on. I''m burning precious daylight after all. I spent the first half of the day working on the metal; now, I need to make the handles for my weapons and sharpen them.


    The grips don¡¯t matter that much right now because I plan to change them in the future. Unlike my katana, channeling magic into my new weapons won''t do anything. I''ll need suitable materials for channeling magic when I finally enchant my gear, but I''ll stick with good old farkas bones until then.


    The bones make exceptional grips after you carve a texture onto them. It also helps that master still has quite a few bones leftover from before the chameleon spiders took over the woods.


    That''s another thing I''ll need to keep an eye out for. Now that everything is returning to the forest, the farkas should start showing up again, along with small bands of goblins. And unlike chameleon spiders, goblins and farkas aren''t scared of rushing into the village to grab their prey. Though I doubt either of those beasts could do much to me anymore. I wouldn''t even need any weapons to kill a lesser goblin; my bare hands would be more than enough.


    To think just a few years ago I was terrified of goblins, and now I¡¯m imagining ripping them apart as if they were nothing more than paper.


    I think over how much everything has changed as I pick out the bones I need and cut them into shape. I''m not the only one who''s stronger. The whole village has grown over the last year. If we had to redo the year again as we are now, the goblin horde would barely be considered a threat.


    Thanks to all our struggles, I truly believe next year will be the best year in Spotted Creek''s history.


    Hell, having Sandra back basically guarantees the village¡¯s success.


    Last night dad told us how Sandra used earth magic to turn the soil in the fields over. She did what would¡¯ve taken a dozen men a few days to accomplish in only a few hours. Apparently, Markus and Ezekiel were so surprised by her magic they nearly fainted.


    Thanks to Sandra, the prep time to get the fields ready for sowing has been cut down substantially. Once the wortel is harvested, Sandra just needs to cast her spell, and the next day the next crops can be planted.


    With magic, skills, and larger fields, the village is about to have more food than we know what to do with.


    Everyone deserves it, I think to myself, as I secure the bone handles to my knife and scimitar. I gather up all the tools I need and move over to a bench to sharpen and polish the blades.


    Falling into a light bout of Meditation, I don''t notice the sun passing overhead as I complete my detailing work.


    "I think it''s about time you head home," master reminds me, bringing me back to my senses.


    I look up at the sky and see the vivid reds of the sunset. Standing up and stretching out my limbs, I laugh. ¡°Nothing like sharpening a sword to pass the time, huh?¡± I smile at Del.


    Master smiles in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I still have a lot more to do.¡±


    ¡°I thought so,¡± master yawns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I tell him. ¡°After I finish my axe and war hammer, I think I¡¯ll take a few days off before I start on my armor.¡±


    "That''s good; I thought you weren''t going to stop until you burnt through your whole supply of kaglese," master light-heartedly jokes.


    ¡°Now there¡¯s an idea,¡± I playfully grin at master.


    ¡°Goodnight, Aaliyah.¡±


    ¡°Night, master,¡± I wave goodbye to Del while grabbing my stuff and head home for the night.


    I look like I''m heading off to war, not home. I have dad''s axe in my left hand, my new scimitar in my right, and my new dagger wrapped in a piece of leather sticking out of one of my pockets.


    The rest of the night flies by just as the last few days have been. Richard joins us for dinner, we laugh and talk about our days. I tell dad I don''t need to borrow his extra axe anymore. Mom agreed to help me make sheaths for everything on my next day off, so long as I help her with Richard''s wedding tassel.


    Same old, same old.


    **********


    The next day, I shoot out of my bed as soon as the sun¡¯s first light shines through my window.


    Today is the day I make something new!


    While I change into my work clothes and tie up my hair, I contemplate the type of axe I''ll try to make today. I''ve made axes before, but most of them have been woodsman axes for felling trees. This time I want to make a double-sided battle-axe for myself, a monstrosity of a weapon that could chop a man in half even if he''s wearing armor.


    I thought about making a hammer ax hybrid but eventually discarded the idea. Sure, a hybrid weapon would serve more of a function, but changing battle tactics halfway through a fight is much more challenging than you would think. It would be terrible if you swung the axe part of the weapon in the heat of the moment when you intended to use the hammer side.


    No, it''s best to double down on your weapon of choice. A double-headed axe is perfect because you can switch sides if the blade gets dull or damaged in a fight.


    I might try making a hybrid version later at some point, but for now, I''m keeping my weapons separated.


    Kissing Mother and Father goodbye, I head off to Del¡¯s clearing with my new scimitar in hand for defense. Is it wrong that I want a band of goblins to attack me just so I can try it out?


    I also have my new knife strapped to my side much like I used to keep my old one. With little effort, last night Mom was able to help me adjust my old knife sheath to fit my new one, so I can carry my backup weapon without worrying about dropping it or accidentally stabbing myself.


    ¡°Morning, master!¡± I call out my usual greeting to Master Del as I enter his clearing.


    Master greets with a wave and a yawn. He must have known I would be here early because this time, master already has the forge going, fuel set aside, and all the materials I¡¯ll need set up neatly on my workbench. It must have taken him at least two hours to set this all up for me, meaning he must have been up before sunrise.


    I want to thank him, but master cuts me off before I can try. "If you need me, I''ll be on my bench sleeping."


    Knowing he doesn''t want my thanks, I utter a ''thank you'' in my heart and get to work.


    I have a lot to do if I want to finish my axe by the end of the day. First, I get the forge to the temperature I need it. Then I repeat the first few steps from yesterday, only with more metal. I used one kaglese ingot yesterday to make both my scimitar and dagger. Today, I''m using one and a half ingots of kaglese, along with the steel and mithril I''ll be mixing in, to craft my battle-axe.


    Like the spears I made for the army, the entire battle-axe will be made of metal, handle and all. I could save some kaglese if I only forged the axe heads from metal, but I don''t have access to the proper materials to make a sturdy handle that would hold up under my Strength stat.


    The axe I''m making would be physically impossible to wield back on Earth. I''m no historian, but I know I''m making an axe you would be more likely to find in a video game rather than in a museum. Real battle-axes only weighed around seven pounds; the behemoth I''m making will probably be over forty pounds and more suited to someone with my stats.


    Once I have the first ingot properly heated, I move it over to the anvil and chop it in half. Then, I put all the steel and kaglese I''ll be using into the crucible. There is so much in the crucible; I almost can''t seal it.


    I place the heavy crucible into the forge and move over to my workbench to sketch out my design really quickly. The design I''m going for is very much your general two-handed battle-axe you would find in any standard fantasy game. The axe will have a long handle with two overly large axheads attached to the top, and that was pretty much it.


    I plan to make the finished product a lot nicer, but with this, I know which direction I''m going in. It''s a good thing I have plenty of time to think over my design.


    Getting the metals to bond properly takes longer because of how much metal I''m working with this time. It takes a whole two hours before I''m able to remove the crucible from the forge. Usually, I would have to wait a lot longer for the liquid metal to cool, but thanks to mana quenching, I can speed up the process a bit.


    I get the metal to cool down to a point where it''s solid but still hot enough I can immediately start working it.


    Studying the lump of metal, I take note of its internal mana structure and plan which parts I''ll use for the blades and which will be drawn out for the handle. There are a few micro fractures in the metal I''ll need to take care of first, but I can generally see where everything will go.


    I start by taking care of the structural issues I spotted first before then adding the mithril to finish off the alloy. Then, I start the long and arduous process of moving everything into its proper shape.


    What proceeds is a constant shifting of my metal from the forge to the anvil and back again. Kaglese is strong, light, and flexible in its pure state, but when you add steel and a touch of mithril into the equation, you get a strong earth attuned alloy. I can work the metal without my skills as long as I put most of my Strength into my plows; however, finishing the axe that way would take me much longer than I was comfortable with.


    I''m thankful my skills and magic allow me to do in a day what blacksmiths back on Earth would take several days to complete.


    Six hours, eight hours, at the ten-hour mark, I''m still working on a rough version of my axe. My arms feel like wet noodles, and I decide to take a quick break. Master taught me to respect my limits and to realize that you''ll produce nothing but shoddy work if you push yourself too hard.


    Setting my rough work down, I move over and plop down on the bench closest to master and proceed to drain my waterskin.


    "I was wondering when you would take a break," master remarks, lying down with his eyes closed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to,¡± I grunt. ¡°I only have a few more hours until the sun starts to go down.¡±


    "And is there some reason you can''t finish your axe tomorrow?"


    "I thought you wanted me to finish as quickly as possible?" I playfully quip.


    "Don''t try and use me as an excuse," master opens his eyes and gives me a serious look. "You''re the one rushing yourself. You won''t gain any extra experience if your work suffers from your impatience."


    Sage Del comes out now that master has gotten a bit of rest. I joke, but I know he''s right.


    ¡°You plan on using these weapons in the deeper parts of the forest, yes? You should be treating each one like the arrow you made for the general.¡±


    I take a deep breath and let out a long sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I admit.


    ¡°I usually am,¡± Master smirks with confidence.


    I snort at master''s remark, and we both share a quick laugh. "Don''t complain when I come early tomorrow," I tell him.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± Master closes his eyes again.


    I rest until my arms feel better and get back to work, slowing my pace, making sure everything is perfect as I progress through the rest of the day.


    **********


    ¡°What day is it now?¡± Master asks as I walk up to him.


    ¡°Six,¡± I inform him with a smile.


    ¡°Gods,¡± master exclaims.


    Though I find master''s antics funny, I have to agree with him. I¡¯m quite tired myself.


    Yesterday, I managed to finish up my axe and got the metal ready for the war hammer today but it wasn¡¯t easy. I think my fatigue is compounding on itself. I slept like the dead last night to the point Mom had to wake me up this morning, it was the first time she had to do that in a while.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll finish today? Master questions me.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± I let out a long yawn. ¡°Probably not.¡±


    "I expected as much. You want my help?"


    I''m tempted to take master up on his offer, but I need to be the one to make my weapons. Only I can see the metal''s mana structure, and after spending so much time on this project already, I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t finish it properly.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± I reluctantly shake my head. ¡°I got this.¡±


    "Alright, let me know if you need anything."


    ¡°Will do,¡± I promise.


    Master moves off to the side, giving me room to work. I already have a large ingot prepared from yesterday, so I just have to heat it back up. Placing the metal in the forge, I mentally prepare myself for what comes next.


    Crafting a war hammer is quite similar to making a battle-axe, with only a few differences. The handle for the war hammer will be shorter; the handle I made for my axe measured three and a half feet, while the hammer I''m making will only be two and a half. The axe heads had to be drawn out for the blades, while the war hammer will be large chunks of metal on each end.


    While the inspiration for my axe came from video games, my war hammer design was much more practical in comparison.  I decided to shape my war hammer like a ball-peen hammer, much like the ones we use to forge metal.


    Image from: https://i2.wp.com/boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ball_peen_hammer.jpg</a>


    My reasoning is, though I''ll mostly be using the flat side, I''m sure the rounded side will prove helpful in certain situations. Also, I think my skills might transfer over easier if I''m using a hammer I''m more familiar with. Only this hammer will be a much larger and heavier version than the ones I''m used to.


    Both of the hammer''s heads will be much larger, but I think it''ll prove to be a good weapon. I considered a hammer with a spike on one end but figured if I''m using my hammer, then that means I''m using it for blunt force trauma rather than piercing my enemies. If I need to stick or cut something, my sword or axe would be a better choice.


    I see the metal ingot is almost at the temperature I need it, so I prepare the tongs. When I¡¯m done with this fiery ingot, I¡¯ll have myself a war hammer.


    Time to finish strong.

 Ch: 79

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    "This is revolting," I remark as I kick my boot through the charred remains of the field. "Did your nobles not think about the people they left behind in the city?" I turn and ask General Pitz, who''s silently standing behind me, also looking over the fields of ruined crops. As far as the eye could see the earth was a desolate wasteland, with not a single sprout in sight.


    Judging by the sour look on her face, she also doesn''t agree with these scorched earth tactics, but her agreeing with me hardly makes up for the blatant waste of food.


    My spies told me the city was rushing to harvest everything they could, but I never imagined they would burn everything they couldn''t pull from the earth in time. Winter has just finished, and everyone''s food stores should be low. Even if we don¡¯t attack and just wait here, Drey would fall to starvation in a few short months, without us having to lift a finger.


    I glance at the city in the distance, its beauty tainted by the plundered and scorched earth around it. Drey''s walls are better maintained than Teeburn''s were, but my scouts have already sent word back on several weak points they noticed. The wall has been maintained to keep the beasts from the forest out, not an invading army.


    Even more disappointing are the siege weapons they¡¯ve erected on top of the walls. Most, if not all, of the trebuchets and catapults, look weathered beyond use. The few ballista''s they have were clearly built in the last week and obviously haven''t been properly tested.


    It''s hard to pick out individuals on the wall from this distance, but they''re too few moving bodies, indicating a skeleton guard holding the city.


    ¡°I thought my spies were underestimating Drey in their reports, but now that I¡¯ve set my eyes on it, I can only say they were generous in their evaluations," I smirk at my magically restrained companion.


    "It will still take you longer to take the city than it did, Teeburn," is the only response I get.


    I let out a hearty laugh, "that''s true. And even once I have the city, it will take a lot of work to get everything organized for us to move on to the next one."


    ¡°Do you believe you have enough supplies to do that?¡± I know General Pitz is trying to extract as much information from me as she can, but other than my apprentices I left behind to hold Teeburn, she¡¯s the only person who can stand my presence without crumbling to her knees. It won¡¯t be a problem if I give her a few snippets of information, even if she¡¯s eventually ransomed back to Olebert.


    ¡°It will be hard,¡± I tell her. ¡°Food is already a problem for my people.¡± General Pitz smiles, thinking I¡¯ve just admitted my weakness. ¡°I¡¯ll need to have all these fields resown as soon as possible.¡±


    The general frowns when she notices how calm I am. She underestimates my and my people''s resolve to survive. Every one of our soldiers knows what''s at stake; each one of them would gladly pick up a hoe and start farming if it meant saving their families back home. It won''t be needed thanks to our superior planning, but they would if they had to.


    As soon as I saw the scared lands around Drey in the distance, I instantly sent word back to the fort, giving them the go-ahead to start marching our farmers in this direction. Every farmer, fieldhand, and overseer, along with their families who the water dragon displaced, are headed in this direction to start farming immediately.


    The general believes we will have a hard time controlling so many cities through military might alone, and she would be correct if that were under normal circumstances.


    This corner of Olebert has long fallen to the wayside, a weakness I will be happy top exploit. We will bring such business to these cities; the people will sing Scholl''s praise until they''re blue in the face.


    Of course, knowing everyone is on their way here, we can¡¯t just wait out the city. ¡°I¡¯ll see Drey fall to me before sunset tomorrow,¡± I boldly proclaim, with only General Pitz to hear me.


    General Pitz wisely doesn¡¯t comment, knowing any rebuttal she makes will only stroke the flames of war.


    "It''s almost time; let''s head back to camp," I motion for the general to walk next to me.


    With all the sealing bracelets on her, the general moves at a slime¡¯s pace, but I don''t mind. We eventually make our way back to our camp, where everyone is preparing for battle. I brought only a fraction of my troops so we could move faster, but seeing our enemy''s defenses, I could''ve made do with half my forces.


    ¡°Master Pacore, Master Pacore,¡± one of my communication mages runs up to me.


    "Yes?" I ask in a low tone, projecting my status. When you''re as strong as me, you can''t just smile at a common soldier; it makes them think something is wrong.


    ¡°Reports back from the other side of the city!¡± The communication mage salutes me.


    ¡°And?¡± I stick to my one-word questions; that¡¯s usually the best option.


    "All of the cities gates are closed and barricaded. They appear to have most of their forces stationed on the walls in front of us, but they do have scouts watching the rest of the perimeter," he reports.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Sir! We managed to detain four last-minute carts that we think tried to flee the city as we arrived.¡±


    ¡°Anything of note?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, sir. Three of the carts had valuables, so we secured them in case they were local nobility trying to escape.¡±


    ¡°And the fourth?¡± If he didn¡¯t include it with the other three, there must have been something suspicious about it.


    "The fourth was a large cart drawn by four Silver Bivol. The merchant stopped when we flagged him down; the only thing is¡­" The communication mage pauses.


    "Spit it out, boy!"


    The communication mage straightens his back. "Sir, other than the merchant and his two bodyguards, the cart was empty."


    "Oh?" My eyebrow raises curiously. "Did you search the cart thoroughly?"


    ¡°Indeed, Master Pacore. The cart was scoured inside and out, but we found no hidden messages or goods of any kind."


    ¡°Curious, what did it appear he was hauling?¡± I grill my suburbanite; they should¡¯ve at least checked that much.


    ¡°All we found was small chunks of rock and some empty crates. It looks like the merchant was hauling some sort of ore, but there were signs of a struggle. It appears that they escaped from some bandits recently. Maybe they had to ditch their cargo.¡±


    ¡°Did he have any money on him?¡± I ask.


    "Not much, sir. The merchant barely had a gold coin to his name; the bivol and cart were the most valuable things he had, even as damaged as they were." The mage freezes in the middle of his report for a moment and casts a quick receiving spell. "Word form the far unit, sir. They¡¯re wondering what you want them to do with the people they captured.¡±


    I stroke my beard, thinking. It sounds like the merchant they captured is one of Silver Herds people. They¡¯re the largest merchant organization around; it would be useful to be on their good side. ¡°Escort the three suspected nobles over to our camp. Tell the unit to let the merchant go peacefully. Hopefully, word will spread word of our generosity." I smile and chuckle while the communication mage takes a step back. This is why I like talking to General Pitz; she doesn''t cower when I make a joke. She gets mad.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that, Master Pacore,¡± the communication mage salutes me, waiting for my signal that he can leave.


    "Dismissed," I say once again, using my low-tone of voice. The mage scampers off like I''m about to chase him down.


    I should''ve brought Tabitha with me; she could''ve been my go-between for all these commands. Tabitha might not follow me stat build wise, but she''s still the best of my current students, maybe one of my best of all time.


    Sighing, I can''t help but remember how old I am and how many faces I can no longer put names to.


    In my earlier years, I only took on students who emulated my path. Many became strong shields for Scholl, but none were able to replicate my success.


    "Hey, old man, wake up!" General Pitz''s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.


    I turn to her, ¡°do you need to use the chamber pot again?¡±


    The general''s cheeks turn red as she motions to my side. I look over to see one of my platoon commanders is standing near me, scowling at my captive for her disrespect. Huh, I didn''t even notice him approach me. Was I that caught up in the past?


    It doesn''t help that I no longer feel danger as I once did. It takes a special breed of person to harm me. If ever a day should come that I do die in battle or by the hand of an assassin, I hope my stats allow me to survive long enough to offer them a proper congratulations.


    I move my head from side to side to loosen up my tendons while I shake those thoughts from my head. I''m not dying today or any day until my homeland is free from that blasted dragon. "What is it, commander?"


    The fully armored commander stops eyeing General Pitz and salutes me with gusto. "Master Pacore, our camp is set, and the men are ready to form ranks, on your command!"


    That''s the good thing about traveling in smaller numbers, organization is much easier with fewer people. "Good, spread the word that we''re going with our double shield strategy again. But this time, inform the mages they''re only to target the siege weapons."


    ¡°Sir?" The commander is confused by my orders. The quickest way to make a city surrender is to kill as many of its defenders as quickly as possible, reducing their morale.


    I guess I should explain, so he can adequately inform everyone. "Commander, our goal isn''t to sack this city and move on. We''re to occupy Drey once they surrender. I don''t know about you, but I don''t wish to defend broken walls or worry about angry civilians if Olebert decides to become proactive and attack us."


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    ¡°I understand, Master Pacore. I¡¯ll see that every person shall know of your orders.¡± I dismiss the man with a nod.


    "You plan to take the city without attacking it in earnest," General Pitz gives me a look that says she doesn''t think my strategy will work.


    ¡°If there were real soldiers up on that wall, I¡¯d have to attack, but those aren¡¯t soldiers,¡± I grin and point out the frantic people up on the ramparts. ¡°Those are city guards and conscripted men, forced to defend their city. Watch and see how they hold up against a true army.¡±


    General Pitz grits her teeth in frustration, probably imagining herself leading the defense. I¡¯m almost tempted to let her go so she can help them make things more sporting, but I don¡¯t have time for games.


    Our signal whistles blare as my men start forming their ranks.


    ¡°You,¡± I call out to a random soldier running past me.


    The young man skids to a stop and salutes when he sees who I am. ¡°Master Pacore, sir!¡±


    ¡°I have a special job for you,¡± I tell him. ¡°Take the captured general to my tent and watch over her until I return.¡±


    The young man takes one look at General Pitz and starts shaking under her intense glare. ¡°Master Pacore, I don¡¯t think someone like me should,¡± he stammers out.


    I cut him off with a wave of my hand. ¡°Her abilities are sealed so tightly she can¡¯t walk a mile without becoming winded. A man at your level should have no fear of her as she is now,¡± I reassure the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rip your throat out with my teeth,¡± General Pitz snarls at the young soldier. The poor man takes a fearful step back from the defenseless general.


    "Really?" I turn to her. I can''t fault her for trying to cause me trouble any way she can. I guess I''ll need to resort to the forceful approach.


    ¡°Are you disobeying my orders, soldier?!¡± I raise my voice and exert some of my pressure. A few soldiers nearby stop what they¡¯re doing when they hear me.


    ¡°Of course not, Master Pacore,¡± the soldier lowers his head in submission.


    "Good. Now get the general to my tent, and make sure nothing happens to her, or you''ll have me to worry about instead of her."


    ¡°Right away, Master Pacore,¡± The young soldier almost sweeps the general off her feet; he''s fleeing so quickly.


    Time to get ready!


    My hand instinctually travels down to the sword at my hip, as I start rolling my shoulders. Adjusting invisible armor is a pain but not as bad as having it charged. I¡¯ve managed to learn how to feel mana over the years but like most, controlling it is beyond me. Every morning, select mages visit me and top off all my gear with their mana.


    My armor, sword, and other gear were all specially made for people like me who can¡¯t manipulate mana. Unless I¡¯m in a battle, my magic items can function for three days straight. Of course, in a major battle like the siege on Fort North Ridge and my subsequent fight with the general, my armor¡¯s charge dropped to 35%. My armor isn¡¯t useless when it¡¯s not charged, but I run the risk of the enchantments being damaged if I fight when it isn¡¯t. And my gear is not cheap to replace.


    Magic stones capable of keeping a magic item running for days on end are considered national treasures. You can remove a magic gem from a broken magic tool if designed properly, but the gem will never be the same. Each time a magic gem is removed and placed in a new magic item, it becomes weaker until one day it shatters.


    I know this all too well because this is my third set of armor. Back in the days, I served under the previous king and was presented with this armor; the magic gem could hold eight days'' worth of mana. After the first time it was severely damaged and replaced, the magic gem could only hold six days'' worth of mana. The last time I broke my armor was years ago, back when Scholl was much more active in our campaigns, and after that, my new armor could only hold three days'' worth of magic.


    It''s hard to guess if the magic gem inside my armor will last another transfer, but that''s a problem for whoever receives my armor after I''m dead. I may be old, but my skills have never been stronger, and I don''t see my armor failing me anytime soon. Especially not here in this battle.


    Once I make my final adjustments, I find the nearest communication mage and have them spread the signal to form ranks, officially starting our siege on Drey.


    I activate the magic tool that shields me from sight and start walking down the center of my troops. Anyone who''s fought me before would know my formation, but it¡¯s the most effective against new foes.


    I picked up this tactic fighting the warlords of the west. Their soldiers were always zealots worshiping battle, even more so than myself, and it took an extreme show of force to demoralize them.


    As the guards upon the wall prepare their few siege weapons and spells, I remember the first time I implemented this strategy.


    If I remember correctly, it was while we were sieging a warlord¡¯s castle in the summer. The battle had already gone on for four days straight without our opponents showing any signs of forfeiting their hold on the keep when my crazy idea came to fruition.


    Since then, this formation has always left the same impression on my opponents.


    My men''s shields go up as we march into Drey''s firing range. I thought they would start firing immediately in a disorganized fashion, but instead, they hold until more of my soldiers are in their range. At least they aren''t complete fools.


    But unlike the lengthy stare down we had with General Pitz, Drey¡¯s defenders release their first waves of attacks as soon as they think they have enough people in their targeted area.


    Defender of All


    I activate my favorite tier 5 skill.


    As if everything was aimed at me from the beginning, every spell, bolt, boulder, arrow, everything curves in the air and diverts to where I¡¯m standing.


    The world becomes silent as I activate my many defensive skills.


    The first to hit are the spells. Drey mustn''t have many remaining mages because only two siege class spells are launched at me, both of them sub-par. I don''t even count the lower-tiered spells that wash over me like a light rain. Forcing all the spells to converge on my location causes many of them to collide with one another. When spells collide, it reduces their overall strength by a good margin effectively canceling a good chunk of them out.


    Spells of this caliber aren''t able to hurt me, but they still kick up a large dust cloud, where two of my lesser-known skills come into play. I focus on my Danger Sense skill, predicting where the large boulders and bolts will land. It gets harder to predict their trajectory when skills boost projectiles; however, sadly, Drey doesn''t seem to have anyone competent in working their siege weapons.


    Activating my Dancing skill, I smoothly dodge each boulder and bolt as they land around me. Few know of my love of dancing, but I recommend it to each of my students to improve their footwork.


    A few competent archers, around level 50, tag my armor with their arrows, but that''s all.


    When the dust starts to settle, and I make my presence known, my army cheers, further demoralizing Drey''s guardians. It''s easy to spot the panic in our opponents'' ranks after seeing me appear unscathed from their attacks. To them I¡¯m only wearing a simple uniform without any armor. Scanning the walls, just as I predicted, two of their catapults and one of their ballistas have broken after their first volley.


    I should show them what a real attack looks like just to educate them. ¡°Fire!¡± I yell using Loud Voice.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    My commanders echo my orders, and my mage battalions unleash utter destruction against their pathetic siege weapons.


    After a few continuous volleys from us, nothing remains on the ramparts other than their soldiers cowering in fear. They tried to protect the siege weapons with shielding spells, but once a few of our spells soared near the undisciplined mages, they dropped their magic to prioritize their own self-preservation.


    Is taking this city going to be even easier than Teeburn?


    Now that it''s relatively safe, I summon over three communication mages from either side of me. "Send word out to the mage battalions; I want them to continue peppering the walls and the city with loud and flashy spells that do little damage. Then I want you three to make my voice loud enough so that the whole city can hear me."


    ¡°Sir!¡± They all acknowledge my orders and quickly get to work.


    I thought I would need to assault the city for a whole day before I could break them, but judging how many people I see fleeing the ramparts, over half their forces must be deserting their stations.


    I take note of a few brave men and women still trying to hold the walls. Our mages switch tactics like I ordered them to and start launching flame spells that are bigger and brighter than usual ones that lack any real substance behind them. Most spells like that only do damage with their blast waves, so they shouldn''t damage the walls or the city much. But they will be loud and cause chaos amongst the people.


    ¡°Master Pacore,¡± One of the mages addresses me. ¡°We¡¯re ready to broadcast your voice to the entire city.¡±


    I feel their mana wrap around me and solidify into their combined spell.


    Showtime!


    "City of Drey, I am Master Pacore the Deathless, and your city will surrender to Scholl''s rule!" I can hear my voice echoing behind the city''s walls. If they had any decent mages left in the city, they could''ve quickly terminated my broadcast, but seeing how the spell holds, I take it any remaining mages are long past trying to hinder us.


    ¡°I demand council with your city¡¯s lord to discuss your immediate surrender.  We are not here seeking wealth or to slaughter innocent civilians. Our bombardment will end as soon as your lord makes an appearance on the walls or the gates are opened. Make haste; I''d rather not burn down half of my city."


    I signal the three mages to stop transmitting.


    Now it''s only a matter of time before the city is ours. If the lord doesn''t come to speak with me, he''ll have a riot on his hands.


    I wish my apprentices were here to bet with me on how long it will take. I''d try asking the general for her opinion, but I doubt she''d feel like guessing how quickly she thinks one of her cities will buckle under our might.


    **********


    As the general of this army and as the strongest person here, it''s my job to stand and watch how everything plays out. If I were a lesser man, I''d be back in my tent waiting for a response from Drey, but that''s not me. I stand proudly in front of my soldiers, waiting for a response.


    ¡­¡­.


    Not that standing here for two hours isn''t the most boring thing ever. In the beginning, I was at least occupied by the occasional arrow aimed at me, but those stopped after the first few dozen bounced harmlessly off my invisible armor.


    I''m about to start considering sitting down at least, when I see someone waving one of Drey''s flags, trying to signal me from the wall. I''ve already given out orders to stop our barrage if such a thing should occur, so it doesn''t take long for our mage battalions to stop casting their magic. My men are under orders to retaliate heavily if this is a trap, but the battlefield goes silent until then.


    As I make my way over to Drey¡¯s wall I get a good look at the man waving Drey¡¯s flag, he appears to be in his thirties, practically a child in my eyes. With everything quiet, I can use my skills to communicate without needing a mage, so I just shout up at him. "I thought I demanded the city''s lord to make an appearance; who are you?"


    Even looking up at this distance, I can see the young man''s face is pale and covered in sweat. "The city''s lord is out on business to the neighboring city of Blaiton. I was left in charge in his absence," he shouts back down to me, fear in his voice.


    I''m honestly, 100%, shocked! It takes me a whole minute to come to grips with what this young man just told me. The city lord had the gall to flee his own city! If such a thing happened in Scholl, he''d be executed in front of his people!


    I have to bite back the anger rising in my throat. How could this be acceptable? Now I need to convince a scared child to open the door to his house. ¡°Then does that mean you represent the city?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It does,¡± he answers in a quivering voice.


    "Fine, then open your gates, and we''ll stop our attack."


    ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t kill everyone once I do so?!¡± At least the lad has a head on his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to enter by myself and sign a contract of surrender with you if I must,¡± I tell him.


    The young man takes a while to think over his options. More than once, I see him look over at my experienced soldiers who are still in perfect formation with a look of utter dread. Poor lad, even I feel bad for him. It isn''t his job to make these kinds of decisions. I''m honestly scared to see the state of the city if this is what I have to deal with.


    "I''ll allow you into the city to discuss the details," the boy eventually agrees to meet me face to face. One of the soldiers next to him whispers in his ear. "And have your army move back, as well," he hastily adds.


    ¡°I agree to your terms,¡± I call out, signaling my nearby commanders with had gestures. As one, my army retreats while maintaining its formation.


    I make my way up to Drey''s main gate with a prideful strut and wait for them to open the small metal door next to it that leads into the walls. The door opens as soon as I''m a few feet away from it, and five heavily armored and armed guards burst out to secure the area. They''re all in the level 50''s range, meaning they¡¯re the strongest soldiers here.


    I''m escorted through a small tunnel and up the many stairs leading to the city''s ramparts without a word from my guides. I measure my steps, making sure not to move to quickly. I don¡¯t want to startle them.


    You can smell the old brickwork and feel the dampness in the air as we make our way to our destination. I''m not sure if that''s from their winter just finishing or if these are signs the wall isn''t properly being taken care of.


    When I finally taste fresh air again, I''m standing on the ramparts, able to see my men in formation in the distance as well as finally laying eyes on Drey. The city looks abandoned; everything is boarded up, and not a soul is walking the streets. Drey doesn''t appear to be in as bad a situation as Teeburn, but who knows how many people are still in the city. If more than 30% of the citizens have already fled it could be difficult to get the city in working order, even with reinforcements on the way.


    I''m escorted over to a spot nearby with a small field desk. The young man who negotiated with me is sitting there. Up close, he looks even younger than I thought; possibly he''s only in his late 20''s, he''s dressed as an aid to a noble would be. His black hair is in disarray, and his panicked expression only grows more pronounced when he sees me approaching.


    I boldly stroll over to the small desk and sit across from the young man like the guards surrounding us don''t bother me in the slightest. He looks like he wants to say something, but I''ll be taking the lead in our discussion. "It is polite for both parties to announce themselves in these situations. I am Master Pacore the Deathless, one of the strongest people in Scholl; who are you?"


    The young man swallows a lump in his throat, and most of the guards watching us flinch at my introduction.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jason Hailes, aid to the city lord and current highest official in the city."


    I can''t help but snort, causing young Jason to flinch back. He''s probably not even the head aid to the city lord, or he would''ve introduced himself as such. ¡°Do you know how this works?¡± I ask him.


    "Yes," he doesn''t answer confidently. "The two of us discuss the terms of surrender for the city. I think we should first talk about what will be the city''s new tax laws under your rule."


    What is he doing?


    "Then we can talk about citizens'' rights," Jason continues despite the frown on my face.


    Is he trying to piss me off?


    "Securing enough food for everyone is also an important matter," he nervously continues.


    No, I see what he¡¯s doing. He¡¯s trying to stall for time. It was probably the last order given to him by the city lord.


    "Enough!" I interrupt his ramblings. All the guards around us level their various weapons at me. "I did not come here to negotiate daily affairs; I came here to sign a binding contract stating I won''t kill everyone in the city. This city will be under Scholl''s control from this day forward. We''ll decide how we wish to run the city."


    "You can''t just force us to sign anything. You''re in our custody now!" Young Jason tries to put on a brave front; he might be of some use in the future.


    I start off chuckling before I break into a hearty laugh. "I hate to tell you this kid, but even if all the men on this wall got together to kill me, I¡¯d still walk out of here without even a scratch. I could kill all of you myself and take the city single-handedly if I was inclined to. The only reason I came up here to talk was to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power."


    The guards with their weapons drawn step back, and I noticed a few others listening in take-off in fear.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just give you the city,¡± Jason grits through his teeth.


    "You can and you will," I tell him in a firm tone. "You said it yourself; you''re the highest authority in Drey at the moment. That means you''re responsible for the lives of everyone in the city. I can spend the next day destroying your walls and making my way into the city, slaughtering all the guards as I go. Or, you can surrender and be guaranteed safety."


    "I won''t be executed?" Young Jason asks me.


    ¡°No executions,¡± I reassure him. ¡°In fact, you¡¯ll be promoted. I need someone who knows the city and its surroundings as I¡¯m sure you do. And I can promise you; you''ll never be left in a situation like this again."


    ¡°Truly?¡± Jason asks, his bottom lip quivering.


    I nod my head. "Draft up what I tell you to, and we can both sign it."


    A smile crosses my face as I walk Jason through our contract. He''s a trained aid, so he quickly picks up how he''s supposed to form the document so I can''t go back on my promises. He''ll be invaluable in controlling the city.


    After we sign at the bottom, Drey is officially under Scholl¡¯s control.


    **********


    I stand on the ramparts watching the setting sun.


    My men have already confiscated the guard''s weapons and long since sent them home, taking their place on the walls. We have regular patrols moving throughout the city, but opposition is few and far between. An optimal outcome.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve said I would take the city before nightfall,¡± I joke to my companion.


    General Pitz is still steaming after I just got done telling her how quickly the city fell and my negotiations with Jason. ¡°A bunch of cowards, all of them,¡± the general spits on the ground.


    "Hey, don''t spit on my new wall." The look the General gives me could kill a lesser man. I think I''ve teased her enough for one day, so I''ll give her a bit of good news. "If it makes you feel any better, everyone who escaped Drey is mounting a proper defense in Blaiton. Apparently, someone believes they can defeat me if they have enough time to prepare." I laugh to myself.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get the fight you¡¯re looking for,¡± General Pitz says in a low tone.


    I don''t answer her, but I hope she is right.


    Taking Teeburn and Drey feels hollow after my fight with the general. I crave a real challenge, real battle, a chance that I might die, no matter how small that might be.


    But first, I''ll need to get this city in order before the refugees start showing up. I sent word to the King asking for skilled leaders to run the cities I conquer, but I don''t know who was sent.


    At this rate, it will be at least a month before I can march on Blaiton. Let''s hope they don''t disappoint me for the third time after I''m graciously giving them so much time to prepare.

 Ch: 80

    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    My arms tense.


    My eyes narrow.


    Yelling, I pull back my arms while digging my feet into the forest floor.


    Exhaling the large breath I''ve just drawn in, I swing my new axe in a downwards diagonal strike. This time I won''t mess up!


    My muscles tense just as my strike is about to hit my target.


    When I hear the bark crack from the tree I''m swinging at; I immediately know I failed again.


    ¡°Gods damn it!¡± I swear in frustration.


    ¡°Language, Aaliyah,¡± my mom tells me for the hundredth time today.


    Mom reprimanding me is another blow to my pride, but the giggles from my other onlookers are what really kill me.


    "I don''t see why you''re mad about hitting the tree," Sandra pokes fun at me, knowing what I''m trying to do. "Axes are meant to fell trees, aren''t they?" She asks sarcastically.


    "Now, dear, you shouldn''t make fun of her flaws even when they''re so obvious.¡± I can¡¯t tell if Sarette is really reprimanding her daughter or just taking a shot at me like everybody else.


    I had to start coming out here into the woods to train with my new weapons because Camden said I was distracting the villagers with all my practicing.


    I was hoping to train alone today, but Sandra and Sarette stopped by our house after Mom and I finished our morning run together. My friend and her mom wanted to see how I was doing since I spent a whole week forging my new weapons with my master. Today is my third day off from the forge and the last day before I go back and start working on my armor.


    I''d tried to tell them we could talk later in the day after I practiced with my new weapons for a few hours, but I should''ve known that wouldn''t work. And Mother, of course, didn''t want to be left out, so she joined the impromptu girls club in the woods to watch me train. Hence my current predicament.


    The three ladies have been critiquing each of my swings since I started.


    Usually, I''d be happy to show off in front of my friends and family, but this time is different.


    I was so happy to practice with my new axe and war-hammer, I spent my first day off from work swinging away with everything I had. That''s when I noticed I missed one crucial detail about my new weapons.


    Though they are on the heavier side, I can still lift my weapons with my stats. The problem comes when I swing them. Both my axe and war-hammer are top-heavy, and even with my Strength, the momentum from my swings is enough to drag me along with them. Widening my stances has improved my control a little, but not anywhere close to where I need it to be.


    That''s why I''m practicing swinging my axe at this tree. I''m trying to perform a full swing while stopping my strike before it actually touches the bark of the tree. People think of the axe as a brutal weapon that you just swing with all your might, but swinging like that will just get you killed in a real fight.


    I know I could solve my problem by practicing with some heavy armor on, but the armor I''m designing with Mom will at most weigh forty pounds. My armor would need to weigh almost three times that amount to compensate for my weapon''s momentum.


    All of this has led to me making dozens of minute changes to my stances, trying to figure out a way for me to compensate for my lack of weight. I never thought I would wish that I was heavier.


    ¡°Your comments aren¡¯t helping,¡± I hiss at my onlookers.


    ¡°Can I try holding it?¡± Sandra asks, stepping forward. ¡°I put a few spare points into Strength once or twice.¡±


    "Fine, I need a small break anyway." I hold out the large axe with both of my hands. Sandra firmly grabs the weapon with a smile on her face. I notice she isn''t holding it correctly to support its weight, but I''m content to watch how this plays out after all her heckling. "You ready?" I ask, to which she nods her head, and I let go.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Sandra screams. Her entire body locks up, straining to balance the heavy weapon. ¡°How do you swing this thing!?¡± She grunts.


    I reach out and take my axe back before she accidentally drops it and chops her foot off. "I thought you said you put some of your points into Strength," I tease Sandra. Mom and Sarette share a giggle, for once not at my expense.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know; I have a solid 25 in Strength. I was the strongest amongst my master¡¯s pupils,¡± Sandra proclaims, folding her arms in front of her.


    "That''s pretty good," I say in a sarcastic voice. "Now you just need six times that, and we''ll be twins." Everyone here is practically family, so I don''t mind bragging a little.


    ¡°Your Strength stat is 150! That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± she says in disbelief.


    I easily heft my axe onto my shoulder and smile at her. "It''s a little higher than that, but yeah," I can''t help but flex a little to show off after all the crap they''ve been giving me since I started practicing.


    Sandra shakes her head in a disapproving manner. "If only you focused on your magic skills as I suggested, you''d be as great a mage as my master is."


    Scoffing at Sandra¡¯s remark, I increase the circulation of my mana network. Like I¡¯d let Sandra win this friendly debate. ¡°I think I¡¯m doing quite well with my magic studies. In fact, let me show you my newest magic skill.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Sandra gives me a suspicious look.


    "Move back to where our moms are," I instruct her. I glance at Mom, "I''ve shown this to Dad already, so don''t be surprised when he doesn''t freak out when you tell him."


    Glancing up at the top of the tree I''m using for target practice; I pick a branch to aim for. I shift my axe from my shoulder into a proper grip and ready myself to jump.


    I hear three gasps as I launch myself into the air and even more exclamations when I use Air Walk to jump a second time even higher into the canopy. Closing in on my target, I stop and use Precise Strike to sever a thick tree branch with one upward swing of my axe.


    I''m happy I hit my target, but I''m more surprised that my axe didn''t drag me with it this time. I replay everything in my head as I start to drop to the ground with the severed branch. Halfway to the ground, I use Air Walk once more to slow my descent. As my feet touch the forest floor, I''m still trying to figure out what I did differently that time than in my last hour of practicing.


    I was soaring up to the branch I wanted to cut; I shifted my stance and stopped when I was in range. What could''ve kept me from being dragged along with my weapon?


    Did Air Walk have something to do with it? I¡¯ve already tested that my skill helps provide a much sturdier surface to interact with. Would that help stop me from moving, though?


    No, but I did stop when I reached the branch I wanted to cut. How did I do that? Was it my mana?


    I start to piece together an idea of what stopped me from soaring higher. Subconsciously, I must have formed a mana barrier around my feet like I do to use Air Walk. Only this time, I used the mana to temporarily hold me in place so I wouldn''t fly any higher, which subsequently kept me from being dragged around with by my weapon!


    I can use mana to lock myself in place!


    It will take some practicing, but hopefully, I can figure out a way to anchor myself to the ground when I''m swinging my heavier weapons. That way, it won''t matter how heavy I am; I could keep using my movement-based fighting style even with heavier weaponry.


    A huge grin crosses my face. And to think, if I didn¡¯t try to show off in front of everyone, I wouldn¡¯t have realized this until much later.


    I look over at Sandra to thank her, only to see her, Mother, and Sarette staring at me, mouths open in shock. Something happens to your ego when you leave people dumbfounded. Strutting over to the ladies, I feel eight feet tall.


    "Like my new skill?" I ask Sandra with a gloating smile. "It might not equate to the many spells you learned, but I''m happy with it."


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± Sarette is the first to find her voice and quickly compliments me.


    ¡°You can run through the air now?!¡± Mom is equally surprised as her friend.


    ¡°Yep,¡± my grin widens.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± Sandra mumbles, leaving me confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it was hard to do, but it¡¯s not impossible,¡± I tell her.


    Sandra shakes her head. "No, I mean, even at your level, you shouldn''t be able to use your mana like that. A person''s mana dissipates rapidly once it leaves the body. Covering yourself is one thing, but creating footholds to run in the air, that would take a level of Mana Manipulation I can''t even comprehend!¡±


    I flinch away from Sandra, who has a crazy look in her eye. "Did you manage to break past the level 40 test?"


    ¡°Ummm,¡± I nervously babble while taking a step back.


    "Sandra!" Sarette calls out to her daughter. "Get a hold of yourself. Can''t you see you''re making Aaliyah nervous?"


    Sandra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens her eyes again, Sandra has calmed down and has replaced her fevered look with a serious one. "I''m sorry, it wasn''t right of me to ask for your skill level like that."


    ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± I tell her. ¡°You are my best friend after all. I just don¡¯t get why Mana Manipulation is such a big deal. Anyone who plays with their mana enough can get it to level 40.¡±


    Sandra lets out a big sigh. "No, it isn''t, Aaliyah. Mana Manipulation is a tier 3 skill, but it levels like it¡¯s tier 4. I practice with my magic every day, including trying to control my raw mana, and I only managed to get Mana Manipulation to level 23. I haven''t leveled Mana Manipulation in almost six months. My master wouldn''t tell us what level his skill was at, but he dropped hints he was stuck on its test. My master can''t control his mana anywhere close to what you can. Is there some sort of secret technique you''ve discovered that can help me?"


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Sandra looks at me with pleading eyes, making my answer all that more difficult to give. "I''m sorry, Sandra, but I don¡¯t know what to tell you. I just kept playing with my mana and trying new things with it as my skills leveled. I mostly focused on my internal manipulation, but my skill started leveling a lot faster once I could cover myself in my own mana. You probably noticed the skill I gained from it."


    ¡°The barrier you always keep around you,¡± Sandra moves to poke my arm only to have her finger stop when it hits Mana Skin.


    "That''s right," I tell her. "I kept trying to make it stronger and stronger until recently when I realized it was strong enough to walk on."


    ¡°I see,¡± Sandra says, looking like she¡¯s has a lot on her mind. Sandra lets out another sigh after she looks like she¡¯s come to a conclusion. ¡°I guess the only thing I can do is work harder and try to catch up with you. But you did past the first test already, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hate me, but I don¡¯t think I feel comfortable giving out the specifics to my skills,¡± I awkwardly tell Sandra.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she responds with a smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t right for me to ask again anyways.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you the specifics, but I¡¯ll tell you I¡¯ve passed the first test.¡± Telling Sandra that I¡¯ve reached level 60 in Mana Manipulation might dissuade her from trying to catch up to me. Friendly competition is always a good thing.


    Sandra gives me a warm smile, ¡°you didn¡¯t have to tell me that, but thanks.¡±


    ¡°I should be thanking you,¡± I tell her. ¡°I had no idea other mages had such a hard time with Mana Manipulation. I''ve could''ve accidentally said the wrong thing to a mage in the future. I already called the mages helping to melt the snow in Drey criminals."


    Sandra face softens as she tries to hold in her laughter and accidentally makes a snorting noise.


    ¡°The two of you make such good friends,¡± Sarette remarks.


    For a second there, I forgot our moms were here.


    ¡°The best,¡± Sandra and I echo each other.


    Now that that that¡¯s taken care of, I should get back to my practicing. I start walking back over to the tree I was using for target practice.


    ¡°You still want to train more!?¡± Sarette asks me in disbelief.


    "Yep, I had an idea that might let me swing my weapon properly, and I need to test it out."


    "But I was hoping the four of us could go back to our house and have some tea together," Sarette pouts.


    "Sorry, but I still have a lot I want to try out," I politely decline her invitation.


    "You shouldn''t work so much. Doesn''t a tea break sound nice?" Just like my mom Sarette doesn''t give up that easily.


    I¡¯m about to politely decline her again when surprisingly, it¡¯s Mom who comes to my rescue. ¡°Don¡¯t even try, Sarette. I¡¯ve been telling Aaliyah that for years now. And besides, if we drag her away from her training right when she has a breakthrough, she¡¯ll be moody while we drink our tea. Let¡¯s leave her here like she wants.¡± I make a mental note to thank Mom later for helping me.


    ¡°Oh, all right,¡± Sarette relents. ¡°Let¡¯s go without her.¡±


    Mom and Sarette start walking back towards the village but stop when they notice Sandra isn¡¯t following them.


    "Is something wrong, sweety?" Sarette calls back to her daughter.


    "I think I''m going to stay here with Aaliyah and meditate for a bit," Sandra tells her mom.


    I can see Sarette''s shoulders visibly drop in disappointment. "Fine, be careful, you two."


    "We will," I yell back, reassuring her.


    Sandra moves over to a nearby tree out of my way and sits down. She closes her eyes and starts meditating while I square off with my tree. Both of us aware that the other plans to seriously practice now that we¡¯re alone. Sandra has her searching spell activated so I can put 100% of my focus into figuring out how to utilize my mana without worrying about our surroundings.


    I start by swinging my axe through the air a few times, trying to imprint how I stumble with each different swing.


    Then, I surround my feet with large amounts of my mana like I do with Air Walk. However, unlike Air Walk, I don¡¯t dissipate the mana after it¡¯s formed. Instead, I force the mana to almost a standstill, locking my feet in place. The restrictive mana squeezes my feet, and I''m able to swing my axe without me being dragged along with it. But this can only be considered a step in the right direction.


    I can walk while I have Mana Skin activated because the mana is flowing freely over my body and contouring to my movements. Mana Skin is made out of my compacted mana like Air Walk but still moves like the blood under my skin.


    Locking my feet in place may be a step in the right direction, but it''s a step I can''t make. Mostly because now, I can''t move my feet. The laws of motion apply to everything, even magic. Because the mana surrounding my feet is moving much slower than usual, it takes me longer to focus and get the mana moving again to release myself.


    I don¡¯t burn as much mana this way, but I can¡¯t afford to cement myself in place when I¡¯m fighting.


    There has to be a better solution.


    I stand for a moment, trying to think of a new way to approach this, but nothing practical comes to mind. Maybe I need to take a step back and re-evaluate my resources. Maybe looking at my status page might help give me some new ideas. And besides, I haven''t checked the exact growth of my skills in over a week now.


    LV: 73 Experience: 80,549/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,184.37/1,650


    Mana: 651.06/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.00


    Strength: 152.00


    Dexterity: 150.00


    Senses: 62.35


    Mind: 65.13


    Magic: 102.50


    Clarity: 78.59


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV76), Blacksmithing (LV70), Hammer Skills (LV58), Axe Skills (LV56), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV48), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV31), Wood Carving (LV31), Acting (LV32), Sword Skills (LV31), Sewing (LV26), Pugilist Skills (LV4), Spear Skills (LV2), Alchemy (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV61), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV46), Hammer Arts (LV42), Axe Arts (LV36), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Steady Hands (LV18), Dagger Arts (LV12), Sword Arts (LV14), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV60), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV38), Flash Step (LV22), Contract (LV7)


    Tier 4:


    Mana Skin (LV54), Mental Resistance (LV53), Inject Mana (LV52), Extract Mana (LV32), Magic Blacksmithing (LV26), Empowered Spell (LV12), Air Walk (LV6)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV39), Soul Manipulation (LV6)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV70) 3,500exp


    Hammer Skills (LV58) 2,900exp


    Axe Skills (LV56) 2,800exp


    Sewing (LV25-26) 2,550exp


    Hammer Arts (LV42) 4,200exp


    Steady Hands (LV17-18) 3,500exp


    Weighted Strike (LV38) 5,700exp


    Flash Step (LV22) 3,300exp


    Mana Skin (LV54) 13,500exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV26) 6,500exp


    Air Walk (LV2-6) 5,000exp


    Skill Experience: 53,450exp


    Crafting Experience: 14,316exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total-experience Gained: 67,766exp


    That''s some solid gains for my Blacksmithing skills, which haven''t seen any significant growth since I made the general''s arrow.


    Mana Skin retook its lead as my highest leveled tier 4 skill. And though Mana Skin and Magic Blacksmithing were my only magic skills that leveled this past week, I can feel that I¡¯ve made progress with my other mana related skills just not enough for them to level. Sandra said my skills were already high for someone my age, so I shouldn''t get greedy.


    Air Walk jumped up to level 6, and based on when I used it a little while ago to show off, I''d estimate it¡¯s mana cost dipped below 38 for each step now.


    I¡¯ve done a lot this last week, and yet whenever I pull up my status page, I always realize just how much I still need to accomplish. Alchemy is still stuck at level 2, I have five skills stuck at their testing levels, with another two skills almost reaching their next test soon as well. There are just too many things I still need to work on.


    I wish I could split my time more evenly, but certain things take priority. Like figuring out how to swing my weapons without losing control, that is my number one priority.


    But now that Sandra has pointed it out to me, I see my mana skills in a new light. I''ve always been able to feel the presence of mana since I was reborn in this world. Sure, I knew how rare sensing mana is for most people, but I never thought about how much my talent has helped me grow. Even when you factor in that, I''ve been practicing for fifteen years; according to Sandra, I''m ahead of her master in terms of mana skill, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s been studying magic for more than I have.


    I''m confident my mana skills will help me solve the issue with the momentum of my weapons. I just have to think of something new, something original, that¡¯s where I excel at. Kicking at the forest floor in frustration, I uncover a root of the tree I''m practicing on.


    Roots? Now there¡¯s an idea!


    Trees have a strong foundation because their network of roots spread throughout the ground. What if I try to spread my mana out from my feet into the ground as trees do?


    Let¡¯s try it out.


    I gather my mana into my feet and slowly extend tendrils of mana into the forest floor. The process is slow if I lose focus, my mana will dissipate and I¡¯ll need to start all over. Plus, it¡¯s not like I have an unlimited mana pool to work with either.


    After twenty minutes of standing perfectly still and focusing on my mana, I''ve managed to braid my mana together into a tendril and dig it four inches into the ground. At this point, I realize I can''t extend my mana any further from my body without losing control over it and having it disperse into the ground.


    I test to see if the mana roots help at all by slowly lifting one of my feet off the ground. A smile crosses my face when I can feel a slight resistance keeping me from raising my foot. Once my foot is four inches off the ground, the resistance fades to almost nothing as my mana roots try to grip the mana in the air instead of the ground.


    I slowly lower my foot back down and see what happens when my uprooted mana tendrils come back into contact with the earth.


    It takes a few seconds and some nudging with my manipulation skill, but my mana roots eventually re-snake their way into the earth below. The mana roots find purchase in the naturally slow-moving earth mana.


    Now I need to see how much my mana roots help me to deal with my weapons momentum. I adjust my stance, giving the mana roots enough time to take hold again and swing my axe in an upward strike.


    The roots definitely help me, but they''re too short to offset my strike''s total momentum. I''m not disappointed with the results, however. This proves my idea works. All I need to do is practice more.


    ¡°You look happy. Did you succeed?¡±


    I look over at Sandra, who''s opened her eyes again. "Yes and no. I couldn''t figure out an immediate solution, but with some practice, I should be fine. What about you?"


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to maintain control of my mana as it leaves my skin. Let¡¯s see who succeeds first,¡± Sandra sends me a challenging grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s on,¡± I accept her challenge.


    Time to grind some skills!


    **********


    ¡°You look much better today,¡± master remarks as I work the bellows of our forge.


    "The break was good. I had a little trouble practicing with my new weapons, but I''m working on a solution," I tell him.


    "Is that why you brought your sword with you today?" Master motions to my sheathed scimitar resting up against my workbench.


    "Yeah, I can''t very well bring my axe or war-hammer with me if I can''t use them properly. I''ll switch which weapon I bring after I work things out." As I''m pumping the billows, I''m mindful of my mana roots stretching out from my feet.


    After practicing most of the day away yesterday, I¡¯ve managed to gain some sense of control over them. I can extend and retract the roots much faster now, only needing a split second to retract and redeploy them as I walk. Four inches is still the limit for how far out I can extend them, but this morning I found another use for them.


    While keeping pace with Mom, I noticed the ground felt slightly off as we ran around the village. We run the same way each morning, and I''m familiar with each rock, stump, and tree root we run past. It took me a while to figure it out, but eventually, I realized even though my mana roots didn''t have enough time to burrow into the ground, they still reinforced my footing slightly.


    I now plan to keep my roots extended permanently as I do with Mana Skin when I''m outside. I wouldn''t be surprised if I unlock a new skill soon.


    "I''m sure you''ll get ahold of it," master gives me a few words of encouragement. It''s always nice to hear that someone has faith in you. "Did you decide on how you want your armor to look?"


    I groan into the forge. "Yes, it took me forever, though. That''s why I took an extra day off. Mom helped me a lot."


    ¡°Your mother knows about armor?¡± Master asks, more than a bit surprised hearing that my mother knows anything about armor.


    "She doesn''t know armor,¡± I correct Master before he gets the wrong idea. ¡°But she knows how to work hide and leather. She helped me figure out which parts I need to forge and which I''ll need to make with her."


    ¡°So, you¡¯re sticking to a lighter set of armor then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I confirm what Master already knows.


    It took talking to Mother for hours on end before I had any idea of how I would make my first personal set of armor. I''ve sold a few sets of basic plate armor to Kervin in the past, but I''ve always leaned towards the weapon side of blacksmithing.


    That''s because there are many forms of armor in this world, and many don''t require blacksmithing to make. With magic beasts out there with hides that can block enchanted steel, not everyone wants to be bogged down with a set of full platemail.


    Master taught me how to make armor out of metal, but it was Mom who sat me down and explained the different armor types out there. First, you have defensive clothes woven from magic beasts or animals with strong fur. Next, you have all leather and hide armors, and as the names imply, they''re made out of beast hide. You have plate-lined armors made with the previous two materials but reinforced with metal plates to add extra protection. Then last is full-body suits of armor that master is accustomed to making.


    I would love to have a set of magic clothing strong enough to deflect arrows and swords, but Mom said those are more expensive than high tier magic items.


    We both decided it would be best for me to stick with a leather plated set of armor. I will craft the metal components then stitch them together with Mom.


    I explain all this to master while my metal in the crucible properly binds together.


    "Metal armor is what saves people," Master huffs. "Back home, if you wore anything else, you¡¯d be laughed out of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know master, magic underwear sounds nice,¡± I joke.


    "Then buy your master some, and we''ll see how it holds up."


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the dirty clothes in your house, master. No way am I spending good money only to condemn a pair of magic boxers to that kind of fate.¡±


    ¡°Cheeky brat.¡±


    Master and I go back and forth until the alloy is ready.


    Now comes the tricky part. I have to craft twenty-three plates to cover specific parts of my body. I need to craft four plates for each of my limbs, two large plates for my chest, four smaller plates for my back, and one plate for a cap. Everything will be cushioned with leather, but the plates need to cover the majority of my body.


    I decide to start with the plates for my back because those will be the easiest. To move efficiently, a person¡¯s back needs to remain limber. The four plates will be evenly spaced out, but there will still be a decent gap between each plate so my armor can contour with my body as I run and dodge strikes.


    The four square plates I hammer out are the quickest thing I¡¯ve made in a long time.


    Next, I move on to something a bit trickier, the plates for my arms and legs. Each plate needs to be rounded to fit over both sides of my arms and legs. The closer I can match the plates to my body, the more comfortable they''ll be and offer me better protection.


    I need to mold each peace, let it cool down a little, then hold it up to my limbs to see if I need to adjust it. At the same time, I''m doing all that; I think about what would happen if I just crafted hundreds of small square and rectangle pieces and use those to line some armor. It would offer more protection while retaining its flexibility.


    Though now that I think about it the assembly of such armor would take forever. I already have a packed schedule without wasting my time on an experiment that I have no idea if I could even pull off.


    Once I have the segments for my limbs completed, I flatten out a chunk of metal and form it into a bowl shape. This plate will be padded the most and used to make me a helmet. I originally wanted to forgo any armor for my head, but Mom argued that I should at least have a helmet in case something attacks me from above.


    The last two plates take me the longest to make and will most likely need to be adjusted later. Armor that covers the chest is the simplest to make but the hardest to perfect. Chest pieces aren''t like what you see in video games. Just because I''m a woman doesn''t mean I will form the metal to highlight my assets. Not only is that impractical, but it isn''t that structurally safe either.


    A good chest piece is triangular in shape to deflect arrows and swords properly, this concept applies to both men and women. The skimpy armor I used to see in games had way too many creases and crevices, and if they were used in a real fight, they would have the wearer take more damage than it would deflect.


    The trick with chest pieces is that the better they defend you, the harder it is to move. If I tried wearing a platemail chest piece, I wouldn''t be able to bend over.


    The chest plates I¡¯m making are meant to overlap each other while still giving me a small degree of freedom.


    When everything is mostly done, master moves over next to me eyeballing the various plates I made, probably picturing how they¡¯re supposed to fit together. ¡°Finished everything?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± I stretch out my tired arms. The sun was just starting to go down.


    ¡°Will you be back tomorrow?¡±


    "I don''t think so," I tell master. "Mom has the leather set aside, and it will probably take the whole day for us to get everything fitted. I''ll be back the day after to make any adjustments I need to and maybe start crafting some of the weapons I plan on selling.¡±


    ¡°What about the special arrows; you don¡¯t want to start with those?¡± Maser curiously asks.


    "I was thinking of setting aside the materials I need for the arrows and make them last. I''d rather try to raise my skills a little higher before I tackle the most expensive items."


    Master hums in agreement. "Then I''ll see you in two days with your new armor."


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be impressed,¡± I brag a little as I put everything away.


    "I don''t think so; it isn''t full metal after all." Master lets out a hearty laugh. Stone kin and their metal. Apparently, some stereotypes are the same across both worlds. If I ever meet an elf, it will probably be in the forest.


    "I''ll do my best to impress you then," I say in an over-exaggerated manner. Gathering up the twenty-three metal plates, I say goodnight to master. "See you later, master. Remember, when I get back, we''ll have another forging marathon."


    ¡°Gods help me,¡± Master shakes his head as he waves goodbye to me.


    Walking home, I can¡¯t help but think about what the next few months have in store for me.

 Ch: 81

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    ¡°Jason! Which of these blasted papers has the city¡¯s food figures?¡± I snap at my young aide.


    ¡°The one on your left, sir.¡± He points out a piece of parchment covered from top to bottom with numbers.


    ¡°And the schedule for the patrols?¡±


    "That''s this one," Jason pulls a piece of paper from a stack that was partially leaning off my desk.


    I grit my teeth in frustration, trying to decipher the many figures I¡¯m reading.


    "Wow, you''re terrible at this." My hands tighten slightly at Jason''s remark, crumpling the parchment in my hands. I scowl at the young man, but he continues to smirk at my distress. "I thought someone of your standing would be used to the paperwork."


    ¡°I am Master Pacore the Deathless, not Pacore the Accountant. I have reliable servants like yourself to take care of these matters for me!¡±


    ¡°Aww, you think I¡¯m reliable? That makes me feel all fuzzy inside.¡± Young Jason pretends to swoon like a maiden in love.


    I admit I underestimated the young man, his ability to read people and change his personality depending on who he''s talking to is top-notch. I''m not even sure if he was truly afraid of me a week ago when we negotiated the surrender of Drey or if that was merely a front he put on to deal with me.


    It only took him seeing me interact with General Pitz once to determine I respect and prefer dealing with confident people rather than sniveling cowards and adjusted himself as such. I can only guess that his talents were squandered by the previous city lord, seeing how apt he is at organizing everything.


    "According to reports, the city has enough food to function for another two weeks before you''ll need to start implementing rationing," young Jason informs me.


    ¡°And the fields?¡± I ask him. ¡°How are they going?¡±


    "Many of the citizens have noticed the food situation. People have started to volunteer their services in fixing the surrounding fields. As of now, 7% of the damaged fields have been tilled, while 3.5% of that has already been sown with new seed. Many of our high-level farmers were evacuated from the city, so the crops only benefit from low-tier skills. Crop production should speed up once the refugee farmers arrive."


    ¡°Any news on them?¡± I ask, trying to compare what Jason is telling me with the physical reports. Just because I like his new attitude doesn¡¯t mean I take everything Jason says at face value, I¡¯m not that trusting. Though I do admit I apricate his help more and more as the days pass. Jason and a few of my commanders with relevant skills are the ones running most of the city. I have to oversee Jason''s every move, but he''s yet to do anything suspicious.


    I''m sure whoever is being sent to run Drey will be quite pleased when they find out they have such a capable aide waiting for them.


    Just getting to this point was extremely difficult. When the previous city lord fled, he took or destroyed any and all documents related to Drey and its surrounding lands. It was only thanks to young Jason and his knowledge of the city''s laws that we were able to take control of everything without ruffling any feathers. He''s helped me reestablish a tax system and many other day-to-day facilities that are the lifeblood of any thriving city.


    Of course, not everyone was happy with us taking over the city. A handful of people tried to sow discord amongst the masses, but Jason proposed a solution that quickly won over the people. Whenever a person or group of people would try to lead a revolt, one of my commanders would show up. Instead of arresting everyone, my commanders took note of everyone''s grievances and promised to deliver them to me. The commanders would then leave without punishing anyone as long as they stay peaceful in their demonstrations. It''s hard for someone to claim we''re violent and exploiting everyone after that kind of response.


    We took note of everyone trying to stir up trouble, and we¡¯ll continue to monitor their movements. As long as they don¡¯t do anything to really destabilize what we¡¯re trying to accomplish here, we¡¯ll leave them be. For now.


    ¡°The last report had them two days out. If your farmers are as good as you say they are, then hopefully we¡¯ll get some crops in before people start to revolt out of hunger.¡± Jason sends me a challenging look.


    ¡°Scholl farmers are used to working with barren soil. You¡¯ll be eating your words in no time at all,¡± I confidently reassure him.


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Jason boldly grins at me.


    At least I have someone I can have a decent conversation with, like General Pitz. I wonder how she''s doing? "Jason."


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°How has Lady Pitz been faring?¡±


    Jason''s happy expression cracks, revealing deeper emotions underneath. Jason told me how she''s been pulling him aside to ask him questions about the city and the local lord who ran away. "General Pitz has been quite furious lately. Every time I see her, she is cursing the local nobility and how they''re responding to your invasion. It''s nice knowing the city wasn''t sacrificed on the general''s orders but that only helps so much.¡±


    I can see Jason respects General Pitz as I do, but that doesn''t make up for the nobility that left him here to die. Usually, when a city is taken during a war, the leaders are either captured or executed to make an example for the people. They chose to leave young Jason in charge as a sacrifice, something he''s sure not to forget.


    It will take time before I can fully trust young Jason, but I''ll make use of the gem the nobles decided to throw away.


    "As she should be. It''s the job of us nobles to rule over the weak. The coward who fled his city has no right to use that title. He should''ve been leading the defense of his city, a leader like General Pitz knows this. I''m sure she sees the actions of the local nobility as a stain on Olebert''s name,¡± I explain what I believe General Pitz is thinking.


    ¡°Then they¡¯ll be punished?¡± Young Jason asks in a cold tone.


    ¡°They will be,¡± I tell him. ¡°The only question is will it be through my hand or Olebert¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Jason bows his head in appreciation. Young Jason has a last name, meaning he¡¯s from a well-off family, but he''s not a noble. People given noble titles, even city lords, are usually seen as untouchable by the masses. It''s rare for them to be punished for their actions, and those of lesser standing can only bear with their demands.


    ¡°But of course, that is all in the future,¡± I remind young Jason. ¡°Has everyone arrived?¡±


    "They should be waiting for you in the conference room," he informs me.


    "Good," I stand up and walk out of the office, leaving behind my parchment-covered desk.


    Briskly walking down the city lord¡¯s mansion hallways, followed by young Jason, I pass by barren walls where paintings and other artwork were once hung. It''s funny to see the lesser pieces of artwork the previous lord deemed unfit to bring with him during his escape. Back in Scholl, nobles decorate their halls with magic beast materials, symbols of their strength and success, though I can apricate a good painting as much as the next person.


    Sadly, most of the remaining artwork will need to be sold or traded away in the coming weeks for as much capital as possible. The previous lord didn''t just take off with his favorite artwork; he also emptied the city''s coffers. A city can only function for so long without any coin in its vault. We''ve managed to restore the city''s basic functions, but certain things need to line up with certain people before it can get back to normal. And my guests should be a few of the people who can help make that happen.


    Entering the sparse conference room, I take the measure of my five guests. First is Eriel Vellen; she was the second in command of the city''s courier guild until her boss who fled the city, leaving her in charge much like Jason. She''s a tall thin woman who looks to be the most nervous of my guests.


    Next, is the gentleman standing in the corner who''s wearing a guard uniform minus the gear. Jason informed me his name was Maz, the other guards elected him to represent their interests when we called to meet with their leader. Even without a weapon, he sizes me up with his eyes.


    The third person is a woman who looks to be in her forties. Bellera Mantals stocky figure is hidden behind her mage robes. She was elected to represent the few remaining mages in Drey, much like Maz was.


    My last and the most important guest is the head of the local Silver Herd branch, Lennard Grey, and his bodyguard, who''s standing behind him. Grey is the second most experienced person in the room besides myself, and he''s the only one who looks excited to meet with me. Unlike most of the affluential people of Drey, Grey stayed behind to manage Silver Herd''s remaining assets in the city.


    "Master Pacore the Deathless, it is an honor to meet you in person." The experienced merchant wastes no time in trying to flatter me with a polite bow.


    I hate dealing with experienced merchants; they have the knowledge and skills to turn most situations to their advantage. His bodyguard looks to be a decent level as well. Not enough to beat me even without my weapon and armor, but still quite decent.


    ¡°I should imagine so,¡± I coldly reply to Grey¡¯s greeting. If I give this man an inch, he¡¯ll take a mile. I¡¯m better off using my status to suppress him. ¡°I¡¯m a busy man, so I¡¯ll jump right to the point. I want the four of you to cooperate with me.¡±


    The three younger representatives are surprised by my bluntness while Grey smiles only grows as if he saw this coming.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Maz is the first to ask me a question. ¡°Your men took all our gear.¡±


    "And I''m allowing you to earn it back. I can''t have my men patrolling the city all day. My men will replace your superiors who fled, and we''ll still be in charge of the walls and gates, but I want the previous guards patrolling the city keeping people safe," I explain.


    ¡°You would give us back our weapons?¡± Maz asks in disbelief.


    ¡°Should I not? We both want Drey to remain safe. I¡¯m sure the four of you have heard rumors of why we are here. We are not invading for riches or glory; our people need food. I¡¯m confident the people will soon see Scholl will do a much better job managing this land than Olebert ever has.¡± Maz remains silent, contemplating what I said.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°You ask us to forgo our country,¡± Bellera Mantals asks in an accusing tone of voice.


    "If you wish to leave, you can do so in a year once the fighting has calmed down.¡± I don¡¯t mention our plans to continue our campaign. ¡°But consider who you give your allegiance to. I don¡¯t see a star on your chest, so why were you chosen to represent the mages?¡±


    Bellera Mantals holds her tongue, but I can see her balling her fists in anger.


    "It''s because your betters fled the city when they had the chance." I make eye contact with each of the younger representatives.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Lennard Grey confidently replies.


    ¡°I wonder why that is?¡± I send the calculating merchant a look that says I¡¯m not falling for his bivol shit. Directing my attention back to my other guests, I continue to pull them over to our side of things. ¡°I want guards protecting the people, I need mages to help repair the city, and I need to have open lines of communication,¡± I focus on Eriel Vellen.


    She flinches back and quietly squeaks out, ¡°most of our prized birds were taken by the manager.¡±


    "I am aware. You do still have a few, don''t you?" I ask in a softer tone, trying to get her to respond properly.


    ¡°We do, but none of them are trained to fly to Scholl,¡± Eriel Vellen confirms. ¡°The only birds we have left are the ones trained to fly to the nearby villages.¡±


    "That''s fine," I tell her. "When we captured Teeburn, their courier branch didn''t have as much time to release their birds. I''ll send a message for them to send a few to your branch. Also, one of our tamers is already training a flock of rock vultures to deliver messages to Scholl. They¡¯re more aggressive than your falcons but much more hardy beasts. Can you handle different types of birds?¡±


    Eriel Vellen nods her head. ¡°As long as they¡¯re trained properly, we can work with anything that has wings.¡± She sounds much more confident when she¡¯s talking about her work.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I smile confidently at Maz, Eriel, and Bellera. ¡°If the three of you are up to it, Jason here will help you get your respective operations going again with the three of you as their new leaders.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Eriel squeaks.


    ¡°You want me to supervise every mage in Drey?¡± Bellera skeptically asks.


    Maz''s eyes widen for a second, but he''s the calmest of the three.


    "I do," I assure them. "The three of you were already chosen to represent your people. My men will still oversee your actions, but I''ll trust you to get things moving again."


    "If the three of you will follow me, we''ll discuss individually what each of you needs," young Jason follows the plan I discussed with him earlier and leads most of my guests out of the room.


    ¡°We¡¯re all alone,¡± Grey remarks as soon as the conference room door closes behind them. ¡°Shall we discuss business?¡±


    His smile makes me want to punch him. I¡¯m going to need a drink after this.


    **********


    ¡°How did everything go on your end?¡± I ask young Jason when he walks back into my temporary office with a new stack of documents meant for the ever growing piles on my desk.


    ¡°Good,¡± he smiles when he sees me frowning over more papers. ¡°The hardest part will be overseeing the guard¡¯s reinstatement, but it should still free up most of your men. I was able to renegotiate down the rates for both the courier guild and the mages considering most of their high leveled people left the city. I''m curious, though, what happens if their supervisors try to come back?" Jason doesn''t outright say he knows of our plans to take Blaiton, but that''s what he''s referring to.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" I scoff at my young aide. "If they choose to seek employment, it''s up to the heads of the local branches to decide whether or not to take them back." Jason and I share a knowing grin. "Scholl values strength and commitment, and we certainly remember who flees." I remind young Jason.


    Jason nods in understanding before asking me curiously, "and how was your discussion with Mr. Grey?"


    I lean back in my chair and sigh, stroking my feathered beard.


    ¡°It was that bad!?¡± Jason asks, surprised by my reaction.


    ¡°Dealing with experienced merchants is always difficult,¡± I explain to him.


    "But how can he match you? You''re Pacore the Deathless." Jason leans forward, probably wondering why I didn¡¯t just kill the merchant.


    "He already knew I needed his help," I frown deeply and explain my reasoning to the young aid. "Silver Herd is a growing merchant company. Grey didn''t flee when he had the chance because Silver Herd is making plans to do business with us in the future."


    "He told you that?!" Jason asks wide-eyed.


    "Not out loud. Silver Herd won''t openly support us, but they won''t miss out on the chance to do business with us either. Besides, Grey knows that someone has to move goods back and forth between Teeburn and Drey."


    "Don''t you have supply trains bringing in your goods from Scholl? Use those," Jason offers up a quick solution.


    I shake my head. "It is already hard enough organizing a supply chain, and it will only become more arduous once we start needing to ship food back to Scholl. There needs to be trading between cities, and an established merchant company is the best to do it.¡±


    ¡°What did he ask for in return?¡±


    ¡°He wants documentation guaranteeing his people safety and preferential treatment when it comes to city contracts.¡±


    "That''s it?" Young Jason asks, confused. "There were rumors about the previous city lord and Mr. Grey making secret deals with each other. I can''t imagine that''s all he asked for."


    "I was surprised by his generosity and willingness to work together as well, but I''ve met plenty of merchants like him in my day. I can already guess what he''s after." I open my special waterskin and take a large swig of alcohol. "He has ambitious eyes. He''s probably trying to get in my good graces before his company regains oversight over him."


    ¡°So, there will be problems in the future,¡± young Jason quickly understands what I¡¯m alluding to.


    I drink another mouthful from my waterskin and smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too worried,¡± Jason notices that I¡¯m starting to relax in my chair.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. It will be a problem for whoever takes over the city, not mine." I grin at my young aide, "but it will most likely be yours."


    "Great, I''ll look forward to it," he says sarcastically, handing me a piece of paper. "Sign that, and I''ll have it taken to the couriers guild."


    "Is this the message I wanted to be sent to all the nearby villages?" I ask while I quickly scan the document.


    "It is, and now that the courier''s guild is reopening, we can send them out," Jason confirms.


    This is good. We passed by a few villages when we marched on Drey. We spread the word that we were their new rulers. A few villages were even expecting us because the prisoners we released made it back home before we did. I mentioned this to young Jason, and he told me there were many more villages in the vicinity, some of which would take days to reach.


    Without any formal documents, it will be challenging to know exactly how many villages are now under my control.


    Thankfully once the old guards are reinstated, I can organize squads of my men to visit each of the villages and explain what is happening. The villages need to know who''s in charge and the slight changes we''ve made. I''m not sure how all the villages will react to us changing the terms of their taxes, but most should be happy when they hear how much credit we''re offering for food.


    In a few days, my replacement should show up, and I''ll be free to inspect the surrounding lands myself. Maybe I should take General Pitz with me? She should know a little bit about the area and the fresh air will do her some good.


    And maybe, I¡¯ll find out where she got that special arrow from?


    I sit back in my chair and drain the alcohol from my waterskin, smiling to myself.


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    "Tell me, why again are you making me cover up like this?" Sandra complains next to me. Sandra is mad that I made her wear thick clothing and had her tie a rag over her mouth and nose.


    "Because we''re heating an unknown alchemical mixture, and you''re pregnant," I remind her for the third time.


    "But it''s so hot," She whines. "At least let me take off the mask." Along with the spring sun, the heat from the forge is making Sandra sweat up a storm. It''s a good thing I have her drinking a lot of water.


    ¡°No,¡± I promptly shoot down her suggestion. Even though devil''s poke and eathrosse aren''t poisons in any way, I''m not taking any chances something could happen to my future niece or nephew.


    "Then what about you? Why aren''t you bundled up like I am?" Sandra gives me an accessing look with her exposed eyes.


    "I''m a physical build meaning my body is much stronger than yours. Plus, I have my barrier skill, which helps block out some of the more dangerous things I can breathe in. It works wonders when I''m mining with master, and the air is filled with dust," I explain to Sandra while we''re waiting for our third mixture of the day to heat up.


    ¡°Can¡¯t the two of you be quieter? This is supposed to be one of my days off," master grumbles from his bench.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± I tell Sandra.


    ¡°But we¡¯re using his equipment,¡± Sandra looks around master¡¯s clearing, clearly impressed with the setup we have.


    "I''ve been using the forge to heat up my mixtures from the start. Master just likes to complain, that''s all." I sneak a quick glance over my shoulder and see that master is secretly watching us work just like he does when I''m forging.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Sandra hesitantly agrees. ¡°Do you think this new wood will help?¡±


    I don''t answer her and instead, stare at the glass beaker sitting on a metal stand above the coals. "The internal mana structure is mixing near the bottom, but the top is remaining clumped together." It looks like this will be another dud; I sigh in disappointment.


    "I still can''t believe you can sense specific mana signatures like that," Sandra says, moving to prep a new solution for our next attempt.


    ¡°What do you see in the mixture?¡± I ask Sandra.


    "I can see the mana moving faster because of the heat; along with that, the mixture is mostly earth and water mana, like most plants are, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    "That''s pretty good," I offer her some encouragement. Sandra just pouts, knowing I''m saying that because I''m her friend. "Trust me; if you keep practicing with Mana Manipulation, Sense Mana will level up with it and vice versa."


    ¡°I know,¡± Sandra responds half heartily.


    I should change the subject. ¡°Did you see your brother off this morning?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I said goodbye to him on my way here.¡±


    "I can''t believe Nicolas volunteered to escort the crops to Drey. I could imagine Braddon going but not Nicolas." Markus and Ezekiel finally finished harvesting all the wortel two days ago. Nicolas, along with Ronald, and two other hunters, set off this morning to deliver our supplies to Drey.


    ¡°Braddon did offer to go, but Nicolas argued he would be a better fit should something go wrong,¡± Sandra tells me.


    "They''re just going for appearance''s sake. As soon as they see Scholl''s flag flying in the distance, they''ll turn around and come back home," I remind her.


    "You''re right; I think Nicolas just wanted to get out of the village for a little bit. Father has been running brother ragged lately, having him organizing everything in the entire village."


    ¡°What about you?¡± I ask Sandra. ¡°Is Camden still hounding you about your magic?¡±


    ¡°Not as much as he was,¡± she tells me. "Though he was impressed yesterday when I used earth magic to turn over the fields. What about you; what have you been up to? I''m guessing those spears and swords are new." Sandra motions over to the rack of weapons I''ve made over the last few days.


    "Yeah, I''m starting to get the hang of this new metal I''m working with. I''ve made six spears and eight swords; it hasn''t rained lately, so master and I agreed it was easier to build a rack to hold them for now."


    "They look beautiful," Sandra remarks at the tannish-silver weapons. "Are you donating any of them to the village?"


    I snort, trying to hold back my laughter. "No way, those are magic weapons; each one of those can be enchanted. You''re the only other person in the village besides me who can use magic; weapons like that would be wasted here."


    ¡°You forgot about Anastasia,¡± Sandra reminds me.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t leave her hut unless it¡¯s a real emergency. What would Anastasia need a magic sword for?¡±


    "Good point," Sandra agrees. "Are you planning to enchant all of them yourself, then?"


    ¡°If we ever figure this recipe out,¡± I reach into the fire with a pair of tongs and remove the failed mixture. ¡°For some reason, the mixture isn¡¯t circulating heat properly. Parts of the solution heat up quicker than others and float near the top while others rise and fall like a normal liquid.¡±


    "Do you think we need more heat?" Sandra asks for my opinion.


    "No, I''ve already tried hotter coals. The mixture burns too easily. The wood we''re using now provides just enough heat, but the mixture isn''t reacting like it''s supposed to."


    ¡°Do you think it would work better if we spread out the heat rather than turn it up?¡±


    "What?" I ask, confused.


    ¡°We have the solution sitting above the fire. What if we build up the coals around it and heat the solution from each of the sides as well as the bottom? Maybe that would help even out the heat in the solution.¡±


    "That''s brilliant," I exclaim. I should''ve thought of that sooner! The same principle applies to my blacksmithing. You need to heat up the entire section you''re working with, or you''ll cause microfractures. "I''ll fix the fire!"


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the solution ready!¡±


    The two of us scramble to get everything ready.


    We both anxiously watch the alchemical solution as soon as I move it into the forge and cross our fingers praying for just a single success. The two of us don''t say a word to one another while the solution is heating up.


    I keep count in my head, measuring the exact time the solution is in the fire for my notes later.


    After seven and a half minutes, the alchemical solution starts to change. The eathrosse and devil''s poke absorb a part of the fire mana and start blending together.


    ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Sandra and I echo each other¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°Wait! What do we do next?¡± Sandra asks me. We haven¡¯t discussed the next step, but luckily, I already have some supplies readied on my desk.


    ¡°You see that brown pot on my desk?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Bring it over here with my smallest measuring spoon,¡± I instruct Sandra as I prepare to remove the mixture as soon as the ingredients finish fusing.


    When the mixture is completed, it has turned a brighter shade of purple.


    ¡°What is this stuff?¡± Sandra asks me when she looks inside the pot she brought over.


    "Crushed magicite," I tell her as I remove the glass container from the fire. "Step three said to add magicite to the mixture. You add the magicite one scoop at a time, and I''ll keep an eye on its internal mana."


    "Ok," Sandra carefully starts adding small amounts of magicite to our mixture. After she adds the second scoop, I see that the mixture isn''t blending again. But this time, I''m prepared. I grab a glass stirring rod and slowly mix the mixture.


    I''m already aware the instructions I was given leave 99% of the information out, so I have to guess the proper solutions to the problems I encounter.


    When I tried stirring the previous mixture when it was in the fire, the extra motion actually caused it to burn for some reason; luckily, this time, stirring the mixture appears to be the right choice, and the magicite starts blending into the mixture.


    The magicite Sandra is adding is charging the mana in the mixture, keeping the fire mana active. At this rate, we might make it to step four.


    No sooner than that thought crosses my mind, everything falls apart.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I shout.


    Sandra freezes, and we both watch our hard work burn itself up. I don''t know if we added too much magicite or mixed it in too quickly, but the magicite caused the fire mana that fused with the previous mixture to go out of control. The solution burns and turns into black sludge at the bottom of the container.


    I can¡¯t help but let out a long sigh. The failures hurt much more after you¡¯ve had a breakthrough.


    ¡°We were so close!¡± Sandra says, disappointed.


    "At least we made it to step three," I console my friend by patting her on the shoulder and move to write down step 2 in my notes.


    Step 2: The mixture must be heated from the bottom and sides evenly, using a fire around 600¡ãF. The mixture starts binding after seven minutes and finishes after eleven.


    I¡¯m not sure if removing the mixture from the fire was the right choice, but that¡¯s just one more thing we need to test later.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the next mixture ready,¡± excited, Sandra moves over to my workbench.


    ¡°Woah, wait a minute,¡± I stop her before she starts mixing the next test batch.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sandra asks me, confused as to why I¡¯m stopping her.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re done for the day,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Chasing success is just as bad as continuing after a long string of failures. We¡¯ve burned through a lot of materials already. We can try again in a few days,¡± I suggest to Sandra.


    "The best idea I''ve heard all day," master buts in from his bench.


    The two of us ignore Master''s remark.


    "Fine," Sandra reluctantly agrees. "If you''re really sure you want to stop?" Sandra gives me one last pleading look to continue. It''s no wonder she''s a mage; Sandra has the drive to keep trying until she gets it right.


    "Yeah," I repeat. "It''s still technically my day off, and I should spend some time with my mom. She still has me helping her with Richard''s marriage tassel."


    ¡°Then I can take this annoying thing off,¡± Sandra removes her face mask. ¡°I¡¯m sure Richard is happy you¡¯re helping make his tassel." Sandra''s compliment and smile combination are too bright for me, so I turn away before she can see my embarrassed face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s clean up and head home together,¡± I suggest to Sandra.


    "Alright," Sandra helps me straighten everything up and we both say goodbye to Master Del.


    On the way home, I think about our last experiment. I''m surprised we managed to make progress on the engraving ink. This was our first time collaborating together, and it went better than I could''ve ever hoped for. If we continue with this kind of success, I might get my hands on some engraving ink before the month is over.


    It''s good to stay positive, but I don''t let our success cloud my judgment. I have dozens of more weapons to make, along with a whole host of skills I need to practice with.


    There is always something else to improve, and if I want to head to the deeper parts of the forest one day, I can''t slow down now.


    Tomorrow I¡¯ll be back at it, working harder than ever.

 Ch: 82

    I channel my inner Shaolin monk, switching from a monkey stance to a crane position. The forest is warming up as spring progresses, and you can feel the vibrance of life in the air.


    Of course, I have no real idea if what I¡¯m doing is anything related to actual monks, but practicing my sense of balance in weird positions is a staple for my training. I set aside today to practice all my mana skills, focusing heavily on my mana roots. And this time, I can train in the woods without being critiqued by an audience.


    Over the past few days, keeping my mana roots deployed has almost become second nature to me, and recently I¡¯ve experimented with incorporating a similar technique into my hands.


    When I deploy my mana roots through my feet, it anchors me to the ground and improves my balance. Yesterday, I tried forming mana roots from the palms of my hands for fun while I was swinging my blacksmithing hammer. It was more difficult than burrowing into the soft forest floor, but eventually, I managed to inject my mana roots into the handle of my hammer.


    This discovery not only guarantees I won''t lose hold of my weapons in the future, but the mana roots make it incredibly easy to inject my mana into whatever I¡¯m holding directly. When I finally figure out how to make engraving ink and enchant my weapons, I¡¯ll be able to activate them with virtually no mana loss in the transfer.


    I''ve always had to use Inject Mana to force my mana into whatever material I wanted, wasting a portion of mana overcoming a material''s magic resistance. Keeping my mana roots embedded in my weapon, I can add or reabsorb my mana without overcoming that barrier.


    If I still had my katana, I would¡¯ve been able to set it ablaze in an instant with very little mana.


    However, though my new mana ability continues to grow, I haven''t gotten a new skill yet. And I''m starting to think it''s because I can only disperse my mana roots a few inches from my body. I need to figure out how I can expand the distance I can control my mana around my body.


    We''re two weeks into the thirteenth month of the year, meaning I''m almost halfway to my new year''s deadline. When it comes to crafting, I''m ahead of schedule, but I feel my other skills are starting to take a hit, especially my mana skills.


    I thought the kaglese weapons would take up more of my time, but after all the prep work master and I went through, I¡¯ve been busting out kaglese alloy weapons left and right.


    It¡¯s gotten to the point I¡¯ve started supplementing my forging with making regular steel spears for the village. Brother placed an order for some large steel nails for the armory, and a few villagers asked for some more mundane items like pots and pans, but forging cast iron utensils only takes me twenty minutes now. With my skills, stats, and experience working with magic alloys, forming non-magic items is almost too easy for me now.


    Master is happy because I dialed back the amount of time I¡¯m spending forging to only three days with him. I then take two days of rest, one of which I spend practicing my other skills.


    Keeping my left foot on the ground, I lean forward while my right foot is stretched out behind me. Maintaining my funky yoga pose, I pull up my status page.


    LV: 73 Experience: 401,841/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,431.66/1,650


    Mana: 827.42/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.03


    Strength: 152.01


    Dexterity: 150.02


    Senses: 62.41


    Mind: 65.23


    Magic: 102.81


    Clarity: 78.79


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV77), Blacksmithing (LV72), Hammer Skills (LV59), Axe Skills (LV58), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV34), Dagger Skills (LV33), Acting (LV32), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV29), Alchemy (LV7), Pugilist Skills (LV7), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV62), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV43), Axe Arts (LV38), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Steady Hands (LV22), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV60), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV24), Contract (LV7)


    Tier 4:


    Mana Skin (LV55), Mental Resistance (LV54), Inject Mana (LV53), Extract Mana (LV34), Magic Blacksmithing (LV28), Empowered Spell (LV12), Air Walk (LV9)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV8)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV77) 3,850exp


    Blacksmithing (LV71-72) 7,150exp


    Hammer Skills (LV59) 2,950exp


    Axe Skills (LV58) 2,900exp


    Mining (LV49-50) 4,950exp


    Cooking (LV41) 2,050exp


    Dagger Skills (LV32-33) 3,250exp


    Sword Skills (LV32-34) 4,950exp


    Sewing (LV27-29) 4,200exp


    Pugilist Skills (LV5-7) 900exp


    Alchemy (LV3-7) 1,250exp


    Double Step (LV62) 6,200exp


    Measurement (LV47) 4,700exp


    Hammer Arts (LV43) 4,300exp


    Axe Arts (LV37-38) 7,500exp


    Steady Hands (LV19-22) 8,200exp


    Dagger Arts (LV13) 1,300exp


    Sword Arts (LV15) 1,500exp


    Weighted Strike (LV39-40) 11,850exp


    Flash Step (LV23-24) 7,050exp


    Mana Skin (LV55) 13,750


    Mental Resistance (LV54) 13,500exp


    Inject Mana (LV53) 13,250exp


    Extract Mana (LV33-34) 16,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV27-28) 13,750exp


    Air Walk (LV7-9) 6,000exp


    Sense Soul (LV40) 20,000exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV7-8) 7,500exp


    Skill Experience: 194,600exp


    Crafting Experience: 124,573exp


    Fighting Experience: 2,119exp


    Total-experience Gained: 321,292exp


    It''s been a little over a month since I last examined my status page, and I''ve practiced a lot since I completed my four personal weapons. The physical and magic skills I use for blacksmithing went up the most, but sparring with dad and Camden helped me to level my weapon skills as well. I run every day with mom before practicing my movement skills and periodically help her around the house.


    Thanks to all my hard work, Mining, Weighted Strike, and Sense Soul all joined my ever-growing list of skills stuck at their tests. Whether I¡¯m working during the day or practicing my soul skills at night, I haven¡¯t stopped trying to improve myself.


    The experience I gain from leveling my skills plays the most significant part in my growth, but it''s becoming harder and harder to level them. The higher the level the skill is, the more time I need to devote to leveling it, and it''s become more apparent that some skills won''t level further without their lower-tier counterparts.


    For example, my tier 4 mana skills are leveling slower as they get closer to matching Mana Manipulation¡¯s level. Trying to get past the bottleneck for Sense Soul was so overwhelmingly mentally taxing, I''ve put off trying again until Mental Resistance reaches level 60.


    The good news is, despite my skills becoming harder to level, my crafting experience is slowly gaining ground.


    Since I last checked my status page, I¡¯ve crafted my armor, eighteen kaglese spears, eighteen kaglese swords, ten steel spears for the village, five steel bucklers for the village, and a few other miscellaneous objects people asked for.


    If I keep up this pace, I¡¯ll reach level 74 before the new year.


    But to do that, I need to start breaking past some of these bottlenecks I¡¯m encountering, and Mana Manipulation is the most important one.


    Like my experiments with engraving ink, I¡¯ve been testing ways to break past level 60 in Mana Manipulation. Sandra has already complimented me on my freakish internal mana manipulation and agrees that it¡¯s my outer mana manipulation that is most likely is the culprit for my bottleneck. I think Sandra has guessed some of my skill levels, but she hasn¡¯t outright asked me for confirmation.


    During my last break, Sandra and I figured out the third step to make engraving ink, so I want to try and keep the success going today.


    I focus on the mana roots extending from my left foot.


    The only reason I can train as much as I have is that the village has been relatively quiet the last month. Many people were expecting the next disaster to fall from the sky, but nothing has happened to our village as of late. There was the fear that Scholl would march into our village and pillage everything for a little while, but that never happened.


    Sandra¡¯s brother Nicolas made it back to the village without incident after he confirmed Scholl¡¯s flag was flying over Drey¡¯s walls just as we thought it was. And a few days after he returned, the village received an official letter from the new rulers of Drey.


    The message stated how we now fall under Scholl¡¯s rule and that a representative will eventually arrive at each village. The letter also stated that all crops would be worth an extra 10% to the village''s tax credit.


    News travels fast through our village, and Camden called for another village meeting the next day. He explained how a Scholl representative will eventually arrive at our village and how we now fall under their domain. A few people were afraid Scholl might try something, but Camden reassured everybody that Scholl has no reason to attack a small village like us.


    Just in case, though, the hunters are keeping an eye on the road every day. But there''s been no sign of anyone approaching the village. For every day that passes, the village seems more peaceful as people return to their everyday lives.


    The next round of crops was planted, brother was placed in charge of constructing the new armory with help from his old master; things are getting back to what they were before the goblin horde arrived. You could even argue things are better now that people have gained levels and we have a mage in the village.


    The hunters have started to find larger game again, meaning our food shortage is no longer a significant issue. We still need to ration for the next few months, but people are no longer afraid they might starve.


    With no order deadlines in sight and no more monsters threatening our village for the moment, I can practice without worry for a change.


    I stay balancing on my left leg and split my attention between my immediate surroundings and my extended mana roots. My practicing wouldn¡¯t be practical if I can¡¯t use my skill while keeping an eye out for trouble.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Tracing the thousands of small roots extending from my foot, I try to push them past four inches. The roots hold their form as they extend to five inches, but I can feel my control on my mana slipping the farther I extend them. When the roots reach six inches, they start disintegrating into the ambient mana.


    I pull back my mana to the four-inch mark, as not to needlessly waste it. Though the brief test cost me nearly 50 mana, I was able to see how my mana roots react outside my control. The ever-shifting mana around me bombards my roots and tears them apart like tissue paper.


    The more I learn about mana, the more I can relate it to energy and the movement of molecules. I may only have a high schooler''s knowledge on the subject, but I know different states of matter have molecules that move at different speeds. Solid objects like the ground I''m standing on have very slow-moving molecules that are practically still. Earth mana mirrors those properties and shifts the slowest of all mana types. Though even with earth mana being the slowest moving, it still tore through my mana roots without much trouble after they extended out of my normal range.


    I hold out my hand and start extending mana roots from it. As long as the roots are at least four inches from my body, I can use my control over the mana to resist the tide of ambient mana around me. But as soon as the roots extend further than four inches from my hand, they start to disintegrate immediately.


    Air is a gas, and its molecules move extremely fast. The air mana sliced through my mana roots so quickly I couldn¡¯t observe the phenomenon with my eyes.


    I would need to move over to the stream to test how my roots would react with water, but I imagine the result would fall in between my two tests. As long as I''m forcing my mana roots into a solid object like the ground or the handle of my weapon, I can extend them slightly more than otherwise.


    Treating my mana like tree roots was a stroke of genius, but if I can¡¯t control my mana at further distances, then this is the most I can do with them.


    ¡°I wonder if trees also have this problem?¡± I sigh to myself.


    I lower my right foot back to the ground and stand up straight. Maybe I should reexamine my source material?


    Walking over to the closest tree, I put my hand up against the bark and use Sense Mana to look at its internal structure. Mana circulates through the tree''s thick trunk, up through its branches, and travels down into its roots.


    When I focus on the tree''s roots, I''m astounded by the complex web of limbs snaking throughout the forest floor. I quickly notice the tree''s roots, and my mana roots aren''t the same; when I deploy my mana roots, its hundreds of individual strands of mana, while the tree''s roots resemble its canopy in design.


    The tree''s trunk splits into five large roots, which split into smaller roots, which then again split into countless other thread sized roots. Everything branches off from the trunk, only getting smaller as the roots travel further away from the tree.


    Instead of using many small mana threads, I should combine them into one strong root that can withstand the mana I''m burrowing into.


    I withdraw my deployed mana roots and focus solely on the heels of my feet. Weaving my mana together, I slowly extend a thick tendril of mana into the ground from my heel. As the large root of mana tunnels into the forest floor, smaller offshoots spring out the root''s sides to cover more ground.


    Four inches.


    Five inches.


    A smile crosses my lips when the root doesn¡¯t fall apart as it passes the six inches mark.


    Seven.


    Eight.


    At nine inches, my roots become too unstable to continue. That doesn''t matter, though, because I''ve figured out how to move mana farther away from my body than I usually would be able to.


    I sense a rush of experience expanding in my soul, meaning Mana Manipulation leveled up. Focusing on the part of my soul that represents my skill, I pull up a quick notification.


    Mana Manipulation (LV61) 0.54%


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough good news, I sense that I finally got my mana roots skill.


    Magic Threads (LV1) 94%


    I expected the name to have to do with trees or roots... but thread? I weaved different strands of mana together to accomplish the skill; maybe that''s where the name came from?


    Oh, well. It doesn''t matter what the skill is called; now that it''s engraved in my soul, using it will only grow easier. And the skill looks like it''s already about to hit level two. That''s incredible for another tier 4 skill.


    I want to start practicing with my new skill, but I have to deal with my admirer first.


    ¡°You can come out now,¡± I say to a tree twenty feet in front of me.


    Materializing out of the shadow of the tree stands a man I''ve never met before. He''s about five foot ten, moderately built, with slicked-back brown hair. His green eyes study me just like I''m doing to him. His armor is splotched brown, blending in with his surroundings. I also don¡¯t miss the fact that his left hand is resting on top of the twin swords at his side.


    I watch his every move, ready to draw my own sword if he so much as twitches.


    ¡°Four said I wouldn¡¯t be able to sneak up on you.¡± The man¡¯s voice is smooth and soft but lacks any emotion behind his words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about,¡± I warily tell the man.


    The intruder frowns for a second before his neutral expression returns. "I believe you know him as Reel; that''s the name he was assigned for his current assignment."


    ¡°You work for Giovanni then?¡± I raise a questioning eyebrow.


    ¡°I do,¡± he curtly replies. ¡°You can call me Two.¡±


    ¡°Ok, prove it,¡± I demand.


    ¡°What?¡± I hear just a tinge of surprise in his voice.


    "Anyone can say they work for Giovanni. How do I know Mr. Grey didn''t send you?"


    "That is a fair point. Reel told me if you questioned me, I should say, I''m learning to take a compliment. I don''t know what that means, but I''m guessing that proves who I am."


    I can¡¯t help but chuckle hearing our inside joke in such a monotone voice. ¡°Yeah, that works for me. But you know, you could¡¯ve just come out when you arrived instead of watching me for so long.¡±


    "You noticed when I arrived?" The man known as Two looks briefly surprised again before hiding his expression behind a mask of neutrality.


    "You don''t have the same magic items as Reel does; it was easy to sense you approaching," I smugly grin at Reel''s assassin buddy.


    ¡°I¡¯m more direct than Reel,¡± Two flatly tells me.


    ¡°I can see that. I take it you brought a message from your boss then.¡±


    Two reaches into his side pocket and pulls out a small metal disk-shaped device inscribed with the most complex enchantment I''ve ever seen. "Here," he tosses me the magic item, keeping out of both mine and his sword ranges.


    Normally I''d be hesitant to grab an unknown magic item, but I can see it isn''t activated. I snatch it out of the air without taking my eyes off of Two. "What is it?" I ask.


    ¡°Communicator,¡± Two tells me. ¡°You¡¯ll need to move closer to Blaiton before you can use it,¡± Two nods in the direction I would need to go before turning around and disappearing into the woods without a word.


    I keep track of him until he moves out of Sense Mana''s range. "And here I thought Reel was hard to deal with," I chuckle at my own joke.


    I guess I should take a walk and talk to Giovanni for the first time. Gathering up my gear, I head in the direction Two indicated. There''s no need to rush, so I start examining the incredible magic tool I was given. I hope Giovanni doesn''t want this back because there''s no way I''m giving this gem up.


    **********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    ¡°Why did you have to drag me along with you?¡± Young Jason complains as we make our way down a dirt trail.


    "I needed someone who knows the area," I laugh at his distress.


    "I only know the names of the villages that I¡¯ve briefly seen on a map; I''ve never left Drey before!" Jason remarks, upset I dragged him along with me and my small platoon. We''re visiting the more remote villages now that my replacements have settled in.


    "The fresh air will do you some good," I tell the young man. "Don''t you agree, General Pitz," I turn and ask my captive who''s riding our only jelen. The beast is secured to a small cart with our supplies and is always guided by one of my men, so she can''t take off with it. If I didn''t let her ride the beast, it would take us too long to march between villages.


    "You smell worse than the city," she bites back. Young Jason snickers at her comment, and I catch a few of my men trying to hide their smiles, afraid I''d do something should I notice them.


    I ignore everyone and ask Jason, "which village are we heading to next?"


    Young Jason flicks through a stack of papers he brought with him before answering me. "The closest village is Iron Wood Village. We should be there soon."


    ¡°Strong name,¡± I remark.


    "The village was named after the iron wood trees the village was built around. The trees'' bark is said to be as strong as iron armor," Jason gives me a quick background of the village.


    ¡°I would love to see such amazing trees. Such plants are rare in Scholl.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but all the iron wood trees were cut down a long time ago,¡± Jason quickly dashes my hopes.


    ¡°Then they should change the name of the village,¡± I grouchily reply. ¡°How many more villages are in the forest?¡±


    "I''m not sure," Young Jason honestly replies. "All the documents related to the local villages were taken by the previous city lord. The courier guild helped me figure out a few I missed, but even they aren''t sure of all the villages in the area. In the end, they had to send out their birds to visit every village instead of specifically targeting each one. Hopefully, Lord Bullok and the others will figure something out before we return."


    ¡°Why do you use his title and not mine?¡± I playfully sneer at young Jason.


    ¡°Because he demands I use his title,¡± Jason looks at me like the answer was obvious.


    Kellor Bullok is the man his majesty sent to handle the cities I conquer. I thought he would come by himself, but Bullok arrived with three other minor nobles selected to run the various cities in the area. But for now, the four men are working together to get Drey up and running, giving me some much-needed free time to inspect the surrounding villages before the rest of my army joins me.


    My students and Tellis successfully stalled Olebert¡¯s forces around Teeburn, and more soldiers are moving in to reinforce both of us. I have maybe another week and a half before I need to set out to take Blaiton, so leisurely traveling around the countryside counts as a sort of vacation.


    I verbally spar with Jason and General Pitz until we reach Iron Wood Village.


    A single lookout spotted us approaching before running off to warn his village. The village responds like every other we''ve visited.


    By the time we march into the village proper, everyone is hiding in their houses while a nervous village head moves to greet us.


    This village head looks ready to retire and visibly ages as he walks over to us. "Greeting lords and ladies of Scholl, welcome to Iron Wood Village." It''s unbearable listening to this man stutter out his greeting. The entourage that''s supposed to be guarding him has subtly taken a step back, leaving him on his own.


    I know I shouldn¡¯t expect much after how easily I took Teeburn and Drey, but this is just sad to watch. Let¡¯s hurry things along. ¡°Is there a place we can comfortably talk?¡±


    The man flinches at the mere sound of my voice before franticly nodding his head. "Of course, great lords. I''ll take all of you to my meager house."


    ¡°My men will stay here,¡± I inform him.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the frightened man agrees with whatever I say.


    I give General Pitz my hand and help her down from the jelen. She and Jason have attended each of my meetings for different reasons. Young Jason takes notes to help Lord Bullok when we return, and I bring General Pitz with me so she can tell Olebert how well we''re treating everyone when she''s finally ransomed back to them.


    Walking through the village, I''m impressed with how many farkas they have hanging up for processing. Despite the village headman¡¯s weak appearance, there must be a few decent hunters around with a haul like that.


    The village head leads us to his house, it isn''t as big as some of the ones I''ve recently seen, but it isn''t the smallest either.


    We''re led inside and brought to his kitchen. "I''m sorry, but I don''t have anything nicer for you. Please don''t¡­"


    I silence the man with a wave of my hand. "It''s fine; we''re not expecting a grand welcome. Did you receive our message a few weeks ago?"


    "Yes, my lord," the headman answers, keeping his head bowed submissively.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Our visit is merely to confirm the legitimacy of the letter and to let you know Scholl is not going to be taking over your village or replacing you.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± The headman asks, surprised.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to explain that Scholl is looking to set up many farms in the area. Our goal is to produce as much food as possible. Any contribution your village makes will be rewarded with tax credits,¡± I explain to the man. ¡°Jason, handle the rest?¡±


    Young Jason nods and starts explaining the gritty details to the headman. While he explains that the village''s tax won''t be raised, I glance at General Pitz. As Young Jason lays out better terms for the headman, she watches the headman''s fear turn into joy hearing his village¡¯s taxes were essentially being lowered not raised.


    This isn''t the first village that has become happy hearing our plans for the future. Many local villages have been left to themselves for far too long, expected to make large tax payments compared to their relative size. It must hurt the general to see how quickly her people come over to our side with relatively little changes.


    ¡°Does that sound good to you?¡± I ask the headman after young Jason finishes his explanation.


    ¡°It does,¡± the headman bows again, this time in appreciation. ¡°Iron Tree Village thanks our benevolent rulers. May Scholl rule forever.¡±


    And like that, another village pledges fealty to Scholl, unaware one of Olebert''s top generals is watching the whole spectacle.


    ¡°Would the lords and lady wish to stay in the village?¡± The headman offers us lodgings.


    "We thank you for the offer, but we have more villages to visit," I politely turn him down. My tent would be much nicer than any accommodations he could offer us.


    The headman walks us to his front door, spouting needless platitudes.


    As we walk past the hanging farkas again, I stop and ask, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed other villages with similar success hunting. Are your hunters that high-leveled?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, my lord. We¡¯ve just been lucky this last half-year. A lot of animals fled the deeper parts of the forest.¡±


    That sounds interesting. ¡°Why is that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I heard that a goblin horde was spotted around Spotted Creek Village before winter arrived, my lord,¡± the headman explains to me.


    ¡°Is this true?¡± I turn and ask Jason. Goblin hordes are disasters for small villages; surely, he must have heard about it.


    While Jason is thinking, out of the corner of my eye, I notice General Pitz also looks shocked to hear this news.


    ¡°I vaguely remember hearing something about it a while ago,¡± Jason admits. ¡°But I think the lord said it was taken care of.¡±


    "It was," the headman tells us. "Spotted Creek killed the vermin and, in doing so, released invisible magic beasts into the forest."


    ¡°They defeated a goblin horde? And invisible magic beasts?¡± I press the headman for more information.


    ¡°Sure did,¡± he reassures me. ¡°They sent word to all the villages bordering the forest to warn us about them, giant spiders they said.¡±


    ¡°Is Spotted Creek Village on our list?¡± I ask Jason. Invisible spiders sound like a good way to kill some of my boredom, and a great way to earn some goodwill from the surrounding villages.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± he mumbles as he flips through his papers. ¡°Nope, not on our list.¡±


    ¡°Where is this village?¡± I question the headman.


    "It''s the deepest village in the forest. If you follow the forest''s edge east, you''ll come to the trail that leads to it. It''s about a five-day journey, that is, if it''s still standing." The headman informs us.


    A village that fought off a goblin horde and invisible magic beasts! It may take up the rest of my time, but I have to see this.


    ¡°I think we have our next destination,¡± I grin at Jason.


    "He said there were invisible spiders!" Jason whines.


    ¡°Giant invisible spiders,¡± the headman clarifies.


    ¡°Giant invisible spiders,¡± Jason whimpers.


    ¡°All the more reason for us to go!¡± I happily proclaim.


    While Jason tries to talk me out of going, I sneak glances at General Pitz. She''s trying to hide it, but she looks more concerned now that I''ve said I wanted to visit the village. What is she trying to hide?


    I hold up a hand, cutting of young Jason complaining about us all being eaten. "We''re going, and that''s final."


    Jason''s shoulders slump in defeat, but I''m excited. What does Spotted Creek Village have in store for me?


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    While walking through the forest, I¡¯ve been regularly pumping a bit of my mana into the communication device, waiting for it to connect.


    Once I''m about an hour away from the village, the enchantment fully lights up, and a few seconds later, a man''s voice echoes out of the magic device. "Is this Aaliyah of Spotted Creek village?"


    ¡°That depends,¡± I cockily respond. ¡°Is this Giovanni I¡¯m speaking to?¡±


    I hear the familiar laughter of Reel in the background. "Yes, I''m Giovanni. It''s a pleasure to speak with you finally."


    "Likewise," I reply. "I hear Reel laughing in the background; does that mean everyone made it back, ok?"


    ¡°Everyone is fine,¡± Reel answers before Giovanni can say anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt!¡± A third voice berates Reel.


    ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± Giovanni asks me.


    "It does; I''m happy to hear they made it back safe. But I''m guessing you didn''t send mister emotion to deliver this fancy magic tool for that.¡±


    ¡°Mister emotion, Two!¡± Reel sounds like he¡¯s having trouble breathing at this point.


    Giovanni ignores his laughing subordinate. "I wish that were the case, but I''m afraid we have much bigger things to discuss. How are you planning to deal with Grey?"


    "I haven''t decided yet," I truthfully answer. "I don''t necessarily need to break my contract with him immediately. I''m assuming he plans to use it against me when I try asking about Kervin and why he''s not running the deliveries any longer."


    "So, you don''t plan on cutting ties with him when he comes to pick up the goods you''re making?" Giovanni doesn''t sound mad after hearing my plan; he sounds more like he''s considering all his options.


    "I was more curious what you''re doing," I say into the magic tool. "I was expecting to hear you tell me that you already had Grey killed by this point."


    ¡°If it was that easy, I¡¯d already have done it,¡± Giovanni matter-of-factly tells me. ¡°Grey is cunning enough to have made plans in case of his death.¡±


    ¡°Does that really matter?¡± I curiously ask.


    ¡°It does. Grey has definitely signed a contract leaving everything he has to someone he trusts. Contracts like that apply to all his deals, including contracts he''s signed. It''s a common method merchants use to keep themselves from being targeted by assassins. Whoever takes over your contract can use it against you. The same applies for me; it will take time before I can even consider having him killed."


    Well, shit, why does everything always have to be so complicated? "Why don''t you tell me when you''re ready to move?" I suggest to Giovanni. "If we time it right, I can cancel my contract as soon as you move to confront him. If Grey survives the backlash, you can have Reel stab him a few times for good measure."


    Reel chokes from laughing so hard.


    "You think the backlash will kill him?" Giovanni questions me over Reel''s laughter.


    "Who knows?" I reply. "A girl can hope, though."


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised by your willingness to have Grey killed,¡± Giovanni remarks.


    ¡°He took advantage of my ignorance and screwed me over. I don¡¯t take kindly to that,¡± I growl into the communication device. ¡°Keep that in mind.¡±


    The other end goes silent for a moment.


    "I will," Giovanni acknowledges my thinly veiled threat.


    ¡°Good, because I have no problem helping you make a lot of money. I just want our dealings to be straight."


    "That''s good to hear," I can almost imagine the faceless man on the other end of my connection smiling. "How about you contact me in two weeks or if something should come up."


    ¡°I can do that,¡± I agree with his plan.


    ¡°And Miss Aaliyah.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    "I''d appreciate it if you keep that communicator secret and secure. The nobility covets magic devices as rare as the one in your hand, no matter which kingdom they hail from."


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me these would fetch a fortune if I can make more,¡± I grin into the magic tool.


    "You could!?" Giovanni begins to shout before catching himself. "Yes, if you can make more, they would be worth a lot of money," he tells me in a calm voice, trying to hide his excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Giovanni coughs to clear his throat. ¡°This was more productive than I thought. I¡¯ll be waiting for your call.¡±


    ¡°Treat Kervin nice,¡± I add in before I remove my mana from the communication device. "I still want him to be my go-between once everything is cleared up."


    ¡°That was always a given,¡± Giovanni reassures me.


    "Good, I''ll contact you later." After I say that, I reabsorb my mana from the magic tool and watch the enchantment dim. I know it was a subtle power move, but I wanted to be the one to hang up first.


    Twirling around, I start walking back to my village. I leveled my skills today and got my hands on this beauty; I throw the magic tool up in the air and catch it.


    "Today was a better day than I could''ve hoped for." I whistle Country Road all the way home, excited for the future.

 Ch: 83

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    As my men tear my tent down for me, I adjust my armor and take in the morning air. The smell of the forest enhances the spring breeze.


    I hear the forest birds chirping in the distance, creating a soothing melody anybody would enjoy.


    ¡°Do the flying rats never shut up?!¡± Young Jason complains nearby. ¡°Is it too much to ask for some peace and quiet?¡± Poor Jason curses, starting to develop dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep he¡¯s been getting.


    ¡°Still not used to the sounds of the forest, I see,¡± I chuckle at the city boy. ¡°You know the birds won¡¯t hurt you, right?¡±


    Young Jason frowns and looks like he''s considering stabbing me. "Not all of us are invincible as you, sir," Jason venomously retorts. "When something snaps a branch outside my tent, it worries me. If I had your stats, I wouldn¡¯t care about the noises at night either. It must be nice knowing nothing can hurt you."


    I give young Jason a sad smile. ¡°I wish that were true, Jason. But there are still many things in this world that can kill me.¡± Looking out into the forest, I remember the dragon¡¯s breath and how much damage I suffered from blocking it, it was the closest I¡¯ve come to death in a long time, even more so than my fight with General Pitz.


    Jason nervously looks around our camp, thinking I¡¯m talking about the invisible beasts the village head warned us about. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re watching us?¡± He nervously asks me.


    Jason is too preoccupied scanning the woods to see the smile on my face. "Perhaps, what do you think, General Pitz?" I ask my silent companion standing next to me.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing out there," General Pitz dryly remarks. Even suppressed as she is, General Pitz would be the first of us to notice anything dangerous trying to creep up on us.


    The general¡¯s words calm young Jason down. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ve been expecting some sort of monster to pop out of nowhere since we entered the forest.¡±


    "I know, it''s too bad we haven''t seen one yet," I grin at Jason. General Pitz hums in agreement; she must be interested in the invisible spiders as well.


    ¡°The two of you are nuts,¡± Jason nervously scans the tree line once more before my men finish packing up our supplies.


    I offer General Pitz a hand to help her back up on the jelen. Usually, she¡¯d swat my outstretched hand away, but General Pitz has reluctantly started to accept my help over the last few days and lets me help her mount the animal. It¡¯s fun to tease her at times, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t respect her.


    Since we started heading to Spotted Creek Village, I¡¯ve noticed a slight change in her emotions. The general tries to keep up a neutral facade around me, knowing I¡¯m always keeping an eye on her. But in rare moments, I see an excited look on her face. A look that¡¯s appearing more frequently the closer we get to the village.


    The general¡¯s excitement has only fueled my curiosity, and after pushing hard yesterday, we should make it to the village in under an hour if we hustle.


    ¡°Why would anyone build a village this far out?¡± Young Jason complains as we start trekking down the forest trail. ¡°No one travels this deep into the forest.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. This trail has seen more travel than most of the villages we¡¯ve been to. If you look closely, you can see the signs that a cart has been through here regularly. And if it weren''t used, this trail would be much more overgrown than it is." Jason is surprised upon hearing this and tries to look for the details he missed as I point them out.


    I mention it out loud, but I notice this trail has obviously been frequently used. One particular set of wagon tracks is especially deep, meaning something heavy was delivered to the village recently.


    Our trip remains uneventful until one of my forward scouts slowly drifts back to the middle of our formation, where young Jason and I are walking next to General Pitz on her jelen.


    ¡°Sir,¡± the scout motions to the side of the trail.


    ¡°I noticed,¡± I tell him. The scout nods and moves back into position


    ¡°Noticed what?¡± Jason curiously asks me.


    I ignore Jason''s question and look up at General Pitz. We make eye contact with each other, trying to read each other''s minds. I make no effort to hid my happy expression while General Pitz remains stone-faced under my scrutiny. Her only tell is that she''s gripping the jelen''s reigns too tightly.


    Jason notices our stare-down and asks worriedly, ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°A scout,¡± I finally tell him, without turning away from the general.


    "So, every village has had scouts waiting for us." I don''t look at Jason, but I can hear the confusion in his voice.


    ¡°Those were hunters watching the roads,¡± I explain to him. ¡°The person who just spotted us was above level 50, not something you usually see in a small village.¡±


    General Pitz decides to break our eye contact, choosing to stare ahead of us rather than pretend she doesn''t know anything.


    I briefly consider this might be some sort of trap to recover the general, but I quickly dismiss that possibility. We¡¯re too far away from any of Olebert¡¯s forces, and visiting this village wasn¡¯t even on our original schedule. That doesn¡¯t take away the fact someone above level 50 was watching this road.


    ¡°Level 50!¡± Jason exclaims.


    I can understand his shock. Even in Scholl, where strength is revered and rewarded, it''s rare for villagers to reach level 50. If a person reaches level 40 in their lifetime, it''s because they worked hard for it. But for a villager to reach level 50, it takes talent, drive, and altogether opportunity. Unless a villager joins the army and receives help, they rarely pass the level 50 mark.


    The squad I brought with us consists of two scouts around level 50, fourteen soldiers around level 45, a mage at level 53, another mage at level 57, their two guardians at level 62 and 64, while the commander is level 72.


    It takes on average five years of training for a villager to reach the levels required to be a soldier and even longer to reach a higher-ranking position.


    As soon as someone reaches level 50, they''re considered superior, and the nobility tries everything they can to draw in such individuals. So, why is someone like that out here?


    ¡°Men, keep an eye out. This isn''t a typical village we''re heading to!"


    ¡°Sir!¡± They all sound off together, acknowledging my orders. Jason pales a bit and moves closer to me, knowing I¡¯m the safest person to stand next to should something go wrong.


    A spark of excitement lights a fire in my chest.


    What kind of village produces a level 50 woodsman? I can¡¯t wait to find out!


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°That was a nice little warm-up run,¡± I joke to Mom.


    "Funny," mom wheezes out as she wipes the sweat from her face.


    We''ve just finished our morning run together, and I''m about to start round two, where I use my movement skills. Mom has leveled up her Running skill quite a bit since we started running together, but she''s not to the point she can keep up with me if I use any of my skills.


    ¡°You think we can finish brothers tassel when I get back?¡± I ask mom as she starts to catch her breath.


    "Maybe," mom answers coyly. "If we don''t finish your brother¡¯s tassel today, we can always finish it during your next break." Mom smirks at me, knowing my dislike for sewing. Give me a hammer or any other tool, and I''m good to go; ask me to sew a three-inch seam, and my Dexterity immediately drops to zero.


    ¡°Why do I get the feeling your stalling on purpose?¡± I narrow my eyes at Mom.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Mom cocks her head to the side, smiling like a saint.


    Now I know she¡¯s stalling!


    I''m about to make a snappy remark when a bell starts ringing in the distance.


    ¡°Is that?¡± I ask Mom as her eyes widen in fear. A few other villagers going about their day nearby freeze for a second before running off in a panic.


    That¡¯s the emergency bell ringing! There is only one thing that can mean.


    Scholl is approaching the village!


    "Get inside, Mom!" I fling open our door with my right hand and push mom inside with my left. Once she is inside, I follow her in and run to my room, not bothering to remove my shoes.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Mom chases after me and stands in my doorway, watching me throw on my armor. ¡°Stay here with me,¡± she pleads as I put my helmet on.


    "I can''t," I tell her as I grab my axe resting nearby. I double-check my dagger and sword are correctly fastened before I move to leave my room.


    Mom blocks the doorway with tears in her eyes. ¡°Please,¡± she begs in a quiet voice.


    I swiftly move over to mom and wrap her in a hug. ¡°I have to go,¡± I whisper in her ear.


    Her grip tightens around me, not wanting to let go, so I pick her up and move her out of my way. I gently separate myself from my mother and make for the front door.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Lock the door after me!¡± I tell her, slamming the door close as soon as I''m outside before Mom can argue with me.


    I wish I could stay with her, but I know where I need to be.


    Using Double Step, I run towards Camden''s house. There''s been plenty of discussions should Scholl come to our village and everyone knows where they should be. Those with non-physical builds should hide in their homes while everyone else gathers at Camden¡¯s house to be given a weapon.


    When I arrive at the headman¡¯s house, people have already gathered and started helping to drag all the weapons out from Camden¡¯s basement. The spears I made are being passed around along with the other weapons that were stored with them. As villagers arm themselves, I see Camden wearing a set of worn leather armor, standing next to his family and Ronald.


    All three of Camden''s children are wearing nicer sets of armor, especially Sandra. Mages are the first ones targeted in a fight, after all.


    My special armor and the large axe I''m carrying stick out in the crowd, and I''m quickly noticed.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Sandra sees me and calls me over.


    Villagers step aside as I make my way over to the small group.


    ¡°They¡¯re here?¡± I ask as soon as I stand in front of Camden.


    ¡°They are,¡± Camden says in a somber tone. ¡°Ronald spotted a whole platoon of them approaching.¡±


    ¡°They noticed me,¡± Ronald briefly mutters.


    Shit! If they noticed Ronald when he was hiding, then they have to be around his level or higher. Why the hell are people like that coming to our village? If one or two showed up the alarm wouldn¡¯t have been raised, but a whole platoon, seriously!?


    ¡°How is everything going here?¡± I ask, trying to keep the nervousness from my voice.


    ¡°People are grabbing their weapons and moving towards the front of the village. We¡¯ll try to keep Scholl from entering,¡± Camden hastily explains.


    ¡°How far out are they?¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes,¡± Camden tells me.


    ¡°You should head over and start organizing people into ranks,¡± I suggest to Camden. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Master.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be needed.¡± I¡¯m surprised to hear Master¡¯s voice.


    We all turn to see Del walking over, wearing his armor and carrying his largest hammer.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you would be joining us,¡± Camden looks relieved to see Master.


    Del scoffs at Camden''s remark. "I''m here to watch over my apprentice, not to help the village," Master says that but I don''t think anyone believes him.


    ¡°No matter the reason, I¡¯m grateful,¡± Camden briefly bows his head.


    I expect Master to demand a proper thank you, stone kin style, but he doesn¡¯t. Master Del just turns to me. "Stay next to me, kid. Your mother will kill me if something happens to you."


    ¡°She¡¯ll kill both of us,¡± I lightly joke.


    Master and I share a smile which is quickly interrupted by Camden. ¡°We need to head to the front of the village.¡±


    Time is of the essence, so our group of people rushes to the front of the village together. Camden Starts organizing everybody based on their weapons. The people who were given a sword from Camden''s collection are also given one of the bucklers I made and put on the front lines. Most of the villagers are armed with the spears I made, and Camden must have considered the possibility of Scholl attacking our village because his plan isn¡¯t something you¡¯d think of on the fly.


    Camden orders those with axes to chop down the nearby trees and stack them to create a rudimentary wall. He instructs the villagers with spears to stand behind the logs and stab anyone who tries to get over them. It won''t do much against people with high physical stats, but every little bit helps.


    While everyone is scrambling around preparing everything, I see Dad join the party in his thickest tunic, wielding his best axe. Dad scans the crowd and sees me looking at him. He walks over to me, and I can see the sad look on his face.


    ¡°Mom?¡± I knowingly ask him.


    Dad nods his head. "It was hard to leave her in that state." He must have gone back home before he came here and saw mom.


    ¡°Aaliyah, if something should happen, I want,¡± dad starts telling me in a somber voice.


    I stop dad before he can raise any flags. "Whatever you want to tell me, we can discuss it after we apologize to mom for leaving her home."


    Dad looks like he wants to say something else but stops when he sees my resolve. ¡°Later then,¡± he mumbles.


    Dad still looks tense, so I help him the only way I know how. I lightly elbow him, "you looked pretty heroic there for a second. Show that to mom, and we''ll get off scot-free."


    Dad smiles a little. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    The two of us work together to help erect more log barriers until another scout runs up the trail and informs everyone that Scholl is five minutes out.


    ¡°Alright, everyone, get into position!" Camden shouts. "You four, back up! You two, move forward! Nobody is to attack unless I order it! A fight is the last thing we want, but show no fear to our guests!" Camden reminds everyone that our goal is to show our strength, so we aren''t taken advantage of, not start an unwinnable war.


    We have log barriers on either side of the clearing with a gap in the middle. Camden stands in the opening, with a line of villagers in front of him, ready to negotiate with whoever is coming. Master, dad, and I stand next to Camden, being the best physical fighters, while Sandra stands in the back with the archers, guarded by brother.


    The next five minutes are tense as everything becomes quiet. The sound of marching footsteps slowly grows louder until the first two Scholl soldiers round the trail and stop when they see us. Both of them are in light armor and look surprised to see us.


    One of them whistles, and the rest of Scholl''s soldiers neatly march into sight, unperturbed by our show of force.


    I feel my chest tighten as I scan the soldiers. I don''t use Sense Soul to its full potential, but I use it to gather a rough estimate of everyone''s level. Most of them are in the ''40s, four of them are in the ''50s, two are in the 60''s range, one above level 70 like me, and¡­.


    Oh, fuck!


    I feel the blood drain from my face when I scan the lady on the jelen and the old man standing next to her.


    Both of their souls are massive, easily eclipsing Masters!


    They aren''t as terrifying as the soul eater, but both of them are surely over level 100. And their gear!


    The woman ridding the jelen is wearing multiple magic bands that seem to contain and hide her true power. But the old man with feathers in his beard, he''s wearing a full set of invisible armor! The magic contained in his equipment is ridiculous. The magic Gem hidden under the plate on his back is the size of a fuckin apple!


    The old man scans our fortifications, smiling and nodding like a proud grandfather at his grandkids building a sandcastle. He¡¯s not worried in the slightest.


    I need to warn Camden before he pisses off a pair of monsters!


    **********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    Would you look at this!


    I can barely contain my excitement. The last five days were worth it to see such a great village.


    Young Jason gulps loudly, seeing the armed villagers leveling their weapons at us. And what great weapons they are! Which one of them was the talented blacksmith who made them?


    I scan over the weaker villagers until I see the pair standing next to who I suspect is the village headman. I have to keep myself from shouting in joy when I see the Stone kin. Those hermits never leave their mountainous kingdoms.


    So why is he here?


    The answer is obvious when I don¡¯t sense much mana in him. He¡¯s an exile then, one who can¡¯t use magic. Was he able to make those spears without sensing magic? Maybe with a skill?


    No, I doubt it.


    Then the red-haired child standing next to him, maybe? I try sensing her mana levels and am surprised not to feel anything. That means she''s wearing a mana obscuring magic tool. What level is she?


    I activate Measure Opponent, a skill I gained after countless battles, only to choke after inhaling too quickly.


    "Master Pacore," young Jason looks at me, concerned when I start coughing.


    "I''m fine," I shoo the boy away and glance up at General Pitz. She''s staring at the girl with a shocked expression as well, as she should. I''ve never met someone who has reached such a high level at such a young age in all my years of living.


    Not even royalty can level that fast, and they have an entire kingdom of recourses behind them.


    I examine the people around her just to make sure my skill isn''t broken. That''s when I notice other individuals of note. The headman is over level 50. I spot the archer who observed us earlier, also above level 50. Each place I look, I see more talented individuals hidden amongst the villagers. They even have a mage in the back, readying a spell. She and the boy next to her also have a high level for their age, but nothing comparable to the child standing next to the Stone kin.


    ¡°Talent, everywhere,¡± I whisper to myself.


    I look back at the red-haired girl next to the stone kin and see she''s paled a bit since I last glanced at her. She''s looking between General Pitz and me with obvious worry in her eyes.


    She can properly judge a person¡¯s strength too?!


    I want nothing more than to rush over to the girl and demand she become my apprentice.


    ¡°Welcome, soldiers of Scholl. Spotted Creek Village welcomes you!¡± The headman waves his arms in a grand gesture, with the confidence of a small army backing him.


    It¡¯s hard to suppress my laughter. The headman has quite a few strong people backing him, especially that stone kin. But all his bolstering is pointless with me here.


    It becomes even harder not to laugh when I see the red-haired girl snap her head to the side and look at the headman like he''s lost it. She hurries to his side and whispers in his ear.


    The headman''s confident smile immediately turns into a look of utter dread. To his credit, the headman fixes his expression like a seasoned politician before any of the other villagers'' notice. She must have warned him of my strength.


    Let¡¯s see how he deals with me now? ¡°And what a welcome it is!¡± I confidently take a step forward. ¡°Do I take this as a sign your village objects to Scholl¡¯s rule?¡±


    The headman grounds his teeth, thinking of an answer, while the girl moves back next to the stone kin. Both of them look ready to rush in despite knowing they wouldn''t win. If they do attack, I''d have to hold the two of them off while the commander deals with the rest.


    The headman takes a few deep breaths and finally finds his answer. ¡°Our village does not object to Scholl¡¯s rule. You can¡¯t fault our reactions when you march a platoon of soldiers to our village. We may be weaker than you, but we won¡¯t roll over when threatened.¡±


    Good, I like this man. Despite knowing our strength, he doesn¡¯t bow under pressure. He¡¯d be a village head in Scholl as well if he were born there.


    "Then you''ll be happy to know this is merely my escort," I motion to my men. "I''m traveling to local villages as the representative of Scholl like our letter said. You did get our letter, right?"


    ¡°We did.¡±


    "As an official representing Scholl, I need people to keep me safe." Spotted Creek''s headman frowns. I hear a few snickers from the soldiers around me, but we''re too far away for the villagers to hear them. "How about this, I leave my men here, and you sit down with my two advisors and me?" I gesture to young Jason, who looks like a nervous rabbit, and General Pitz.


    I''ve successfully put the headman in a difficult position; he either has to acknowledge he''s scared to be alone with me, to his entire village, or risk a private meeting.


    The headman is displeased by my ultimatum, but as a good headman should, he takes responsibility for his people. "I accept; the three of you can follow me, but I''ll be bringing along a few of my own trusted people too."


    "Of course," I grin at the headman.


    I help General Pitz down from the jelen and pat Jason on the back, reassuring him everything will be alright.


    While we walk over to the headman, I see him whispering with the Stone kin and the red-hared girl. Both of them nod and take a position on either side of him. I was hoping he would bring her along. It''s only natural they escort us because the two of them appear to be the strongest fighters in the village.


    We reach the front line of villagers who are still leveling their spears at us. It¡¯s nice to see they don¡¯t have much fear in their eyes, but I know that would change if they knew who they were dealing with.


    "Let them through." The headman issues an order, and the villagers warily part enough for us to walk through them. "Nicolas, you''re in charge. If you hear any commotion from the village, assume the worst."


    "I understand, father." The young man who resembles the headman glares at me as we approach. It makes sense that the headman''s child is just as capable as his father.


    When I stand in front of Spotted Creek¡¯s headman, I expect him to at least flinch a little under the weight of my pressure, but he straightens his back and looks me in the eye. ¡°You can follow me this way.¡±


    The headman leads us through the quiet village while the girl and stone kin keep an eye on us. I see him leading us to an impressive house that must be his home, but I''m too excited to sit indoors. "Your village is beautiful," when I break the ice, all three of them jump slightly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the headman awkwardly replies.


    ¡°Your village is doing much better than the others we¡¯ve visited. I don¡¯t suppose you would show me your fields?¡± He doesn¡¯t have a reason to deny my request. It¡¯s safer for him if we stay outside.


    "I suppose that''s ok; follow me this way." The headman shifts our course and walks us through the rest of the village.


    But now that we have a simple dialog going, I don''t need to hold myself back. "I was told you had a goblin problem. But I can see how you handled it. Did you fend them off yourselves, or did the local lord send help?"


    "News of the war had already reached the village by the time we noticed the goblins. The local lord said he''d send hunters after it was taken care of." The headman sounds awkward, mentioning the fact we were expected to lose. I glance at General Pitz to see her reaction, but she''s working hard keeping a neutral expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that didn¡¯t work out,¡± I joke to the headman, seeing how he reacts to my jab.


    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t.¡± He flatly answers me.


    ¡°Must have been thanks to these two,¡± I grin at the girl walking to our left. She looks me straight in the eye, and for a moment, I feel naked under her gaze.


    "The whole village participated in the hunt. We lost good people," The headman notices my interest in the girl. I''m not the only one either, General Pitz might be keeping a straight face, but she hasn''t taken her eyes off the girl since she started escorting us.


    ¡°I could only imagine a village facing the threat of a horde on its own. You did well repelling them,¡± I offer my sincere praise, but I don¡¯t think the headman sees it that way.


    "We survived," is all he answers.


    ¡°And the magic beasts?¡± I ask. ¡°The last village said you unleashed them on the forest.¡±


    ¡°Some blamed us, yes, but most understood it was out of our control. They were hunting the goblins and forced them out of the magic dense region of the forest."


    "I''m curious, were are the beasts? I was hoping to see one on the way here, but nothing appeared. Are they really invisible?" As I ask my questions, I cast a side glance at the girl again; she''s still watching my every move. "Did you help hunt them too?" I ask the red-haired girl to her face.


    "That''s none of your business," she icily tells me. I can see that she''s cautious of me, but I get the feeling she''s trying to think of a way to defeat me. She has the same look as Tabitha does when we spar.


    The headman tries to bring my attention back to him. ¡°The magic beasts turned out to be giant spiders that could camouflage themselves in the trees.¡±


    "That sounds interesting," I pretend to switch my focus to the headman, but I''m more interested in the young girl. Now that I''m close to her, I can tell she''s much younger than Jason. Her vitality makes her exact age hard to predict, but I''d wager she''s around twenty. "Are they still in the forest? I can send my men in to clear them out if you want?" I offer.


    "There''s no need," the headman tells me. "When it started to snow, we were able to spot them. We haven''t seen one in quite a while. If any of them survived the frost, I''m sure they retreated to the deeper parts of the forest by now."


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± I remark. ¡°But it sounds like you managed to kill a few. Does that mean you have magic beast materials?¡±


    The headman glances at the stone kin before answering me. ¡°All the materials were given to our village¡¯s blacksmith or sold in Drey.¡±


    "I don''t suppose you have any extra, do you?" I ask the grumpy-looking stone kin.


    ¡°No,¡± he flatly responds.


    ¡°Worth a try, I suppose,¡± all three of our guides frown at my flippant remark.


    We leave the village, and I''m not surprised to see a large field hidden behind the village. It looks like they just planted some new crops too.


    ¡°If you got our message, then you know that we¡¯re looking for food. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d reject a few extra hands if we sent them to your village, would you?¡±


    ¡°We have plenty of farmers,¡± the headman flatly responds to me.


    "A pity, but I''d figured you answer like that. Young Jason here will go over some of the minor details." Now that we''re away from all the spear-wielding villagers, young Jason is much more relaxed. He moves up and confidently starts discussing taxes with the headman.


    While the headman is preoccupied with Jason, I turn to the spitfire redhead. ¡°That¡¯s a nice axe you¡¯re carrying. I take it your friend made it for you,¡± I motion towards the stone kin who¡¯s now glaring at me.


    The girl doesn''t respond and only blankly looks at me. She''d probably turn her head away if she didn''t need to watch us. It''s too late for her not to draw attention to herself.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so cold with me,¡± I let out a soft chuckle. ¡°If you¡¯re going to stare at me like that, you can at least give me your name.¡±


    The girl grits her teeth before reluctantly answering. ¡°It¡¯s Aaliyah.¡±


    I smile not only because I got her to talk but because I didn''t miss the slight jolt her name sent through General Pitz. "Aaliyah, that''s a beautiful name, just as beautiful as your axe and armor. I especially like the maker''s mark, a flower on a hammer, that''s quite unique."


    Aaliyah tightens her grip on her axe. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She lies beautifully.


    I may be old now, but I still remember what Charm and Acting influence feels like from my younger days. The former is surprisingly higher than the latter, but she does have a wild beauty to her. Ordinary people wouldn''t be able to remain unaffected by her, but I''ve already seen how special she is.


    I''m almost certain the arrow the general used against me came from this village. The spears the villagers were using match the ones Olebert''s soldiers in the fort were wielding. Based on the stone kin''s hammer, he doesn''t work with magic materials, while Aaliyah uses a kaglese axe, which is popular with Olebert knights.


    All the evidence points to the girl in front of me being a once in a millennia genius.


    Aaliyah flinches when I smugly grin at her.


    Now how do I make her mine?

 CH: 84

    If this old man weren''t wearing an invisible helmet right now, I''d try socking him in his creepy face.


    I knew the old man and lady would be trouble the second I saw them, but things are turning out for the worst. Being the second strongest person in the village, I was responsible for standing front and center when Scholl arrived. And if Scholl sent anybody else to our village, I would''ve gone unnoticed.


    I would¡¯ve liked nothing more than to remain back at the front of the village with everybody else, but master and I are the only ones capable of standing up to these two monsters.


    And as my luck would have it, the lady and old man haven''t taken their eyes off me since we started walking them through the village together. The quiet lady is unnerving, but the old man is relentless with his staring.


    I''m guessing the lady isn''t dangerous until she unseals her power, meaning I''ll aim for her first if a fight breaks out. The old man, on the other hand, is a different story. The more I scan him, the more I''m convinced I''d be unable to scratch the cocky geezer.


    I only have a general sense of the runes inscribed on his armor, but I can tell it isn''t just invisibility. His armor is not only the most robust alloy I''ve ever seen, but it''s also enchanted to reduce the impact of magic as well. And that isn''t even including the fact that it''s fuckin invisible!


    His armor alone is enough to make me want to run rather than fight, and I haven''t had the chance to scratch the other magic items he has spread all over his body. The sword on his hip is at least ten times better than my scimitar, and who knows what other enchantments he has on him.


    My original plan was to have master grab Camden and run away while I overpowered my flame spell again as I did with the bandits. However, the more I look at the old man, the more I realize my plan wouldn¡¯t work.


    The only way I''ll be able to hurt him is if I can freeform my own spell as I did against the soul eater, and I doubt he''d stand still for me.


    I tried lying about the spears, but judging by the old man¡¯s growing smile, he isn¡¯t falling for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious, why stay out here? With your talent, you could¡¯ve walked into Olebert¡¯s capitol and demanded the best master accept you as his disciple. Why limit yourself?¡± The old man drills me again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± I try to deflect again with my skills active, but it doesn¡¯t work.


    ¡°I think you know what I mean,¡± he confidently smiles at me.


    Shit, playing dumb is getting me nowhere. The old man is just pushing me further into a corner.


    I glance away from the old man for a moment and see we¡¯ve become everyone¡¯s focus. Camden and Master are nervously watching me while the aid, which I think was called Jason by the old man, scampers over to the woman who''s also nervously watching us.


    I harden my resolve and look the old man in the eye. "You''re asking a lot of personal questions for someone who has yet to introduce himself."


    The old man throws his head back and starts laughing. ¡°You¡¯re right, I haven''t given you my name yet, have I? You can call me Pacore. In my homeland, I''m known as Master Pacore the deathless, one of the pillars of Scholl."


    As the old man gives me his name, his aura changes. The pressure radiating off Pacore becomes a physical weight on my shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye, I see master readying to strike while Camden and Jason have dropped to their knees.


    I look Pacore in the eyes and with all my resolve ask him, ¡°are you done yet?¡±


    The pressure vanishes, and Pacore laughs at my defiant look. "Good, very good. Not even my commanders can stand up to me when I release my pressure. You know how strong I am, and yet you aren''t afraid; that''s commendable."


    It''s my turn to snicker. It''s not that I don''t fear him; it''s just that I''ve come face to face with a monster scarier than he is, and no matter how intimidating Pacore is, his presence is nothing compared to literal gods. Even if he''s high leveled, he''s only a man.


    Pacore¡¯s smile slips momentarily when I start giggling. ¡°I have to say that¡¯s not the reaction I was expecting,¡± he notes my seemingly weird behavior.


    This is the first time the old geezer has lost his footing, so I capitalize on the opening. I confidently step closer to him. "I have seen much scarier than you. What is one man compared to the monsters of this world?"


    Everything turns silent after my question. Pacore and the unnamed lady are taken back by my sudden change in demeanor.


    Pacore''s expression hardens, and we stare at each other. There isn''t a trace of anger in his eyes. I get the feeling he knows all too well where he stands in this world. He¡¯s seen a monster just as I have and lived to tell the tale.


    ¡°And what monster has a level 74 child seen?¡± Pacore asks me in a curious tone.


    Like I''ll let you retake the lead.


    I activate Sense Soul and zero in on Pacore¡¯s and the woman¡¯s soul. Both of them twitch under my gaze and look at me in wide-eyed wonder.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about the beast that haunts your dreams first?¡± I challenge Pacore. ¡°I¡¯m curious what beast someone at level 152 and 127 finds dangerous?¡±


    The tension in the air becomes palpable after I reveal their levels. Pacore turns and looks at the woman behind him, and the two of them share a silent conversation with their eyes. It almost looks like they didn''t know each other''s levels.


    Master Pacore eventually turns back to me and asks me in a cold voice, "my level is one of my kingdom¡¯s greatest secrets. How are you going to compensate me for revealing it?"


    I can¡¯t back down now. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to keep each other¡¯s secrets then,¡± I respond using the same tone.


    Tightening my grip on my axe, I ready myself for his attack.


    Pacore snorts and closes his eyes; bringing his hand up, he starts stroking his beard. "This is quite the predicament I¡¯ve put myself in, isn''t it?" The fact he''s willing to close his eyes in front of us shows how little of a threat he considers us. "You just had to go and say my level in front of the general, didn''t you?"


    What?


    I don''t understand what he''s talking about. I know I should keep quiet, but my curiosity gets the better of me. "Why does it matter if I say your level in front of your companion?" I ask Pacore.


    Pacore lets out a tired sigh. "I guess It''s my fault for bringing her with me in the first place," he mumbles before opening his eyes, looking straight at me. Pacore points over his shoulder at the woman standing next to Jason, "she''s my prisoner. You gave away my level to one of Olebert¡¯s top generals.¡±


    Camden, master, and I look past Pacore and stare at the woman standing behind him.


    She''s a prisoner?! Those magic bands she''s wearing are not to hide her power but seal it completely.


    A high-ranking general captured by Scholl. That means she can only be her, "you''re General Pitz!" I exclaim in shock.


    ¡°I am,¡± the general mumbles in a defeated voice.


    ¡°So, you see why this is a problem,¡± Pacore cuts in. ¡°One, I can only see a single solution to.¡±


    Does he think he can silence all of us!? If that''s really General Pitz, then we only have to worry about Pacore. He may have a high level, but if master and I work together, we might be able to take him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to take responsibility¡­,¡± he tells me.


    With my life, I know where this is going. As soon as he moves to draw his sword, I¡¯ll attack. As soon as Pacore starts his next sentence, I rush forward.


    ¡°By becoming my student,¡± Pacore boldly proclaims.


    Axe raised over my head; I stumble forward after hearing Pacore¡¯s demand.


    ¡°You want me to what?¡± I ask in disbelief.


    Pacore, unperturbed by my raised weapon, grins at me. ¡°I need compensation for releasing my level to Scholl¡¯s enemies, and I can¡¯t think of anything more valuable than taking you in as my newest student.¡± Pacore starts laughing with all the confidence in the world.


    Mouth open, I stare at him dumbfounded.


    ***********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    It''s excellent seeing Aaliyah''s shocked reaction. She was ready to charge me just now, but it looks like she''s forgotten all about that.


    That look of confidence in her eyes as she raised her axe was beautiful. She honestly thought she and that stone kin could defeat me. Her courage is commendable. Stupid, but commendable.


    She makes such beautiful weapons.


    She can see through my strength and accurately determine my level, a feat that hasn''t been done since I passed level 110.


    And she has the courage of a cornered beast, with the level to back it up.


    I shudder, thinking about what other talents she might be hiding. If I make her my student, I''m sure she''ll pass me one day and take my place as Scholl''s pillar.


    Resources, money, expertise, I can give her everything she needs to become a paragon in this world.


    In a few years, she might even grow strong enough to help us defeat the dragon!


    The knowledge of my level leaking is nothing in comparison to what this young girl represents. She will be my greatest¡­!


    ¡°I refuse!¡±


    Did the world just stop turning? I stand frozen in place, not comprehending what I just heard. ¡°What was that?¡± I ask Aaliyah, not sure if I heard her correctly.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°I said, I refuse,¡± she calmly repeats herself.


    Are the gods themselves playing a joke on me?


    "I already have a great master," Aaliyah tells me before looking at the Stone kin and smiling. The Stone kin shakes his head in a reproaching manner, but the smile on his face contradicts himself.


    Everyone else is just as surprised as I am; even the village''s headman looks shocked she turned down my offer.


    I¡­


    I¡¯m at a loss for words!


    "What happens now?" She asks me like she didn''t just turn down a once-in-a-lifetime offer.


    Everyone looks to me for my answer, and I''m still stunned in place. I fearlessly faced down a dragon, one of the most feared creatures in this world, without pause. And here I am, rendered speechless by a village girl, a mere fraction of my age.


    ¡°Master Pacore?¡± Young Jason calls out to me.


    ¡°I think you killed him,¡± I hear General Pitz snicker behind me.


    I should be mad. A commoner turned me down. I have a right to be furious.


    ¡°Why?¡± I calmly ask her. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re turning down?¡±


    Aaliyah gives me an awkward smile. "I can roughly guess," she responds.


    ¡°You would receive anything you need,¡± I point out to her. ¡°Scholl would give you training, materials, anything you could possibly ask for, it would be given to you. You would stand above thousands, hundreds of thousands! My majesty would give you land, a title!¡±


    Aaliyah''s smile becomes more strained like I''m an ordinary merchant trying to force his wares onto her.


    "Tell me what you desire, and it will be yours," I hold out my hand. "Become my apprentice, no, my successor."


    Everyone but Aaliyah gasps at my offer including her master who¡¯s standing next to her. But I don''t care about anyone else right now; I keep my eyes focused on Aaliyah.


    When she lets out a tired sigh, my heart drops.


    ¡°And what if I ask for freedom?¡± Her voice rings in my ears. ¡°If I took you up on your offer, would I be allowed to travel the world? You see me and are impressed with my strength, but the two of us use our strength for different purposes. You asked me why I¡¯m out here? The answer is the same reason I¡¯m turning you down right now.¡±


    The more she speaks, the more resolve I hear in her voice.


    "You want me to eventually take over your position, to lead Scholl''s armies to victory?" She asks me, shaking her head. "That is not who I am. I have fought monsters, both beasts from the forest and those who look like you and me. I may enjoy the challenge, but I don''t enjoy killing. You''d ask me to swear allegiance to your king and help win your wars. It''s the same thing as being shackled to any other noble. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t left my village yet. I¡¯m not strong enough to stand on my own.¡±


    ¡°I can help you gain that strength,¡± I quickly offer.


    "I can gain strength by myself," she says stubbornly. ¡°Through blacksmithing and hard work, I¡¯ll reach your level with my own two hands.¡±


    Preposterous! Does she think she can reach my level through sheer hard work and willpower?! It''s only thanks to his majesty''s backing and the wealth of a country that I''ve made it to where I am today.


    I want to grab the infuriating child and shake some sense into her, but her eyes¡­


    Her eyes have no uncertainty in them. She has the look of someone who has no doubt she¡¯ll reach her goals.


    Such passion!


    Such Drive!


    Why did she have to refuse me?!


    A heavy silence hangs over all of us. Now that Aaliyah has thoroughly turned me down, a choice needs to be made.


    If I leave her be, she could become a threat to Scholl in the future. General Pitz knows about her, and once she''s ransomed back to Olebert, the general would be a fool if she didn''t send people out to secure her. The weapons Aaliyah makes are already reason enough to fight over her. In the future, she might even rival Stone kin masters.


    If I try to drag her back with me, she and her master will fight to the death, that I''m sure of.


    Do I kill her now, or leave her and hope Aaliyah doesn¡¯t turn on Scholl in the future?


    I glance over my shoulder at General Pitz to gauge her reaction and see she''s gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. So, she''s ready to attack me, too, even though she''s sealed.


    Things continue to become more complicated by the minute.


    I take a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Decisions like this shouldn¡¯t be made lightly. I¡¯ll need time to think things through.


    I turn my attention to the village''s headman. The man flinches backward, seeing my emotionless face. "What''s your name?" I flatly question him.


    ¡°Camden Downs, my lord,¡± he bows his head, unable to hold my gaze.


    "Headman Downs, my people will camp in front of your village." I leave no room for him to negotiate or argue. Looking back at Aaliyah, I see her spirit has remained strong and that she hasn''t changed her mind in the slightest. "We both need time to think. I''ll be back to talk with you tomorrow."


    Aliyah''s eyes widen in surprise, but she doesn''t say anything as I start to walk back towards my men. "Jason, hurry along, and don''t forget to bring General Pitz with you," I call out behind me.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± I hear him shout. I keep my pace slow until I hear his and General Pitz''s footsteps catch up to me. Neither of them says anything as we make our way back through the village.


    When we approach the villagers, still ready to defend their village, the headman''s son watches our lone approach with worry in his eyes. "Where is my father?" He points his sword at me. The level 50 archer stands next to him, but I''m too mentally exhausted to answer him.


    The young man''s face becomes strained as I walk past him without saying a word. He looks ready to order an attack when young Jason answers for me. "Your headman is back in the village, unharmed."


    The boy motions for someone to go check on his father, but I don''t care about that. I release a bit of pressure and the villagers part in front of me.


    ¡°Master Pacore, sir?¡± My commander walks up to me, seeing the complicated look on my face.


    ¡°We¡¯re camping here for the day. Have the men set up the tents a little way away from the village,¡± I curtly issue my orders.


    The commander must realize I''m not in the mood to talk. He salutes me and takes off, issuing my orders. My tent is prioritized first, and I soon have a quiet place to retreat to.


    Leaving my armor on, I collapse on my bedroll, going over every option I can think of regarding Aaliyah.


    ¡°Do I really need to kill such talent?¡± I question the gods.


    Silence is my only answer.


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    My heart pounds in my chest as we watch Pacore walk away.


    When Pacore and his group are out of sight, all the tension leaves my body, and I collapse to the ground. For a second there, all my instincts screamed at me to run. I was sure he was going to attack after I turned him down. Is he going to attack the village because of me? I start trembling, thinking about all the repercussions everyone might face because of my actions.


    Master walks over to me and bends down. He starts rubbing his hands in circles on my back, trying to help me calm down.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did that,¡± Camden mumbles, clearly shaken up just as much as I am.


    Hearing Camden makes me second guess myself even more. Should I rush after Pacore and take him up on his offer? The last thing I want to do is get the village destroyed because of me.


    ¡°What do you think I should¡¯ve done?¡± I ask Master.


    "You should''ve taken the deal," Master bluntly tells me. My heart drops; even Master thinks I was wrong. "But I''m happy you didn''t."


    I look to master with tears in my eyes, ¡°really?¡±


    Master Del firmly nods. ¡°You stuck to your beliefs. I can¡¯t fault you for that.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± I ask.


    Master and I look at Camden, who has his head buried in his hands, lightly groaning. Everything had just become a lot more complicated for everyone involved.


    This is why I didn''t want to leave the village. I knew something like this would happen eventually, but I never thought it would happen so soon.


    ¡°Headman Downs!¡± Our brooding is interrupted by someone running over to us. ¡°Are you all ok!? We didn¡¯t see you return with Scholl¡¯s people.¡±


    Camden jolts up, realizing we let that monster walk through our village by himself. It''s understandable how everyone must be reacting, seeing how we didn''t return with Pacore.


    Camden quickly straightens himself up and puts on a brave front. "Everything''s fine," he lies to the messenger. "Go back and tell my son to leave Scholl alone for now. Tell him, we''ll set up a watch and that everyone is to hold on to their weapons for now."


    The villager nods and takes off back through the village.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to have a meeting to discuss what happened,¡± Camden walks over to me. ¡°I¡¯ll grab my children while you find your family. Come to my house when you¡¯re ready,¡± he tells me. ¡°I need to organize the village,¡± Camden briefly explains before walking off, an invisible weight added to his shoulders.


    ¡°Come on then,¡± Master helps me to my feet. The two of us walk together back to my house.


    When we get there, I knock on the door. ¡°Mom! It¡¯s me,¡± I call out.


    There are heavy steps on the other side of the door as Mom rushes to let me in. She flings the door open and launches herself at me, wrapping me in her arms. "Are you ok?" She asks, sniffling.


    ¡°I think so,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find your dad,¡± master leaves the two of us alone.


    Mother pulls back and looks me over, searching for the slightest scratch. ¡°Did everything go according to plan?¡± She asks me, noticing I don¡¯t have a single smudge on my armor.


    I briefly think about lying to Mom to make her feel better, but that will only make what comes next that much harder. ¡°No,¡± I hang my head. ¡°Things didn¡¯t go according to plan.¡±


    Concerned, Mom asks me, ¡°what happened?¡±


    "I''ll explain in a little bit. Can you just keep hugging me for a little while longer?"


    Mom wraps her arms around me again, no questions asked. We stay like that until Master Del returns with Dad.


    Dad moves in and joins our hug, while master awkwardly stands to the side. After a minute, I tell them, ¡°we need to head to Camden¡¯s house.¡±


    It¡¯s a somber walk for us. Armed villagers are returning to their families, unsure of what¡¯s happening to the village. Scholl is camped right outside our front door, and the tension in the air has only increased.


    A few scared people are standing outside Camden''s house when we get there, but Sarette, who''s standing outside, shoos them away when she sees us coming. "I''m happy you''re all ok," she rushes over and hugs mother. "My boys are inside; they said Camden will be back soon." Sarette leads us into her house.


    We all shuffle into the drawing room. Sarette places some tea on the table, but no one takes any. Dad and Mom sit on either side of me while Master stands nearby.


    We wait like that for nearly twenty minutes before we hear the front door open.


    Camden walks into the room, followed by Ronald, Anastasia, Markus, Ezekiel, Brother, and Sandra. The drawing room is packed with people nervously glancing at one another.


    ¡°What is happening, Camden?¡± Loud Markus is the first to speak up.


    Camden looks at me, seeing if I want to explain, but I shake my head no. Mother and Father put their arms around me for support.


    Camden lets out what has to be his 100<sup>th</sup> sigh of the day and starts explaining what happened with Pacore. Everyone but those who were there during the meeting pales in fright when they hear his level. The fact that the woman with him is the captured General Pitz doesn''t do much for morale either.


    The room explodes when Camden explains how Pacore asked me to become his student and my subsequent refusal.


    ¡°You killed us all!¡± Markus yells at me. Normally, I''d have something snappy to say back, but I''m afraid he''s right this time.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t dead yet,¡± Camden tries to calm down everyone in the room.


    ¡°Yet!¡± Ezekiel exclaims. ¡°The monster is probably deciding how to burn down our village this very moment!¡±


    ¡°Say that again!¡± Dad stands up, towering over Ezekiel.


    But Ezekiel is panicking. "We''re screwed! We can''t stand up to someone like Pacore, not even if the whole village tried to kill him! And it''s all her fault!" Ezekiel points an accusing finger at me.


    That finger is all it takes to push Father over the edge. He reaches and grabs Ezekiel by his vest and hoists him into the air. Markus, Ronald, and Nicolas try to pry Ezekiel out of Dad''s iron like grip, but they can''t match his strength. It isn''t until Del moves across the room and punches Dad in the gut that he finally drops Ezekiel.


    Mom yells as Dad drops to the floor, clutching his chest. She rushes to his side while I give Del a disapproving glare, despite fully well knowing it was the only thing that stopped Dad from ripping Ezekiel¡¯s head off.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± Ezekiel continues to rant even after being freed.


    Master, who just freed Ezekiel, turns around and slaps him upside the head. Ezekiel drops to the floor, unmoving. If his chest weren''t barely moving, I''d swear that slap had killed him.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Markus stares at his unconscious friend. ¡°You just saved him?¡±


    Master snorts at Markus. "I stopped Darrius from killing him; that doesn''t mean I''m going to stand here and listen to you badmouthing my apprentice."


    Markus looks at master like he just grew another head. ¡°Your voice!¡±


    Master was so worked up he forgot to use his broken speech around Anastasia and Markus.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting off track,¡± Camden tries to reel everyone back in. ¡°Arguing won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to do anything about him!¡± Markus points at Master while yelling at Camden.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Camden calmly responds to Markus.


    ¡°And why not!?¡± He continues to shout.


    "Because I was about to do the same thing," Camden''s response causes Markus to take a wary step back. "You can''t blame Aaliyah for not wanting to join Scholl''s army. If you¡¯re going to continue to yell, you can take Ezekiel and leave.¡± That finally gets Markus to shut his mouth. ¡°We need options for tomorrow.¡±


    The room goes quiet.


    ¡°Are the two of you able to beat him?¡± Anastasia asks Master and me.


    Master hangs his head while I shake mine. "I''m not even sure we can get past his armor," I honestly reply.


    "Armor?" Camden looks at me, confused.


    Oh, yeah. I''m the only one who could see it. "He''s wearing a set of invisible armor," I explain to the stunned room. "It makes my stuff look like paper."


    "Then fighting isn''t an option," Camden grumbles. "Any more ideas?" He asks everybody.


    ¡°We could run,¡± Mom says in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Silvia!¡± Sarette gasps at her friend.


    "If it keeps our family and the village safe, it might be our only option," Mom points out to her friend.


    "Even if your family leaves, that doesn''t mean the village will be spared," Camden shakes his head. ¡°Fighting may be our only option.¡±


    ¡°But you just said!¡± Markus whines.


    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Camden challenges him.


    I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Whether it¡¯s my parents, Master, or Camden and his family, all of them are trying to think of a way to save me from Pacore. Not once have any of them suggested that I turn myself over. I¡¯m not sure if I deserve this.


    Mother notices my tears and pulls me against her. There is only one way I can guarantee everyone will be safe.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take his offer.¡±


    The room goes silent again.


    ¡°What was that, sweety?¡± Mom asks me.


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll take Pacore¡¯s offer,¡± I repeat through my tears.


    "You don''t have to¡­" Camden starts, but I shake my head.


    "This is the only way that guarantees nobody gets hurt. Besides, he said I''ll get anything I want," I try to smile to prove I''m ok with the decision.


    Everyone but Markus frowns. Mom pulls me even closer and holds me tightly.


    To save the village and the people I care about, I can do anything. This is my second life, after all; I''m playing with extra time on the clock.


    When I meet Pacore tomorrow, I''ll take him up on his deal; I''ll join Scholl''s army.


    **********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    ¡°Master Pacore, I brought you dinner.¡± Young Jason calls out to me from the other side of my tent flap.


    "You can bring it in," I permit him to enter.


    Young Jason enters my tent, followed by General Pitz. I forgot I told him to watch her, I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t take the opportunity to try and escape.


    "Here you go," Jason hands me a bowl of hot soup. I wordlessly reach out and take the piping bowl, unaffected by the heat.


    Removing my helmet, I start shoveling the stew into my mouth.


    "What a day," young Jason pretends to be tired and sits across from me. General Pitz joins him, and they both watch me eat.


    ¡°If you have something to say, spit it out,¡± I snap at the boy.


    ¡°I just,¡± Jason stammers, unsure how to ask his question.


    "He''s wondering what your plans for tomorrow are," General Pitz finishes Jason''s thought.


    I look the captured general in the eyes. "You''re wondering if I''ll destroy the village." Young Jason is horrified by my bluntness, but General Pitz just nods.


    ¡°You would really do that!?¡± Jason asks me, looking afraid of me for the first time since I met him on Drey¡¯s walls.


    ¡°If I must,¡± I coldly answer, in between bites of my soup. I ignore my shocked aide and turn my full attention to General Pitz. ¡°You knew she was out here, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    General Pitz''s expression turns downcast. "I did. I planned to come out here after the war was over and recruit her to my house,¡± she honestly tells me.


    ¡°And were you aware of her skills?¡±


    "Do you think I would''ve waited if I was fully aware of her abilities!?" The general sneers at me. "I knew she was a talented blacksmith, but I had no idea her level was so high. I was just as shocked as you were."


    I need a drink. Reaching over, I pop the lid off my canteen and drink a mouthful of alcohol. The fumes from my drink are so strong, young Jason coughs until I close the canteen. "Then what would you do?" I level General Pitz with a challenging look. "How would you deal with the most talented individual you''ve ever met in your life?"


    General Pitz bites her lower lip and doesn¡¯t answer my question. I don¡¯t blame the general for her silence; I¡¯ve been sitting here for hours, and I''m no closer to answering the question than when I was when I first stepped into my tent.


    ¡°She made that arrow you used against me?¡± I offer the general my canteen.


    "Yeah," She takes the drink. General Pitz uses the cap to measure out a small shot before throwing it back.


    ¡°Gods,¡± I remark.


    "I know, right," General Pitz notes with her face scrunched up. She hands me back my alcohol.


    I take another drink and ask her, ¡°what are you going to do after Olebert pays for your ransom?¡±


    General Pitz shrugs her shoulders. ¡°Probably try to kill you again.¡±


    ¡°I mean before that,¡± I chuckle.


    "You mean, what am I going to do with everything I''ve learned so far?" She inquires.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± General Pitz glances at young Jason. ¡°It¡¯s clear Olebert has paid too little attention to this corner of the kingdom, and certain people will need to be held responsible for what''s happened here. The issue with the dragon will fall on the king to decide, but it''s too early to speculate on that."


    ¡°And the issue of young Aaliyah?¡± I press the general.


    General Pitz narrows her eyes. "If you harm that child, I''ll see to it that you die the most excruciating death possible.¡±


    She doesn''t mince her words, does she?


    "That''s good to know." I take another swig from my canteen. If I could drink the whole thing and get drunk, I would. Heck, I would take a hangover right now if I didn''t have to deal with this situation.


    At this rate, I doubt I''ll be able to sleep tonight.


    No matter how I look at it, my decision tomorrow will change everything.


    "Gods help me," I silently plead as I tilt my head back and continue drinking, hoping I make the right decision.

 Ch: 85

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    "Your armor is topped-off, Master Pacore," mage Lilian bows her head. She''s the senior of the two mages I brought with me, and it''s her day to charge my armor. The two mages alternate each day, making sure my armor and gear are always at their best.


    I¡¯m not sure how the day will proceed, but I have a feeling it¡¯s a good idea everything is full for my meeting with Aaliyah.


    ¡°Is there anything else I can do for you, Master Pacore?¡± Lillian asks me, keeping her head down so I can¡¯t see the sweat on her face.


    "That will be all," I say in my fake haughty voice. "You are dismissed." Lilian keeps her head bowed as she retreats out of my tent. In my head, I wish her a speedy recovery and thank her for helping me. I have an image to keep up, and I don''t need any more issues to arise because I dropped my formal persona. My day will be complicated as it is.


    I adjust the armor on my left arm, and when everything is ready, I step outside my tent. The sun has long since risen for the day; it took Lilian two hours to charge everything fully. Raising my arm, I shade my eyes from the intense light while they adjust.


    Grunting, I curse the fact I''m out of my particular alcohol. I drank every drop I had last night, and it still didn''t help me fall asleep. I wonder if I look like Jason now? The problem with invisible armor is that it doesn¡¯t hide the tired look on my face.


    ¡°Good morning, Master Pacore,¡± I don¡¯t even get five minutes to collect myself before I hear young Jason call out to me.


    Jason slowly walks over to me with General Pitz at his side. Though young Jason greets me with a smile, I can see the worry hidden underneath. The General has no reason to appear friendly, and she looks me over with a scowl on her face. "You look like shit," her words make young Jason flinch, but her honesty confirms what others are too afraid to tell me.


    ¡°Did you perhaps not sleep last night, my lord?¡± Jason asks, troubled for me.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I wave off his concerns. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t sleep for a day or two anyways.¡±


    ¡°Just because you can, doesn¡¯t mean you should.¡±


    "Thank you, Lady Pitz, because I wasn''t aware of that myself," I snap a little more than I intended to.


    ¡°Are you going to the village right now?¡± Jason hesitantly asks me.


    ¡°The sooner I get this over with, the better.¡± I take a deep breath and start walking to the front of our camp.


    Young Jason and General Pitz follow right behind me. Last night I debated a lot as to whether or not I should allow the two of them to accompany me today. I decided, whether good or bad; I should have some witnesses for what''s to come.


    "Master Pacore!" Every soldier calls out to me and salutes as we make our way through camp. I give a few curt straight-faced nods to the first few people, but it quickly becomes old. No doubt those who received a nod will brag to the rest later.


    ¡°Master Pacore,¡± the commander greets me at the front of our camp. ¡°Are you heading to the village today, sir?¡±


    "I am, commander," I matter-of-factly respond while continuing to walk towards the village.


    ¡°Your orders, sir?¡± He maintains his polished military posture despite me brushing him off. ¡°Should I have the men fall into formation?¡±


    "No need. If the villagers attack, I want you to focus on capturing them rather than killing. This village is special; it would be a crime if we were to destroy it unjustly."


    ¡°I understand, Master Pacore,¡± the commander acknowledges my orders. No matter what happens next, this village must continue to thrive. I don''t look back at my commander; instead, I keep my gaze focused forward on the man waiting for us.


    "The soldiers say he''s been showing up sporadically throughout the night," Jason mumbles just loud enough for me to hear.


    The village headman is standing in between the log fortifications, waiting for us to approach. Though we¡¯re both old, he doesn''t have my stats, and the toll of staying up all night is much more prevalent on his face than it is mine. The headman does not attempt to hide the anger he''s feeling towards me.


    When we''re a few feet away from the headman, he turns away from us. "Follow me," he starts leading us to the village.


    I only saw his face for a minute, but it¡¯s troubling me. Reason is often pushed aside by anger. If this is a trap, I¡¯ll have no choice but to make an example out of him. It would be a pity to kill such a man because of a rash decision.


    Things only look worse as the headman veers left before we enter the village proper and starts leading us down a nearby dirt path.


    I glance over my shoulder to see how General Pitz and young Jason are reacting to our detour. Jason moves closer to me, looking like a frightened animal, while General Pitz''s eyes drill into my own. She stands back, watching everything like a spectator in a play.


    Glancing at the back of the headman, I notice his body is tensing up and that his hands are balled into fists at his sides. Everything points to this being a last-stand situation, and that doesn''t work for me. I need to persuade him this is a bad idea before I''m forced to do something I''ll regret. "An ambush won''t work; it will only endanger the village," my voice cuts through the silence.


    The headman stops in his tracks. He doesn''t turn around to face me, only responding in a monotonous tone. ¡°There is no ambush. The village decided your business with Aaliyah is between you and her. I¡¯m leading you to her forge. That is all.¡± The headman starts walking again, not caring if we¡¯re still following him.


    So, the village decided to cut ties with her to save itself. And judging by the headman''s reaction, it wasn''t done lightly. This can mean one of two things, either the village is trying to cut ties with Aaliyah before she becomes my apprentice, or¡­.


    She plans on fighting me for her freedom, and she doesn''t want the village to be blamed.


    I wonder how many people will stand with her? I don''t have to wait long for an answer because we''re quickly approaching a clearing up ahead.


    Following the headman out of the forest trail, I promptly scan the clearing. There are multiple storage sheds, along with a plethora of smithing tools. Sitting on a pair of stone benches is Aaliyah and her Stone kin master. Both are armed and in their armor; however, they''re the only two in the clearing. And I don''t sense anyone hiding in the tree line either.


    I was at least expecting Aaliyah¡¯s family to be here. It was my hope having them present would help her to see reason.


    Jason, General Pitz, and I stand in the clearing''s entrance while the headman walks over to Aaliyah and gives her a quick hug. I can''t see the headman''s face, but I watch Aaliyah mouth ''thank you'' to him. She has to gently push him away before he walks back towards us with his head lowered in defeat. He only looks up to scowl at me before he walks back down the forest path.


    ¡°Thanks for giving us a moment,¡± Aaliyah calls out to me as she and her master move towards us.


    "It was the least I can do," I say, walking forward. The two of them don''t seem to care about me closing the distance between us; that said, Aaliyah and her master look ready for a fight.


    Aaliyah glances behind me at General Pitz and young Jason. ¡°You brought them along with you?¡±


    Her confused look makes me chuckle a little. "They''re the only other two people who know about you. I see it only fits that they act as witnesses for what''s to come."


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Aaliyah doesn¡¯t object to their presence.


    I find myself marveling at the girl even more than yesterday. Her eyes are clear, without a hint of doubt behind them. Whatever plans she''s made, she''s ready to see them through, regardless of what her chances might be. If I draw my sword, she''ll defend herself without a second guess.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve reconsidered my offer?¡± I smirk at the young girl, hoping she makes the right choice.


    I thought it over a million times last night, and unless Aaliyah willingly agrees to become my disciple, I''ll have to capture her like I did General Pitz. Even if she resents me for it, I can''t leave someone of her caliber here now that General Pitz knows about her. No matter what, I¡¯ll force her to become my disciple. That is my resolve!


    ¡°I have.¡±


    "What?" I reflexively ask. Just like yesterday, she''s able to catch me off guard with a short response.


    Aaliyah shifts the large axe she''s carrying over to her shoulder. "I decided to take you up on your offer."


    I''m about to shout, ''that''s great¡¯ when I remember she''s wearing her armor and holding a weapon. There is no way she''s giving up that easily. "Did you now?" I ask skeptically. "If you decided to become my disciple, is there a reason for you to come to this meeting armed?"


    Young Aaliyah gives me a merchant''s smirk. "Just because I agree to become your apprentice doesn''t mean I don''t have my own conditions."


    My eyes widen; the gall of this child!


    I love it!


    I start laughing so hard; I have to grab my sides. She got me again. While I''m laughing up a lung, Aaliyah stands there waiting for me to collect myself. When I finally catch my breath, I gasp out, "aren''t you a greedy one. Most would consider becoming my disciple the best offer possible. Tell me, what else could you possibly want?¡±


    Aaliyah¡¯s face hardens. "First, I want a signed contract stating Scholl won''t interfere with Spotted Creek Village any more than it has to."


    "Hummmm," I pretend to think over her demand; I even stroke my beard for extra show. But inside, I''m happier than I''ve ever been. Aaliyah decided to join me of her own free will. I might have cornered her into making the decision, but once she sees my sincerity, that shouldn''t matter. "I suppose I can agree to that."


    "Then I want another contract for the safety of my family," Aaliyah keeps up a strong appearance as she continues naming her demands.


    "Sure," I readily agree to her second demand. I''m hoping her family follows her to Scholl; they''ll be treated like royalty after she''s recognized as my apprentice, and I''m sure they must be special themselves to produce such a daughter.


    Aaliyah¡¯s eyes narrow, probably because I agreed too quickly there. I should probably pretend her demands are harder to accept than they are. "Third, I want the same thing for my master.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your master,¡± I jokingly smirk at her.


    She doesn¡¯t look amused by my joke. ¡°I mean it!¡± She stresses.


    "I have little interest in your village, master, or family," I try waving away her concerns. It is nice to see that she genuinely cares about those around her rather than fame or wealth. If this were anyone else negotiating with me, they would include money or other frivolous things in their demands. "Is that everything?"


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Aaliyah readies her weapon.


    "Ooh?" I''m interested to see where this is going; she''s already agreed to join me. I look back at General Pitz to see how she''s taking everything and see her biting her lower lip in frustration. That''s right; I managed to convince her to follow me. I send the general a gloating smirk.


    "Rolling over for you isn''t in my nature. My last condition is that you beat me and my master in a duel!"


    My head snaps back around, and I stare blankly at Aaliyah. "You want to duel me?"


    It''s her turn to smirk at me. "That''s right. You kept saying how great you are; now prove it. There''s no reason for me to go to Scholl with you if master and I can beat the shit out of you here."


    I feel like I should be offended, but I can''t help but smile at her challenge. "So, I have to beat the two of you together?"


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Without killing either of you, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, or are you chicken!?¡± She taunts me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a chicken is, but I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re making fun of me. I guess every student should know where they stand in regards to their master. I accept your terms. Do you want to do this here?¡± I scan the clearing again, but I don¡¯t see a good spot for us to fight without breaking something.


    "We already have that planned out," Aaliyah smiles confidently. I''m just as excited as she is; I wonder how they hope to defeat me? I¡¯m not senile enough to not realize they wouldn¡¯t have challenged me unless they had a plan, or would they?


    Aaliyah and the Stone kin lead us across the clearing over to a smaller forest trail, similar to the one the headman led us down. It doesn¡¯t take them long to lead us to a more suitable place to fight. ¡°You have your own quarry,¡± I exclaim when I see the large crater in the ground.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°A perfect place for us to go all out,¡± Aaliyah proclaims before she and her master jump away from me into the pit.


    I make no move to chase after them. First, I roll my shoulders, loosening up my old joints. Then I slowly draw my sword and let the blade shimmer in the sunlight for a moment. It isn''t until I''m fully ready that I jump into the quarry after them. Young Jason and General Pitz stay up top to watch our fight.


    My two opponents whisper to each other, but they''re close enough I can still read their lips.


    ¡°Are you ready, Master Del?¡± Aaliyah smiles at the Stone kin.


    ¡°Ready,¡± he declares to her.


    "Just like we planned then,¡± she mouths. The Stone kin doesn''t say anything further; slamming his foot down, he rushes towards me, with his hammer raised over his head. The Stone kin is trying to draw my attention, but I''m keeping an eye on him and Aaliyah as she tries to flank me from my left.


    Both are fast, but for different reasons. The stone kin rushes at me using only his Strength stat while Aaliyah appears to have a much more balanced stat spread and better footwork.


    Once the stone kin is in front of me, his massive arms bring his hammer down. My skills scream in my head to dodge rather than try blocking the strike. With Dancing, I gracefully retreat out of his range.


    The hammer strikes the quarry floor causing the surrounding stone to shatter like it was made of glass. With that kind of Strength, I can''t risk parrying any of the Stone kin''s attacks. I would survive if he hit me, but the force would send me flying, and that would be more than enough of an opening for them to pin me down.


    While the Stone kin pulls back on his hammer to ready himself for another attack, I step back with my left foot and face Aaliyah, who''s trying to keep up the pressure on me. This is an excellent opportunity to see how she moves in battle. She obviously favors movement-related skills, but she hasn''t faced enough people like me who are used to such attacks.


    With one step, I dodge the first strike she makes. Then, I parry her second swing with my sword. There''s considerable weight behind her weapon, and I''m curious how she''s able to swing it like she is without falling over.


    Aaliyah''s master tries hitting me from my right, but I dodge by stepping into Aaliyah''s striking range. She grins, thinking they''ve got me, but I dance around her strike and thrust my sword at her right shoulder. Her eyes widen as she jumps backward to dodge my thrust.


    It¡¯s then that I notice Aaliyah¡¯s first flaw. When she has free room to run, she¡¯s incredibly fast, but she¡¯s not used to minute movements in the heat of battle. I can predict how she¡¯ll move just as easy as I can her master.


    I was hoping the stone kin would be more of a challenge, but I can tell his level wasn''t gained from combat. The two of them have practiced with their weapons, but neither are used to fighting other people.


    I twirl and thrust my sword at the stone kin''s gut to keep him on his toes. He blocks with his hammer as I expected him to, I wasn''t trying to hurt him in the first place.


    This battle is heavily skewed in their favor, but that just makes this more enjoyable for me. I''ll show them I can''t be harmed until they collapse from exhaustion. I might throw in a few shallow cuts for good measure, but dancing around these two is a no-brainer.


    Their teamwork is quite good, at least I admit. The Stone kin forces me back, while Aaliyah is the one to try and hit me. I wonder if they''ll even manage to touch my armor?


    I dodge back from another one of the Stone kin''s strikes while simultaneously turning to parry Aaliyah''s axe. Brandishing my sword, I calculate precisely where I''ll need to hit her weapon, so it misses me.


    I swing to deflect Aaliyah¡¯s strike, only for my skills to warn me of danger. Aaliyah grins at me and vanishes from my sight.


    ¡°Flash Step!¡± I curse aloud.


    My skills tell me she ended up behind me. I expect for her to aim at my head, which wouldn¡¯t be that big of a problem, but my blood runs cold when, from the corner of my eye, I see her swing her axe at my lower back, the spot my armor¡¯s magic gem is hidden!


    I twist in place, so she hits the front of my armor. Was she aiming for that spot, or was it a lucky strike? I don''t have long to ponder because my skills keep screaming for me to move. Without looking behind me, I know the Stone kin is about to hit me from behind.


    I activate one of my defensive treasures just in time to block his hammer. A magic barrier covers my back for a split second before shattering under the Stone kin''s Strength. The magic tool did its job by dispersing most of the force behind his strike. I''m still knocked a few feet forward, but at least I''m not sent flying.


    After that close call, I retreat for a moment and put some distance between us. That Stone kin''s strike was dangerously close to the magic gem as well, too close.


    ¡°A little lower next time,¡± I hear Aaliyah tell her master.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    My eyes threaten to pop out of their sockets; I''m floored. They were aiming for the magic gem! That means they not only know about my armor, but they know its weak spot too!


    I stare at Aaliyah, she¡¯s the only one who could possibly see my armor, but that shouldn¡¯t be possible!


    My armor is enchanted to repel magic, meaning it repels all searching type spells as well as Sense Mana. Only the best mages can tell I''m wearing armor at all, and not one has ever figured out where the magic gem is located!


    I take a deep breath to calm myself. I don¡¯t know how she did it, but I¡¯ll take great pleasure in figuring it out.


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    "We were close," I grin, seeing the old man''s shocked expression. We scared him enough he felt the need to retreat.


    "Don''t get overconfident; we haven''t won yet," Master reminds me.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± I say, taking a moment to catch my breath.


    I''m just happy things are working out as we planned. It was a longshot that Pacore would accept my terms, but in the end, he did. Master and I needed a reason to fight Pacore, and we figured if he agreed, we could make the fight more even with a few added conditions. We''re free to try and kill him while Pacore needs to have us surrender.


    Yesterday we discussed how our meeting with Pacore would play out, and it was my idea that Master and I cut ties with the village beforehand. Camden and Mom were against the idea, but we need the village to be safe in case we fail.


    If we lose, I become Pacore¡¯s disciple. But if we win¡­!


    We actually don¡¯t have a plan if we win. We only had so much time to plan things out, and figuring out a way to get him to duel us was hard enough, let alone what we should do should we manage to win the fight. Killing Pacore would be a death sentence for the village, and I''m not sure if I can free General Pitz. If we''re lucky, Pacore will acknowledge his defeat and leave us alone. But no matter what happens, word will get out that I''m here.


    I shake my head, setting those thoughts away for later. First, we have to bring this old man down!


    Together, master and I start taking steady steps forward. We''re both ready to rush in; our target is the spot on his lower back that hides the magic gem. If we can damage that area enough, all of the armor¡¯s enchantments should fail. It hurts having to destroy such a beautiful piece of work, but we have no other choice.


    When we¡¯re twenty feet away from Pacore, we''re ready to make our move. Both of us tense our muscles but Master and I pause when we hear Pacore start to laugh.


    "I''ll admit, I underestimated the two of you. I don''t know how you figured it out, but that can wait until later," Pacore sneers at me. "No more nice Pacore. Prepare yourselves because you face Master Pacore the Deathless now!"


    The air around Pacore practically vibrates, and it becomes heavy. I don''t know if it''s a skill, but he''s somehow affecting the surrounding mana without doing anything through sheer force of will. He briefly did the same thing yesterday, but this time the effect lasts longer than a few seconds.


    I swear I can hear Mom''s voice in the back of my head telling me to run, but I brush it aside. There''s no use running.


    Instead of Pacore waiting for us to attack, he''s the one to rush us this time.


    He slashes at master with such precision; his previous attacks could only be called half-assed in comparison. Master stumbles backward as Pacore starts cutting him in between his armor. The cuts aren''t deep, but almost every swing of Pacore''s sword draws more of Master''s blood.


    I use Flash Step to get in close and help, but Pacore easily swats my axe away before I can properly swing it.


    Pacore attacks in such a way, I''m forced to dodge in a single direction. He herds me next to Master and continues his assault, so neither of us can break away!


    It''s like we''re fighting a totally different person. Pacore hasn''t gotten faster or stronger, and yet he''s pushing both of us back. Each step he takes is perfect; with each swing of his sword, he chips away at Mana Skin or opens a new wound on master. I can no longer tell where his sword and hand meet.


    This is beyond fighting someone with a higher level. How long has he spent practicing his swordplay? How many battles has this monster been in?


    When Pacore told us he was one of Scholl¡¯s pillars, I knew he would be strong, but I could¡¯ve never imagined this! If something doesn¡¯t change soon, we¡¯re going to lose!


    And the only way we''re going to win is if we get creative!


    Instead of pushing backwards, I push off the ground. Pacore doesn''t miss the opening and aims to stab my shoulder while I''m in the air. If he gets a clean hit, his sword will slice through Mana Skin like it isn''t even there.


    But this was what I was hoping for.


    I push off the air with Air Walk, dodging what would¡¯ve been a nasty blow. I hear shouting from outside the quarry, but my eyes are focused solely on Pacore. His eyes follow my every movement as I soar through the air. Besides Pacore''s smile, he doesn''t look surprised by my skill in the slightest. In fact, if Master wasn''t taking this chance to keep him busy, I''m sure Pacore would still be trying to stab me in the air.


    I move to swing my axe from up above, but Pacore is ready for me. He activates another magic item, and another barrier forms around Pacore, but this one expands rapidly before vanishing, pushing me higher into the sky while forcing master back.


    Oh no, you don''t!


    My axe is still raised over my head, so I throw it with everything I have.


    Pacore sidesteps my axe, unfazed even though it skims past his fancy armor. I draw my Scimitar and push off the air again, charging him once again.


    Pacore isn''t foolish enough to let me get behind him again; he continually shifts his position to keep Master and me in front of him. Even with aerial superiority, I can''t get him!


    Pacore dodges another one of my slashes; in doing so, he twists in place and drops to one knee. With his change in position, he stabs Master''s right knee. I know it''s terrible when I hear Master howl in pain.


    "Del!" I scream. Rushing Pacore, I swing my sword, wanting to get Pacore to move away from Master, who''s trying to crawl backwards with his good leg.


    "You shouldn''t let your emotions get the better of you." I don''t have time to register what Pacore just told me before he swings his sword directly underneath my foot. Just as I''m about to push off the air, Pacore''s sword tears through the mana barrier I built to push off of, and I tumble hard to the ground.


    I move to get up, but Pacore is already standing over me with his sword pointed at my face. "That¡¯s quite an interesting technique you¡¯re using there. You''re quite talented, but you lack experience. It will be fun teaching you," he grins down at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet,¡± I hiss.


    "I think it is," Pacore talks down to me. "It''s commendable to want to keep fighting, but you have to know your limits."


    I glance to my side and see master has managed to crawl a good twenty feet away from us. Time for plan Z.


    "There''s always a way to win," I laugh at Pacore.


    I raise my hand and recite my spell.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    Either Pacore recognizes the spell, or he''s that sure I can''t hurt him; either way, he waits for me to cast my magic. When the small flame appears in my outstretched palm, he can''t help but laugh.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate fire,¡± I tell him as I gather most of my mana into my hand.


    The last thing I see before the world fills with fire is Pacore''s smile faltering for a split second. The overpowered flame spell isn''t as powerful as the last time I used it because of all the mana I used against Pacore, but only by a little. My skills have leveled a lot since the last time I tried to blow myself up, and the resulting explosion is still deafening. Mana Skin holds back most of the blast''s force along with most of the heat, but I can feel a burning sensation on the arm I used to cast the spell. I''m glad I invested that extra twenty points into my Endurance, or the damage might have been a lot worse.


    Thanks to the mana threads I have anchoring me to the ground, I wasn''t thrown by the explosion, and I can forcefully absorb a small amount of ambient earth mana underneath me to keep myself from passing out.


    This time I¡¯m conscious as my spell starts to fizzle out.


    The first thing I see is the tip of Pacore''s sword, still pointed at my face. The flames become thinner, and my heart sinks when I see Pacore''s smiling face still looking down on me.


    Pacore is entirely unharmed.


    Even the bastard''s clothing underneath his armor isn''t damaged!


    I want to curse the old man, but I''m too busy trying to catch my breath. My mana levels are hovering around 10%, making me feel extremely exhausted. My outstretched hand that cast the spell falls limply to my side, with a few minor burns.


    Pacore whistles, "I was not expecting that! However, I was expecting your last move not to be something unexpected, so it doesn''t count," he gloats. "Now surrender so I can send Jason to get the two of you a healer." Pacore refuses to lower his sword until I admit our defeat.


    I look over at Master, who''s standing on one leg. He looks like he''s willing to keep going, but the blood dripping from his leg is increasing the more he moves around. I won''t let Master kill himself for me.


    ¡°I surrender,¡± I wheeze out.


    Master Del looks at me, wondering if I''m serious. After I slowly nod my head, master falls backwards onto his ass, hanging his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Jason!¡± Pacore shouts up to the boy who''s staring slack-jawed at us. "Go get a healer!"


    ¡°Yes, Master Pacore,¡± the young man stutters before taking off.


    Pacore watches him leave before looking back at me. "That was a good fight," he grunts as he sheaths his sword and sits down next to my sprawled-out form. "Before General Pitz walks down here, tell me, how did you know about my armors weakness?" He asks in a whisper.


    Pacore leans over my motionless body, smiling at me like a child looking at an interesting insect. When I don''t say anything, he pouts. "Come on now; I''m your Master, you have to tell me." Unlike Master Del, it doesn''t look like Pacore wants me to keep my skills a secret from him.


    "It''s a skill," I remark, purposely being as vague as possible.


    Pacore just snorts at my comment. "If you don''t want to tell me, that''s fine. Just make sure you and that Stone kin keep the information about my armor to yourselves. Even I can''t protect you if the information gets out." For just a moment, Pacore sounds serious.


    "I can''t believe you tried blowing me up!" And the moment is gone.


    I hear footsteps approaching, but I don''t want to raise my head. "You finally decided to join us, General," Pacore quips when I see General Pitz make it into my view. "I was sure you''d try to escape after I had Jason run off."


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that,¡± General Pitz frowns at Pacore.


    I don¡¯t know how much those bands seal her, but they have to be strong if they limit someone like General Pitz enough where she can¡¯t survive in the woods.


    "No reason to be mean," Pacore continues to egg General Pitz on. "I know you''re jealous about my newest student, so I suppose it can''t be helped."


    The look General Pitz gives Pacore reminds me of my mom right before she snaps. We can all hear the General grind her teeth in frustration.


    ¡°If you want to borrow my sword, you can try stabbing him,¡± I offer the angry woman.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re supposed to be on my side,¡± Pacore looks like I just slapped him.


    ¡°Not by choice,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯ll see, Scholl is a beautiful place.¡±


    ¡°If you like miles of rocky hellscape,¡± General Pitz cuts off Pacore.


    While the two of them argue, it sinks in that I lost. I''ll have to leave the village. I can only hope Pacore doesn''t make me leave right away.


    ¡°Ma, Mast, Master Pacore?¡± I swallow a lump in my throat after calling him Master.


    "Yes, my apprentice?" Pacore looks at me with a goofy smile, happy to hear me call him Master. Seeing his smile makes me never want to address Pacore as Master again.


    "Do I have to leave with you right away? If possible, can I wait until the new year''s festival before I leave?" I hesitantly ask; I don''t even bother trying to use my skills on him. There''s still so much I need to do, and I can''t forget about spending time with my family.


    Pacore chuckles, ¡°you don¡¯t need to leave immediately. You can stay in the village until I finish my campaign and auction off the General here. But why is a new year''s festival that important to you?" Pacore curiously asks me.


    I''m so relieved I don''t immediately have to leave the village; I answer Pacore''s question without thinking. "I''ve been looking forward to the festival for years now. This year is the first time I''ll be allowed to participate with all the adults."


    Pacore and General Pitz freeze in place. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯re participating in the festival?¡± Pacore reiterates.


    ¡°How old are you?¡± General Pitz¡¯s fevered eyes burrow into my soul.


    Crap, I said something I shouldn¡¯t have!


    Pacore and the general¡¯s gazes become more overwhelming the longer I remain silent. ¡°I turned 15 this year,¡± I finally tell them.


    General Pitz and Pacore, two respected leaders of their nations that have reached unimaginable heights, look at me like I¡¯m the monster.


    ¡°By the gods!¡± General Pitz swears.


    Pacore¡¯s eyes widen impossibly large. ¡°You will be my greatest student,¡± the fanaticism behind his voice sends a shiver down my spine. Everything is only made worse by the fact I''m so tired I can barely move. He makes me wish I did pass out after my spell failed to defeat the old man.


    Maybe I should just pretend to pass out; that could work, right?


    I slowly start to close my eyes, but Pacore is having none of that. "You can''t sleep on me yet," Pacore gently slaps my right cheek. Opening my eyes, I scowl at the man. I''ve made up my mind; as soon as I''m strong enough, I''m killing him!


    ¡°What do you want,¡± I snap at Pacore.


    ¡°I wanted to talk about getting some weapons made. That arrow you made for General Pitz was incredible.¡±


    I ignore Pacore¡¯s flattery and look at General Pitz. ¡°Did the arrow really turn out that good?¡±


    General Pitz smiles at me. "It was; I almost killed him with it."


    ¡°Well shit,¡± I curse. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to kick myself for not making it stronger.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starting to hurt my feelings,¡± Pacore forces himself into our conversation. ¡°I saw the spears you had back in the clearing. I¡¯d like to buy those and order more.¡±


    Great, now I have another person demanding an order.


    Wait a minute!


    I smell a great opportunity.


    I put on a shit-eating grin for my new Master. ¡°Sorry to tell you this, but I can¡¯t sell you anything.¡±


    ¡°What, why not!?¡± He yells.


    "I have a contract with someone already. I''m only allowed to sell my wares to him," I continue to grin at the old man.


    "So, break it. I''ll cover you for whatever the conditions are and pay you more."


    ¡°Sorry, no can do,¡± I take great pride in Pacore¡¯s frustration. ¡°You can¡¯t cover my cancellation cost.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?!¡± Pacore bellows. ¡°What is it?¡±


    If Pacore wants to be my master, he should help me take care of my problems. "If I break my contract, I lose 20 levels.¡±


    "That''s!?" Pacore is dumbfounded for a moment before I see anger start to rise in his eyes. "And who made you sign such a ludicrous contract?" Pacore asks me in a cold voice.


    Bingo! That¡¯s the reaction I was hoping for.


    ¡°Well, who was it!?¡± Pacore demands.


    ¡°I signed a contract with Lennard Grey shortly before you took Drey. You¡¯ll have to talk to him if you want to buy anything from me.¡± It¡¯s hard to keep myself from laughing like a villain. ¡°He¡¯s the¡­¡±


    "Head of the Silver Herd branch in Drey. I know," Pacore hisses in displeasure. "I''ve met him."


    ¡°That''s good; you can send all requests through him," I flatly tell Pacore.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that.¡± Pacore looks pissed. He remains steaming until the healer he sent for arrives with Jason.


    Pacore tries to order the man to heal me first, but I demand that he treat Master Del first, knowing his injuries are worse than mine. The healer Pacore brought with him is much more talented than Anastasia, so much so, master is standing on both legs again after only thirty minutes of treatment. He even manages to remove some of the fatigue I''m feeling from mana exhaustion to the point I can also stand on my own.


    "Are you okay?" I rush over to hug Del as soon as I¡¯m on my feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he grunts. ¡°Just some phantom pain.¡±


    ¡°That should fade in a few hours,¡± the healer tells us.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I offer the man a small bow.


    ¡°I was merely following Master Pacore¡¯s orders. Is there anything else you need, Sir?¡± The healer salutes Pacore.


    "No, you can return to camp," Pacore dismisses the man in an almost comically dry voice. Where did the annoying old man go?


    The medical soldier salutes Pacore one last time before leaving the quarry.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± I find myself asking the same question as yesterday.


    Pacore starts stroking his beard again. "For now, you will remain in this village. I''m not sure how long it will take to finish my campaign, but in the meantime, I''ll send one of my best students to start your training and to make sure nothing happens to you while I''m gone."


    You mean to make sure I don''t run away, I think to myself.


    ¡°We should head back now,¡± Pacore says, glancing up at the sky. ¡°I have much to prepare before I return to Drey. Do you need any help walking back?¡± He asks me.


    "I got her," Del protectingly moves next to me.


    "So, you do," Pacore remarks. He smiles at me one last time, "I''ll have the contracts ready for you to sign before we set out tomorrow."


    "Okay," I respond, hanging my head. It''s the only thing I can do to hide my grin. One-sided contracts are a girl''s best friend after all.


    ¡°Okay, what?¡± Pacore presses me, not leaving until he hears me say it.


    ¡°Okay¡­. Master Pacore,¡± I grit through my teeth.


    ¡°Needs some work, but all in good time,¡± Pacore laughs. Master Del and I watch as Pacore walks out of the quarry, followed closely by Jason and General Pitz who secretly steals a glance back at me.


    We stand there in silence for a good minute.


    ¡°We lost,¡± Master breaks the silence. ¡°But at least you got the teacher you always needed.¡±


    I¡¯m in no mood for master¡¯s pessimism, so I elbow him in his side where Pacore had cut him earlier. Master groans and folds over, holding the spot where his wound once was. "You''re my first master, and that hasn''t changed. Pacore can be my second master if I don''t kill him first," I growl in frustration. Does Del really think I''m happy about being dragged out of the village?


    I move next to Del and help back up onto his feet. "Don''t say nonsense like that again, okay?"


    ¡°Alright,¡± he agrees.


    "I can''t believe you thought I would be happy having that man as a teacher," I complain as we walk towards Master''s house.


    Master softly chuckles to himself, and I consider hitting him again.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°I just find it funny how much you hate him, considering how much the two of you are alike.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re nothing alike!¡± I yell.


    "The resemblance is uncanny," master continues to make fun of me. "It will be interesting to see which of you annoys the other to death first."


    "Go home and rest because you obviously suffered some head trauma," I tell master as I help him into his clearing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± Master stumbles over to his hut. He opens the door but turns to me before he goes in. ¡°Will you be fine heading back by yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I reassure him. ¡°My mana may be low, but I still have some stamina left after dragging your fat butt home.¡±


    ¡°Be safe,¡± master tells me one more time before walking into his house. I envy Master for living alone. He doesn''t have a house full of worried people waiting for him.


    That''s not true; I want nothing more than to be smothered by Mom and Dad right now.


    I might not be dragged out of the village tomorrow, but my time here just became much more precious. My only saving grace is that I know my family will support me no matter what happens.


    So, I need to get home and show them that I''m all right.


    Thinking about my family waiting for me helps me make it home faster despite my aches and pains.


    I reach out to open our squeaky front door, and it occurs to me I might not be able to call this home for much longer.

 Ch: 86

    "Must you continue to look at me like that?" Pacore tries to make a puppy dog face, but it''s just weird seeing an old man trying to look meek on purpose, especially after he handed us our asses yesterday.


    With a sour look, I choose to ignore Pacore, knowing he will only be spurred on by anything I say. After a minute of Pacore holding his ridiculous expression and me trying not to laugh, I feel myself about to break. "Can you stop playing around, so we can get this over with?" I snap before I accidentally smile in front of him. I can''t show weakness right now.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Pacore lets out a sigh. ¡°Sign this one here, that one there, and this one down at the bottom, and you''ll be officially my disciple.¡± Pacore spreads three contracts out on Camden''s drawing-room table with a cocky grin. He¡¯s not putting in any effort to hide how happy he is.


    This would be a lot easier if Mom were here, but the two of us are alone in the room. Pacore left Jason and General Pitz back at his camp while I asked Mom and Dad to stay home. Pacore hasn''t met my family yet, and I plan to keep it that way.


    ¡°Yeah, no,¡± I reach out and gather up the three documents. ¡°I¡¯m not signing anything until I¡¯ve read through them a few times.¡±


    ¡°I should hope so,¡± Pacore chuckles. ¡°I was concerned whether or not my new student would be able to learn from her past mistakes.¡± Pacore leans back in his chair and looks down his nose at me.


    I don''t rise to his taunting; instead, I focus on the three contracts. Unlike the contract I signed with Mr. Grey, each document has long, drawn-out paragraphs of text to read through. I thought Pacore would combine all three of my demands into one contract, but instead, he kept them separated. "Why are there three of them?" I bite the bullet and just ask him for the reason he chose to do it this way.


    ¡°I could¡¯ve put everything into one document, but I would¡¯ve still used the same amount of paper. And the more contracts we have binding us together, the stronger the connection will be,¡± Pacore explains to me.


    Mom and I stayed up late into the night discussing what I need to look for in each of the documents. I was prepared to argue for every reassurance we needed, but it appears it¡¯s already all in there. Unlike my deal with Grey, Pacore included how the contracts I¡¯m signing will be binding for the next five years, at which point I¡¯ll need to rediscuss the terms with either Pacore, his successor, or the ruler of Scholl, whoever that may be.


    All three contracts start the same, mentioning how I''ll be joining Scholl as Pacore''s student. Then, they start to differ, depending on who they''re geared to.


    The first document goes into great detail about how my family will be left alone should we ask and covers the possibility of them following me to Scholl. The contract goes on to specify a monthly jaw-dropping 20 gold coin allowance my parents would receive on behalf of Master Pacore if they come to Scholl with me.


    I switch to the second contract to see if it reads the same as the first.


    The bulk of the second contract goes into how Scholl will not interfere with Spotted Creek Village beyond governing it as a typical village under their control. Pacore even wrote out how the village won''t be subjected to unreasonable taxes or forced conscription as long as I remain his student.


    While the first contract talks about how my family is free to decide what they want, and the second one covers the village, the third contract talks about Master Del, but I''m surprised to see the third contract is the shortest. I thought Pacore would jump at the chance to recruit Master, but judging by what''s written down, Pacore has little interest in Del. In fact, unlike with my family, there''s no mention anywhere of any incentives to bring Master to Scholl with me.


    I reread every sentence twice to try and find any hidden meaning in any of the contracts, but I can''t spot a single loophole. The only vague terms I come across are in regards to my role under Pacore, but he specifically wrote down I¡¯m allowed to refuse any unreasonable requests. Besides that, the more I read, the more the contracts skews in my favor. It''s written that I''m allowed to and encouraged to continue forging, with each contract stateing I¡¯ll be given all the materials I''ll need to improve.


    And to top everything off, there is no cancelation penalty on my part, while if Pacore reneges on our deal, he''ll lose¡­ "His LIFE!" I exclaim out loud when I read the final part of the contract. "What is this!?" I point at the bottom of the documents.


    ¡°Can my new apprentice not read?¡± Pacore cheekily laughs.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!?¡± I stare at the old man waiting for him to claim this is a joke or something. This has to be some elaborate ruse.


    ¡°Is my life not enough?¡± Pacore coyly asks me. ¡°I know I¡¯m an old man, but I assure you, my life is quite valuable.¡±


    I quickly skip to the end of the other two documents and see all three of them state Pacore will die if he breaks his end of our deal, while if I should break our deal, I merely forfeit the safety promised to everyone I care about.


    "I thought our terms were quite even," Pacore grins at me.


    ¡°Why are you taking this so far?¡± I hesitantly ask him.


    Pacore leans forward, and his entire personality changes instantly. His eyes drill into me with the weight of countless years behind them. "I''m aware you''re only becoming my apprentice because you have no other options available to you."


    My hands become clammy, and a bead of sweat rolls down my back.


    "If you''re to be my student, I can''t have you second-guessing my intentions each step of the way. This is the best way I can prove to you that you have no reason to distrust me." The old jokester is gone, and in his place sits Pacore the Deathless, patiently waiting for my answer.


    The silence makes looking at him unbearable, so I reread the contracts before giving him my answer.


    After rereading each document another two times, I find I can¡¯t think of any reason as to why I should refuse to sign them. There is no downside for me, and I can just void them with my skill if I need to.


    Reaching for the quill Pacore brought with him, I dip it in the magic ink. I quickly sign my name three times and turn the documents around for Pacore to sign. The old man doesn''t hesitate to take the offered quill and sign his name right underneath mine.


    Pacore grins as he holds out his hand to finalize our deal. Isn''t this what it''s like when someone sells their soul to the devil? I guess it''s only suitable that my devil is a creepy old man that I can''t beat.


    Reaching out, I grasp Pacore¡¯s invisibly gauntleted hand.


    Before we start shaking, I try squeezing with all my Strength, hoping for any kind of reaction. Pacore''s smile only widens when his armor doesn''t so much as dent under my grip. The only thing my Strength does is hold his hand in place. Apparently, I''m stronger than Pacore in brute strength, but that armor is just ridiculous.


    "Our deal doesn''t become official until we shake," Pacore points out to me.


    Reluctantly, I start moving my arm up and down. I feel my Contract skill flare to life as Pacore and I exchange pieces of our outer soul. It feels weird to have Contract skill activate three times at once, but it''s nothing I can''t handle. It will be tiring, but later I''ll need to search for all the fragments in my soul.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s official! You can call me Master Pacore now!¡± Pacore beams a large smile at me.


    ¡°Not happening,¡± I immediately shut him down.


    "But you called me Master yesterday?" Pacore playfully whines.


    "And that''s the last time I''ll ever say it," I flat out tell him.


    "Well, that won''t do," Pacore shakes his head. "I don''t mind you being cold to me when it''s just the two of us, but I have an image to uphold."


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem,¡± I grin at Pacore.


    "Oh, but it is," Pacore retorts. "If I''m seen as weak, you will be too. And it could be dangerous if either of us is seen as weak." Pacore ominously doesn''t elaborate what he means, but I can guess. Working under my new master won''t be all rainbows and sunshine, apparently.


    "I''ll keep that in mind," I pout, Pacore chuckles and there''s a long pause between us. As much as I wish he would leave already, there are still some things I need to ask him. "You said I could stay here longer, right? How much longer is longer?"


    Pacore starts stroking his beard. "You are my apprentice now, so I suppose I can tell you a bit of information. I won''t go into all the details, but I will be moving further into Olebert. After that, I''ll need to secure our hold over the land we conquered. You won¡¯t need to leave your village until then.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t exactly a time frame,¡± I complain. ¡°That sounds like it could take a lot of time; does that mean I have years before I need to worry about your wrinkly ass showing back up?¡±


    "It seems my apprentice is still looking down on me," Pacore mirthfully chuckles, not appearing to care about my insult. Then, all of a sudden, Pacore''s serious persona shows up again. "I''ll have everything resolved by the end of next year."


    I¡¯m forced to swallow a lump in my throat. This monster truly believes he can push back Olebert¡¯s armies and secure his new borders in only a year!


    ¡°Is that enough of a timeframe for you?¡± Pacore gives me a challenging look.


    I refuse to look away from him this time. "Yeah, it is."


    Pacore¡¯s expression softens back to his usual annoying self. ¡°I¡¯m happy you haven¡¯t lost your spine after our fight. I¡¯ll have to work harder so we can return to Scholl quicker. I can¡¯t wait to rub my new apprentice in everyone¡¯s faces.¡±


    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you should get going,¡± I grumble back.


    "All in due time," Pacore leans back in his chair again. "Don''t you have more questions to ask me? I have a few for you," Pacore''s cocky grin becomes even more infuriating, but he''s right; I still need to discuss the situation with Mr. Grey.


    ¡°What are you going to do about my contract with Grey?¡± I ask my new master. If he wants me to make him anything, my contract with Grey needs to be terminated first.


    Pacore frows for a moment before he sneers, "I''ve found dealing with people like him is a lot easier when you''re holding them by the throat. It will be a hassle if I kill him right away, but I can¡¯t let someone take advantage of my cute apprentice.¡±


    "Please don''t call me cute; it weirds me out," I frown at Pacore.


    "Aww, you''re no fun," Pacore playfully pouts again. But this time, he quickly shifts back to the point of our conversation. "Do you have any objections to me killing him?"


    ¡°None that I can think of,¡± I admit. ¡°But I know another party that¡¯s also angry at Grey. Can you wait to do anything until I contact them?¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Pacore hums in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll tell me who you¡¯re referring to, will you?¡±


    ¡°Just some people I have a vested interest with,¡± I modestly answer.


    Pacore chuckles, aware I''m not going to give up Silver Herd after we just met. "I''ll think about holding off killing the rat for right now. Tell your unseen friends I would like to do business with them the next time you make contact."


    I nod in agreement. There¡¯s no way I can keep Pacore a secret from Giovanni anyways, though I¡¯m not sure how our partnership will work out under the current circumstances.


    ¡°Now I have a question of my own. That skill you used on General Pitz and me?¡± Pacore curiously tilts his head.


    "Yeah?" I ask, trying not to flinch or give myself away.


    "It''s a high-tier soul skill, wasn''t it?" It''s evident by Pacore''s grin that he already knows the answer to his question.


    "What makes you say that?" I try to keep up my best poker face. Master warned me about how Soul skills are considered taboo, and I doubt that sentiment changes much just because Pacore is from a different country.


    Pacore scoffs at my acting. "You''re lucky General Pitz didn''t notice anything when you used your skill on her. Soul skills are scarce, and unless you''ve felt their effects before, they''re often confused with other lesser skills." That makes a lot of sense, considering I''ve seen how Camden''s skill affects people''s souls. But while most skills affect the soul''s surface, my soul-related skills go much deeper than that.


    Based on how he¡¯s bragging, I take it Pacore doesn¡¯t care about my skill, but that doesn''t mean I''m about to admit to having it either. ¡°And you¡¯ve felt soul skills before?¡± I ask him, not confirming or denying anything seeing how my lies did jack shit yesterday.


    "I have," Pacore grins at me, not missing my deflection. "When I was an up and comer in my younger years, there was a mage who worked directly under the previous kings. If he were alive today, he would be considered a four-star mage, and the magic he specialized in happened to be soul magic. He was never able to find a successor, and after his death, his grimoire was placed in the royal vault and hasn''t seen the light of day since."


    ¡°Being a hot-blooded youth back then, I challenged the soul mage to a fight to prove I was already one of the best warriors in the kingdom. I¡¯ll never forget the feeling that brought me to my knees when he looked me in the eye. It¡¯s hard to tell after all this time but whatever you used on me felt weaker than what I remember.¡±


    I want to yell at him; it''s probably the size of his soul that''s changed, but I hold myself back. I already determined having a higher Mind and Senses stats helps a person resist the backlash of me looking at their soul. It was stupid of me not to consider that a stronger soul would be less affected by my skill as well.


    ¡°If you¡¯re good, I might just try and get you that grimoire,¡± Pacore dangles a big carrot in front of me.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet,¡± I frown in annoyance.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to,¡± Pacore smiles and starts stroking his beard again. "The more I talk to you, the more interesting you become. I''m almost tempted to drag you back to Scholl now and let someone else take over."


    I glare at the old man. He knows I don''t want to leave yet, and he still makes jokes like that! Who does that? I''m briefly reminded how master compared me to Pacore yesterday, and I feel my face start to heat up. Master is getting a bucket of water to his face the next time I see him.


    "No need to fret," Pacore mistakes my red face for anger. "I was merely joking. This war is too important for our people to leave to anybody else."


    Since he brought it up, I¡¯ve been curious, "why is Scholl invading Olebert?" I ask the million gold question.


    I¡¯m surprised when a sad look befalls Pacore. ¡°You said you faced something scarier than me, was that right?¡±


    "Yeah," Pacore''s sudden mood change and question threw me off my game, and I answered without thinking.


    ¡°Tell me, how did you survive?¡±


    The small hairs on my arms stand on end when I think back on the day I faced the soul eater. Do I tell Pacore I don''t want to answer him? I don''t want to get into the details of my fight, and I definitely don¡¯t want to tell him what I got for slaying the beast.


    Pacore''s eyes tell me he won''t drop the conversation without an answer, so I plan out what I''m about to tell him in my head so I don''t reveal too much information without lying. "The monster I encountered was slow and weak for its level; it was only thanks to that, I survived." I don''t mention that I actually killed the beast, and technically I''m not lying about it being weak. For the soul eater''s level, it had horrible Endurance and could only move when I looked away from it.


    ¡°I see, I guess you¡¯re lucky then,¡± Pacore gives me an encouraging smile, but a blind man could see the pain hidden behind it. "Scholl didn''t have your luck. A water dragon took up residence in the Heart of Scholl; that''s our largest body of freshwater. Our ability to produce food has drastically been reduced. If we fail in this invasion, countless people will die."


    An actual dragon, fuck me! I could only imagine what a dragon in this world be like, and it has to be ridiculously strong if Scholl decided invading another country would be easier than killing it.


    Well, now what do I do? It was easy to blame Scholl for everything considering they were the ones invading, but now that I see where they¡¯re coming from, I actually feel a little bad for them. I¡¯m curious about the dragon, wondering if it¡¯s as strong as I think it is, but the sad old man sitting across from me looks to be in no mood to discuss the beast.


    "I think that is enough for now," Pacore slowly stands up. I have to stop myself from asking more questions and keeping him here longer. Pacore notices my strained expression, and a small smile reappears on his face. "I''ll send word for my apprentice as soon as I''m back in Drey. In two weeks, you should be able to ask her any more questions you might have."


    Damn it, I should be complaining about Pacore assigning me a babysitter, but I¡¯ve started to feel bad for him.


    What am I thinking!? Yes, Scholl''s situation is sad, but Pacore is still basically abducting me from my home. His problems don''t have anything to do with him forcing me to become his apprentice; that''s all on him.


    I harden my heart and cross my arms. "And where is she supposed to stay?"


    Pacore¡¯s usual annoying smile fully returns as he moves to leave the room. ¡°She¡¯s your senior apprentice, so I¡¯ll leave her living accommodations up to you.¡±


    ¡°You want me to house her!?¡±


    "Thanks for offering," Pacore opens the door leading to Camden''s hallway and leaves me behind before I can object.


    "That wasn''t me agreeing!" I shout, rushing after Pacore.


    Pacore stops at Camden¡¯s front door. ¡°I¡¯m sure the two of you will get along splendidly. I¡¯ll send a message soon to keep in touch with you.¡±


    Pacore''s smooth-talking leaves me stunned as he walks out of Camden''s house like he owns the place. When the door shuts behind him, I''m left alone in Camden''s entryway. "Screw Scholl, and screw Pacore," I growl to myself. The next time I see him, I''m ripping that beard out with my bare hands. I stomp my foot in frustration, and I hear the stone fracture under my heel.


    ¡°Aaliyah, dear, are you ok?¡± I twirl around to find Camden and Sarette standing together at the opposite end of the hall with worried expressions.


    Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I steady my emotions. "I''m fine," I try to reassure them. "The negotiations are finished, and Pacore is leaving."


    ¡°Are you leaving with him?¡± Camden hesitantly asks.


    I shake my head, no. "He''s leaving me here now, but I don''t know for how long. Pacore said he''d send one of his apprentices to oversee me in a few weeks, though."


    Camden looks happy hearing I''m not leaving the village right away but frowns hearing we''ll have to host another important individual from Scholl.


    "You''re staying; that''s great news!" Sarette chooses to focus on the positive. She moves down the hallway and wraps me in a hug, which I''ll admit makes me feel a little better.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I cracked your floor,¡± I mumble after we separate.


    "It''s fine; I''ll have your brother fix it later," Sarette waves off my apology. "You should head home and see your family. I''m sure they''ll be happy to hear the good news as well."


    I''m not so sure they''ll share the same optimism as Sarette, but she''s right; I should go tell Mom and Dad about my meeting with Pacore. I should hurry too; I still have one more meeting today after I check in with my parents.


    "Thanks, Mrs. Downs," I hold Sarette''s hands, thanking her for reminding me where my priorities should be.


    ¡°Not a problem, sweety. Hurry along, don¡¯t keep your mother waiting any longer than she needs to.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I tell her as I push open her front door.


    I don''t see Pacore around; hopefully, he''s already back in his camp, readying to leave. The next time I see him, it will be too soon.


    Rushing home, I think over everything I need to discuss with my parents. I hope I''ll have enough time for my business call later.


    **********


    Giovanni Turrini¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°How are things moving, Marshall?¡± I ask my right-hand man.


    "Things are going well, Boss. Earl Vagan sent over another order of wine while the soldiers stationed in the city are putting more and more coin in our pockets."


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we just send a delivery of wine to the Earl last week?¡± I ask.


    ¡°We did,¡± Marshall reminds me. ¡°I guess the rumors of the Earl drinking himself to death are true.¡±


    Groaning in frustration, I massage my temples. After the Earl declared Scholl is not to get past Blaiton under any circumstances and appointed Lord Rayes in charge of leading the defense, the Earl has been oddly silent of late.


    Lord Rayes is the governor of Blaiton, and he has an invested interest in saving the city, but a military mastermind he is not. Every day rumors spread of the other nobility second-guessing Lord Rayes'' orders, particularly that swine that fled Drey.


    The city is packed with soldiers, and more people are conscripted each day. It''s only thanks to my friendship with Lord Rayes and his family that I''ve managed to spare my men the same fate. When the soldiers are given leave time, they crowd the local bars and openly complain about receiving conflicting orders from multiple sources.


    Some say Olebert is sending us reinforcements, but Lord Rayes told me he only knows about the battalion they have stationed outside Teeburn, and it''s no surprise that that front is stalled. Scholl does have multiple high-leveled hostages along with General Pitz after all, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s considered more important than a few cities out in the middle of nowhere.


    It also doesn¡¯t help that the reason behind Scholl¡¯s invasion has slowly spread through the populace. You can¡¯t walk down a dark alley without hearing whispers of a dragon.


    Silver Herd is profiting from the invasion on paper, but each day, those profit margins are slowly thinning along with morale. Technically we''ve lost our Drey and Teeburn branches, and with Grey pursuing his own agenda, we might just have. With all the turmoil, it''s hard to predict how we should prepare for the future.


    ¡°Boss, your ring,¡± Marshall points out to me.


    I lower my hands away from my temples and see the ring on my left pinky is glowing. That ring is tied to the communication magic tool hidden in my desk. The ring glows when someone is trying to contact me. "Are we expecting a report from any of the numbers?" I ask Marshall.


    Frowning, Marshall shakes his head. Damn, that means something unexpected has come up! I quickly pull the communication magic tool out from the hidden compartment in my desk and see which number is contacting me. "Two?" Why would he?


    That''s right! Two gave his communicator to Aaliyah; why is she calling me?


    I activate the magic item and speak into it. "Aaliyah, I wasn''t expecting a call from you. Is there anything I can help you with?" I maintain a cheerful tone of voice; I don''t want to risk upsetting the golden rock.


    ¡°Are you sitting down?¡± I¡¯m surprised by her sudden question rather than returning my greeting. ¡°I am,¡± I tell her. Marshall moves next to me, obviously curious as to why she would ask me that.


    "Guess who just left my village?" I can hear the frustration in Aaliyah''s voice, and my hands become sweaty.


    ¡°What happened to the village?¡± I anxiously ask her. Is my daughter ok!?


    "The village is fine," Aaliyah sighs on the other end line. "I have a contract from him, stating Scholl won''t mess with the village."


    ¡°A contract from who?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Pacore the Deathless.¡±


    The blood drains from my face, and Marshall''s eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. "Pacore the Deathless came to your village!? You met him!?" I shout into the magic item.


    ¡°Yeah, I met the old geezer. Kicked our asses all by himself.¡±


    "You fought him!?" I feel a pain in my chest, and I consider the possibility I might have a heart attack. "Why would possibly make you think that was a good idea?"


    ¡°It¡¯s the best we could come up with on such short notice,¡± Aaliyah tries to defend herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± I retort.


    "This is a courtesy call. If you''re going to keep rubbing salt in my wounds, I''ll hang up."


    "Wait!" I shout before she disconnects the line. "I''m sorry if I offended you; it''s just hard to wrap my head around what you''re saying. You said the village was safe, so I don''t understand why you would challenge Pacore."


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m calling,¡± Aaliyah sighs again. ¡°Pacore sort of forced me to become his apprentice.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡°Are you still there?¡± Aaliyah''s voice pulls Marshall and me back to reality.


    I swallow back a lump in my throat. ¡°You joined Pacore as a student; are you joining Scholl''s army!?"


    "What, no! Well, sort of. I guess I''m technically a part of Scholl''s army now, but Pacore left me in the village, but that''s not why I called you. I wanted to call you because I¡¯m not sure how our partnership will fare in the future.¡±


    She''s right; I planned to secretly support Aaliyah until she decided to leave her village finally. But with Pacore as her master, Aaliyah is almost certainly going to be heading to Scholl once the war subsides. "Is this your way of cutting ties with us?" Our business with Aaliyah has always been complicated because of her rapid rise in levels, and now that she''s become Pacore''s student, she''s virtually untouchable.


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re the one trying to cut ties,¡± Aaliyah retorts. ¡°I still need materials while I¡¯m here. Plus, I owe Kervin for helping me all these years and for putting him in danger with Grey. I don¡¯t know what things will be like in a year, but I still want to do business with you guys if that¡¯s ok.¡±


    "That''s very kind of you," I remark, surprised. She just got an incredibly powerful backer, and she still wishes to work with us without throwing Pacore¡¯s name around.


    "Don''t get happy yet; I still haven''t told you the good news."


    ¡°Oh?¡± I¡¯m curious what she considers good news in this situation.


    ¡°My new master,¡± she emphasizes the word master like she doesn¡¯t like using it, ¡°heard about my deal with Grey. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have to worry about him for much longer,¡± I can practically hear her grinning ear to ear on the other line.


    ¡°That¡­ might be a bad idea,¡± I frown.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I can hear her the confusion in her voice.


    "If Pacore kills Grey right now, the two branches we''re cut off from will fall into chaos, and that isn''t considering any traps he might leave in the event of his death."


    "I don''t mean to be rude, but that''s not my problem at the moment," Aaliyah bluntly tells me. "I have to look out for my village and family; whether you or Pacore resolve the issue with Grey, I profit in the end. My offer still stands to terminate the contract if you need me to, but I need to get going. My mom was already breathing fire when I told her I had to go into the forest for a few hours.¡±


    I want to ask how my daughter is doing, but I''m not sure if I want Aaliyah to be aware of my feelings towards her now that she''s Pacore''s student. But Aaliyah has proven to be quite loyal to Kervin and the company despite the problems with Grey. With my lines of communication cut off from the village, Aaliyah is the only person I can ask. "Can I have one more moment of your time?" I ask before she disconnects us.


    ¡°Sure, but can you make it quick,¡± she reminds me that she¡¯s pressed for time.


    Let¡¯s hope I¡¯m not wrong about her. ¡°How is my daughter doing?¡±


    For a moment, there''s only silence on the other end. "You mean Anastasia, right?" She asks for clarification.


    ¡°Yes, is¡­ is my daughter doing well?¡± I nervously ask. Marshall gives me a nod of encouragement.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Alayah tells me. ¡°We don¡¯t talk much, but I see her during important village meetings. Are you asking about anything in particular?"


    ¡°No, I was just curious how she was doing.¡±


    "Would you like me to bring her with me next time and let you guys talk? She''s helped my family and me multiple times, and I owe her at least that much." It brings a smile to my face to hear Aaliyah complement my daughter. After she was kicked out of the army for her inferior magic talents, she was so depressed. I''m happy to know she''s making a good life for herself in Spotted Creek Village.


    "That''s quite alright," I tell Aaliyah. "Our relationship is estranged after all these years, and I''m sure she doesn''t want to speak with me." I still remember the look on her face when I told her I was sending her to a village out in the middle of nowhere.


    "I won''t pretend to know what went on between you two, but I know as a daughter, I could never hate my father enough to never want to talk to him again. Just my opinion. I''ll call back in a few weeks to get an update." The magic tool goes dark as Aaliyah disconnects from her end.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Marshall throws out his unwanted opinion.


    ¡°My relationship with my daughter is not the issue right now,¡± I snap at him. ¡°What are we going to do about Aaliyah and Grey?¡±


    I was content to play both sides of the conflict and work with the winner, but most of my plans were hedging on Aaliyah''s rising abilities. She still wants to work with us, but that only applies until Aaliyah leaves for Scholl. Should I revise my original plan without including Aaliyah, or do I double down on the golden rock and throw Silver Herd in with Scholl?


    It has always been my family''s goal to grow and be recognized as a major trade organization, does it matter if that just so happens to be in a different kingdom than Olebert?


    My father always planned to compete with Olebert''s big trading companies, but I''m not sure if that is feasible any longer.


    There''s a branch in the path before me, and I can no longer see which leads to profit and which to ruin. "Marshall, should I bet on Olebert or Aaliyah?"


    Marshall thinks over my question. ¡°Olebert would be the safe bet,¡± he tells me.


    I nod my head.


    ¡°But opportunities like Aaliyah only show up once in a lifetime, maybe longer. It¡¯s up to you, Boss,¡± Marshall reminds me.


    I have no idea about the various trade unions in Scholl. A few merchants would risk the trek between nations before the war, but Scholl''s only notable export has always been magic beast materials. I''ll need to figure out a way to gather more information before committing to one side or the other. But until then, I make eye contact with Marshall. "Contact One, and have her intercept Pacore before he enters Drey."


    ¡°And have her do what exactly?¡± Marshall gives me a concerned look, afraid I might ask that One try to assassinate the man.


    I snort at his needless worry. One might be our best agent, but even she wouldn''t be able to harm Pacore. Even if the rumors about him are only half true, he would still be able to kill all the numbers on his own. "I want her to convince Pacore that he should wait to kill Grey until we have better control over the situation.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that will work?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the best I have at the moment,¡± I admit.


    "You sound like Aaliyah now," in a rare moment, Marshall pokes fun at me.


    ¡°Well, you said I should listen to her,¡± I quip back.


    ¡°Gods help us all,¡± Marshall playfully shakes his head before moving to prepare a message for One.


    Left alone to my own thoughts, I can''t help but think about whether I''ll lead Silver Herd to success or doom. Time will only tell if I make the right decision.

 Ch: 87

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    It''s hard not to skip down the road. If I weren''t surrounded by my men, I''d be dancing with joy.


    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re smiling like that again,¡± young Jason points out to me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯re worrying the men,¡± Jason reminds me with a strained look on his face.


    I ignore him and continue to strut down the road with a pep in my step. It isn¡¯t my problem he¡¯s feeling embarrassed walking next to me. Why should I contain myself any more than I already am? I''m keeping up a somewhat respectable appearance, aren''t I? When was the last time I was this happy?


    Was it when I took the fort from General Pitz?


    No, even that fight didn¡¯t fill me with such delight.


    Fighting the dragon would probably be the best comparison, but that joy faded quickly after realizing we couldn''t best the beast.


    If we beat the mythical creature like I did General Pitz, it might feel something like the bliss I''m feeling right now. Of course, I can''t in good conscience compare the two, but after the dragon, everyone felt helpless while the fight with General Pitz left me¡­ underwhelmed? That''s the best way I can describe it. If only she were adequately equipped, now that would''ve been a good fight.


    I cock my head to the side and glance up at the woman riding the jelen. Leaning back, I dodge a well-placed kick that would''ve caught me under my chin. "I told you not to look at me with that disgusting smile!" She hisses down at me.


    We left the village days ago, and the general''s mood has only worsened the closer we get to Drey. I can''t in good faith tease her anymore. Maybe my bragging over obtaining young Aaliyah as an apprentice was a touch too far. Anyone would be mad if they found such a gem lying around only to have someone else swoop in at the last second and snatch it before you could pick it up. Wars in Scholl have been started for less, so it''s only right I let her vent her anger, but how long will that take?


    The trip back to Drey feels like it¡¯s taking longer than it should. Seeing how young Jason is trying to distance himself from me, and General Pitz is actively trying to hit me despite the strain it must be putting on her sealed body, my conversation partners have sadly dwindled to zero.


    I tried to pull the commander into a conversation, but he politely refused me too, stating it was his job to make sure I stay safe. I would''ve believed that excuse if he didn''t take one look at my smiling face and scurry back into formation like he''d seen a ghost.


    Why must I contain my joy!? What''s the point in being the strongest if you can''t enjoy the little things in life? Usually, I''d be able to vent this frustration by talking to one of my apprentices, but I''m practically alone with no one to brag to about my recent windfall.


    Oh, gods!


    I¡¯ve turned into a young girl in my old age!


    I bring my hand up, pretending to cough, hiding the grin on my face. It''s so much trouble being a pillar of a kingdom, but I wouldn''t have it any other way.


    As we move forward, the trees slowly start to thin out. And once we exit the forest, it shouldn''t take us long to reach Drey. I''ll have to explain to Lord Bullok why we were late to return. News of Aaliyah will need to be kept to a minimum as not to endanger her. Luckily for me, his highness sent Kellor to run these lands. The Bullok house are like me and support the young prince in succeeding his father. I can trust Kellor to keep an eye on the village without raising suspicion.


    I¡¯ll only have a day to get everything in order before we start marching on Blaiton. ¡°Jason, as soon as we make it to Drey, I need you to go to the courier guild and send word for Tabitha.¡±


    "Is she the apprentice you were talking about?" Young Jason questions me. "Isn''t she one of the people leading your forces in Teeburn?"


    I smile at Jason; he''s been paying attention. Even though Lord Bullok arrived with the other nobles to run everything, young Jason has continued to watch their movements and has inserted himself into the day-to-day operations. When Kellor arrived, I vouched for the young man, but I''m sure his talents haven''t gone unnoticed.


    I recently even debated whether I should offer Jason a position working directly under me when I return to Drey. I''m already bringing one talented child back with me; I might as well make it two. I''ve truly benefited from this assignment.


    ¡°She is, and it¡¯s not that big of a deal,¡± I tell him. ¡°As long as we have the general as a hostage, Olebert won¡¯t risk her unless we push them too far.  Our reinforcements continue to further secure Teeburn, and other than a few light skirmishes here and there, the fighting has basically turned into a standstill. Tabitha will have a much more fun time with Aaliyah, rather than standing around doing nothing. She¡¯s like me in that way.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Young Jason curiously asks me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± my smile turns more savage. ¡°Send word to Grey, tell him I have business to discuss with him.¡±


    Jason trembles under my gaze. "Are you going to kill him?" He asks.


    "I haven''t decided yet," I continue to grin. "It depends if he''s willing to agree to cancel the contract with Aaliyah or not."


    "But he runs almost all the trading in the area. You can''t just kill him," Jason stresses. ¡°You even said so yourself.¡±


    "Then he''ll just need to be replaced," I casually reply. Jason groans, probably imagining the chaos that will ensue once we reach Drey.


    ¡°Might I make a suggestion?¡± An ethereal voice whispers in my ear. Every soldier stops and draws his weapon. As they''ve been trained, my men close ranks around me.


    ¡°No need to fret; I mean you no harm,¡± the voice continues to resonate in my ears like someone is whispering right into them. I can think of a few spells and skill combinations that would produce such an effect, all of them favored by assassins and spies.


    I scan the surrounding tree line, but I can''t spot our guest. And seeing how my two scouts are still looking around, they haven''t found the person either. "If that''s true, then you can reveal yourself," I shout.


    "That wouldn''t be smart on my part; your men appear to be a little jumpy." The voice continues to change tone and pitch every few words, making it impossible to tell whether a man or woman is speaking. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to make a mistake in front of Pacore the Deathless.¡±


    ¡°You know who I am.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be good at my job if I didn¡¯t,¡± the voice laughs in my ear.


    So, whoever they are, they''re aware of who I am, and they still approached us. If they were here to kill me, they wouldn''t have called out to us before attacking. Are they here for General Pitz? It doesn''t feel like that, which can only mean one thing. "What is it you wish to discuss?"


    The disembodied voice giggles. ¡°I knew you would catch on quick. I¡¯m here to discuss some business with you, Master Pacore, pillar of Scholl.¡±


    "Then get on with it," I growl. "I''m already behind schedule."


    ¡°I would, but there are too many people around. Why don¡¯t you step into the forest so we can have a private chat?¡± I have to smile at their nerve. To ask someone of my position to leave their guards behind willingly is a haughty demand.


    "How dare you! Come out and die, wretch!" The commander shouts into the trees. The only thing he receives from his challenge is a mocking laugh in return that sounds eerily like a dozen children giggling.


    I have to admit; I find myself curious. "Fine," I agree to the astonishment of my men.


    ¡°Master Pacore, you can¡¯t!¡± The commander quickly objects.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I tell him as I make my way towards the trees.


    ¡°But sir, what if something happens to you!?¡± He tries to stop me.


    I stop and turn on the man. ¡°Are you questioning my authority or my abilities?¡± Releasing a bit of my pressure, the commander immediately closes his mouth and takes a knee.


    ¡°I meant no disrespect, Master Pacore,¡± he bows his head in submission.


    ¡°Good, then wait here for my return. This shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± I walk into the forest and leave my men behind.


    If this is truly a trap for me, I hope it doesn¡¯t disappoint. It would be the first time an assassin asked me to make their job easier, after all.


    Walking twenty or so feet into the forest, I can no longer see my men in the distance. "This is far enough; come out," I demand.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± My hand moves to my sword as a robed figure appears directly to my left, just out of my sword¡¯s range. Their face and entire body are hidden under the large cloak to the point I can¡¯t distinguish any of their features. ¡°Scary, you didn¡¯t even flinch,¡± the robed figure remarks. It no longer sounds like they¡¯re talking into my ear, but the voice still sounds different every time they speak.


    Well, it looks like they really are here to talk, and here I was hoping for a bit of excitement. "Who are you?" I ask, ignoring their comment.


    ¡°You can call me One. I¡¯m sure that is enough for you to guess why I¡¯m here.¡±


    "You work for Silver Herd; it''s no wonder you didn''t want to talk in front of General Pitz." It appears Silver Herd is trying to play both sides of the conflict; how typical for a merchant company. It makes sense why they wouldn''t want to talk to me while General Pitz is around; if word of this gets out, the company would be considered traitors.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, so my boss would appreciate it if you kept this meeting between the two of us,¡± the robed figure starts circling me, making sure to keep me on my toes.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here now, I venture a guess, it can only be related to Aaliyah.¡±


    "Right again, I guess I don''t need to tell you anything," the cloaked figure laughs again.


    I can''t help but find this meeting amusing myself. "I told Aaliyah to tell her friends about me, but I wasn''t expecting such a quick response."


    ¡°Little Aaliyah¡¯s ability is highly valued in the company. Of course, we would respond quickly when she tells us she became your disciple.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I can¡¯t take her as my disciple?¡± I ask in a challenging voice.


    ¡°You overestimate us, Master Pacore. Silver Herd doesn¡¯t have the power to disagree with you.¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting the switch to flattery.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Then why contact me now?" I narrow my eyes at the circling figure. Their steps are light and well placed. No matter which obstacle they move around, they always keep an exact distance away from me.


    "We were informed you were planning to deal with Lenard Grey. Is that true?"


    "I can''t have my new student chained down by such a malicious contract, now can I," I grin. "What kind of master would that make me?"


    The hooded figure pauses mid-step for a moment before continuing to circle me, laughing like they heard the funniest joke ever. It¡¯s grating on my ears for the laughter to quickly shift between a child¡¯s giggle to an old man¡¯s laugh. "You underestimate your new apprentice. She has already stated she would help us if we asked her to, but she ultimately left us to deal with Grey on our own terms."


    My eyes widen at the revelation. I thought it was strange how she didn''t seem that concerned with the contract she signed; now I know why. Even if I didn''t say I would take care of Grey, Aaliyah already had a backup plan. "Then you''re coming here to thank me for doing your dirty work for you?"


    "Under any normal circumstances, that would be the case. However, now is not a good time for Grey to die." Even with the voice shifting, I can hear a bit of disappointment leak through. I guess my hooded friend isn''t a fan of sparing Grey either. ¡°Grey waited for your invasion to corner Aaliyah. If you kill him now, our branches in your cities will fall apart. That isn¡¯t good for either of us.¡±


    "What makes you think I can''t solve a simple supply chain issue?" I emptily boast. The local supply chains are of great importance to our plans. With each hiccup we encounter, less food will be sent back to Scholl, and more innocents will die.


    ¡°Then I guess I no longer need to stay,¡± the robed figure comments with a young girl''s voice. The figure starts to slowly inch away, calling me on my bluff.


    "Wait," I finally call out once they''re about to disappear amongst the trees entirely. "You''re quite informed," I dryly remark when the figure returns to where they were standing.


    ¡°Just as you have spies in Blaiton, we have people in Drey. We¡¯re quite aware of your situation. That¡¯s why I was set to negotiate on behalf of the company.¡± The figure''s artificial smug voice fits perfectly.


    ¡°You¡¯re planning to betray Olebert?¡± I raise a curious eyebrow.


    "Not exactly; the stipulation for us helping you is that you need to take Blaiton first. Silver Herd can''t be seen as traitors; I''m sure you understand. Once the city is under your control, Silver Herd will ''reluctantly'' agree to help you. Once we''re reconnected with the Drey and Teeburn branches, Grey''s value drops to zero."


    I hum in thought and stroke my beard. I¡¯m not one to let threats linger nearby, but I¡¯m painfully aware of the current situation. Still, I see how this deal is necessary, even if it favors Silver Herd. ¡°You won¡¯t help me until I take Blaiton? What if we don''t plan on attacking the city? We can dig in and hold Drey; what would you do then?" If push comes to shove, I need to know what they will do. My people informed me Silver Herd only operates in four cities. With the battle lines drawn, their market is cut in half; no merchant company could sustain itself after such a reduction.


    My questions give the robed figure pause. ¡°That would be unfortunate,¡± they finally answer. "It would make all the trouble we''ve gone to storing extra foodstuffs pointless. I suppose it will go bad long before we ever sell it all."


    ¡°That¡¯s low,¡± I grit through my teeth.


    "We were making plans to trade with you once you took the city; how is it our fault if you fall through? I don''t think you forgot how dangerous it is for us to be talking to you. If it ever gets out that we didn''t report your whereabouts or General Pitz''s location, many would be labeled traitors and killed as an example. I came here to tell you Silver Herd has no problem working with Scholl, but to do that, we need a guarantee that our people won''t be labeled traitors in the near future. It shouldn''t be hard for the great Master Pacore the Deathless to conquer a city, is it?"


    To think such a small merchant company would put up such terms fully knowing who they¡¯re dealing with. ¡°And my new apprentice, where does Aaliyah fall into your plans?¡± I ask with a grin.


    The robed figure takes a step back, not expecting my relaxed attitude. Do they believe this is the first time I''m negotiating with deserters? Turncoats, spies, I''ve encountered countless individuals trying to negotiate during war. It''s usually impossible to trust anyone who would sell out their own people. The only reason I''m entertaining this deal is that we need their connections and carts. But if they try to use Aaliyah against me, I''ll destroy them just like I''ll do to Blaiton. After all, I mostly just need their carts.


    ¡°She is not a part of this deal,¡± the robed person briskly answers. ¡°Silver Herd recognizes her potential and won¡¯t jeopardize our relationship with her. The reason we are meeting early like this is because we value our business with her. Silver Herd is betting on Aaliyah¡¯s  future growth after all."


    ¡°She won¡¯t be here for much longer,¡± I point out.


    It''s hard to notice, but the figure nods in understanding. "That may be true, but we are aware of Aaliyah''s personality. We might lose her business in the short run, but my boss is confident she would choose to do business with us in the future. That''s the kind of person she is."


    She''s only fifteen, and yet she''s drawn in so many people betting on her success. It almost sounds like they''re more interested in maintaining their relationship with Aaliyah than they are working with me.


    I can¡¯t help but laugh heartily at the situation. I¡¯ve just taken Aaliyah as my apprentice, and thanks to her connections, I already have an in with the local trading company.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± My shady friend asks, nervously taking another step back.


    "Life in general," I joke. "Sometimes, it feels like the gods are moving things in my favor."


    ¡°Does that mean you accept our deal?¡±


    "Yes, it does," I answer with a smile. "But just to be clear, if you answered any differently regarding Aaliyah or threatened me with her, I would''ve dismantled your company by myself."


    ¡°Then we should get along fine,¡± the figure retorts. "I''ll let my boss know that you agreed." The hooded person slinks back into the forest and quickly disappears.


    ¡°Not even a handshake?¡± I complain out loud.


    ¡°Maybe next time,¡± a man¡¯s voice whispers in my ear.


    I don¡¯t wait long to start walking back to my waiting men. I¡¯m still ready to defend myself should this be an elaborate trap, but I doubt it.


    As soon as I reemerge on the forest trail, I''m assaulted by young Jason and the unit commander''s questions. I wave them both away and demand we make way for Drey at double speed.


    I need to hurry back and prepare.


    Thanks to Aaliyah and my deal with Silver Herd, I have more incentive than ever to finish my campaign.


    Blaiton won¡¯t know what hit them!


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°198!¡± I bring my axe down in front of me again. My arms are screaming for me to stop while the sweat is pouring from my face.


    ¡°199!¡± I swing again, letting the pain in my hands distract me from thinking about my family.


    ¡°200!¡± I finish my set, and it didn''t help. I''m still thinking over all the options my family has been discussing. I don''t want to uproot my family while they insist they follow me to Scholl.


    ¡°I thought we were supposed to be working together on the engraving ink today?¡± Sandra complains from over by the forge, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    "It''s no use; she''s been practicing like this ever since Pacore left," Master comments from his bench.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Sandra swears.


    ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with my practicing?¡± I hiss in frustration.


    "Nothing," Master remarks in a fake tone of voice. "Just the fact you''ve been straining yourself for four days straight. I know how you feel, but you need to take a break soon."


    "Do you?!" I snap. "Because we got our asses handed to us without leaving a scratch on that old bastard, and I''m the only one who seems bothered by it!"


    Master sits up and frowns at me, and I immediately start to feel bad. I know master isn¡¯t happy about the result of our fight either. Expecting a tongue lashing, I close my eyes, waiting for Master to yell at me.


    It isn¡¯t until I hear a deep sigh that I open my eyes to see Master leaning forward with his head down. "You''re right," he admits. Master looks up with a sad expression. "If only I were stronger."


    "No," I say, putting my axe down and grabbing a nearby clean rag to wipe my face. "As soon as Pacore got serious, we were doomed. Even if we were both stronger, I doubt we would''ve done much damage to him."


    "It was that bad?" Sandra asks us in disbelief. "My dad told me you guys lost, but he didn''t mention it being so one-sided."


    ¡°We caught him off guard in the beginning, but after that, he moved like he knew what we were going to do before even we did,¡± I tell Sandra. I try to clench my fists in frustration, but they''re sore from excessively practicing my weapon skills.


    ¡°And now you have to leave the village?¡± Sandra hesitantly asks.


    "Not at the moment¡­ but eventually, yes, I''ll have to leave the village with Pacore." The three of us brood in silence, with only the crackling of the forge''s fire in the background.


    I break the silence by growling in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m just so mad!¡± I yell.


    Sandra moves over and hugs me. "It''s ok to be mad," she tells me.


    The hug doesn''t douse my anger, but it does smother it a bit. "You know that batch of ink is ruined now," I whisper to her.


    "It''s your fault," Sandra playfully pushes away from me and moves to remove the beaker of black sludge from the fire. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened if you were helping me,¡± she jokingly complains.


    "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Give me a second to go over my status page, and I''ll help you with the next batch."


    ¡°You better,¡± Sandra threatens me through her mask.


    Shaking my head, I pull up my Status Page:


    LV: 73 Experience: 518,017/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,431.66/1,650


    Mana: 827.42/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.04


    Strength: 152.01


    Dexterity: 150.02


    Senses: 62.42


    Mind: 65.25


    Magic: 102.82


    Clarity: 78.80


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV77), Blacksmithing (LV72), Hammer Skills (LV60), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV39), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV30), Alchemy (LV7), Pugilist Skills (LV7), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV63), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV43), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Steady Hands (LV23), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV61), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV25), Contract (LV14)


    Tier 4:


    Mana Skin (LV55), Mental Resistance (LV55), Inject Mana (LV53), Extract Mana (LV34), Magic Blacksmithing (LV28), Empowered Spell (LV14), Air Walk (LV11), Magic Threads (LV9)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV10)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Hammer Skills (LV60) 3,000exp


    Axe Skills (LV59-60) 5,950exp


    Sword Skills (LV35-39) 9,250exp


    Dagger Skills (LV34) 1,700exp


    Acting (LV33) 1,650exp


    Sewing (LV30) 1,500exp


    Double Step (LV63) 6,300exp


    Axe Arts (LV39) 3,900exp


    Steady Hands (LV23) 2,300exp


    Sword Arts (LV16-17) 3,300exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV61) 9,150exp


    Flash Step (LV25) 3,750exp


    Contract (LV8-14) 7,700exp


    Mental Resistance (LV55) 13,750exp


    Empowered Spell (LV13-14) 6,750exp


    Air Walk (LV10-11) 5,250exp


    Magic Threads (LV1-9) 11,250exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV9-10) 9,500exp


    Skill Experience: 105,950exp


    Crafting Experience: 9,225exp


    Fighting Experience: 1,001exp


    Total-experience Gained: 116,176exp


    It''s been over a week and a half since I checked my status page, and I know I should be proud of earning so much experience in such a short time, but after my defeat, it feels hollow.


    My weapon skills have only leveled because of the fight with Pacore and the subsequent training I¡¯ve been forcing myself to do the last few days.


    I''ve been practicing Mana Threads constantly since I unlocked it, but now that it''s about to hit level 10, its growth has started to slow down. The levels I gained from the contracts with Pacore are bittersweet, and each night since my defeat, I''ve been trying to raise my soul skills.


    I crafted another two kaglese spears, one kaglese sword, and four steel spears before Pacore showed up in the village, and since then, I haven''t had time to forge anything else.


    I don''t even want to think about the experience I got from fighting Pacore. Master and I treated it like a life-or-death battle, but the amount of experience shows just how little effect we had against him.


    Sighing, I close out my Status Page.


    ¡°Stop being gloomy and get over here and help me,¡± Sandra waves me over. She really knows how to cheer a girl up. While I was going over my Status Page, Sandra was mixing a new batch of engraving ink and putting it into the forge.


    Step 1 was mixing the herbs together, step two is heating the solution, and step three was adding in crushed magicite. It took us almost a full month just to get the third step correct. Grabbing my notebook from the nearby bench, I review the exact details of the three steps we¡¯ve deciphered so far.


    Step 1: First, mash the eathrosse into a paste. Then mix 2 ounces of eathrosse paste with 16 ounces of purified water. Dice 5 ounces of devil''s poke and add it to the mixture. Lastly, stir the entire mixture until it becomes a purplish-black color.


    Step 2: The mixture must be heated from the bottom and sides evenly, using a fire around 600¡ãF. The mixture starts binding after seven minutes and finishes after eleven.


    Step 3: While the heated mixture is still in the forge, add 43 ounces of crushed Magicite to the mixture. Stir rapidly while increasing the temperature to 850¡ãF. Maintain that temperature for five minutes while continuing to stir before removing the mixture and letting it cool.


    Sandra has already stirred in the magicite, and it should only be a few more minutes before we pull out the beaker.


    Step 3 was the most challenging step yet because the first half of the step lured us into a false sense of security. It was easy to figure out the mixture needed to remain heated while adding the magicite, and we figured out the quantity needed in only a single day. All we had to do was add small amounts of magicite to the mixture until we put in too much and ruined it.


    We thought we would have step 3 down after a week, but we were sadly mistaken. The two of us burned through probably a dozen mixtures before we figured out we needed to up the heat in the forge. Then we wasted even more time trying to figure out how long it needed to remain at that temperature, along with the fact that we need to continually stir it along the way.


    The last part of step 3 was only solved because Sandra was mad after a day of failures and removed the mixture, thinking we were done for the day. Needless to say, we were pissed when the mixture settled properly after we had given up. I have no idea how alchemists figured these steps out from scratch.


    And because Sandra and I like to torture ourselves, we can¡¯t just give up after all the work we¡¯ve put into everything.


    I watch Sandra grab the beaker with a pair of tongs and move it over to a metal stand we have waiting nearby.


    We were supposed to start step 4 five days ago, but that was the day Pacore kicked our asses around the quarry.


    ¡°What should we try first?¡± Sandra turns and asks me.


    "I don''t know," I half-heartedly reply. In the instructions Reel brought me, step 4 simply said add mithril, and after the last step, those two words are like a punch in the gut.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help me, go mope over by your master,¡± Sandra narrows her eyes. I can¡¯t read her expression under her mask, but I''m sure she''s frowning.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I groan.


    "No, you''re not," Sandra rebukes me. "And the quicker you realize that, the faster I''ll get my friend back."


    ¡°This is the first time I failed,¡± I whisper dejectedly.


    ¡°You¡¯re overexaggerating,¡± Sandra huffs.


    ¡°She really isn¡¯t,¡± Master comments from his bench.


    Sandra¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°You¡¯ve never failed at something before?¡±


    I almost absentmindedly say ¡®not in this life¡¯, but catch myself before I do.


    ¡°You have to have given up on something!?¡± Sandra drills me.


    I shake my head no. "I''ve always powered through until I eventually succeeded. There were a few close calls, but everything turned out alright in the end. I always managed to grow stronger to meet the challenges at hand, but not this time," I hang my head.


    "That''s honestly a little scary," Sandra tries to poke my side playfully, but she doesn''t have the Strength to get through Mana Skin. "But I think I figured out what has you so bothered," her cheery voice gets me to raise my head again.


    ¡°I¡¯m bothered because I lost.¡±


    "Nope, that''s not it," Sandra shakes her head. "The reason you''re having such a hard time accepting your loss is that you think you''ll never manage to beat Pacore."


    "What?" I ask, dumbfounded.


    Sandra patiently explains herself.  "You''ve already told yourself you''ll never beat Pacore. Usually, you never give up until you succeed, but now that you have, you feel terrible."


    ¡°I haven¡¯t given up!¡± I protest.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Sandra challenges me with her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll punch him the next time I see him,¡± I tell her.


    Sandra just shakes her head again. "That''s not what I''m talking about. Tell me 100% honestly, can you see yourself beating Pacore in a fight, ever?"


    I want to shout yes, but the word doesn''t come out.


    ¡°See,¡± Sandra moves in and gives me another quick hug.


    Holy crap, she¡¯s right! Sandra just Dr. Phill¡¯d me.


    But when did I tell myself I would never beat Pacore? I told myself I would kick his ass, but that was more of a way for me to rebel against him. I¡¯m not even sure if I meant it.


    I try to imagine fighting Pacore again, and the first thing that comes to my mind is me lying on my back with his sword pointed at me while I''m weak and helpless. I don''t want to feel this way, but like I said after I finished my practice swings, I can''t help but feel that any chance I have at fighting him is doomed to fail.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I finally squeak out in a quiet voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± Sandra consoles me. ¡°Now you can move past it.¡±


    I wish it were as easy as she said. "I''m not sure if I can," I admit. "You didn''t see him fighting us; we outnumbered him, we were faster, stronger, it didn''t matter. He was covered in magic items!"


    ¡°And what about your magic items?¡± Sandra questions me.


    I frown, ¡°We don¡¯t have stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°But if you did, would you have lasted longer?¡± Sandra grins at me. ¡°If you had a few years of training, would he still be able to dodge all your strikes?¡±


    ¡°Pacore sounds like a legend,¡± Sandra continues. "I know you''re strong, but did you really consider it a fair fight between the three of you? I bet he had an emergency magic item that could''ve saved his life even if you managed to hurt him. How many years do you think he''s spent fighting? If you had all of that¡­, do you think you would''ve stood a chance?"


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I answer.


    "That''s a start!" Sandra exclaims. "Now help me figure out step 4, so you can make your own crazy awesome magic armor.¡±


    "Alright," I agree, with a smile starting to return to my face.


    I''m not ignorant to what Sandra just did, but sometimes you need people to spell something out for you to understand properly. She''s right; if I feel inadequate when I compare myself to Pacore, I just need to continue to grow stronger until that feeling disappears. And when it does, I''ll rechallenge Pacore, and when I do, I''ll win.


    ¡°Let¡¯s figure out step 4,¡± I smile at Sandra.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking!¡± She exclaims.


    Sandra is going to make a great mom; I know it.


    And I¡¯ll grow stronger too and be the best aunt I can be.

 Ch: 88

    ¡°Have you ever seen magicite like this?¡± I ask Sandra.


    "The most magicite I''ve seen in one place was your storeroom," Sandra tells me while she stares wide-eyed at the walls of the mine.


    "Really?" I ask, surprised. "I''d thought magicite would be a lot more openly traded in Drey, especially for mages? Master told me how magicite is rare in large quantities but not exactly hard to find in general."


    Sandra shakes her head as she moves over to the cavern''s wall and starts touching the protruding chunks of mana-dense rock. "I''m sure that''s true from a Stone kin¡¯s perspective, but magicite is mostly traded between mages and the wealthy. The average person doesn¡¯t need magic items, meaning magicite itself isn¡¯t needed. My master explained that magicite is actually one of the only cheap magic materials out there because the items that use it are more expensive than the ore itself."


    "Huh," I remark. You learn something new every day. "Be careful with your hands. Magicite is crystalline in nature and can be quite sharp. Also, don''t try to use your Sense Mana on it; you''ll get a killer headache," I warn Sandra.


    She carefully pulls her hand back before looking at me like I''m an idiot. "I''m not a child, and of course, you''d get a headache. Magicite is almost pure mana; if anyone other than you tried to directly sense that amount of overwhelming magic, they''d be knocked unconscious.¡±


    "No one exactly taught me these things, ok?" I try to defend myself. Sandra continues to wearily shake her head, like an older sister berating their sibling for doing something ridiculous.


    I huff in annoyance and move to the other side of the cavern. I do this partially to get away from my patronizing friend and partially to distance myself from her, so when I swing my pickaxe, she isn''t harmed by any falling rocks.


    ¡°Everyone makes fun of the village girl for not knowing anything,¡± I playfully pout. Sandra starts giggling at my obvious overdramatization. ¡°Keep your mouth shut unless you want to know what magicite tastes like,¡± I give Sandra one last warning as I raise Master¡¯s pickaxe.


    The pick glows as I fill its enchantment with mana. Using pinpoint accuracy, I slam the pickaxe into the rocky surface with all my Strength. I might not be as good as Master yet, but I still cause a small explosion of rubble with every one of my swings.


    The enchanted pickaxe makes short work of the magicite walls, easily carving its way through the magically infused stone. Briefly looking back, I see Sandra watching me work with the kind of rapt attention people have when they''re watching something be destroyed. Knowing my friend is watching me only drives me to work harder to impress her.


    Even though it''s entirely unnecessary, I activate Double Strike and Weighted Strike together. The two skills combined tear down hundreds of pounds of magicite as if the rock was made of foam. I have to remind myself I only have so much room in my cart before losing myself in the mindless digging.


    Finished, I reabsorb the magic in the pickaxe and heft it onto my shoulder. While I look over my handiwork, I hear a light clapping behind me. Turning around, Sandra grins at me. "That was pretty cool. You''re amazing; you know that?" I immediately start to blush under her praise.


    I try to hide my face from Sandra, but my light spell overhead acts like a spotlight, drawing attention to my reddening face. "Thanks," I simply respond.


    ¡°I should be thanking you for bringing me along.¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be nicer hanging out with you rather than dragging Master down here,¡± I jokingly laugh.


    Sandra has been hanging out with me in Master¡¯s clearing a lot more this past week. She still spends time with her family and Richard, but when she¡¯s not with them, Sandra is hanging me. Even when we¡¯re not working on the formula for engraving ink, Sandra watches me forge or practices her magic off to the side. Master grumbles that his clearing is a lot louder these days, but I can tell he doesn¡¯t mind having her around.


    I mean, the two of us can''t possibly be louder than when I¡¯m blacksmithing, can we?


    "I might have followed you down here even if you didn''t invite me," Sandra grins at me. "I heard rumors of what it''s like in a magicite mine, and I wanted to experience it for myself."


    "Really; is it that exciting?" I ask.


    Again, Sandra looks at me like I¡¯m the weird one. ¡°What mage wouldn¡¯t want to feel this level of ambient magic?¡±


    "I''ve been down here so many times; I guess I don''t feel it that much anymore," I wryly remark. Sure, there''s extra mana down here, but it isn''t exactly hard for me to absorb mana from my surroundings. If anything, I find the extra mana annoying now. Usually, I can control how much mana I absorb, but the mana tries to force its way into my body when I''m down here. But thanks to my physical stats steadily increasing along with my magic skills, I''m able to block over 90% of the extra mana from entering my body.


    ¡°I should practice my earth magic while I¡¯m down here,¡± Sandra excitingly tells me.


    ¡°Won¡¯t all this earth mana poison your mana network?¡± I remind my friend.


    Sandra shakes her head at me again before straightening her back and going into teacher mode. ¡°If I was practicing any other type of magic, maybe, but as long as I only use earth attuned spells, it will reduce the stress on my mana network."


    "You can do that?!" My surprised voice echoes in the chamber.


    Sandra nods her head and grins at me like she¡¯s expecting me to praise her. I¡¯m too busy wondering how I missed something like that, but it makes sense. Our bodies convert ambient mana into our own magic reserves. That magic is what we use to shape spells in return. When I cast my cleaning spell or other spells, I¡¯ve seen how my magic attunes itself to the element of the spell I¡¯m using. I should¡¯ve been able to guess I can mix in the ambient mana my body absorbs into my spells as long as it fits with the magic I¡¯m casting.


    Maybe I didn''t realize this because I mostly absorb earth mana from the ground. After all, it''s the slowest and easiest mana to work with, but none of the three spells I know use earth attuned mana. I should try pulling some of the fire mana from the forge next time I¡¯m working and see if it improves my hovering light ball or small flame spells.


    ¡°All this extra mana is perfect for me to practice a few earth spells. It will help with my reduced mana pool,¡± Sandra¡¯s comment pulls me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your mana pool?¡± I ask her.


    Sandra brings her hand up to her stomach. ¡°A quarter of my mana pool is protecting the baby.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I exclaim.


    Using Sense Mana, I look at Sandra''s mana network. She''s right; a large chunk of her mana is revolving around the growing fetus. Her mana is creating a blanket, protecting the growing baby from any ambient magic her body absorbs. It''s been a couple of months since I met Sandra and brother on the road to Drey, and since then, I haven''t scanned her with my skills. Sandra is still in her first trimester, and the baby is still microscopic, but it''s developed a lot since I had last seen it.


    ¡°Heyyyyy!¡± Sandra wraps her arms around her waist defensively.


    ¡°What?¡± I try to act innocent.


    ¡°You were scanning me again,¡± Sandra looks at me accusingly.


    "How could you tell?" I ask her, not exactly denying her accusation. Unlike Sense Soul, Sense Mana isn''t intrusive. Sandra shouldn''t have been able to tell I was using the skill on her.


    ¡°You kept staring at my stomach like you were trying to see through it, obviously!¡±


    I sheepishly look away. ¡°I was just curious, is all. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t check up on your baby.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my baby!¡± Sandra stresses.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I admit.


    I move over to the cart I brought and push it closer to the rubble I knocked down. Grabbing a shovel, I start scooping everything into the cart.


    ¡°I need to get one of those mana obscuring tools, like you have,¡± Sandra complains, moving closer to me now that I''m not tearing down the walls.


    ¡°It will have to be a good one if you want to block me,¡± I joke.


    Sandra blankly looks at me, not impressed with my flexing at the moment. ¡°That isn¡¯t funny.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I quickly apologize. ¡°As soon as we finish the engraving ink, that¡¯ll be the first thing I make.¡±


    Sandra snorts, but a smile starts to creep back onto her face. ¡°You better after all the time I¡¯m spending helping you.¡±


    The two of us share a laugh while Sandra stands nearby, content to watch me shovel the magicite. Our conversation falls into a lull right up until I have most of the cart filled.


    ¡°How¡¯s the discussion with your parents been going?¡± Sandra questions.


    I let out a small sigh and not because I¡¯m tired from working. "It''s ongoing," I tell her. "You know how my mom can be. And this time, she has dad on her side."


    ¡°They still want to go to Scholl with you, huh?¡±


    ¡°No matter how many times brother and I tell our parents it would be safer for them to stay here, they don''t listen. Thanks for having Richard help me convince them, by the way," I smile at Sandra.


    "No problem, but he''s still worried about you just as much as they are. We all are." It''s sad to see my friends so concerned for me, but at the same time, I''m happy they care so much.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I tell Sandra as I finish shoveling the last of the magicite. I throw my shovel and pickaxe on top of the ore, preparing to leave.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for,¡± she beams at me.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here?¡± I joke as I start pushing the cart out of the magicite cavern and toward the mine¡¯s exit. ¡°Because I thought you missed me or something.¡±


    "Well, that too." Sandra walks next to me. "Have you figured out where Pacore''s student is going to stay? They''re supposed to be here soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me," I grunt. "Pacore said ''she'' would be here soon, and it''s been almost two weeks now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been what?¡± Sandra starts counting with her fingers. ¡°Five, eight, twelve days since Pacore left the village. Did he say where she would be coming from?¡±


    "Nope, not a word. But if she were in Drey, she''d be here by now, so I guess she was in Teeburn or maybe even Scholl itself. Who knows how long it will take her to get here?" I push the cart of magicite up the gradual incline of the mine.


    ¡°But what are you going to do when she does get here? Is your family going to host her?"


    "It''s hard for my family and me to plan anything regarding her because we have no idea what she''s like. What if she''s an old weirdo like Pacore?"


    "Didn''t Pacore say she was his student like you? How old can she possibly be?"


    "Pacore is ancient," I point out to Sandra. "For all we know, she''s older than Granny Gellar."


    "That would be funny," Sandra giggles. "Soooo¡­. you don''t have any idea where she would stay?" For a second, Sandra smiles like her mom, and I know she has something planned.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°You going to tell me your diabolical plan, or are you going to make me guess?¡± I press her.


    ¡°Listen to this,¡± Sandra starts explaining her plan to me.


    And the more she explains to me, the more I want to get behind her idea. Everyone wins, well¡­¡­ Sandra and I will be the big winners.


    **********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    "Master Pacore, your orders, sir?"


    ¡°Have the away units set up around each of the city¡¯s gates. We can''t have them getting ahold of any more supplies."


    ¡°It will be done immediately.¡±


    "And young Jason¡­" I turn to address the young man beside me and stop when I remember it isn''t Jason but one of the communication mages. The young mage doesn¡¯t so much as twitch when I call him by the wrong name; he just waits patiently for me to finish my orders.


    I clear my throat, pretending like I swallowed something wrong. "Excuse me; have the men start constructing three siege towers. Two for defense while the third will help us punch through the gate."


    ¡°By your orders,¡± the mage salutes me and steps aside to broadcast my orders to every unit.


    Once I¡¯m left alone, I start running my hand through my beard. I can¡¯t believe I addressed that young man as Jason. This is the fourth time I¡¯ve done that since I started my march on Blaiton, and the fourth time I¡¯ve felt like a fool for doing so. It was right of me to leave him and General Pitz behind, but I miss the young man¡¯s company. But as I predicted, this battle will be a lot more complicated than the last ones, no place for a child such as Jason.


    Standing on a small hill, I survey our surroundings. We reached the city a few hours ago and are in the middle of establishing our main camp. Much like the siege on Fort North Ridge, I can immediately tell this will be a real battle. Blaiton has had ample time to prepare for us, and they didn''t waste it.


    The city has a trench dug around its walls, and all the water from the melting frost has turned them into one long mud trap. There¡¯s a small bridge, maybe ten feet across, that stretches over the ditch to the city¡¯s gates, but chances are it¡¯s booby-trapped seeing as how they conveniently left it for us.


    Unlike Drey, I can clearly spot thousands of figures stationed on the walls, along with plenty of siege weapons. And most of all, unlike Drey, there is a spark in the air. Blaiton believes they can hold us off, the complete opposite of what the skeleton force left in Drey felt.


    It would be nice to order my men to form ranks and charge the walls, but this fight won''t be that simple. Blaiton might not have someone at General Pitz''s level, but they¡¯re more prepared and better staffed.


    To make things more challenging, I need to take the city in a way where we can march on Yleles soon afterwards. My spies tell me Yleles and the earl''s fort are only held by a token force at the moment, so we can¡¯t give them a chance to reinforce themselves. I can also see some of the soldiers are sporting Drey¡¯s guard uniforms, meaning there are effectively three cities worth of defenders packed onto those walls.


    Not even I will be able to take this city without incurring some losses.


    With our forces stretched thin, I don''t have the option to send for backup either. I would love to discuss these issues with Jason or mess with the General to distract myself from my problems, sadly, neither are here at the moment.


    I continue to stroke my beard as small platoons of soldiers take off to circle the city. We don¡¯t have enough men to surround the city altogether, but I can certainly make it difficult for them to receive supplies.


    Sieges are usually won by one side outlasting the other. For a country like Scholl, which prides itself on its strongest people, usually, such tactics would be considered a sign of weakness, but I have to be smart with what I have.


    Instead of ordering my best soldiers to lead a charge, we¡¯ll build a few siege towers. They¡¯ll take the brunt of the force from Blayton¡¯s siege weapons while we try to knock in their front door. I still plan to stay true to Scholl''s methods of overwhelming force, only this time, there will be much more planning involved.


    The downside is that the preparations will take days to set up correctly. Days of soldiers silently judging my methods without anyone to bounce ideas off of. It¡¯s important for my image that my men never see me as weak. I can never complain to a random soldier, I can¡¯t just sit down and explain myself either; no, I need to remain the unbreakable wall to all my men.


    "Why didn''t I bring Jason with me?" I groan aloud. No, bringing him would''ve been a mistake, I have to once again remind myself. This isn''t a stroll to another village or a quick skirmish before the city surrenders. With everything the local nobility has done to prepare for my arrival, I have to assume they have assassins and other saboteurs prepared as well. If I brought young Jason along with me, he''d be one of the first people targeted. And no need to think about what would''ve happened if I brought General Pitz with me; Blaiton would stop at nothing to recover her.


    It was the right decision to leave the two of them back in Drey. I¡¯ll send for them after I take the city.


    After I secure Scholl¡¯s future.


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Your friend not coming today?¡± Master asks me from his bench.


    I smile at him as I stoke the forge. "You''re just assuming she''s coming here every day now?" I ask in a smug tone.


    "It feels like it. She went into the mine with you two days ago and spent almost all day yesterday watching you work. I''d assumed the two of you were connected at the hip."


    ¡°Are you jealous because I have friends and you don¡¯t?¡± I smugly ask Master Del.


    He looks up at me with a salty look. ¡°You have ¡®a friend¡¯, that¡¯s hardly that much more than I do.¡±


    ¡°At least I have one,¡± I try to retort.


    "One," master emphasizes. "I chose to live alone. Can you say the same thing?" Master smiles, knowing he won our little verbal spar.


    I snort at his gloating and turn back to the forge. Damn, master is winning our back and fourths more and more often. Am I losing my touch?


    Shaking my head, I clear those thoughts out of my mind as the forge reaches the temperature I want. Richard and Salus finished the village armory yesterday, and I figured I start off the day''s work by making a few more shields as a warm-up. The village already has more weapons than a village our size should rightfully have, so I figure I should shift toward more defensive gear. My specialty is weapons, but I know I still need to practice my armor designs more.


    ¡°Maybe I should start making some helmets too?¡± I ponder to myself.


    I¡¯m about to move a steel ingot into the forge when I sense someone nearing the clearing. I assume it''s Sandra and prepare to hear master say, ''I told you so,'' but as the person gets closer, their mana network becomes clearer, and I realize whoever''s approaching doesn''t have anywhere near Sandra''s mana pool.


    "We have company, Master," I give Del a quick head''s up.


    Master swings his feet off his bench and sits up properly while I stop working the bellows. Thankfully I didn''t start the day by preparing to forge kaglese weapons. I''d have wasted the better fuel trying to get the forge hot enough only to be interrupted before I could start.


    If someone''s coming to the clearing, it either means they want to order a pot or something, but more likely, it''s¡­


    "Good morning, Aaliyah. You look wonderful today," Sandra''s older brother Braddon gives me his most charming smile as he enters the clearing.


    I roll my eyes, "Morning, Braddon." I''m not stupid enough not to notice his advances, but I¡¯ve never felt attracted to him. I don¡¯t spend much time pondering my love life or a lack thereof, but I¡¯m 100% positive I don¡¯t have feelings for my best friend¡¯s older brother.


    I''m pretty sure he''s noticed my verbal cues, but the hunter hasn''t given up the chase yet.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± I bluntly ask, already pretty sure I know the answer.


    Not put off by my dismissal of him, Braddon continues to smile at me. "I was asked to escort the beautiful lady back to our house. Your guest has arrived."


    Even though I was preparing myself for the news, my body still trembles a little, hearing Pacore''s student has finally arrived. My plans will change a lot depending on my babysitter''s mood.


    I turn to Del, ¡°Master, can you watch the forge for me? I¡¯m not sure how long this will take.¡±


    ¡°You want me to come with you?¡± Master Del stands up, giving me a concerned look.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I wave him back down.


    "Shall we?" Braddon offers me his arm as a boyfriend would.


    I just sigh and walk past him shaking my head. At this point, I''m debating whether or not I should try using Sense Soul on the persistent bugger, but I''m not even sure that will work at this point. I did beat the crap out of him in his basement that one time, and if anything, I think that only made him more interested in me.


    "Wait up!" Braddon calls out after me as I start jogging toward his house. I make sure I use Double Step just enough to stay a few paces in front of him.


    It isn''t surprising that as soon as we make it back to the village, I see groups of people talking to each other, groups of people that stop talking as we near them and watch us as we head towards the headman''s house. Since we¡¯re a small village with a tight community it¡¯s always easy to tell when something happens or if someone shows up unannounced.


    The groups of people grow larger as I see Camden''s house in the distance, and I can hear whispers of a knight.


    A knight?


    The whispers continue as Braddon and I make our way over to his front door and walk inside the house. Moving down the hallway toward the drawing room, the passageway feels longer and narrower the closer I get to the door. I know it''s just my imagination, so I stop myself before opening the door to collect myself.


    Shake out my shoulders, crack my knuckles, take a deep breath; make sure my mana obscuring magic tool is topped off, and I¡¯m ready to meet Pacore¡¯s student.


    Pushing open the drawing room door, my eyes immediately fall on my target, and I can see why everyone was calling her a knight. Sitting in a chair across from Camden and Sarette is a woman who looks like the quintessential picture of a female knight. Her dark blue hair draws my attention along with the multiple feathers adorning it. Red, gold, black, each feather has a different mana signature to it, but with one look I could tell each came from a fearsome magic beast.


    Pulling my attention away from her hair and feathers is how young the woman looks. I was expecting an older woman or maybe someone who looked to be in their 40''s, but the lady in front of me appears to be around the same age as Mom. She has more of a Vitality glow about her, so I''m sure she''s older than my mom, but it¡¯s hard tell by just how much.


    She sits with a rigid military posture wearing a shiny grey set of platemail. To her side is a traveling pack along with her sword and shield, while her gauntlets and helmet are placed on the table. She''s sipping a cup of tea as I enter, and like a machine, her arms gracefully lower the cup away from her lips before setting it on the table. Her every movement is precise as she turns to look at me.


    When her green eyes meet mine, I have to swallow back a lump in my throat. Unlike Pacore, who gave off the air of a sleeping monster, the woman before me feels like a drawn blade ready to strike. I only need to see a vague glimpse of her soul to tell she¡¯s around level 90. I¡¯d guess at least 20 levels higher than me.


    "Are you Aaliyah?" The knight asks me in a robust and noble voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I hesitantly answer.


    She looks over me once and nods once like I passed some sort of unspoken test. "I thought master was exaggerating in his letter, but I guess I was wrong."


    "What did the old man say about me?" I ask.


    The knight''s eyes narrow, and every hair on my body stands on end. "You are now an official student under Master Pacore. You should address him as such," she informs me in a cold voice.


    Everyone in the room flinches. Sandra and Nicolas are standing in a corner, telling me to shut up with their eyes. I haven''t even fully stepped into the room yet, and if Braddon wasn¡¯t standing behind me, I might have turned and bolted that very second.


    "Lady Tabitha, I''m sure Aaliyah didn''t mean any disrespect," Camden tries to appease the knight.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she flatly responds without looking away from me.


    So, her name is Tabitha.


    I don''t know what possessed me to, but in that moment, I felt my anger start to build under her judgmental gaze. I might be considered Pacore''s apprentice, but there''s still the fact that title was forced upon me. So, I do what comes naturally.


    I stick my foot in my mouth. "No, there was some disrespect intended."


    Camden and everyone else pales in fright. Lady Tabitha just continues to stare at me, and a deep silence fills the room. I return her cold gaze with a challenging smirk while I mentally kick myself for saying that.


    ¡°I see,¡± Tabitha closes her eyes, looking like she¡¯s thinking of a million ways to murder me. After a few seconds, she opens her eyes again; only instead of anger, she looks tired. "I see you and master share the same challenging personality." I want to disagree with her, but she turns her attention to Camden. "Before she arrived, we were discussing what I would be doing in the village?"


    ¡°Yes,¡± Camden wipes a bit of sweat from his forehead.


    ¡°My master ordered me to defend this village and to look after Aaliyah.¡±


    ¡°I don''t need a babysitter, and I¡¯m standing right here,¡± I growl.


    Tabitha ignores me and continues to talk to Camden. "I was informed there might be some magic beasts in the forest, but if there isn''t, I can patrol for goblins or anything else."


    "That would be very generous of you; thank you." Camden forces a smile. ¡°What do you want me to tell the villagers?¡±


    "It doesn''t matter," Tabitha tells him. "This village is quite remote, but the less word spreads about me, the better. As long as you explain this to your people, we should be fine." Tabitha reaches over and picks up her teacup. She takes a sip before asking, "Where will I be staying?"


    Am I invisible now?


    Camden awkwardly looks at me, and I angrily fold my arms in front of my chest. "I believe you''ll be staying..."


    Camden tries to say that Tabitha would be staying with us but he is quickly cut off by Sandra before he could finish. "You''ll be staying in my room here." Sandra finishes for her father.


    Tabitha nods curtly while Camden¡¯s eyes turn into dinner plates. ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Lady Tabitha is an important person, and it¡¯s only right you host her, Daddy,¡± Sandra feigns innocence. ¡°Most of my stuff is at Richards house already, so I¡¯ll just move in with him.¡± Sandra turns to Tabitha. ¡°If you give me an hour, I can have the last of my stuff out of my room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in no rush,¡± Tabitha takes another sip of tea, undeterred by the atmosphere of the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled!¡± Sandra happily claps her hands.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± Camden is stunned in his seat.


    Sarette leans over and grasps her husband''s hand, "breathe, dear."


    Sandra looks at me and winks. Well, her plan went off without a hitch. Tabitha doesn''t need to move in with my family, and Sandra gets to live with Richard like she originally wanted to. "I''ll go grab Richard and have him help me move my clothes¡¯ chest,¡± Sandra dances past me out of the room, happy as can be.


    Camden wants to shout after his daughter, but he¡¯s painfully aware of the woman sitting across from him. ¡°Can you excuse me for a moment?¡± Camden politely asks his guest.


    "Of course,¡± Tabitha nods to him. "I would appreciate some privacy anyways so that I can discuss a few things with my master''s youngest disciple."


    "Of course," Camden readily agrees despite seeing me frowning at him.


    Moving aside, I watch as Sandra¡¯s family leaves the room, shutting the door behind them.


    ¡°You should take a seat,¡± Tabitha motions to where Camden and Sarette were sitting.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine where I am,¡± I continue to keep my distance from the armored woman.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Tabitha remarks in an uncaring voice.


    I continue to hatefully stare at the woman while she sips her tea as if she''s at a garden party.


    My anger starts to build again as she continues to ignore me, until I hiss, ¡°Isn¡¯t there something you wanted to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to sit,¡± she informs me in a monotone voice.


    So, this is a test to see who cracks first. Well, game on, bitch! I''m not letting her establish dominance.


    Minutes pass as I stand near the drawing-room¡¯s door watching Tabitha slowly drink her tea. I expect her to demand me to sit once she finishes what¡¯s in her cup, but she just sets it down and continues to sit with her back straight, the whole time staring at me with her green eyes.


    Another five minutes pass, and I start questioning what I''m doing. I''m starting to feel like an idiot.


    I''m thinking about what I should do when Tabitha breaks the silence. "I''ll remind you I have to deal with my master on a regular basis. He once made me wait in the same spot for two days just to prove a point."


    What the fuck!


    "I''m used to being tested, and I''m even more used to having my buttons pushed. If you wish to continue this, then fine, we will. But I hope you''ll realize how childish you are being and sit." Tabitha proceeds to reach over for the teapot Sarette left on the table and fills up her cup.


    I might have bitten off more than I can chew.


    *********


    Lord Rayes of Blaiton Point of View:


    Hands on my head, I glance around the command tent and listen to the various nobles quarreling with one another.


    "We should use long-range magic to attack them while they are building their siege towers!"


    ¡°Scholl doesn¡¯t use stall tactics; the towers are a diversion. We should send scouts out to investigate the surrounding area!¡±


    ¡°Then what?! Are you suggesting they spent the last two days building those towers for no reason, that makes a lot of sense!?¡± Kelder, a high leveled mercenary sent by the lord of Yleles, angrily slams his hands against the table, earning him an angry look from the man who continues to suggest Scholl is building ¡®Fake¡¯ siege towers.


    "We should attack first and reclaim Drey!" Everyone groans and hurls insults at the lord who fled Drey for suggesting such a stupid idea.


    ¡°We need more archers around the main gate!¡±


    ¡°We need to spread the archers out!¡±


    "We need fewer archers!"


    I suddenly feel the need to bang my head up against the table. It''s a miracle we have men stationed on the walls at all. I can only hope that the constant shifting of our men makes our forces seem larger than they truly are.


    Standing up, I walk out of the tent with only a few people actually noticing my leaving.


    Walking a ways away from the tent, to a spot without anyone nearby, I lean my head back and close my eyes, letting the spring sun wash over me. That is until a familiar voice calls out to me.


    ¡°Things going that well, are they?¡±


    ¡°That obvious?¡± I turn to face Giovanni and his bodyguard Marshall who¡¯s confidently strolling over to me.


    Giovanni glances back at the tent we''re using for a command center and frowns. "The earl appointed you to lead; why not kick them out?"


    I sigh and meet my friend halfway. "It isn''t that easy. Unlike you, who owns his own company and can fire people on a whim, I have to contend with the other nobles in the area. Most of the people in there are in charge of the surrounding villages. They came here thinking they could earn merits in battle but are just now realizing things aren''t that simple. Then there are the representatives from Yleles and high leveled warriors sent by the earl. I can kick them all out if I want to, but then who will help me defend the city. Have you received any word from the earl, any news about reinforcements or more supplies?"


    ¡°Just more requests for food and alcohol," Giovanni disappointingly shakes his head. "Now that the city is cut off from Yleles, the branch over there is having a hard time meeting his demands."


    ¡°You don¡¯t think the earl will flee, do you?¡± I ask my long-time friend for his opinion. Giovanni has a talent for finding a good deal and an even better knack for knowing when it was appropriate to jump ship.


    ¡°Honestly?¡± Giovanni scans our surroundings before answering in low voice. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him.¡±


    I inhale a sharp breath; I expected as much but hearing his answer only brings the proverbial axe that much closer to my neck.


    My family has overseen this city since it was a budding village. We were spared when the previous earl''s family was removed from power, but my grandfather told me stories about how we were almost implicated for the support we gave during his reign.


    "Do you have an exit strategy?" I ask him, glancing around to make sure no one is listening.


    Giovanni gives me one of his merchant smiles. ¡°One must be prepared for all possibilities.¡±


    I nod in understanding. ¡°Would the two of you care to join me on the wall?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Giovanni readily agrees but not without an angry look from his bodyguard. The man has always taken his job seriously, but he has nothing to worry about; Scholl is still preparing for their offensive and has only launched a handful of spells at us periodically.


    The two follow me up the ramparts until we stand above the eastern gate. In the distance, you can see Scholl halfway finished with assembling three war towers. I was told Scholl detests such tools, so maybe I should feel honored they broke tradition for us.


    ¡°Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my friend?¡±


    ¡°If I should lose, could you help my family escape the city?¡±.


    ¡­


    ¡°If it should come to that, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to protect your family,¡± Giovanni thankfully reassures me after a brief pause.


    ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡± I don¡¯t ask the reason he had to think about my request, simply happy he agreed in the first place.


    "Our families have done business for years; it''s the least I can do. But if I may make a suggestion?"


    "Yes?" I turn to my sly merchant of a friend.


    ¡°Do your best to protect the city, but that doesn¡¯t just mean keeping Scholl out. I¡¯ve heard rumors from my people who stayed behind in Drey,¡± Giovanni leans in closer to me.


    ¡°You have my attention.¡±


    "My people tell me Pacore is a battle maniac but not a monster. There''s little chance he''ll go on a slaughter should they break through the walls," Giovanni tries to reassure me.


    I have to chuckle at that. The idea of Pacore sparing myself or the other nobles is a laughable one. Leaving us alive wouldn''t be practical. Not that many of the men arguing below plan on being captured. They think I don¡¯t know about their hidden men readying to help them flee the city, but I do.


    "Let''s hope you''re right," I remark, watching Scholl move about in the distance. "Let''s hope you''re right."

 Ch: 89

    I never considered it before, but when someone calls you childish, you feel the overwhelming desire to prove them wrong.


    Pouting the whole way, I walk over and take a seat across from the stony-faced knight. I fold my arms and cross my legs with a look of defiance on my face, which doesn''t make much sense when I think about it because I''m the one who gave in and followed her directions.


    ¡°There, happy?¡± I sulk.


    ¡°Ecstatic,¡± she dryly remarks, proceeding to set down her teacup.


    Now that I''m directly in front of her, I get a better view of the blue-haired knight. I didn''t notice it earlier, but she''s shorter than I initially realized. It was hard to tell with her sitting in her armor, but based on the length of her legs; she can only be maybe five foot four, max. And though she''s keeping up her rigid military persona, she has contradicting delicate facial features, especially around her eyes.


    If she weren''t wearing armor and slouched her posture a bit, I''d say she''d look like the average mom next door.


    But I don''t let her appearance fool me; she''s strong. Really strong.


    And like Pacore, she has quite a few magic items hidden around her body. Her mana obscuring ring is better than mine, and I have to focus to push past it and scan her other gear¡¯s enchantments, especially the beautiful set of armor she¡¯s wearing. Tabitha''s armor isn''t as unique as Pacore''s, but his was enchanted to remain invisible all while deflecting magic, making it a mana obscuring tool in and of itself. Still, the runes in Tabitha''s armor and other gear are incredibly complex. I''ve only seen around a dozen basic runes so far, and none of them allow me to guess what her armor can do.


    Using Sense Mana, I can see the runes'' general shapes, and I''m sure they''re at least tier 4. I still have no idea how people can make such beautiful three-dimensional runes inside the metal like that.


    Maybe she¡¯ll let me take a closer look at her armor sometime?


    No, Alayah, stop that! I berate myself. You''re angry at her for calling you childish, not impressed with her gear! I shift in my seat, still staring at Tabitha with a frown on my face.


    Tabitha just watches me with cold eyes, not perturbed by my open hostility in the slightest. We watch each other like that for a few minutes before Tabitha moves to break the ice. ¡°My name is Tabitha Leres, student under Master Pacore the Deathless. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± Tabitha introduces herself like we haven¡¯t been in the same room with each other for the last half hour.


    Tabitha proceeds to offer me a polite salute while I look over my shoulder to make sure someone isn¡¯t standing behind me. I point a finger at my chest and give Tabitha a ¡®are you talking to me¡¯ look.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to be overseeing you, it is only right I formally introduce myself. It would be polite for you to do the same,¡± she informs me in her mechanical voice.


    A wicked smirk crosses my face. "Greetings, Tabitha Leres, student of Pacore," I say in a grandiose manner. I even wave my hand out in front of me like I¡¯m addressing a crowd; a bit of showmanship never hurts. ¡°My name is Aaliyah, protector of Spotted Creek Village. Slayer of goblins. Forger of epic swords¡­¡± I have to pause to make up more ridiculous titles. ¡°Youngest sage in existence. Hunter of magic beasts!¡±


    "Are you finished?" Tabitha, matter-of-factly, asks me.


    ¡°Give me a second to come up with one more,¡± I tell her.


    Tabitha patiently waits for me to finish, but I can¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯m done," I reluctantly tell her.


    ¡°You have the same title as I do,¡± she reminds me.


    I refold my arms. "So far, I''ve only had one teacher, and it isn''t Pacore. I''ll call you master long before I address that old man as such."


    Again, Tabitha angrily narrows her eyes at me, but she quickly relaxes herself this time and returns to giving me a blank look. "I''m aware of the circumstances behind your joining master as an apprentice. I won''t ask you to change your mind about Master, but I will ask you to respect his name in my presence. Master Pacore might not be the strongest warrior in Scholl or the best mage, and he might not be able to single handily kill beasts higher leveled than himself. Still, Master Pacore has participated in countless battles and is one of the oldest humans in the world. As someone who¡¯s fought him, I¡¯m sure you can at least acknowledge that much.¡±


    Tabitha starts to show more emotion the longer she talks about Pacore, and the worshiping look in her eyes tells me a lot about how she views her master. It¡¯s hard to argue with someone like that. But I¡¯ll admit, even though I hate Pacore for coming to our village and forcing me to join him, I fully recognize his strength. Pacore¡¯s level alone show¡¯s how much he¡¯s been through.


    The average villager is lucky to hit level 50 by the time they die; Pacore''s level is three times that.


    Tabitha takes my silence as agreement and continues. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I don¡¯t want to be here anymore than you want me here,¡± she flatly tells me.


    ¡°Really?¡± I sarcastically say and roll my eyes.


    ¡°My master is fighting for our country. My friends are holding the line at Teeburn. When I received a letter from Master, I assumed he wanted me to join him, not ask me to go guard a small village out in the middle of nowhere. I had to forgo the honor of battle to watch over you.¡±


    I cringe under her powerful gaze. Her eyes had a crazy look to them when she talked about missing the chance to fight with her fellow soldiers. Is this chick a battle maniac or something? Where did the expressionless woman go? ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for Pacore to send anyone,¡± I grumble.


    "That is true," Tabitha gives me a slight nod. "But the fact that Master saw fit to send me here shows how much he values you."


    ¡°Or your precious master sent you here on a whim,¡± I point out to her.


    "My master wouldn''t do that," Tabitha tells me without a hint of doubt in her voice. "Master takes his role as a pillar of Scholl very seriously." Tabitha notices my look of doubt and explains herself. "Master only reveals his playful side to those he finds interesting or those he respects. I wonder which were you?¡± Tabitha gives me a kind look that catches me off guard. ¡°Because I respect my master¡¯s decisions, I agreed to come out here.¡±


    ¡°And you coming out here means what, exactly?¡± I ask. ¡°To make sure I don¡¯t run away?¡±


    Tabitha shakes her head. "If that were the case, Master would''ve instructed me to rush here. No, Master sent me here to protect you and to offer you training should you ask for it."


    "What!?" I ask in astonishment. "Forget about the training; why would I need your protection?" It isn''t like I have enemies or anything. People fight over me, not attack me.


    "Master''s letter explained your situation with Silver Herd. They have people in their employ that could be quite dangerous." She must be talking about Two and Reel. I admit they''re pretty strong, but it''s hard for anyone to sneak up on me.


    ¡°Why would Silver Herd attack me?¡± I ask, dismissing her concerns. I''ve already agreed to work with Giovanni for as long as possible, and Grey thinks I''m ignorant of his contract''s purpose. Why would either of them want me dead?


    ¡°What will happen when the two factions in Silver Herd finally clash?¡± Tabitha asks me like she¡¯s trying to lead me to an answer I can¡¯t see.


    I assume Giovanni would win, but I doubt that''s what she''s looking for. "Then they fight, and one of them wins," I state the obvious, not sure where she¡¯s going with this.


    Tabitha nods. ¡°That¡¯s right, and one of them will win. What do you think the loser will do once the other wins?¡±


    I shrug. Does she want me to predict the future or something?


    "When someone losses, they rarely take the loss well. Both groups know about you, yes? Once it becomes apparent which side will lose, what do you think will stop them from making more drastic decisions?" Tabitha asks me with a small grin.


    I feel the blood drain from my face when I finally see what she¡¯s getting at.


    "That''s right; my master is not the only one who knows about your value. When things get heated inside Silver Herd, you can''t be sure which side might try to abduct you or your family, maybe even try something worse. I''m here to make sure nothing like that happens until Master can come to pick you up and take you back to Scholl with him." Tabitha reaches over and sips her tea, happy to let me ponder over this new bit of information.


    I wouldn¡¯t put it past Grey to try something shady but would Giovanni do the same thing? I can¡¯t predict how either of them would react if they were about to lose everything. ¡°And the training?¡± I ask, trying to change the subject.


    Tabitha doesn''t press me on the Silver Herd issue and thankfully doesn''t gloat as I¡¯m sure Pacore would. "I was told you were talented for your age but that you don''t have any fighting experience. You won''t be forced to train with me, but the offer is open should you chose to."


    ¡°That old-!¡± I start to complain but stop myself when Tabitha¡¯s brow creases. ¡°Pacore, said I didn¡¯t have any experience fighting?¡± I ask in a more measured tone.


    Thankfully, Tabitha doesn¡¯t look mad at me for addressing Pacore without any titles. ¡°He wrote that you didn¡¯t have experience fighting other people, though you didn¡¯t seem hesitant to kill him, which was a start.¡± The hair on the back of my neck stands up when she casually compliments me for trying to kill her master. ¡°Have you had to kill people before?¡±


    ¡°Once,¡± I tell her. ¡°Some bandits ambushed me while I was on a run.¡±


    ¡°Did you find it easy?¡± She asks a little too enthusiastically.


    "The fighting or killing them?¡± I ask for clarification.


    ¡°Both!¡± I once again feel Tabitha¡¯s eyes light up with passion, just like when she talked about Pacore. So, she is a battle maniac.


    What kind of people did I get mixed up with? She was so quiet a minute ago. "I was tired after a long run, but I got lucky with a large-scale fire spell and managed to kill all of them. I did what I had to do," I tell her the short version of my run-in with the bandits.


    "You won through your own strength; that''s all that matters," Tabitha gives me another half-smile.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "I don''t like fighting," I try telling her before she gets the wrong idea about me.


    Tabitha just lightly shakes her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that will change. Everyone has a tough time killing for the first time.¡±


    She definitely misunderstood me there. I don¡¯t have a problem killing to save myself or other people, but I don¡¯t take pleasure in battle to the point I want to go searching for a fight. Something tells me Tabitha won¡¯t understand me even if I try spelling it out for her. That said, I¡¯m curious about her offering to train me.


    Master is like me and only fights when he has to, Camden has defended his village for years, but that''s mostly against monsters; if I''m going to leave the village soon, I need to know how to defend myself against other people, and Tabitha is the best person to teach me those skills.


    ¡°You¡¯ll teach me to fight people like you and Pacore?¡± I question Tabitha.


    Tabitha gives me a real smile, not one of her small half-smiles, but a genuine smile, and honestly, it freaks me out. "If you want?" She grins at me.


    I¡¯m confident I¡¯m talking to a demon disguised as a woman. I don''t know if this is a bad idea or not, but here goes nothing. "I would appreciate it if senior sister Tabitha would instruct me," I ask, bowing my head respectfully.


    "I would be happy to!" Tabitha''s smile widens, and I don''t think it''s because I called her senior sister. ¡°First, we should spar to see where you¡¯re at,¡± Tabitha eagerly stands up, reaching for her gauntlets. How can a person change their personality so quick? She was calm and collected when I walked into the room, and now she¡¯s acting like a child that was just given a present.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± I quickly try to stop her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tabitha gives me a questioning look.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight you right now.¡±


    "Need some time to prepare? Alright then, I can wait an hour," The previous stony-faced knight is gone, and her place is an unreasonable battle junkie.


    "I mean, I can''t fight you today," I clarify.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Tabita frowns at me.


    "I have other stuff I need to do," I tell her. My parents are probably waiting for me back at home to hear about Tabitha, and I''m sure Master Del is waiting for my return as well. Just because I agreed to let her teach me doesn''t mean I want to fight Tabitha this exact moment.


    "What could be more important than working on your fighting skills?"


    ¡°For one thing, I was preparing to do some forging with my master today,¡± I flatly tell her.


    ¡°You mean with the Stone kin,¡± Tabitha blankly looks at me before sitting back down.


    ¡°Yes, my master,¡± I stress. ¡°I¡¯m a crafter by profession. I can¡¯t spend all day every day sparring with you. And don¡¯t you need to move into Sandra¡¯s room?¡±


    The disappointment on Tabitha''s face is clear to see. But as if a switch is flicked, all the emotion slowly drains from her face after hearing we won''t be sparring today. "I didn''t bring much with me, so unpacking won''t take that long," she answers in a detached voice like when I first met her.


    How!? Is she screwing with me? There¡¯s no way someone can flip-flop emotions like that.


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready to train, you can come and find me,¡± she tells me in a dismissive tone, moving to reach for her tea again.


    I don''t think she''s screwing with me! Does she only show emotion when she''s talking about her master or fighting? I''m curious; I need to test this out.


    ¡°Sister, Tabitha,¡± a little brown-nosing will go a long way if I¡¯m wrong about this.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Could you tell me a little more about Pacore? It¡¯s hard for me to accept him as my master when I don¡¯t know anything about him,¡± I ask in a sickeningly sweet voice.


    Tabitha''s eyes light up again as soon as I ask about Pacore. For someone who said they were used to dealing with people like me, Tabitha doesn''t appear to realize I was feigning excitement to get her to talk about her master. That, or she doesn''t care and was just waiting for an excuse to talk about Pacore.


    "Master has been serving the Scholl royal family for generations," she happily tells me. "Most rulers invest heavily into their Vitality stat, but master has outlived the previous king and will certainly serve young prince Kaliks when he takes over for the current king!"


    Tabitha continues to talk about how Scholl''s previous king supported Pacore for his bravery in battle and how he was always on the front lines of any conflict.


    I recoil as Tabitha starts going on and on about Pacore like she''s teaching a history lesson. She covers his major battles all with a bright smile on her face. I only half-listen to her as she talks about battles that happened before my parents were even born.


    I use this spare time to check my status page for the week.


    LV: 73 Experience: 571,837/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,561.71/1,650


    Mana: 907.39/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.04


    Strength: 152.01


    Dexterity: 150.02


    Senses: 62.42


    Mind: 65.26


    Magic: 102.84


    Clarity: 78.81


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV78), Running (LV77), Blacksmithing (LV72), Hammer Skills (LV61), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV30), Alchemy (LV9), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV63), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV43), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV30), Steady Hands (LV24), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV62), Mana Manipulation (LV61), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Weighted Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV26), Contract (LV14)


    Tier 4:


    Mana Skin (LV55), Mental Resistance (LV55), Inject Mana (LV53), Extract Mana (LV34), Magic Blacksmithing (LV29), Empowered Spell (LV14), Air Walk (LV12), Magic Threads (LV10)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV11)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Hammer Skills (LV61) 3,050exp


    Sword Skills (LV40) 2,000exp


    Alchemy (LV8-9) 850exp


    Pugilist Skills (LV8) 400exp


    Steady Hands (LV24) 2,400exp


    Flash Step (LV26) 3,900exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV29) 7,250exp


    Air Walk (LV12) 3,000exp


    Magic Threads (LV10) 2,500exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV11) 5,500exp


    Skill Experience: 30,850exp


    Crafting Experience: 22,716exp


    Fighting Experience: 254exp


    Total-experience Gained: 53,820exp


    Not my most impressive week ever, but I managed to raise almost a dozen skills while working on my forging. I finished another five kaglese spears and three matching swords. Then, I added another four steel spears to our new armory, along with eight more bucklers. I wanted to make some helmets today, but at the rate Tabitha is talking, I don''t think I''ll be getting to it.


    It''s annoying that I won''t finish what I had planned today, but I''m ahead of schedule, so I can afford it.


    My stock of kaglese weapons is growing a lot faster than I thought it would. I''ve forged a total of thirty-one spears and thirty swords, but my inventory of kaglese is rapidly depleting as my stock of completed weapons grows. It''s only thanks to all the steel in my kaglese alloy that I haven''t run out of material yet. I have maybe another two weeks before I run out and have to switch to making the arrows I¡¯ve set aside for later.


    I''ll have to keep this in mind as I move forward in my craft because even though I tried to plan ahead when it comes to materials, I couldn''t correctly predict how long my supply of kaglese would last me. This experience only proves I¡¯ll need a steady supply in the future and not to rely on one-time large deliveries.


    Still, I made a decent amount of experience from all the crafting I did. I even gained a small amount of experience in practicing alchemy with Sandra. We haven''t produced an actual vial of engraving ink yet, so the tiny bit of experience we''re getting is only a consolation prize, just like the experience I gained from practicing my swordsmanship with Camden.


    While I gained a good amount of experience from my crafting, the bulk still came from leveling my skills. But looking at my status page, I''m starting to see a slowing in the speed at which I level my skills. Besides Hammer Skills, only my lower-leveled skills saw any significant growth.


    ¡°Then master charged the blagist and blocked the beast''s claws with his hands!" I turn my attention back to Tabitha, who''s still praising everything Pacore has ever done. I''ve been tuning her out for a while, and I don''t even know what a blagist is.


    "That sounds amazing," I interrupt her before she can start telling me Pacore''s next harrowing tale. "Thanks for telling me so much, but I think I must be going now."


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡± All the excitement Tabitha was just expressing talking about Pacore quickly dries up.


    Tabitha watches me stand up with her stony expression back on her face. I need to get going, but there''s still one more thing I wish to ask her. "Sister Tabitha, why did Pacore make you sit in place for two days?"


    ¡°Master was messing with me and wanted me to read a book or something; I just remember it being pointless,¡± she lazily informs me.


    I don''t think Pacore was trying to mess with her; I think he just wanted to see if he could get her to read a book. I''ve only known Tabitha for a couple of hours, and it''s obvious the only two things she cares about are fighting and her master.


    Sarette and Camden are going to love hosting her. In my head, I offer the two of them a silent prayer. I hope I get to see Sarette''s face when she realizes her houseguest has no real interest in tea or gossip.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you around,¡± I give my farewells to Tabitha. She doesn¡¯t say a word as I leave, only giving me a nod goodbye.


    I open the drawing room door and walk into the hall. Making sure the door closes behind me, I start grinning to myself. I might have lucked out with Tabitha.


    My family and I were worried Pacore was going to send someone who would try and supervise us. Not only did Tabitha say she wasn''t going to force me to do anything, but she sounded content to leave me to myself until Pacore showed up.


    I''ll have to watch my smart-ass mouth around her when it comes to Pacore, but unless I''m wrong about her, interacting with Tabitha can be a bigger blessing than I ever thought. I still want to see what lies in the deeper parts of the forest, and I have a feeling I know a knight in shiny armor that would love to go with me. While the monsters are trying to eat her, I can enjoy the scenery.


    "What''s done is done, Dad!" I hear Sandra arguing with Camden from the direction of their front door. Walking down the hallway, I see the two of them are arguing in the entryway while Richard is standing nearby holding Sandra''s clothes chest. Sarette is standing next to my brother, watching the argument play out.


    ¡°You¡¯re not moving out; you¡¯re too young!¡± Camden argues.


    Sandra just gives him a ¡®really¡¯ look. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m twenty already, and I¡¯m pregnant. I¡¯m moving in with Richard whether you like it or not.¡±


    I thought this was resolved a while ago; have they been arguing this entire time?


    Camden tries to search for a convincing answer, but the longer he stays silent, the deeper the hole he digs himself into. I¡¯d love to stay and watch this play out, even if the ending was already predetermined, but I need to tell my parents and Master that I¡¯m ok.


    ¡°Excuse me, can I get through?¡± I grab everyone¡¯s attention. They were so busy arguing they didn¡¯t notice that I finished my meeting with Tabitha.


    "Aaliyah, dear, are you done talking to Lady Tabitha?" Sarette asks as soon as she notices me.


    "Yeah, we hashed out a few things," I tell her.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± Sarette happily claps her hands together.


    Camden looks like he''s trying to decide whether he wants to continue his argument with Sandra or ask me for the details about our conversation. Too bad for him, Sandra notices when Camden turns his attention towards me, and she secretly motions for Richard to follow her. Sandra quickly opens the front door for Richard, and the two of them take off.


    "Wait, we''re not!" Camden shouts after his daughter while Sarette starts to giggle.


    I see my opening and follow Sandra''s and Richard''s example by running past a stunned Camden out the front door.


    ¡°Wait, Aaliyah, I need to talk to you about Lady Tabitha!¡± Camden calls out after me. Sorry Camden, but I have places to be.


    I rush home with a smile on my face and some good news for my family that¡¯s long overdue.


    **********


    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    I stare up at the three war machines in front of me. Each war tower is being constructed from hundreds of nearby trees and all the metal we could scavenge. The frames and wheels are reinforced with the strongest steel we could form with magic. Large stones were carved up and attached to the towers'' front and sides to help protect them from projectiles.


    The three towers are taking longer to build than I expected, but it shouldn¡¯t be long before they¡¯re ready. My engineers aren¡¯t trained for this sort of thing. Their job is to help find flaws in my opponent''s defenses, and only one of my engineers had any experience building siege weaponry. So, I made him the projects leader.


    I wonder if this will make it into the history books? The day Master Pacore turned to common siege tactics; I''m sure future historians will eat that up.


    "Master Pacore, sir," the leading engineer salutes me as soon as he finishes directing a few builders.


    I give him an approving nod to reduce some of the tension my presence has on the man. "Are they almost finished?" I ask him, gesturing at the masses of wood, stone, and metal.


    ¡°The two flanking towers frames are complete; we just need to attach the outer paneling. The breaching towers mechanism is giving us some trouble, but that was expected with the limited resources at our disposal.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re almost ready then,¡± I dryly remark.


    The leading engineer must think I''m displeased with construction speed because he starts to sweat. "I apologize for the delays, Master Pacore. It''s one thing to know how something works, and it''s another actually to build it from scratch," he stutters.


    "Will they hold under Blaiton''s barrage?" That''s the only thing I care about.


    ¡°They will!¡± The lead engineer hastily assures me.


    ¡°Then the extra time will be well spent,¡± I remark to the man before walking off.


    Behind me, I hear his relieved thanks. ¡°Thank you, Master Pacore!¡±


    I make my way back to my tent, overly conscious of the many soldiers stealing glances at me. We''ve been camped outside Blaiton for days now, and other than capturing a few supply wagons trying to enter the city, we¡¯ve hardly done anything else. I¡¯ve had the mages toss a few spells at their walls, but only so much that our mages could refill their magic by the next day.


    The men are getting antsy over the long wait, and I understand why. These men and women are Scholl''s pride; most volunteered after the dragon took up its nest and pushed everyone away from the Heart of Scholl. They''re here to fight for their families, knowing time is of the essence. If anyone else were leading, there''d probably been a revolt by now.


    But with the war towers almost done, we can proceed with the next steps, though I''m not sure how well they''ll be received.


    When I make it back to my tent, I address the communication mage stationed outside. At least one communication mage is permanently stationed around my tent should I need to give out orders. "Call a commander meeting," I order the female mage. She salutes me as I walk past her into my quarters.


    In the middle of my tent is a mud mockup of Blaiton that was crafted using earth magic. The miniature shows all of Blaiton¡¯s gates along with all their defenses we¡¯ve been cataloging.


    While I stare at the battlefield model, it doesn''t take long for the commanders of the various units to start showing up. Each one of them has an excited look on their faces, and it''s infectious.


    ¡°Is it time, Master Pacore?¡± Darrell, the head of one of our archer divisions, asks me once everyone who¡¯s supposed to show up has arrived.


    My tent is quiet as everyone awaits my answer. The communication mage from out front has joined the meeting and will convey everything that happens to all the leaders who couldn''t leave their posts.


    I want to smile, seeing my men''s excited faces, but I can''t. "We start our attack tomorrow morning," I confirm their suspicions. "I want everyone to gather around. You all know the stakes. Each soldier we lose, our overall chance of victory diminishes." I convey the severity of our situation with my eyes.


    We are almost guaranteed to take Blaiton; no one doubts that. The city would''ve been ours the same day we set up camp if we pushed ourselves, but the cost in blood would¡¯ve been too high.


    I point at my model, "Blaiton is only the first city we must take. I''m aware of the whispers around the camp." A few of my commanders flinch back, but I continue pretending not to notice them. I don''t have time to worry about insubordination. "But we need to change our tactics for this battle, or else we''ll lose the overall war. As soon as Blaiton falls, we need to march on Yleles."


    "We''ll need to leave behind at least 40% of our troops to secure Blaiton while the other 60% finishes our campaign. We cannot lose more than 10% of our forces. If we do, there''s a chance our overall mission won''t succeed." I pause and look each of my men in the eye.


    "Scholl is a kingdom based on strength! Battlefields are merely testing grounds for us! Those who die do so for the kingdom; no sacrifice can be more honorable! These are the values we live by!¡±


    "These are the values we die by." A few of the commanders start to cheer but stop when they see the pained look on my face. This is the only time I''ll show weakness to my men; that''s how important this is.


    "It pains me to say it, but we have to set our core beliefs aside this time." A few murmurs break out amongst the commanders, but they all quiet with the raise of my hand. "Too much is at stake should we fail our mission. And I will not tolerate failure," I release my pressure, "nor insubordination. We will forgo our honor this one time, and in doing so, we will save everyone counting on us back home. Our friends, our family, our kingdom, they all hinder on our success!¡±"


    "We won''t like it, but we will hide behind our war towers. We will chip away at their forces. And in doing so, we shall win. Any objections?" I bellow.


    I¡¯m not surprised when no one answers me.


    I start thinking about how I''m going to convince everyone to forgo their honor and follow my plans when the first commander steps forward. "I follow Master Pacore the Deathless!"


    ¡°As do I!¡± Another commander steps forward.


    ¡°I will serve!¡±


    ¡°As will I!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    A few of my commanders still look hesitant knowing my plans, but one by one, they all pledge their loyalty. And I''ll need all their support to keep the soldiers in line.


    "Good," I address them. "Then gather around and listen; we have a lot to cover before the sun rises tomorrow."

 Ch: 90

    Lord Rayes of Blaiton¡¯s Point of View:


    I stand on the remains of Blaiton¡¯s walls, staring out at a burning city.


    Looking down, there''s a large gash across my chest. The blood dripping down my front becomes warmer to the touch as my body goes cold.


    I failed.


    Blaiton has fallen, countless corpses litter my beautiful city''s streets.


    How did it turn out like this? I can''t even remember how Pacore took the city.


    ¡°I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± I wheeze through my blood-filled lungs, dropping to my knees like a marionette with its strings cut.


    A horn sounds in the distance as my world starts to darken.


    More horns start roaring around me as I slip into Goddess Ebeon¡¯s embrace.


    Watching my city burn, my eyes close for the last time.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± I let out a scream as I jerk awake in my cot. I don¡¯t have time to think about the nightmare I just awoke from before I hear a blast of a horn from outside my tent.


    Flinging myself out of bed, I scramble to put my armor on. It fights me every step of the way as I try to throw it on as quickly as possible. I stumble around my tent like a newborn trying to walk, almost forgetting my sword in my haste. When I finally fling my tent flap aside, a chilling morning breeze hits me square in the face, sending a shiver down my spine. At least the cold helps me to wake up quicker, though my adrenaline is doing quite a good job by itself.


    The sun has only started to rise in the distance, and it''s yet to push back the chilly spring morning.


    Everyone is shouting and running about. ¡°Soldier,¡± I shout at the closest person running past me. The young man almost drops the crate he¡¯s carrying when he hears me call out to him.


    "There''s no time; I need to-!" The young man starts to yell at me before he realizes who I am. "Lord Rayes, I''m deeply sorry. I didn''t mean to-," he tries to apologize to me.


    ¡°Enough,¡± I cut him off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Tell me, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Scholl, my lord. They¡¯ve started their attack!¡±


    ¡°To your station then,¡± I let the young man get back to his task.


    "Right away, sir!" He takes off, running towards the nearby rampart stairs.


    I stand in front of my tent for a minute, frowning. This isn''t good. We''ve been making our preparations on reports from Fort North Ridge and Drey. I''m no military expert, but I''ve never heard of Scholl starting their attack without first showing off their might. Yet another sign that Scholl has completely changed their tactics¡­ gods help us all.


    I expected Pacore to use psychological warfare, much like he used at the fort and when he took Drey. What does Scholl''s finest have up his sleeve for us?


    Making my way up the ramparts, I''m relieved not to hear the siege weapons firing yet. If we were already firing our ballistas and catapults, then that would mean Scholl''s forces were already within range.


    No sooner does that thought cross my mind, than I hear the nearby thud of a catapult being fired. You can feel the vibrations through the wall''s stones as the siege weapon lets loose its first volley.


    I pick up my pace, rushing up the stone stairs as I hear more of our siege weapons being fired.


    When I finally make it to the top of the wall, I scan the plains around Blaiton. My heart drops when I see Scholl¡¯s army slowly closing the distance between us.


    The three completed siege towers are being pushed towards the western gate in a triangle formation. The middle tower, which is flanked on either side by the other two, is shorter but looks bulkier, while the other two are as tall as our walls. The way they''re advancing, it looks like the two outer towers are meant to guard the centermost one.


    What''s surprising is that instead of using their pack animals, it''s Scholl''s heavy infantry pushing the large towers forward. The towers themselves are teeming with soldiers wielding bows alongside entire mage battalions.


    There are units spread around the three towers, but the man walking in front of the army draws my attention. An old man with feathers in his beard not wearing armor; that has to be Pacore. Just watching him confidently escort the towers closer to us makes my knees wobble.


    Even though he¡¯s still far away, I can¡¯t take my eyes off Pacore in fear that he¡¯ll morph into some unstoppable monster should I look away. Stories have spread from the survivors of the Fort North Ridge attack. Tales of Pacore defeating General Pitz after single-handedly withstanding everything the fort could throw at him have been spreading throughout our ranks since Scholl first set up camp outside the city.


    We tried to silence talk of the battle by issuing a gag order, but word had spread too quickly for it to make any sort of difference.


    ¡°Release!¡± A nearby shout pulls my attention away from Pacore. The closest catapult has just finished reloading, and with the unit commander''s order, a soldier pulls the siege weapons lever, releasing a five-hundred-pound stone in Scholl''s direction.


    Along with a few other soldiers, I watch the stone sail through the air at breakneck speeds.


    500 feet.


    750 feet.


    1,100 feet.


    It''s incredible how far a well-tuned siege engine can throw a boulder of that size. However, I would be more Impressed if the stone landed anywhere near Scholl''s forces. I''d estimate Scholl needs to advance another 100 feet or so before they even enter our catapults range.


    ¡°Reload!¡± The unit commander bellows at his men. What the hell are they doing!?


    ¡°Who gave you orders to start firing!?¡± I angrily storm up the unit commander.


    Unlike the young soldier earlier, the unit commander immediately recognizes me. Snapping to attention, he offers me his best salute. ¡°Sir, I was ordered to start firing twenty minutes ago and told not to let up.¡±


    ¡°By who?!¡± I growl. Though it¡¯s hard to gauge how far away Scholl is, any fool could see after the first volley that they¡¯re not close enough yet.


    ¡°Commander Heleos, sir," the unit commander quickly replies. Judging by the awkward look on his face, he''s aware of how asinine the orders are.


    ¡°Heleos?" I bark in anger. He''s one of the bigwigs from Yleles that thinks he should''ve been placed in charge, but unlike Kelder who was sent with him, Heleos is only the captain of the guard back in Yleles. Much like me, he has almost zero battle experience. Most likely he¡¯s just here for the glory. "Don''t waste any more ammunition," I order the unit commander.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he salutes me once more before moving back to ordering around his catapult unit.


    While the unit commander looks happy now that he has new orders, I''m still steaming mad. Our chances of winning are already slim, and we can''t afford mistakes like this. "Communications mage," I shout.


    ¡°Here!¡± a woman wearing a robe and some light armor rushes over to me.


    "Send word immediately to all the siege units; they are not to attack until Scholl is in range. And I want them to focus solely on the towers, is that clear?!"


    ¡°Sir!¡± The mage starts mumbling her spell.


    It takes twenty or so minutes before my orders are conveyed, and I hear the rest of our catapults stop firing.


    ¡°Lord Rayes, Sir; Heleos is demanding to know why you¡¯ve stopped our bombardment?¡±


    I turn on the communications mage with fire in my eyes, and she steps back. "Where is Heleos right now?" I demand.


    "One moment, please?" The mage bows her head and mumbles another spell. She eventually looks back up at me with an awkward look, obviously uncomfortable answering my question.


    "Spit it out," I command.


    ¡°Sir, Heleos said he¡¯s reinforcing the southern gate,¡± the mage squeaks out.


    That bastard! You can''t even see Scholl''s main forces from the southern gate. How is he in any position to give out orders? "Tell him he can order the men around the western gate if he joins us here!"


    "Are you sure that''s exactly what you want me to say?" The communication mage hesitantly asks me. I narrow my eyes, and she takes the hint and sends Heleos my offer.


    Heleos reply comes so quickly it¡¯s almost comical. ¡°Sir, Heleos offers his apologies, but he¡¯s tied up with the Scholl unit outside his gate,¡± the communication mage conveys the man¡¯s message.


    I snort, hearing his excuse. The Scholl unit he''s referring to is a scouting party meant to keep supplies from entering the city. Similar units could be found around the northern and eastern gates, but they aren''t equipped to attack the walls.


    Now that that¡¯s taken care of, I can turn my attention back to what really matters, Scholl¡¯s main forces.


    The war towers have only moved a few dozen feet forward. If they stay at this speed, they¡¯ll reach the walls by sundown. We can¡¯t let that happen.


    I have to raise my hand to shield the morning sun as it crests over the horizon. Today is going to be a long day.


    **********


    ¡°Signal the next volley!¡± I command.


    A soldier with a horn blows twice, and the wall trembles under my feet. Nearly twenty large stones along with ten ballista bolts are launched at Scholl''s right tower.


    In the distance, all three of Scholl''s war towers light up with magic. Dozens of mana shields overlap with one another, covering most of the tower. A few of the shields break, but most of our attacks are simply brushed off. The soldiers stationed around the towers dodge the falling projectiles with ease and quickly reform their formation.


    So, this is what a trained army can do; I''m both awed and terrified by the spectacle.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    None of my men have seen war; I haven''t seen war. Are we making a difference? It''s so hard to tell. I can only reference the books my parents made me study in my youth.


    Blaiton hasn''t seen war in years. I think the last time the city was attacked was during my great grandfather''s time, and that was merely a large bandit brigade that grew too confident in their abilities.


    Sure, every so often, a large goblin horde might try to attack the city, but killing them is never any trouble, not like this.


    Once Scholl entered the range of our siege weapons, we started pelting them with rocks and ballista bolts, and thankfully we''ve managed to slow them down a bit. But no matter how hard we hit them, they don''t retreat an inch. The towers have been inching closer to us all day, and soon they''ll be in range to start counter-attacking us.


    ¡°They¡¯re switching again,¡± a nearby scout with Perception skills informs me.


    "Quick! Reload and send another volley before they can finish!" I shout. My commands are signaled by horn and conveyed again through magic. As one, the various siege teams hustle to follow orders.


    Scholl has managed to continue as they have because they have multiple mage squads switching out with one another. My mages informed me that the towers should hold enough mages that none of our attacks should break their shields, and yet every thirty minutes or so, we score a decent hit, and part of their shields fall. But just as quickly as we destroy them, a new shield forms and takes its place.


    After the first two hours of this, we quickly deduced what was happening. Scholl is using the fewest mages possible to defend their siege towers. As soon as a mage¡¯s shield breaks, they¡¯re swapped with a new mage and given time to rest.


    They¡¯re doing the same thing with their men pushing the towers forward. And then we have Pacore.


    I was skeptical when I heard the stories about Pacore surviving an entire mage volley by himself but not any longer. Pacore acts like a magnet and regularly draws in our attacks to give his mages a slight reprieve. Though most of what we''ve done could be considered a failure, we''ve learned a bit about our opponents.


    Like right now, in these rare moments when Scholl switches around their people, we have a small window to do extra damage.


    I pray for a miracle as another volley is launched at Scholl''s right tower. Again, their shields flare to life, and most of our projectiles are deflected. That is, all but one boulder was deflected. I grin when the large chunk of stone punches a hole into the siege tower. It didn''t do much other than rip a three-foot hole in the tower¡¯s siding, but it¡¯s progress.


    The real takeaway from that volley is much more critical, however. Even though the tower''s shields failed, Pacore didn''t use his skill to defend his men; or rather, he couldn''t.


    I''ve been tracking the intervals between Pacore activating his magnet skill, and I''ve noticed he can''t use it more than once an hour. Pacore changes the frequency at which he activates his skill, but there''s always been at least a 55-minute interval before he uses his skill again. I can''t be sure, but I''m guessing his skill has a 55-minute cooldown. Let''s make it 45 minutes just to be on the safer side. It might be a small detail in the grand scheme of things, but we can use one more opening to exploit.


    And that isn''t the only thing I''ve observed about Pacore. Knowing the cooldown time for his skill is a good bit of information to have, but his skill limits have also started to become apparent.


    Pacore''s skill draws in all attacks, a frighteningly powerful skill to have in a war, but it¡¯s not omnipotent. Pacore can only draw in attacks for about six minutes before his skill stops working and can¡¯t stop the skill once it¡¯s activated. I wish I could take credit for the discovery, but it was actually thanks to those pesky nobles trying to subvert my orders that led to figuring this bit of information out.


    Volleys are much more effective when synchronized. Punching through magic shields is already hard, but if the projectiles are spaced out, it gives the mages time to recover and reinforce their shields.


    During one of our initial volleys, the lord of Drey crawled out of his hole and tried to take command of one of the farther trebuchets. The fool ordered them to fire as fast as possible despite my orders to synchronize our attacks. But thanks to his insubordination, we were able to see that Pacore''s skill only lasted a few minutes.


    If we stagger our shots, even if Pacore activates his skill it would effectively become useless, but our overall damage would plummet to almost nothing. It''s quite the conundrum, indeed. Do I change our plan of attack, or do I continue to-?


    Suddenly, while I''m debating over my strategy, bright light erupts from the tops of Scholl''s two leading towers. That''s not defensive magic!


    ¡°Mages, shields up!¡± I scream.


    The nearby mages follow my orders, while the communication mage frantically sends my commands to the rest of the wall. Our shielding spells activate just as two massive siege fireball spells are launched from Scholl¡¯s towers.


    One ball of flame soars directly to my section of the wall, while another is sent flying at one of the other lesser-guarded catapults. The mages around me brace for the spell''s impact, and for a moment, I see what the inside of a fireball looks like.


    The air itself burns the inside of my throat as the siege fireball spell collides with our defenses. The force of the spell hitting our shields creates a small shockwave that pushes a few unprepared people off their feet, but thankfully our shields did their job and no one suffered any major injuries. The spell immediately starts to dissipate after failing to break our shields but not before heating all the moisture in the nearby air. The moist spring air becomes humid and clings to the skin.


    When the flames around us finally dissipate, I look over to the other section of the wall that was targeted. "Shit!" I swear, seeing the burning siege weapon. It looks like most of the catapult''s operating team survived, but two smoldering husks weren¡¯t so lucky.


    Now the real battle begins.


    ¡°Mages! Form up! One group protects the siege engines, while the other returns fire! We mustn''t lose our catapults!¡± I bellow before turning to my communication mage. ¡°Inform the other commanders that I want them to switch targets.¡±


    "Sir?" The mage gives me a questioning look, but I don''t have time to explain myself.


    ¡°Spread word that I want our men to target the groups of Scholl¡¯s soldiers stationed around the towers. Now,¡± I demand.


    Leaving my frantic mage to convey my demands, I turn my attention back to Scholl. It looks like they aren''t moving to immediately launch another barrage like that one. Scholl needs to keep its defenses up, or our siege weapons will pick them apart, so they need to ration their magic. At least that''s some good news. I don''t think we would be able to hold out for long if they could continuously launch spells of that caliber.


    I''ve heard people talk about siege magic before, but this is the first time I''ve seen it for myself. I bring my hand up to my chest; I can feel my heart beating through my armor. To be the target of such magic, I feel like I''ve aged a few years in that split second the spell hit our shields.


    And I''m not the only person shaken up by the spell. Looking at the soldiers around me, many look more terrified than I after that first spell. Most of my mages are conscripts from all the nearby cities; few have actually experienced a life-or-death situation; in that, we are the same. I''m just happy none of my men fled after the attack.


    But if Scholl is close enough to hit us with magic, we can do the same thing.


    A group of five mages to my left start chanting under their breath together. All five of them are standing in a semicircle around a large rock, like what we use in the catapults. I watch, amazed, as the stone starts to hover and glow.


    I might not have been born with any magic talent myself, but I still had to study the subject before the title of Lord was passed down to me from my father. If I''m not mistaken, they''re casting stone missile. The spell is not usually considered a siege spell, but siege magic has many common misconceptions.


    Few spells are genuine siege spells. Most people think that just because a group of mages can cast a colossal fireball together, it''s a siege spell. In truth, in a group of mages, at least one will have a linking skill that connects the group''s spells. They''re all just casting the same spell using the skill to magnify the outcome.


    A genuine siege spell is cast by a single person, using vast amounts of control and mana. Merging five spells into one will create a seemingly massive spell, but forcing those five magics together, no matter how similar they are, will not equal a genuine siege spell. When magic is used in tandem with multiple people, there''s a degree of resistance between each of the spells. Skills mitigate this resistance, but not completely.


    It''s a good thing my father demanded I learned to differentiate the two, along with those boring books on military strategy. One is a standard method taught to those who study magic; the other is a sign of a truly powerful mage. I can only hope Scholl didn''t bring anyone like that with them, because I''m not sure my conscripted mages could defend against such a spell. Only a two-star mage could perform such a feat, and the Earl employs the only one in the area. It would''ve helped immensely if he came to our aid, but after what Giovanni told me, I highly doubt the Earl would let him leave his estate.


    The mages finish their spell, and with a loud boom, the boulder is launched at Scholl. Like I ordered, the magic projectile is aimed at the units trailing behind Scholl''s towers. A shield forms to stop the magic-propelled rock, but Scholl obviously wasn''t prepared for us to target their back units.


    The units trailing behind the towers are those waiting for their turn to push. Some must be tired from just switching out, and now is the best time to strike. If we can kill a significant amount of their forces, they won''t be able to push the towers any further.


    After the magic stone crashes into Scholl''s men, a dozen other spells are launched from our walls. Our targets are physical fighters, so I''m not expecting many fatalities, but Scholl is the one who decided to make this a war of attrition. It''s only fitting I show them what that looks like.


    **********


    ¡°Light the torches!¡±


    ¡°Light the torches!¡±


    ¡°Light the torches!¡±


    My soldiers¡¯ voices echo across the wall as they scramble to light the evening torches. In the distance, Scholl''s war towers light up with magical light. It must be nice to have so many well-trained mages at your disposal, I complain to myself.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± Someone shouts.


    I run forward and take shelter behind a mage unit that just erected its shield. Grinding my teeth, I wait for the fireball spell to dissipate. By now I''ve grown numb from all the times I''ve had to take shelter like this.


    ¡°Report!?¡± I shout as soon as the spell dissipates.


    "Another catapult lost, sir," I''m informed by my new communications mage. The previous girl was running low on mana and was injured by one of Scholl''s spells a few hours ago. My new communication mage looks too old to be on a battlefield, but surprisingly he''s been able to keep up with my orders.


    ¡°How many left?¡± I ask, not sure if I want to hear the answer.


    ¡°We have three catapults and five ballistas left, Lord Rayes.¡±


    Damn. ¡°And the ones from the other sections of the walls?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being told the nobles guarding the other gates are reluctant to give up their siege weapons,¡± the mage tells me with a frown.


    "Gods damn them!" I can''t help but shout. "Do they not realize if they don''t send reinforcements, we won''t hold through the night?" No, of course, they do; it''s just that they don''t care. As soon as Scholl breaches our walls, the nobles guarding the other gates will flee to Yleles. They only care about how long I can stall Scholl here and how much damage I can do.


    If the lives of my family weren''t on the line, I would probably cede the city to Pacore just to spite them.


    But their lives are in my hands, so I refuse to lose!


    ¡°My lord!¡± My communications mage reaches out and pulls me behind a mage casting a shield spell. An arrow strikes the ramparts stone floor and ricochets to the side. ¡°Are you okay, Lord Rayes?¡±


    "I''m fine, thanks-," it suddenly occurs to me I don''t even know this man''s name, and he just saved my life. For that matter, I never did get the name of that female mage who assisted me most of the day.


    ¡°Jargen, my lord. My name is Jargen,¡± he tells me.


    I nod in appreciation. ¡°Thank you, Jargen.¡±


    "That''s my job, my lord." Jargen bows his head in a way that looks respectful while keeping one eye directed towards the battlefield.


    I look through the mage''s shield at the approaching towers. They''re close enough now that they''ve switched from using mages to archers to attack us.


    My teeth hurt from gritting them so hard. How are they still advancing on us? Both of their leading war towers are filled with holes, and we''ve killed or injured enough of their foot soldiers that many were rushed from the battlefield. We¡¯ve done all that, and yet Scholl hasn''t stopped pushing forward for even a minute!


    The towers are only 300 feet from our walls, and they''ve shown no signs of stopping for the night. "How much more must we make them bleed before they retreat?" I curse under my breath.


    "Scholl doesn''t retreat, my lord." Jargen must have heard me. "Just because they changed tactics doesn''t mean they''ve lost the ferocity they''re known for," he tells me.


    ¡°You know how Scholl fights?¡± I ask the older mage.


    Jargen nods, "I do. I''ve lived a decent life, and I''ve heard about how Scholl wins its wars. They fight to the last man standing and never retreat. If you''re hoping to break them emotionally, I''m sorry to say that''s a fool''s gambit."


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to meet them with the same ferocity then,¡± I proclaim.


    ¡°That would be wise, my lord. Scholl and Pacore would see anything less as a sign of weakness.¡±


    "Send word to all the units to keep firing," I order. "And thank you again, Jargen. Blaiton is lucky to have a citizen like yourself to volunteer despite the risk."


    "It''s my job to help my country," Jargen smiles at me. "I''ll convey your orders right away, sir," Jargen moves to cast his magic as the sun finally disappears and night overtakes the battlefield.


    With all the magic being tossed around, visibility isn''t impaired by much, so I notice when Scholl''s two leading siege towers stop moving. Scholl doesn''t stop pelting us with arrows or drop its shields, but they do finally stop advancing. Are they about to retreat?


    Sadly, Jargen was right; Scholl isn''t retreating.


    Scholl''s forward two war towers have stopped moving, but their men have moved behind the trailing tower and are pushing that one forward at a much faster rate.


    Shit, I can see that it''s heading for the gate. "Jorgan, all units fire on the middle tower!¡±


    Every one of our remaining siege weapons turns and targets the fast-approaching tower. We throw everything we have at the tower, and-


    Pacore activates his skill. "But it''s only been 39 minutes since he last used it!" I curse. Does that mean he''s been holding himself back? Six minutes, that''s how long we have to wait before we can attack again; six minutes for the war tower to get closer to the gate.


    ¡°Detonate the bridge!¡± I command.


    A vial is dropped over the ramparts, and when it crashes against the temporary bridge we built, the whole thing ignites in flames. The wood was doused in a highly flammable alchemical solution as soon as Scholl showed up. The vial that was dropped contained an agent that created sparks as soon as it was exposed to air.


    Five, four, three, two; ¡°Jargen, resume the attack on the tower!¡±


    Jargen conveys my orders, but it¡¯s too late. As if possessed by demons, Scholl¡¯s soldiers push the war tower forward at incredible speeds, covering dozens of feet in mere minutes.


    We still have time! I turn to Jargen, "Send word for all available soldiers to converge on the western gate, hurry." Scholl still needs to get past the ditch we''ve dug.


    As if to spite me, two flaps on the front of the third war tower open, one on each side of the structure. In each opening stands a single person, both of which have feathers adorning their hair.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡±


    The two individuals start to glow as they channel large amounts of mana.


    ¡°Kill the mages!¡± I shout, but it¡¯s too late. The two mages move their hands like they¡¯re trying to lift something invisible.


    Blaiton''s walls start to tremble as a large stone ramp rises out of the muddy ground, creating a seamless path to our gate. The two mages are close enough I can see their pale faces as they finish casting their magic. How much mana did they just use? To move that much earth the both of them have to be over level 70. The two of them waited this long to show themselves!?


    The only thing that keeps me from freezing up upon seeing their overwhelming power is the thought of needing to protect the city. "All earth mages to the front gates! Don''t let them in!"


    All the nearby mages rush to the stairs leading down the ramparts. "How far out are our reinforcements?" I ask Jargen in a panic.


    Jargen shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. I sent the other gates our emergency message, but none of them are responding,¡± he tells me with a panicked look.


    Those traitors didn¡¯t already flee, did they?!


    Loud thundering comes from the western gate as my mages try to fortify it with earth magic.


    As my men work to reinforce what they can, Scholl''s war tower stops on the other side. Large panels on the front of the tower fall away to reveal a large battering ram hidden inside. I want to order an all-out attack on the tower, but at this exact moment, the two war towers close by light up with their own magic.


    Forgoing all manner of defense, the two towers that we''ve been attacking all-day launch countless spells towards our walls. Fireballs, bolts of lightning, rocks, all manner of spells are launched at us with reckless abandon.


    My mages have no choice but to erect shields in defense.


    They''re pinning us down!


    *BOOM**BOOM**BOOM*


    You can feel Scholl''s battering ram strike the western gate.


    "It won''t hold! Run!" I hear a mage down by the gate scream and take off.


    ¡°Everyone down there! We can¡¯t let them enter the city!¡± I draw my sword and raise it into the air. I¡¯ve only ever used it during practice, but that hardly matters at the moment. ¡°We can¡¯t let Scholl into the city!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re breaking through!¡± I hear more shouting from the gate.


    ¡°To the gate!¡± I valiantly shout.


    "To the gate!" A few others roar, following my lead. That inspires just enough people to give hope to those about to run away.


    ¡°On me!¡± I move to gather everyone and rush down the walls. ¡°We¡¯ll fight them street by street if we have to!¡±


    "I''m sorry, Lord Rayes, but I can''t let that happen," I hear Jargen say directly behind me.


    I can¡¯t even turn around before Jargen knocks my sword from my hand. He then forces my head back with his left hand and holds a knife to my throat with his right. Everything happens so quickly all the surrounding soldiers are stunned in place.


    "What- what are you doing," I choke out.


    "My job, Lord Rayes," Jargen answers loud enough so everyone can hear him over the sounds of Scholl breaching our gate. "Fighting in the streets would go against Master Pacore''s wishes."


    The hair on my arms stands on end. ¡°You¡¯re a spy from Scholl?¡±


    "That''s right," he calmly tells me. "I had already infiltrated your communication corps a long time ago and was watching the battle. After your previous mage was injured, I took the opening to get close to you. I hope there aren''t any hard feelings."


    "Then why didn''t you kill me earlier or let me die; it would''ve been easy for you?" I growl in frustration.


    ¡°For now, Master Pacore wants to capture as many nobles as possible,¡± Jargen or whoever he is chuckles in my ear.


    ¡°Then your master is going to be disappointed,¡± I bite back. ¡°The other nobles are probably halfway to Yleles by now.¡±


    The Scholl spy just laughs harder. "Master Pacore is well aware of your nobility''s tendency to flee. Not all those who left the battlefield were injured. We have ambushes set up to catch all the fleeing rats. Now, tell your men to stand down," he pokes his dagger into my skin, and I can feel a drop of blood crawl down my neck.


    All the soldiers around us are wearily looking to one another, unsure of what they should do. Fools, didn''t I say we can''t let Scholl into the city. I nervously swallow a lump in my throat. "Men!" I shout, and everyone looks at me, some instinctively raising their weapons. "Scholl is not to enter this city! Kill this man and defend the gate; that is my final order for all of you!"


    Jorgan laughs, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡±


    A nearby soldier understands my orders and rushes at us with his spear raised, prepared to skewer us both. I close my eyes, expecting Jargen to kill me or feel the man¡¯s spear pierce me, but instead, he throws me to the ground before stepping forward. With an open hand, Jargen sidesteps the spear thrust and slaps it aside before opening up the soldier''s throat with a well-placed swing of his dagger.


    I scramble to get to my feet, but Jargen kicks me in the side of the head, and everything becomes fuzzy. The only thing I register before passing out is Jargen killing a few more soldiers and the rumblings of the western gate crumbling.


    I failed.


    The city is doomed.

 Ch: 91

    ¡°Are you enjoying your new teacher?¡± Sandra playfully smirks at me.


    "I don''t know; are you enjoying living with Richard?" I try to sound malicious, but I realize how silly I sound half-way through, and by then, it''s already too late to stop myself.


    ¡°I am actually,¡± Sandra raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Is that really what you were going for?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I huff as I work the forge¡¯s bellows. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t think of a good comeback there,¡± I sulk.


    ¡°You¡¯re losing your touch, Aaliyah,¡± Sandra playfully elbows me.


    "I can''t have a witty remark ready all the time. Besides, Tabitha hasn''t taught me anything yet," I complain.


    ¡°She¡¯s been here for four days now!¡± Sandra exclaims. ¡°What have you been doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with work.¡± Sandra puts her hands on her hips and gives me a look that says she isn¡¯t falling for my excuse. ¡°What, I have,¡± I try to defend myself. ¡°I had to finish the work I started when she arrived. Then, it was my back-to-back break days I spend with my parents.¡±


    ¡°And today?¡± Sandra asks me.


    "Today, I''m making helmets for the village," I motion to the steel heating up in the forge.


    "Helmets, really?" Damn, Sandra''s mom-look is leveling up faster every day.


    ¡°Helmets are important,¡± I pout.


    "Why are you hesitating? You seemed excited to learn from her a few days ago," Sandra gives me a questioning look.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s crazy!¡± I finally shout in frustration.


    Sandra is surprised by my outburst, but she quickly raises a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. "That''s rich coming from you. What makes you think she''s crazy?"


    ¡°You only need to talk to her for five minutes to see she¡¯s crazy,¡± I retort.


    "That''s funny; mother hasn''t said anything about her acting weird." Sandra doesn''t look convinced. "Mom has complained that Lady Tabitha is too quiet and hard to talk to, but nothing extreme.¡±


    I snort, ¡°Tell your mom to ask about her master. Then we¡¯ll see if her opinion of Tabitha changes.¡±


    ¡°No way, I¡¯m not using my mom to prove you¡¯re right. You do remember she¡¯s living with my parents, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see all this concern for your parents when you used Tabitha as an excuse to leave,¡± I snarkily grin at my friend.


    Sandra folds her arms, ¡°That was totally different.¡±


    "Now, who doesn''t have a comeback?" I tease.


    "Your horrible," Sandra elbows me in the side again, but this time she tries to put her back into it. "Is she really that bad?" Sandra asks me after her elbow fails to break through Mana Skin.


    ¡°She gets this crazy look in her eyes every time we pass by each other in the village. You¡¯ve seen her walking around in her armor, right?¡± I ask my friend.


    "Lady Tabitha is kind of hard to miss; she always has her armor on and sticks out amongst the villagers. I overheard she''s been patrolling the village with a blank expression on her face like she''s bored or something," Sandra tells me. I do not doubt that she''s bored; there''s no longer any danger to the village, so the battle junky can¡¯t get her fix.  ¡°She doesn¡¯t approach anyone, so people just leave her alone and try to avoid her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so imagine how creepy it is for me when she approaches me every morning after my run and randomly throughout the day to ask me if I¡¯m ready to train with her. I¡¯d agree to get her to stop asking me, but she always asks with her hand on her sword and a vicious smile on her face. I shiver just thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared of her?¡± Sandra asks, surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯m reluctant to spar with her,¡± I clarify.


    "You''re scared of her," Sandra repeats herself. "It''s okay to be afraid of her; dad told me he thinks she''s around level 85. That is pretty intimidating."


    ¡°Try 95, and I¡¯m not afraid of her. I just¡­ I Just don¡¯t want to lose again,¡± I admit to Sandra. ¡°I know I need Tabitha¡¯s help to grow stronger, but I¡¯m reluctant to find out how weak I am.¡± I stare into the forge¡¯s fire, remembering how easily Pacore beat Master and I. Sparring with Tabitha will probably be the same thing.


    I hear a giggle from my side, and when I look over at Sandra, I see she''s trying to hold back more laughter. "I''m sorry," she waves her hand, trying to apologize without laughing.


    I frown at Sandra. ¡°Is this funny to you? This isn¡¯t easy for me, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s just funny to hear you call yourself weak,¡± Sandra feigns wiping away a nonexistent tear. "You know you''re getting caught up in your own head again, right? Just let the lady teach you, and soon you''ll surpass her at the monstrous speed you''ve always have." Sandra gives me a confident smile, but for some reason it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s reaching her eyes, almost as if she¡¯s just telling me what she thinks I need to hear and not what¡¯s really on her mind.


    I blink in confusion, but just like that Sandra smile has shifted into her usual bight smile. Did I imagine that?


    Regardless, I think she¡¯s underestimating Tabitha a bit or not fully understanding the Pandora''s box I''ll be opening once I finally agree to spar with her. I haven''t known Lady Tabitha for long, but I doubt she''ll stop pestering me just because I agree to train with her a few days a week. If anything, I expect her to hound me even more once we start.


    ¡°Will it make you feel better if I¡¯m with you tomorrow?¡± Sandra jokingly offers.


    Fine, she thinks I''m exaggerating? Let''s show her the real Tabitha. "Would you really?" I ask, smiling. "You''re probably right; I''m just exaggerating. But it would mean a lot if you join me tomorrow, even if it''s only for emotional support.


    "Sure," Sandra agrees immediately. "Worse case, I get to watch Lady Tabitha throw you around a bit," Sandra jokes.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m glad I can always count on my best friend,¡± I say sarcastically.


    "And don''t you forget it," Sandra laughs for a bit, and I find myself smiling along with her. No matter what happens, I still have the support of my family and friends.


    Reaching for my tongs, I remove the small steel ingot I''ve been preparing. The steel glows a beautiful red as I shift it over to my anvil and start hammering away. I need to take special precautions as I start working on the metal. A helmet''s shape is very important.


    When making a helmet, you need to factor in the area it covers and all the angles you''re working with. The purpose of a helmet is to deflect a strike''s force and keep the wearer from having their brains scrambled. Whether the helmet is deflecting arrows or a blade, you want anything that hits the steel cap to slide off, preferably away from you.


    The problem is I¡¯m making these helmets so anyone in the village can wear one. That might seem like a good thing, but if I want my helmets to be universal, I can¡¯t use any of the designs that would cover the entire head. Helmets that cover the back of the neck, face, and eyes offer a superior defense, but they limit your sight, are hard to move in, and uncomfortable unless fitted for a specific user.


    When Master Del taught me how to make armor, I assumed all helmets would look like those I saw in moves. The types of helmets with a faceplate that hilariously drops down when the hero leans in to get a kiss, those kinds of helmets. However, I''ve long since realized movie knowledge shouldn''t be trusted.


    There are plenty of helmets that cover the entire head and neck region, but in reality, most helmets were simple metal caps that anyone could wear. They have more openings for your opponent to exploit, but cap helmets offer more benefits for the inexperienced fighter, like the people in our village.


    With all this in mind, I decided to make the helmets for the village resemble my own. My helmet is modeled after the standard army helmet from my past life, a dependable design that¡¯s been in use for forever. The helmets stand out with their modern design, and best of all, they''re proven effective. I might not be able to replicate the advanced materials used in earth''s modern-day body armor, but I¡¯m confident my helmets will do their job against arrows and the occasional sword blow.


    I pray my helmets never see use, but you never know when you''re living this far in the woods. Knowing that Pacore has taken me as his student, my time in the village is limited. If another goblin horde shows up when I''m no longer here, I don''t what there to be a repeat of what happened at the beginning of the year. And that involves switching from making only weapons to making universal armor that anyone in the village could wear.


    ¡°So, why helmets?¡± Sandra asks me when I move the metal back into the forge.


    ¡°Because helmets protect your head,¡± I sarcastically reply. ¡°I¡¯d thought you know that, great mage.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± Sandra dryly remarks. ¡°I mean, why are you making helmets first when you could be making breastplates or something?¡±


    Pulling my metal from the forge and moving it back to the anvil, I explain my reasoning to Sandra in between my strikes. ¡°People already have leather vests and other clothes they can wear in a fight. Animals and goblins instinctually go for a person¡¯s face. I¡¯ll get to breastplates and other pieces of armor, eventually. But I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll have to leave the village; I want the armory to have at least enough spears and helmets for everyone before then."


    "I heard about the goblins from father. Was it as bad as he made it sound?" Sandra''s concerned eyes drill into my soul, and I don''t miss how she puts a protective hand over her abdomen.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fun experience,¡± is all I tell her.


    "My master would take us on short hunting trips outside Drey. He had us practice our magic on small groups of goblins a couple of times. One of the other students once commented on how easy it was to kill all of them with a single spell, to which our master replied that he hopes we never have to deal with stronger goblins."


    "He was probably referring to horned goblins; there were two of them in the horde we fought. Big bastards with a lot of fight in them," I grumble.


    ¡°Do you think I could take one?¡± Sandra asks me.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I don''t know," I honestly tell her as I continue with my work. "I only fought one of them, and it was back when my level was a lot lower. Plus, you still haven''t shown off many of your spells yet. Were you one of the people who thought killing goblins was easy?"


    Sandra shrugs, ¡°Throwing a fireball into a group of goblins is easy, but then again that applies top most things.¡± I find myself struggling not to feel jealous of Sandra. Ever since I reincarnated, I wanted to figure out how to throw a fireball; and standing in front of me is someone who knows the spell but isn''t allowed to share it with me.


    ¡°Who knows, that might be all you need,¡± I remark, focusing on the helmet taking shape in front of me.


    Now that Sandra has me thinking about it, I wonder if I''d still have trouble against that horned hob I fought? Much has changed since then, and I''m curious how I would stack up if I encountered another goblin above level 50.


    Sandra shouldn¡¯t worry about another hoard attacking the village, what we experienced was the first in the village¡¯s history. Plus, If we had someone throwing fireballs into that mass of goblins like if Sandra was around, we might not have lost as many people as we did.


    I shake my head; I shouldn¡¯t dwell on what might have been. The only thing I should think about is how to improve myself and the village. And that starts with me sucking it up and starting my lessons with Tabitha tomorrow.


    I can only imagine what that battle junky has planned.


    **********


    ¡°That was a good run,¡± Mom smiles at me. ¡°Want some water before you finish up by yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the water, but I¡¯m not running my second course today,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡± Mom asks.


    "I''m going to train with Tabitha today."


    "Oh! Are you starting today? That''s news to me," Mom''s eyes narrow menacingly. "Maybe I should go with you today?"


    I give mom an apologetic smile. ¡°I would love for you to join me, but you promised you and dad would try to avoid Tabitha.¡±


    Mom¡¯s face softens, ¡°But what if something happens?¡±


    "It will be fine," I try to reassure her. "I already talked to Master yesterday to let him know what''s happening, and Sandra''s coming along too."


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± I hear my name shouted.


    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± I turn to see Sandra walking over to us.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Sandra smiles at mom and me.


    ¡°You¡¯re going with Aaliyah, dear?¡± Mom questions Sandra.


    Sandra looks between us and quickly understands what¡¯s happening. ¡°How could I let her go by herself?¡± Sandra moves to my side and wraps an arm around my waist, trying to pull me closer to her. I have to physically relax my body before Sandra can move me with her low Strength.


    "See, mom, everything will be fine," I reassure her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will,¡± Mom cynically remarks. But she doesn¡¯t push the subject further and opens our front door. ¡°Sandra, dear, would you like something to drink? I¡¯m sure Aaliyah will need a few minutes to get ready,¡± Mother asks, holding the door open for us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever you have,¡± Sandra politely accepts mother¡¯s offer while we follow her into the house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be just a minute,¡± I tell Sandra after the three of us have our shoes off.


    ¡°Take your time,¡± she tells me as she and Mother move into our kitchen while I walk to my room.


    Pushing open the door to my room, I grab my armor I have hanging on the wall. I don''t see Tabitha''s training being easy, so I plan to treat this like I''m going to war. Donning my kaglese armor, I make sure each strap is secured. My knife and scimitar are tightly fastened to my side before I pick up my axe.


    I already did my morning stretches before Mom and I went on our run together, but I go through them once more with my armor on to get a better feal for things.


    "Alright, Aaliyah, let''s show Tabitha what you''re made of!" I try psyching myself up for the battle to come, but all I do is make myself embarrassed for yelling that out loud.


    Confident I have everything I need, I walk back to the front of our house. Mom and Sandra both watch me approach the kitchen table in my armored splendor. I puff out my chest and put on a cocky grin under their scrutinizing gazes to hide the embarrassment I¡¯m still feeling from what I said in my room.


    "Yeah, girl! Ready to show Tabitha!" Sandra mimics my voice, and she and Mom burst out laughing. I feel my face start to redden, realizing they must have heard me a minute ago.


    "It''s okay, dear," Mom tries to console me in between her fits of laughter. "We all need to be cheered for sometimes."


    Mom''s words only make me more self-conscience over what I did, and Sandra nearly doubles over laughing. "Thanks, mom,¡± I manage to mumble. Well, that¡¯s one way to cut the tension. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sandra,¡± I move for the front door.


    ¡°What, no more words of inspiration?¡± She pokes fun at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I hiss to my friend.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Sandra stands up from her chair, still giggling like a schoolgirl.


    ¡°Hang on a moment,¡± Mom calls out to me. She walks over with a full waterskin in her hands and offers it to me.


    I take the offered water despite not holding it correctly because of my axe, instinctively thanking Mom.


    As soon as I take the waterskin from her, Mom wraps her arms around me, being careful of my axe. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m probably about to get my ass kicked again,¡± I point out to her.


    ¡°Promise,¡± Mom demands.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be safe,¡± I shift my axe to my shoulder and use my free arm to return Mom¡¯s hug.


    ¡°Good, now go show that soldier why she shouldn¡¯t underestimate my daughter!¡±


    "Sounds like a plan," I smile. Mom releases her grip on me, and I''m able to set my axe down and attach the waterskin to my belt.


    Sandra slips her shoes back on while I change into my thickest boots. We wave goodbye to my mom, and soon we''re standing in front of my house again. I turn to Sandra, ¡°No more jokes?¡±


    She looks at me with a straight face and says, "That was beautiful." I snort, and the two of us laugh together.


    ¡°So, when does Lady Tabitha usually show up?¡± Sandra questions.


    "I don''t know. I try to avoid her, but Tabitha seems always to show up the minute I finish my run." And like a bad horror movie, no sooner than I finish talking, does Lady Tabitha round a nearby house. Sandra and I immediately notice the armor-clad knight.


    "Okay, so that is a little spooky," Sandra says off to my side.


    ¡°Wait for it,¡± I tell her.


    Sandra casts a sidelong glance at me, not understanding what I mean, almost missing what I was talking about. Tabitha and I make eye contact, and as soon as she sees me in my armor, a feral grin immerges on her passive face. Her hand flashes to her sword''s handle and grips it like she''s afraid it''s going to run away from her. Tabitha wastes no time and starts walking quickly in our direction.


    I ignore the goosebumps forming on my skin and turn to Sandra. ¡°Told you.¡±


    ¡°Dear gods,¡± Sandra exclaims. ¡°I thought you were joking.¡±


    ¡°You should see her when she¡¯s talking about Pacore.¡±


    "Is this what it was like when the goblins were charging you?" Sandra asks me, nervously gripping her forearm and shaking under Tabitha''s pressure as she nears us.


    I scoff, ¡°The village would¡¯ve been destroyed if the goblins had half the presence as Tabitha.¡± Obviously, I¡¯m embellishing a bit, but I¡¯m sure Sandra gets what I mean.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯re finally ready to start your lessons,¡± Tabitha stops a few feet in front of us and grins at me. She barely spares Sandra a glance, entirely focused on me.


    ¡°I am,¡± I say, trying to sound more confident than I really am.


    "That''s good," Tabitha mumbles in an ominous voice. "I''ve been getting bored waiting for you," she swings her shield off of her back, and I watch it magically fasten to her arm. "Prepare yourself!"


    Wait, does she expect us to fight here!? What am I thinking; of course, she does! I clear my throat, getting her attention. ¡°I think it would be best if we take this somewhere else,¡± I suggest.


    A tiny bit of sanity returns to Tabitha''s eyes, and she glances around us at the homes nearby. "You should be prepared to fight anywhere, but I guess we can work up to that. Do you have a spot in mind?"


    "I thought we could use the quarry outside the village; it should be nice and private there," I tell Tabitha. "That''s where I dueled Pacore," I add that bit of information in, hoping mentioning her master will make her more agreeable.


    Tabitha''s grin widens, hearing me mentioning her master. "Show me where you tried to best Master Pacore." You can feel the excitement radiating off her.


    I glance to my side at Sandra. I should make sure Tabitha''s okay with her joining us, but I don''t think I''ll have a problem convincing her. ¡°Senior sister Tabitha?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tabitha asks, sounding annoyed that I haven¡¯t started leading her to our sparring site yet.


    ¡°When I had my fight with Pacore, he brought two people to observe us. This time I would like to bring my friend Sandra; she won¡¯t interfere with your lessons.¡±


    Tabitha''s features soften at the mention of her master, and for the first time, she really looks at Sandra, who''s standing next to me. Tabitha''s judging eyes scan every inch of Sandra, scaring my friend enough she takes a step back.


    ¡°A mage, huh,¡± Tabitha dryly remarks. ¡°You must have been the one using magic on the fields.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was me,¡± Sandra meekly admits without Tabitha even doing anything to pressure her to answer.


    I know how Sandra must be feeling; it''s hard to stand up to someone twice your level, especially when they''re radiating such bloodlust. Tabitha is only twenty levels higher than me, and even I feel intimidated by her.


    "Do you know any healing magic?" Tabitha excitedly asks Sandra.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t," Sandra hangs her head, not wanting to meet Tabitha''s fevered gaze.


    Tabitha lets out a disappointed sigh. ¡°I should¡¯ve expected as much from such a remote village.¡±


    ¡°If you need to be healed, our village does have someone who can use basic healing magic,¡± Sandra offers.


    Tabitha shakes her head. "I''ve met her. I don''t need healing, and certainly not from someone so unskilled as her. I was merely curious if I could have you heal Aaliyah during our training.¡±


    "Heal Aaliyah?" Sandra asks, not understanding the meaning behind Tabitha¡¯s words.


    "Training is much more efficient with a decent healer on hand," Tabitha tells Sandra with a sinister smile on her face. I swallow back a nervous lump in my throat.


    Sandra backs away from Tabitha. Either ignorant of Sandra''s feelings or just not caring, Tabitha continues talking like nothing is wrong. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t use healing magic, I¡¯m sure you can be useful for something. Now, will you show me to this quarry?¡± Tabitha turns her attention back to me.


    ¡°This way,¡± I motion for Tabitha to follow, happy to end this conversation.


    I start walking towards master''s clearing, and Sandra rushes to my side, keeping a wide birth from Tabitha. "I take back everything I said,¡± Sandra whispers to me.


    Glancing over my shoulder, I check to see how much space we have between Tabitha and us. I don''t want to say anything if she''s listening in on us. Thankfully, Tabitha is trailing behind us by a good ten feet. I don''t think she''s a Senses build, so as long as we whisper, she shouldn''t hear us. That said, the armor-clad woman looks content to give us our space while she watches us like a hawk. "Apology accepted," I whisper back to Sandra.


    ¡°You sure you want to do this?¡± Sandra quietly asks me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little late to back out now,¡± I snort.


    Sandra moves closer to me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. If anything should go wrong, I¡¯ll immediately run back to the village for help.¡±


    "Gee, thanks," I reply sarcastically as if that would help.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for the three of us to swiftly make our way to master''s clearing, and instead of seeing master resting on his bench, as usual, he''s waiting for us close to the clearing''s entrance, wearing his full armor and brandishing his hammer. Master''s eyes quickly fall on Tabitha as she follows us into the clearing with an excited grin on her face. She doesn''t look the least bit concerned to see master wearing his full gear.


    ¡°Is this the place?¡± Tabitha asks me, scanning the clearing.


    ¡°Almost,¡± I tell her, pointing further into the forest. ¡°The quarry is just up ahead.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Tabitha eagerly starts walking through Master¡¯s clearing in the direction I pointed out.


    Now Sandra and I are following her deeper into the woods. I¡¯m sure no student of Pacore would get lost in the forest when there¡¯s such an obvious trail.


    ¡°That her?¡± Master follows along with us.


    "That''s her," I confirm master''s suspicions. "Tabitha Leres, Pacore the Deathless'' student."


    Master hums thoughtfully. "There''s a dangerous air about her; how did Camden agree to let her live with him?"


    ¡°She¡¯s usually stony-faced and quiet while she patrols the village. She got like this when she saw Aaliyah in her armor,¡± Sandra informs Master Del.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in any danger?¡± Master asks me.


    I shake my head no. ¡°Tabitha may be crazy, but I don¡¯t think she would do anything to threaten my life. Pacore did order her to watch over me and the village after all, and I don¡¯t see Tabitha disobeying her master¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching just in case,¡± Master reassures me. I wonder how Master Del would stack up against Tabitha? Both of them have close to the same level, but after our fight with Pacore, I¡¯m not sure if Master has the skills to fight someone who¡¯s trained for battle.


    I see a break in the trees up ahead, and soon we hear Tabitha exclaim, "This will do nicely!"


    As soon as we leave the trees and look down into the quarry, Tabitha jumps over the ledge, and superhero lands on the rocky ground below. "The two of you should stay up here," I tell my two companions.


    Master hums in agreement while Sandra shouts at me, ¡°Good luck; don¡¯t die,¡± while I walk over to the ramp leading down into the bottom of the quarry.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± I shout back, walking deeper into the quarry. I could¡¯ve jumped over the side like Tabitha or used Air Walk to reach the bottom quicker, but both would¡¯ve given away information on my stats and skills. I¡¯m about to fight a person I have no confidence winning against, and I don¡¯t plan to shoot myself in the foot before the fight even begins.


    Tabitha watches me as I slowly make my way over until I stop fifty feet in front of her. ¡°How is this supposed to work?¡± I ask, nervously tightening my grip on my axe.


    Grinning, Tabitha slowly draws her sword and takes a stance with her shield directly in front of her. ¡°I need to see what I¡¯m working with, so let¡¯s start with some light sparring.¡±


    Without asking for my opinion or stating any rules we should follow, Tabitha charges me!


    I wasn''t expecting such a sudden charge, but I still instinctively kick backward to keep my distance from the woman. Pacore barely moved during our fight, and I thought Tabitha would be the same way considering she''s using a shield. The fight has just begun, and I''ve already misjudged my opponent.


    Tabitha issues a battle cry as she uses her shield as a battering ram.


    Dodge, or meet her strike?


    I only have a split second to decide as she closes the distance between us.


    My instincts are telling me to flee, but I can¡¯t let them cloud my judgment. I won¡¯t stand a chance if I only try to avoid her.


    Raising my axe, I extend Magic Threads and prepare to meet Tabitha¡¯s charge. Her smile widens when I stop retreating and ready myself for an attack.


    My heart threatens to beat out of my chest as Tabitha enters my striking radius. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± I yell, releasing the air from my lungs and swing my axe with all my might.


    I''m rooted in place, and I''m confident in my Strength. Tabitha is rushing me, so her stance won¡¯t be solid enough to counter my strike.  And just for good measure, I activate Weighted Strike to put more force behind my swing.


    Take this! My axe reverberates in my hands as it slams into Tabitha¡¯s shield. A smile forms on my face with the clean hit.


    Only Tabitha doesn''t go flying as I predicted. My eyes dart to the ground and see she''s somehow switched her stance in a split second, and that isn''t the worst of it.


    Tabitha adjusts her shield, so my axe skims across its surface. Even using Magic Threads, the force behind my swing empowered with Weighted Strike destroys my balance. I panic and try to pull my axe back, but Tabitha doesn''t miss the opening I left her. My eyes track her sword as she raises it to slice at me.


    However, watching Tabitha raise her sword is another wrong decision. Because I was so focused on her sword and trying to fix my stance, I don''t even notice her slamming her shield into my chest, sending me rolling across the quarry''s floor. The strike is even more effective because she hit me when I was out of breath.


    Gasping, I scramble to my feet.


    Tabitha doesn''t wait for me to catch my breath and continues her attack. I''m forced to use Flash Step to gain some distance between us, or she would''ve hit me a second time before I could''ve recovered.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re good at running away!¡± Tabitha shouts as I dodge away from her sword that came mere inches away from my chest piece.


    I use Flash Step again to try and position myself behind Tabitha for a counterattack, but as soon as I swing my axe at her back, her stance immediately shifts again, and she brings her shield up to block me.


    Fuck, that''s definitely a skill!


    Again, Tabitha uses her shield to deflect my strike, but she doesn''t use it to counterattack this time. The blood drains from my face as Tabitha''s sword lands on my left shoulder and slashes diagonally down my chest.


    The screeching sound of metal colliding stabs into my ears as Mana Skin does little to stop Tabitha¡¯s sword. I stumble backward from her strike, and thankfully Tabitha doesn¡¯t pursue me this time. Glancing down, there''s a significant line carved into the front of my armor.


    Did she just try to cut me?! Like actually cut me!


    With a shocked expression, I look up at Tabitha, who has a happy look on her face. "Good, your armor isn''t just shiny. I can swing my sword without worrying about cutting you too deep. Let''s continue!" Tabitha runs straight at me again like a runaway bulldozer.


    Gods damn it! I throw my axe horizontally at the charging woman. Drawing my scimitar, I watch Tabitha gracefully jump over my flying weapon and continue her charge unperturbed by me throwing away my weapon. She¡¯s taking this too far! If I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯m going to get seriously injured!


    Let''s hope my sword works better against her. Tabitha was easily deflecting my axe with her shield, and the strength behind my swings was doing more harm than good.


    I swing my sword at Tabitha, and like my other strikes, she quickly raises her shield to block me. But this time, I don''t have all my weight behind my swing, and I don''t lose control of my weapon. Taking a step back and adjusting my stance, I''m able to bring my scimitar up and block her counterattack.


    I lock eyes with Tabitha as we push against one another with our weapons. It was an excellent decision to swap weapons; maybe now I''ll stand a chance. My lips start to rise into a grin.


    ¡°Why did you change weapons?¡± Tabitha¡¯s question quickly stops my smile from forming. ¡°You switched to a weapon that uses weaker skills, stupid choice.¡± I don¡¯t have time to comprehend Tabitha¡¯s words before she breaks our deadlock with a flourish of her sword.


    Tabitha steps in and delivers three rapid slashes across my chest piece, one deep enough I feel it cut my clothes underneath. I''m knocked backward for the third time, and our fight hasn''t even been going on for three minutes yet!


    "Is this really all that you have?" Tabitha asks disappointingly.


    For just a moment, I wish it was Pacore standing in front of me.


    I went into this fight not underestimating Tabitha and prepared to lose, but I never could''ve predicted our fight to be so one-sided.


    I¡¯m in serious trouble!

 Ch: 92

    ¡°Aaliyah, are you alright!¡± Sandra shouts from the top of the quarry.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± I yell back, reassuring my friend, but honestly I¡¯m not sure. Tabitha¡¯s cuts were deep, but she didn¡¯t reach my skin. I¡¯m not sure if that was her intention or not, but I don¡¯t exactly feel like asking.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, huh? Then I suppose we can continue,¡± Tabitha drily remarks. It looks like she¡¯s lost most of her excitement after our initial clash.


    I ground my teeth in frustration. Is fighting me so easy that a battle maniac like Tabitha can¡¯t even find joy in it?


    No, screw this!


    I might not be able to beat her, but I¡¯m not so weak that I¡¯ll just roll over against her!


    Tabitha notices my defiant look, and her smile starts to reform. ¡°Good, Master Pacore wouldn¡¯t have accepted you as a student if you didn¡¯t at least have a spine.¡±


    I bite back an angry retort and activate Flash Step twice to close the distance between us in a split second. Tabitha prefers to take the offensive, so I''ll try attacking her this time.


    Slashing downward, I aim for the shoulder of her shield arm. Tabitha backsteps, her feet gliding across the ground, much like how Pacore moved in our fight. She raises her shield to stop my attack, so I shift my grip and try to direct my sword towards her breastplate instead.


    "Better," Tabitha remarks, raising her sword to parry my strike.


    Our swords cross again, and this time I¡¯m ready for her to-!


    Tabitha jumps backward, using the force behind my attack to move easier. And to add insult to injury, Tabitha''s sword flashes again right before she¡¯s out of range, and I feel a new cut in my armor.


    Tabitha stops fifteen feet away from me, with a cocky grin on her face.


    The dam inside me brakes, and I shout at the infuriating woman. ¡°Will you stop fucking up my armor, already!¡±


    ¡°Will you ask the same from your future opponents?¡± Tabitha retorts. ¡°I thought you said you were a blacksmith? Fixing your armor shouldn¡¯t be that hard for you.¡±


    ¡°It still takes time,¡± I hiss in frustration.


    Tabitha snorts at my remark, ¡°You¡¯re the one complaining about time? You¡¯re not the one who needs to train a child from scratch before her master returns.¡±


    I¡¯m stunned by what Tabitha said. Does she consider beating the shit out of me a necessary training method, all just to save some time?


    Tabitha''s grin widens when she sees my shocked expression. "You''re the one who chose this; remember that."


    ¡°When did I ask for this?¡± I slam my hand against my breastplate and the deep cuts Tabitha left in it.


    "When you agreed for me to train you," Tabatha grins like a demon. "I offered you a choice," she points out. "You could''ve denied my offer and waited until Master came back for you. However, you choose to accept my tutelage, and now you represent me."


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, not understanding her reasoning.


    "You asked me to train you," Tabitha reiterates. "The next time Master sees you, your growth will reflect on me. Master Pacore wrote about how talented you were and your future potential, but all I see are bad habits you''ve learned in this backwater territory."


    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen and not a warrior,¡± I feel the need to defend myself. ¡°And I¡¯ve been practicing sparring with a sword and other weapons for years now!¡±


    Tabitha laughs like she just heard the funniest joke in the world. "And tell me, did you out-level the people you''ve been sparring with?"


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡± I answer Tabitha¡¯s question with another question, not wanting to mention my father¡¯s or Camden¡¯s levels to my sadistic sparring partner.


    ¡°You won most of your bouts then,¡± Tabitha presses her point.


    "I don''t see how-," I begin to say, but Tabitha cuts me off.


    ¡°A rabbit can¡¯t teach a dragon how to fly,¡± Tabitha states with a knowing look. ¡°Unless your sparring partners were ex-military or retired monster hunters, I doubt they could¡¯ve properly taught you anything more than holding your weapon correctly. You would¡¯ve been stronger and faster than them with much more Stamina. Unless you¡¯re pushed during training, you¡¯ll start to form bad habits. It¡¯s hard for the weak to teach the strong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from others,¡± I counter.


    Tabitha points her sword at me. "If you had a competent teacher, they would''ve told you; you shouldn''t have practiced with so many weapons. My master didn¡¯t let me add a shield to my training regimen until Sword Skills reached level 75. Let me ask you, was Axe skills your highest weapon skill?¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes drill into me, and I reluctantly answer. ¡°It¡¯s close, but Hammer Skills is my highest weapon skill.¡±


    Tabitha nods her head. "I thought so; I''d call your master incompetent if it weren''t," she sends a quick glance up at Master Del before turning back to me. "You should''ve brought a war hammer to our fight, not an axe and a sword."


    "But I''ve sparred the most with my sword and axe; why would I use a weapon I''m not familiar with?" I find myself asking a surprisingly chatty Tabitha. I can admit she knows a lot about combat.


    ¡°And yet, your Hammer Skills is still your highest leveled weapon skill; why is that? It¡¯s because, as a blacksmith, you hold and swing a hammer more than anything else. Weapon and tool skills are by far some of the easiest skills for a person to learn. As long as you have some decent training, reaching level 50 in these skills is easy for people like us." I assume Tabitha is talking about talented individuals because reaching level 50 in a skill, even if it''s tier 1, is considered impressive by village standards.


    ¡°Weapon and tool skills are the representation of the time you¡¯ve spent practicing with them and grant a natural familiarity whenever you use them. Though you say you¡¯ve fought more with your sword, I could tell your body was much more relaxed with an axe in your hands,¡± Tabitha explains.


    I never realized that! I know it always felt more natural to work in the forge than spar with dad and Camden, but I didn''t know that feeling came from my skills.


    ¡°You should not have focused on so many weapon skills, or at least kept one as your main weapon without spreading yourself so thin,¡± Tabitha reprimands me with her sword still pointed at my chest. ¡°And that is only the first problem I¡¯ve noticed. If we are continuing, prepare yourself!¡± Tabitha rushes at me again without any prior notice.


    I hastily find my footing, which I''ll admit softened during Tabitha''s impromptu lecture. Tabitha leads with a shield bash attack which I use Flash Step to dodge. I''m using Flash Step a lot, and it''s burning through my Stamina at an incredible rate, but I can¡¯t dodge Tabitha without using it.


    Like Pacore, Tabitha¡¯s footwork is scarily precise with no wasted movement. That said, I don¡¯t get why I can¡¯t match her. Tabitha might have a few more points in Dexterity than I do, but it can¡¯t be by much. That means she has to be using a skill to move like she is, but what is it?


    I bring my scimitar up defensively and block two quick slashes from Tabitha. She¡¯s still trying to cut up my breastplate like earlier, but I¡¯m feeling less malice behind her attacks now. Is this just her way of teaching?


    My sword is larger than Tabitha''s, and yet I can''t seem to push through her defensives. Each time I swing, Tabitha blocks with her shield and delivers a lightning-fast counterattack. And whenever she attacks, I try to block her sword with my own, but she never lets our clashes turn into Strength competitions.


    This is nothing like my training with Camden; he''d be out of breath already. And though dad can match my Strength, he can''t keep up with my movements whenever we spar.


    I see what Tabitha meant when she said the weak couldn''t teach the strong. Dad and Camden did teach me how to hold an axe and sword, but if I compare all our sparring sessions to my fight with Pacore and now with Tabitha, I can see we might as well have been children fooling around.


    Every fight I¡¯ve been in has had me forcing out a victory through the strength of my stats.


    The goblins weren''t trained warriors. We ambushed the chameleon spiders as a group. I used up all my mana to blow up the bandits. Then, I did the same thing again when I encountered the soul eater.


    I haven''t won a single fight through skill!


    "Stay focused!" Tabitha shouts, reminding me I''m still in a fight. She stabs her sword at my gut, and I''m forced to use Flash Step again to evade.


    Only as soon as I shift positions with my skill, Tabitha swings her shield at the spot I appeared and sends me flying through the air.


    Mana Skin absorbs a lot of the impact when I hit the quarry floor, but I still groan in pain as I get up. ¡°How do you know where I¡¯ll be?¡± I ask, hoping Tabitha will take the bait and give me a minute to catch my breath.


    I know my plan succeeded when Tabitha doesn¡¯t immediately appear in front of me, trying to stab me. ¡°Your footwork is terrible,¡± Tabitha flat-out tells me. ¡°You know a few basic stances, but again, you aren¡¯t used to shifting between them during combat, probably because you¡¯ve never needed to. I can take one look at your feet and see whether you¡¯re going to try and attack me, shift positions, or defend. That, combined with your stiff movements, makes reading you a breeze.¡±


    ¡°Stiff movements?¡± I stretch every morning; how am I stiff?


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Yes, what footwork skills do you have?¡± Tabitha asks me, having seemingly gone back into lecture mode.


    I know this pause in our battle won''t last forever, so I touch up Mana Skin and try to recoup some of my lost Stamina while answering Tabitha. "I have Running at level 77. Is that what you''re asking?" At this point, I don''t even care about revealing a few of my weaker skills to Tabitha; I''m not exactly winning by keeping them secret.


    Tabitha freezes, hearing my skill level, and her eyes go wide.


    "What, 77!" I hear Sandra exclaim from the top of the quarry. I''d like to see her expression right now, but I won''t take my eyes off Tabitha. I don''t know when she''ll resume our sparring, and I won''t be caught off guard again.


    "I see, so master wasn''t exaggerating your potential," Tabitha throws me off guard with a respectful nod. "I didn''t manage to pass my first level 75 skill test until I was 32 and after much hard work. For you to get a tier 1 skill to that high of a level at your age is certainly commendable. You must have put a lot of hard work into it," all of the sudden compliments from Tabitha make me start to feel a little embarrassed. I wonder what Tabitha would say if I told her Meditation was higher than Running and that my highest leveled skill is actually Sense Mana which is tier 2.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you put so much effort into such a skill, but I can respect you for it. However, though Running is a movement skill, it isn¡¯t what I was referring to. I meant skills like Steady Feet, Quick Feet, anything with feet in its name, really."


    ¡°Uh, I have Double Step and Flash Step,¡± I embarrassingly reply, seeing where Tabitha is going with this.


    ¡°I see, is that all?¡± It¡¯s sad to see Tabitha going from praising me back to looking disappointed. "I''m sure those skills help you run long distances relatively quickly, but neither of those skills will help you in combat without significantly more training.¡±


    ¡°But Flash Step has helped me a lot, and it¡¯s the only reason I can dodge most of your strikes,¡± I point out to Tabitha.


    ¡°Flash Step is a common tier 3 movement skill. It¡¯s unlocked when you cover a certain amount of distance in a certain amount of time, but it''s dependent on the skill it originated from. Your skills are meant more for linear movement, so unless you unlock more movement-related skills and integrate them into Flash Step, I¡¯ll be able to predict where you¡¯ll appear every time you activate the skill,¡± Tabitha explains.


    I¡¯ve always pushed myself to go faster, but I haven''t prioritized movement during my battles other than flash stepping away from enemies. Or, as Tabitha might point out, I never needed to.


    ¡°I have a lot to teach you,¡± is the only thing Tabitha says further on the matter before resuming our sparring.


    You''d think having one of my significant flaws pointed out to me would improve my chances of winning. But now I''m stuck overanalyzing all my movements, trying to overcome my sloppy footwork. As I block a flurry of swings from Tabitha, I''m trying to move more while keeping up a reliable stance, holding a weapon I was told I shouldn''t be using. Is Tabitha aware that her advice is throwing me off, or is that her diabolical plan?


    "Now you''re overthinking," Tabitha berates me, cutting yet another slice into my breastplate. At this point, I''ve recognized I''ll have to take the thing apart and reforge the plates inside, and now I¡¯m curious just how many cuts my new armor can take before it becomes useless.


    ¡°Thanks for pointing that out!¡± I yell, trying to counterattack. Activating Double Strike, I aim for a small opening I think I see in Tabitha¡¯s defense. She blocks my first slash with her sword and the second using her shield. Tabitha then proceeds to shift my sword to the side, freeing up her own sword, which she uses to score another hit on me.


    We continue to trade blows with each other for an agonizing twenty minutes, and in all that time, I never get a clean hit on her. I grazed her armor once, but her smile makes it hard to tell if she just gave me that one.


    Sweat is pouring down my face, my mana pool is half empty from refilling the holes in Mana Skin, and mentally I feel just as exhausted. My arms are trembling, holding up my scimitar.


    The only thing that shows my attacks weren¡¯t completely pointless is the small amount of sweat on Tabitha¡¯s forehead. Her armor is pristine, but seeing her start to show some fatigue means I put up at least a semblance of a fight.


    "That was a good warm-up," Tabitha''s demon grin doesn''t even anger me anymore. "Can you continue?" She asks me in an excited voice. She''s flip-flopped emotions so many times, I''ve given up on trying to read her and decide to take her question at face value.


    I want to say, let¡¯s continue, but our last few clashes have been exceedingly one-sided. Shaking my head, I sheath my sword. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± I tiredly collapse to my knees.


    ¡°Really?¡± Tabitha asks, clearly disappointed. ¡°You can¡¯t continue a bit longer?¡± She pleads like a child asking for another cookie.


    "I don''t think it will be very exciting for you if I do," I wheeze with a bit of sarcasm.


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Tabitha hums in thought. ¡°At least you have a decent amount of Stamina. You might not be well trained, but at least you lasted longer than some of my other sparring partners.¡±


    I choose to take that as a compliment, while Tabitha looks like she¡¯s thinking hard about something. ¡°Where to start, where to start?¡± She mumbles to herself.


    Oh, gods, she just spent the last thirty-something minutes putting me in my place, and she already wants to start my training!


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a proper weapon with you right now, so I suppose we should start on your footwork,¡± Tabitha ponders out loud, walking towards me.


    At least I can let out a sigh of relief when Tabitha sheaths her sword and moves her shield back over her shoulder. I may be tired, but the thought of figuring out how Tabitha and Pacore move as they do fills me with enough energy to get back to my feet. I¡¯m ready to learn whatever secret skill they¡¯ve been using.


    Tabitha stops a few feet in front of me with a serious look on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll have to start you with the basics, just as Master Pacore did with me when he took me in as his disciple.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± I grin, letting a bit of my excitement show.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to learn the skill Master Pacore has taught all of his students.¡±


    "I''m ready," I confidently reply, which earns me an approving nod from Tabitha. Sandra is going to be so jealous after I master whatever skill I''m about to learn. Wait, I cast a glance up at Master Del and Sandra, who look happy to see our sparring session is over. Is Tabitha going to teach me a new skill in front of them? I would assume a skill Pacore teaches to each of his students must be a well-kept secret; shouldn''t Tabitha ask them to leave?


    ¡°Hold up your arms,¡± Tabitha instructs me, not caring one bit about our onlookers.


    ¡°Like this?¡± I stick my arms out to my sides, trying to follow her directions.


    ¡°No, like this,¡± Tabitha moves directly in front of me and positions my arms. ¡°Bring this foot forward,¡± she kicks my right shin guard. ¡°Now, move your other foot here,¡± she taps the ground with her boot.


    I feel like a mannequin as Tabitha directs me into a weird full-body position. How does positioning my body like this help with my footwork?


    "Alright, that looks right," Tabitha nods at her handiwork before moving uncomfortably close to me.


    What is she?


    Tabitha takes my left arm and has me wrap it around her armored waist. She then proceeds to take my other hand into her own, and my brain crashes.


    ¡°Now match my feet,¡± Tabitha instructs me, stepping forward, so I need to step back. "Good, keep doing that."


    My body clumsily follows Tabitha''s as she leads me in a slow dance. That''s what she''s doing, right, dancing with me? She isn''t teaching me some super-secret skill or anything; she''s just having me dance with her.


    When my brain finally reboots, I stop in place.


    ¡°You messed up already? We haven¡¯t even picked up the pace yet,¡± Tabitha looks up at me with disappointment in her eyes.


    I pull away from Tabitha and take a few steps back. "What the hell are you doing?!" I shout at her.


    With a puzzled look, Tabitha cocks her head to the side. ¡°We were dancing, obviously,¡± she answers in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Do you not know what dancing is? Is this village that remote?¡± Tabitha¡¯s seemingly genuine questions make them that much more insulting.


    ¡°I know what dancing is!¡± I hiss. ¡°I¡¯m wondering why we¡¯re dancing?!¡±


    "Oh," Tabitha has a light bulb moment. "You see, dancing together is the quickest way to earn the Dancing skill," Tabitha replies like that¡¯s the answer to all my questions. It doesn''t help that I hear Sandra laughing from the top of the quarry. Can''t she go back to feeling concerned for me?


    I swallow back the anger slowly building; yelling won''t solve anything. It''s just so frustrating that Tabitha seems to have lost a few brain cells since we stopped sparring. She articulated my flaws perfectly when she was pointing a sword at me; now she''s teaching me with half-answers. ¡°And why are you teaching me to dance?¡± Keeping the anger out of my voice is harder than I thought.


    ¡°To fix your footwork,¡± she simply explains.


    ¡°With dancing? This is the first thing Pacore taught you?¡± I bluntly ask, picturing a giggling Pacore messing with a young ignorant Tabitha.


    As if on cue, Tabitha brightens up at the mention of her master. "Of course, Master Pacore, in all his wisdom, spent our first lesson teaching me to dance. I was young and reluctant to learn such a skill, but Master took the time to explain to me why the skill is so important," Tabitha continues to sing Pacore''s praise while finally giving me a decent answer.


    ¡°You see, what is dancing, if not a duel using our feet,¡± Tabitha proclaims. ¡°You have to match your opponent¡¯s rhythm and predict where they¡¯re going to move. It is a beautiful form of battle that the nobility has been practicing for ages!¡±


    Why do I get the feeling that¡¯s just how Pacore worded it so his battle maniac student would listen to him?


    ¡°Let¡¯s try again, and this time, try not to mess up,¡± Tabitha offers me her hand, to which I blush as I step forward taking her outstretched hand.


    Tabitha repeats the initial steps, and I quickly find myself in a slow rhythm waltz type of dance. I wasn''t exactly Mr. Popular back in my past life, and the only dancing experience I have under my belt is a couple of awkward middle school dances, where I was the definition of a male wallflower. My stats allow me to keep up with Tabitha''s movements, but I''m stiff and overly focusing on her feet.


    I feel like a fool, and it doesn''t help that Sandra sounds like a cackling hyena overhead. I''m glad she finds this funny! Plus, while we''re dancing, Tabitha has her battle grin plastered on her face, and I soon see why.


    The longer the two of us dance, the faster Tabitha''s footwork speeds up, to the point I''m almost tripping over her feet. So, she does treat this as a battle and is deliberately trying to trip me. It''s hard enough with her being shorter than me and leading the dance, but I certainly can''t match her skill. If Pacore demanded she had her Sword Skills at level 75 before picking up a shield, I could only imagine what level Tabitha''s Dancing skill must be at. For that matter, what level was Pacore''s Dancing skill at? Not even Tabitha''s movements could compare to his.


    It isn''t long before I''m stumbling backward after tripping over one of Tabitha''s armored boots. I try to drag her down with me out of spite, but like a slippery snake, Tabitha pulls her hands free and watches as I crash to the stone floor. Is it so much to ask for an ordinary teacher, I ponder to myself as I look up at Tabitha?


    "Again," Tabitha leans over and offers me a hand back up. She may be brutal in her training, but she''s considerate in her own way, I guess. Taking her offered hand, we start over from the beginning.


    Again, I try to match Tabitha¡¯s footwork for as long as possible, and again I end up falling on my ass.


    We repeat this again...


    And again¡­


    And again... with me improving by a few seconds each time.


    Having not fully recovered after the sparring, and just like running for long periods, my Stamina bar starts to drop pretty low. The fatigue of dancing continues compounding with my earlier sparring session''s exhaustion, making getting up more and more difficult.


    I get a short moral boost when I feel a slight shift in my soul indicative of a new tier 1 skill, but falling on my butt again quickly reigns in my joy.


    ¡°Again!¡± I stare up at Tabitha¡¯s outstretched hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can teach me any other skill?¡± I ask, taking Tabitha¡¯s hand, aggreging to another round of punishment.


    ¡°You need to work on the basics first,¡± Tabitha tells me, sounding like a real teacher for a moment. ¡°If I tried teaching you a stronger skill, and even if you were able to learn it, that doesn¡¯t mean it would do you much good.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask, dodging one of Tabitha¡¯s feet.


    ¡°You lack knowledge that comes from having a good teacher,¡± Tabitha points out to me, shifting her feet and picking up the rhythm.


    "Hey!" I try kicking her shin, but Tabitha easily shifts her legs out of the way.


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t speak the truth?¡± Tabitha asks me, not caring that I tried to kick her. She twirls us in place and sends a glance up at Master Del. "The stone kin, the person you called master, he is ''stripped,'' yes?" She whispers to me.


    I almost lose my footing then and there, but I manage to shift my hips and hop over one of Tabitha¡¯s feet. ¡°How did you?¡±


    "I couldn''t feel much magic from him while we were walking here. Stone kin place great importance on magic, to the point they look down on anyone with little to no magic skills. Our kingdom had to order Master¡¯s armor because the stone kin outpost bordering Scholl wouldn¡¯t accept any of his personal orders.¡±


    "Pacore can''t use magic?" I ask, surprised by Tabitha''s casual revelation.


    Tabitha nods like it¡¯s no big deal. ¡°Master Pacore never had talent with magic, but that never stopped him from becoming great." Now it makes so much sense why Pacore had such a massive magic gem embedded in his armor. It was so that other people could charge his equipment, and he wouldn''t need to worry about the enchantments running out of mana.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know, but what does that have to do with my master?¡± I ask Tabitha, oddly keeping up with her increased speed for the first time.


    ¡°If your master has no mana, then his people would¡¯ve treated him as worthless despite any success he might have had, just as they did Master Pacore. They would not have wasted their time teaching him crucial information," Tabitha spells it out to me.


    I grit my teeth in anger; I know how much Master was underappreciated. Master Del doesn¡¯t like to talk about his life before he left Truset, and I can see why if what Tabitha is saying is true.


    ¡°Many believe the higher the tier a skill is, the stronger it makes them. It¡¯s the job of experienced masters to dispel this rumor. Yes, the higher the tier the skill is, the more potential it has, but as I said earlier, it needs to be supported by your lower tired ones.¡±


    Is that the reason why I''m having trouble leveling Precise Strike and my other skills past level 40? Is it because Blacksmithing has yet to reach level 75, or is it because my highest weapon skill is only level 61? It makes sense you need a strong foundation; that''s probably why my magic skills are leveling quicker than my other skills. From tier 1 to 4, all my strongest skills are mana related, after all.


    ¡°Then if I practice dancing night and day, I¡¯ll be able to beat you?¡± I cockily grin at Tabitha.


    She chuckles, "You''re welcome to try. Skill levels aren''t everything. Let me ask you a question Master Pacore asked me when he accepted me as his student. Who would win between two evenly leveled warriors? Both men share the same stats and are the same age; the only difference is one has spent every minute of his life swinging his sword at a practice dummy getting his Sword Skills level to 100, verses a man who fought in numerous battles and managed to only get his sword skills level to 75?¡±


    ¡°The warrior who participated in all the battles,¡± I confidently answer. That¡¯s obviously the answer she was looking for.


    Tabitha nods with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I was at your age. It again comes down to how you practice. You can dance twenty hours a day and eventually raise your skill level higher than mine, but it won¡¯t improve your footwork in battle by much. Just because you have a high-level skill doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve mastered all its applications.¡±


    I¡¯ll have to seriously consider that as I move forward with my training. I started off hating this day being looked down on by Tabitha, but she''s not as bad as I thought. She''s not much company outside training and combat, but you had to respect her knowledge and skill on the subject.


    I may be tired, but I finally see the reward dangling in front of me. It''s at this point Tabitha trips me again, and I end up on my ass.


    ¡°If you continue this training, you''ll at least be able to put up a fight¡­ eventually," Tabitha reassures me, offering her hand again.


    I want to reach out and continue our training, but I need a quick rest. "Can I just sit here for twenty minutes?" I ask.


    "If you must," Tabitha calmly replies, pulling back her hand. Her excited grin disappears and is once again replaced by her passive stare.


    I turn away from her, not wanting to be reminded that she''s just standing there waiting for me to catch my breath. Using this short break, I plan out the rest of my day and how I''ll proceed in the near future.


    I''ll need to leave my armor at Del''s, so mom and dad aren''t worried when I get home. Plus, I should stop by Anastasia''s and have her do a quick touch-up. I wasn''t seriously injured today, but my ass is sore, and I''m sure I''ll have a few bruises from my earlier sparring. That¡¯s what I need to do in the short term, but more importantly, I need to reconfigure my schedule to fit in training sessions with Tabitha.


    She¡¯s shown just how much I lack in my fighting skills, and fixing those problems is just as important as my other skills. I need to spar with Tabitha, work on my forging, finish deciphering the engraving ink recipe, all while finding time to practice my mana skills and spending the limited time I have with my family. But I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s enough time in my schedule for all of that?


    And how am I going to tell Tabitha I won¡¯t be able to spar with her as much as she wants?


    Turning my head slightly, I glance at Tabitha out of the corner of my eye. She¡¯s still watching my every move with her stony expression.


    I¡¯ll break the bad news to her later, no reason to make her mad when we still have hours left in our training.


    Why does it feel like life is becoming busier?


    Oh well, life moves on. The only thing I can do is continue to do my best. I¡¯ll make mistakes, but I¡¯ll learn from them. That¡¯s life.

 Ch: 93

    "You know your stitches should be one continuous line, right? They shouldn''t zig-zag all over the place like that," Sandra makes fun of my needlework.


    ¡°It gives it character,¡± I point out.


    ¡°That¡¯s a whole lot of character,¡± she jokes, and I can¡¯t help but laugh along with her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to make a new one?¡±


    "You may be right," I agree, looking over my breastplate. Poor thing only made it a few months too.


    It¡¯s been three weeks since I started my training sessions with Tabitha, and this is the fourth time I¡¯ve had to fix it. My beautiful leather studded kaglese breastplate looks nothing like it did when I first made it. The leather is more seams than leather at this point, and the kaglese plates are smaller than when I originally made them from all the reforging.


    The alloy has also lost a bit of its mana conductivity. I think microscopic amounts of mithril are being eroded when I reforge the metal. And if that''s true, I''ll have to keep an eye out to see if the mithril fragments bind with my tools and mess up their mana structures.


    It might seem like a good idea to mix some mithril into my anvil and hammer, but mithril is a soft metal and the last thing I would want mixed in with my tools.


    I''ve discussed this problem with Master Del, and unfortunately, he has no ideas on how to remedy the situation. Master rarely got to work with magic metals, let alone find a situation where he needed to recycle them.


    Depending on how intense our sparring sessions are, I can usually get away with just heating the plates and hammering the cuts out, but not all the time. I had to remelt the plates and reforge them from scratch after that fateful first sparring session and again the following week. At least Tabitha limits her attacks to my chest piece, or else I''d have to reforge all my armor.


    I''m sure my breastplate could be made to look decent again, but that would require me asking my mother for help, and I''m still downplaying my sparring sessions with Tabitha to my parents.


    Soon I¡¯ll need to experiment by adding more mithril to the plates in hopes of restoring their previous magic conductivity. If I can¡¯t, I might have to just deal with the weaker armor seeing how I¡¯m out of kaglese.


    I¡¯ve used up my whole supply, and all that remains is what I have set aside for the arrows I still need to make. Over the past few weeks, I¡¯ve been busy and crafted another nine spears and ten swords, giving me an even forty of each to sell after the new year. In fact, I finished my kaglese weapons two weeks ago and have been focusing on the village''s gear since then.


    I added another twelve bucklers to the village¡¯s armory and a whopping forty-eight helmets. Now the village has twenty small shields, sixty helmets, and over a hundred spears. Should something happen to the village in the future, I''m much more confident everyone could protect themselves. That is, as long as it''s an everyday threat like goblins or farkas.


    Casting a glance over towards master on his bench, I make eye contact with the woman in armor sitting across from him. Tabitha''s blank face lights up for a moment before pouting in disappointment when I shake my head no and look away.


    ¡°Go somewhere else! It isn¡¯t one of your days to spar with her,¡± I hear master growl in frustration while he pretends to be asleep.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we go another round?¡± Tabitha excitingly suggests to Master.


    "Never again," Del huffs and rolls on his side, facing away from Tabitha. "All these people in my clearing!"


    ¡°Come on,¡± Tabitha leans closer to a grumpy Del. ¡°Just a quick match. I¡¯ll even go easy on you this time.¡±


    "Children these days, no respect for their elders," Master continues to grumble and ignore Tabitha.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she want to fight you because she respects you?¡± Sandra points out to Del.


    Seeing an excellent time to butt in, I add the icing on the cake. "You know Sandra''s right."


    Del sits up with flames in his eyes. ¡°Now the two of you are against me! Where¡¯s your loyalty gone?!¡±


    Sandra and I start laughing in response to Del¡¯s reaction. This isn¡¯t the first time he''s gotten mad like this. Tabitha started showing up in the clearing on the days we weren''t scheduled to train, and now she''s dug herself in like a tick.


    Early on, Master Del took on Tabitha''s offer to spar with one another, hoping to get her to leave, but his plan backfired horribly. The fight was both fantastic and boring at the same time. Tabitha tried blocking master with her shield much as she did with me during our initial clash, only master''s 420 points of Strength weren''t so easily deflected, and master sent Tabitha flying.


    By that point, I had already fought Tabitha twice, and I''ll admit I took some pleasure in seeing the armor-clad woman finally take a decent hit. Unfortunately, I only got to see it once. After taking Master¡¯s initial blow, Tabitha made sure to dance around his following attacks, choosing to avoid his strikes altogether and delivering swift counterattacks until Master had to throw in the towel. Master has plenty of Dexterity as I do, but also, like me, he had virtually no fighting experience against a trained opponent.


    Since master''s loss to Tabitha, she''s proposed several rematches, all of which master has declined. But like a stubborn mule, Tabitha continues to ask him, hoping he¡¯ll eventually say yes.


    But other than asking Master Del and me to fight her, Tabitha has been a surprisingly good house guest. She''s quiet 90% of the time and doesn''t interfere in our work unless we give her our attention. Every so often, Tabitha comments that I should spend more time practicing my combat skills, but that doesn''t bother me anymore. My family comes first, then blacksmithing, then spending time with Sandra, and all the extra time I can spare goes to Tabitha and her crazy dance lessons.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve made sure to keep my two days off with my family intact and just cram the other five days with everything I need to do. Two days of rest, two days of blacksmithing, two days of sparring, and one day to research engraving ink. I¡¯ve been running myself ragged, and if it wasn''t for everyone helping me, I might have snapped.


    For the last three weeks, every morning has started the same. I get up and do my usual run with Mom, only now we spend some time dancing afterward. Mom was happy to pick up another new skill even if she¡¯ll probably never need it, but hey, who doesn''t love more experience points? And unlike my sessions with Tabitha, dancing with Mom is much more fun and relaxing.


    Both of us don''t have our skills at that high of a level yet, so we don''t do anything crazy, but it sure is fun to dance with someone not trying to trip you every second. And on rare occasions, I catch dad before he goes to work, and I get the chance to dance with someone taller than me for a change.


    I was skeptical whether or not practicing Dancing would really help me with Tabitha¡¯s sparring sessions, but I have to admit, I sure was happy when I started noticing small changes in my overall footwork. My Dancing sessions with Tabitha now last twice as long and see me falling on my ass a lot less. Tabitha even gives me the odd praise here and there, complimenting my rate of improvement.


    And my footwork isn¡¯t the only thing that¡¯s seen improvement either. Tabitha has made me leave all my other weapons at home and has demanded I only carry my war hammer with me. I¡¯m still not able to hit her, but since Tabitha had me focus on a single weapon, I¡¯ve noticed a slight improvement in my blacksmithing.


    ¡°Ready to help me?¡± Sandra snarkily asks me behind her cloth mask.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m done,¡± I tell her, setting my freshly mended breastplate off to the side.


    ¡°Today''s supposed to be our day to work on the engraving ink together. Not me doing all the work while you badly sew off to the side," she snaps.


    ¡°Harsh,¡± I reel back, acting like I¡¯m offended.


    ¡°Sorry, mood swing,¡± Sandra quickly apologies, rubbing her stomach affectionately.


    Sandra is almost into her second trimester now, and her Vitality glow is almost blinding. Her loose clothing hides her barely protruding baby bump, but that doesn''t stop Sandra¡¯s and my mom from demanding she shows them her progress every time they see her. Soon-to-be grandparents are scary.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I give Sandra a reassuring smile. I''m already used to Sandra joking with me one minute and trying to tear my head off the next. At this point, I just find it funny and laugh it off. Though sometimes I get the feeling she¡¯s angry at me for other reasons, but for the life of me, I can¡¯t think of a reason she would be and chalk it up to my imagination.


    "Thanks, I''ll get the next test batch going while you start the fire," Sandra''s mood switches to happy again, and she divvy''s out the tasks like she''s the one in charge.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I smile to myself as I get the forge going. Sandra¡¯s really taken to researching engraving ink. It¡¯s gotten to the point she had me construct a small stove off to the side so she can practice making engraving ink while I¡¯m forging. Sandra has a passion for all things magic and has already convinced her father to purchase the materials needed for Master Del to create her own engraving pen when trade resumes in a month or so.


    A very hormonal Sandra hounded poor Master until he agreed to make her a pen as he did for me. I hope Master doesn''t find out I''m the one who told Sandra she needed to ask him because I was unfamiliar with the process. It isn''t because I was lazy or anything like that; it''s just that I''m pretty busy, and I''m not sure if I''ll still be around by the time Sandra gets the materials she needs. That''s undoubtedly why I did it and certainly not because it was funny to watch Sandra hound master until he reluctantly caved in, certainly not.


    I hold in my laughter as I build up the fire we need.


    I bet most of Sandra''s excitement comes from the fact a contract doesn''t restrict everything we''re learning about engraving ink. It would probably take over a decade for Sandra and Richard to save up enough coin to buy herself out of her master''s restraining contract. Still, if she can learn to enchant items alongside me, that time will be drastically reduced.


    Her crazy amount of motivation is the driving force behind our success. Sandra thinks we''re close to figuring out the fourth step, and after we succeed, we''ll only have the fifth one left.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I glance over at Sandra, who''s preparing the next batch of engraving ink. Her smile is hidden behind her mask, but you can tell how excited she is by looking at the fire in her eyes.


    As Sandra¡¯s eyes reflect the growing flame in the forge, I decide I should take this time to check my status page. I¡¯ve been so busy as of late, I haven¡¯t taken the time to brows over my recent gains.


    LV: 73 Experience: 890,386/ 956,780


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,561.71/1,650


    Mana: 951.72/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.06


    Strength: 152.04


    Dexterity: 150.05


    Senses: 62.48


    Mind: 65.33


    Magic: 102.90


    Clarity: 78.89


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV73), Hammer Skills (LV63), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV31), Dancing (LV13), Alchemy (LV11), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV64), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV44), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV26), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV62), Weighted Strike (LV41), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV29), Contract (LV14)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV57), Mana Skin (LV56), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV36), Magic Blacksmithing (LV31), Air Walk (LV15), Magic Threads (LV15), Empowered Spell (LV14)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV13)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV2)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Meditation (LV79) 3,950exp


    Running (LV78) 3,900exp


    Blacksmithing (LV73) 3,650exp


    Hammer Skills (LV62-63) 6,250exp


    Sewing (LV31) 1,550exp


    Alchemy (LV10-11) 1,050exp


    Dancing (LV1-13) 4,550exp


    Double Step (LV64) 6,400exp


    Hammer Arts (LV44) 4,400exp


    Mathematics (LV31) 3,100exp


    Steady Hands (LV25-26) 5,100exp


    Expel Mana (LV63) 9,450exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV62) 9,300exp


    Weighted Strike (LV41) 6,150exp


    Flash Step (LV27-29) 12,600exp


    Mana Skin (LV56) 14,000exp


    Mental Resistance (LV56-57) 28,250exp


    Inject Mana (LV54) 13,500exp


    Extract Mana (LV35-36) 17,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV29-31) 22,500exp


    Air Walk (LV13-15) 10,500exp


    Magic Threads (LV11-15) 16,250exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV12-13) 12,500exp


    Skill Experience: 216,650exp


    Crafting Experience: 98,711exp


    Fighting Experience: 3,438exp


    Total-experience Gained: 318,799exp


    A manic grin forms across my face when I see how much progress I¡¯ve made. My goal was to hit level 74 by year''s end, and it looks like that''s almost guaranteed at this point.


    There''s one more month left in the year, and even if I don''t level a single skill and just continue my crafting, I''ll easily reach level 74.


    But I¡¯ll admit, I didn¡¯t expect to see such spontaneous growth after I started practicing with Tabitha. Focusing solely on my hammer-related skills, I''ve finally managed to pass level 40 in Weighted Strike and spurred the growth of many other skills.


    My most used skills have all felt some sort of growth, with a few seeing exceptional improvements. I''ve grown more used to using Magic Threads in my everyday life, and combined with the skill levels I gained in Air Walk and Dancing; I''m much more nibble on my feet now.


    Plus, every other night, I go into my soul and practice Soul Manipulation along with Mental Resistance.


    I wonder if it¡¯s the pressure of leaving my village that¡¯s furthering my growth? Or maybe it¡¯s having a seasoned training partner like Tabitha that¡¯s helping me?


    Either way, I realize I''m still not strong enough yet. I still haven''t managed to land a hit on Tabitha, and Pacore''s strength is an even greater enigma. I can''t let my recent success go to my head.


    ¡°Is it ready?¡± Sandra asks me, holding a beaker of prepared herbs.


    ¡°Ready when you are,¡± I give her the go-ahead, dismissing my status page.


    I don¡¯t know what it is, but as Sandra uses the tongs to place the beaker into the forge, I get the feeling that today is the day we finally decipher engraving inks fourth step.


    Today is the day we succeed; I know it!


    **********


    A Certain Receptionist¡¯s Point of View:


    "Your manifest?" I hold out my hand, giving the young merchant a dazzling smile.


    "Right here, mam," The young man fumbles over a piece of parchment, clearly dazed by my smile. It''s incredible how good looks effortlessly sway some people.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I take the offered parchment while using my free hand to twirl my bangs. ¡°How was your run; any issues that need reporting?¡±


    Blushing, the merchant stutters out a reply. "We ran into a small goblin pack in between villages, but my guard and I took care of them," the young man proudly proclaims. He flexes one of his arms, showing off his less than toned muscles. But I shouldn''t expect much from a level 37 traveling merchant. The boy is still green enough that he isn''t aware of my status here. He''s probably one of the new hires Grey picked up to temporarily fill in the open positions while the company is divided.


    Blaiton, Yleles, and the earls keep fell weeks ago, and there''s been little communication from Giovanni. "I hope the boss is ok," I mumble to myself.


    ¡°What was that?¡± The young merchant leans forward, thinking I was talking to him.


    ¡°Nothing sweety,¡± I playfully push against his chest as to keep him from leaning over the counter. "I was just remarking what a wonderful job you did." The young man is so captivated by my smile that he overlooks my hand, blurring over his document stamping it as required, or when my eyes scan the document, double-checking the math in my head.


    Everything appears to be in order, and it doesn''t appear he fudged a single copper in his report. Just another sign he''s new to the game. "Do you know where to receive your pay?" I ask the still star-struck man, holding out his paystub.


    "I-," he stammers, taking the offered piece of paper. I patiently wait for the boy to gather up his courage and ask what all the new hires ask me. "This is my first big payday," he motions to his paystub with his eyes. "Would you care to celebrate with me tonight, my treat?"


    I give the young man another radiant smile, if only to keep myself from laughing. The young man just got back from his first route, and just because he was paid a little more than a single gold coin, he believes he did a good job.


    Once he starts drinking later, I''m sure he''ll brag about his accomplishments to anyone who''ll listen. Then he''ll learn from his seniors that returning from a route earning less than three gold coins for your work is only considered sad.


    "Sorry, maybe next time," I smile politely, letting the boy down easily. I''m sure he''ll hear stories of me tonight as well.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the young merchant hangs his head in defeat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you around, miss¡­? I don¡¯t think I caught your name,¡± he rubs the back of his head embarrassingly.


    I hold a finger up to my lips. "It''s a secret, let me know if you figure it out," I playfully wink at him, and his hope is rekindled.


    ¡°I will,¡± he happily proclaims, waving goodbye to me.


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± I say to myself as he leaves through the building¡¯s front door.


    With that taken care of, I turn around in my chair and address the girl who¡¯s been patiently waiting for me to finish talking to the budding merchant.


    ¡°News from Blaiton, head receptionist,¡± the girl bows her head, offering me the letter with both hands.


    "Thank you; you may go," I take the note, dismissing her so she can get back to work.


    She curtly nods and scampers off while I open the letter that has the bosses'' seal on it. I promptly scan through the letter that looks like a simple update on the surface. The letter mentions how boss Giovanni has successfully brokered a deal with Scholl and that soon the branches can be linked up again, an essential update, but that''s only the surface message.


    Using a code only I know, I read the message that is secretly hidden in the text¡­


    Pacore agrees, now is the time to remove Grey. Leave no loose ends and make sure he suffers!


    Short and sweet, just like the boss.


    I activate Twin Minds and think to myself, "Giovanni has permitted you to take care of Grey."


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start making preparations,¡± a voice similar to my own echoes back in my head. ¡°Does he suspect anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I think to myself. ¡°I need to report that Giovanni¡¯s message arrived, and I¡¯ll see his reaction to the news.¡±


    ¡°Be careful,¡± the voice in my head warns me.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I reassure it.


    Straightening up my workstation, I turn to the other receptionist working with me. "I have to deliver an important message to Mr. Grey; does he have any appointments at the moment?"


    My coworker shifts a few papers around before shaking her head no. ¡°It looks like Mr. Grey cleared his schedule for today,¡± she informs me.


    "Is that so? That''s good news for me," I giggle, but on the inside, I''m on high alert. I heard nothing about Grey clearing his schedule, and if the information never naturally made it to my ears, it means he took steps to hide it from me.


    I grab the letter from Giovanni and head up to Grey¡¯s office to see his reaction to its contents. The cipher I¡¯ve memorized is incredibly complicated, and there''s no worry that Grey or his associates could unravel it, so I have no fear of leaving it with him. Besides, Grey would think it more suspicious if I didn¡¯t show him the note from Giovanni.


    As I make my way up the last flight of stairs leading to Grey''s office, I notice it''s quieter than usual. I can still hear staff members talking to one another, but it''s muted for some reason like the offices nearby are emptier than usual.


    ¡°There might be something going on,¡± I communicate through Twin Minds.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I¡¯m asked back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I reply.


    "Retreat for now!" The voice in my head demands.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I try communicating my feelings through the link. ¡°I have the defensive treasures you gave me. At the first sign of trouble, I¡¯ll activate them and escape. Always so paranoid,¡± I playfully admonish the voice in my head.


    I come to the hallway leading to Mr. Grey''s office and see his office doors are closed. Sneaking up to the doors, I try to listen in on any conversations that might be taking place on the other side. I hear nothing, but I use my meager magic skills to activate my defensive rings should this really be a trap of some kind. Great, now I''m paranoid too. For all his cunning, Grey wouldn''t risk burning all his bridges by attacking me.


    I bring my hand up to knock on the door.


    **********


    One¡¯s Point of View:


    A loud explosion rips through Drey as my connection with my sister abruptly cuts off.


    "Lizzy!" I scream as I emerge from my hiding place. Leaving the shadows of the alleyway behind me, I activate every one of my movement skills and rush across the branch''s front lawn. Fragments of charred stone and still burning wood are scattered everywhere.


    People are lying on the ground, dazed from the explosion that just tore a giant hole in the building. Where once was Grey''s office is now a raging inferno.


    The world slows as a vast pit forms in my stomach.


    I activate a magic ring meant to protect me from flame spells and quickly scale the building. Holding my breath, I dive into the flames, searching the wreckage for my sister, telling myself she must have activated her defensive magic tools before she entered the office.


    I overturn flaming rubble, again and again, looking for any signs of her. My sharp eyes pick out the fragments of an alchemical bomb as I search the remains of the room.


    Grey, you bastard, I don''t know how you knew to run, but I''ll enjoy torturing you to find out. And Gods help you if you killed my sister, I''ll make your death so gruesome it will even frighten the Goddess Ebeon!


    Struggling to hold back my rage, I scour every inch of the blast site for any signs of my twin sister.


    I¡¯m about to give up hope when I see one of Grey¡¯s doors leaning over the remains of a nearby wall.


    Rushing over, I fling the door to the side and see my sister''s charred remains underneath. We''re identical twins and have always looked alike despite the scars I''ve gotten from my line of work, but my sister is almost unrecognizable. Most of her hair was burnt away by the blast, and I''d estimate over 90% of her body is burned. Her only defining feature that lets me know that it''s her are the two magic rings on her left hand that I gifted her years ago.


    I scoop my sister up in my arms and jump out of the burning hole in the wall. People shout as my robed form crashes to the ground below, but I ignore them as I fish my best healing potion out of my satchel. It''s faint, but her heart is still beating.


    Uncorking the healing potion, I take a large swig of the bitter brew and force it down my sister''s throat with my lips.


    I don''t waste any time waiting to see if my potion starts working. Picking up my sister again, I rush out of Silver Herd''s courtyard, heading towards the best healer remaining in the city.


    Pushing my body to its limits, I don''t slow down for anything. I don''t have time to be stealthy, so dozens spot me as I weave myself through busy streets and run across rooftops when needed.


    "Don''t die on me, Elizabeth," I keep repeating over and over, hoping my sister will regain consciousness.


    It''s only been seven minutes since the explosion, and the fire-bells finally start ringing in the distance. Once one bell starts ringing, the entire city comes alive. Soldiers are signaled to take up their positions on the wall as emergency bells meant to warn people to return to their homes start going off around the city.


    ¡°Damn you, Grey!¡± I hiss through my teeth. I can¡¯t believe he would resort to an alchemical bomb in the city.


    I can see him retaliating against Giovanni, but this is overkill. Scholl won''t show mercy after such a stunt. I only hope he evades their capture long enough for me to find him.


    *********


    Lennard Grey¡¯s point of View:


    ¡°It appears our parting gift was found,¡± I remark to Max, glancing back at Drey in the distance.


    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Max dryly agrees.


    It¡¯s faint, but I can hear the sirens going off in the distance. ¡°Do you think we got that number bitch?¡± I smile at Max.


    ¡°I instructed everyone that you weren¡¯t to be disturbed unless it was important, so chances are she¡¯s the one who set off the bomb. Only the head receptionist isn¡¯t afraid to interrupt you.¡±


    "But do you think she''s dead?" I clarify my question.


    "I''m not sure," Max admits. "If she were really One, like the evidence suggested, then I¡¯d say there¡¯s a 60:40 chance she¡¯s dead.¡±


    "Only 60%!?" I shout. "That was a fuckin alchemical bomb I had you prepare!"


    "You asked for my opinion," Max calmly tells me while leading our two jelen forward. "We''re talking about Giovanni''s top agent after all. It took us four years to put her identity together and even longer until she was assigned to our branch. Even now, I''m not 100% certain she was One in the first place."


    I snort at my bodyguard. "It doesn''t matter if she was One or not. That blasted woman reported my every move to Giovanni and got what she deserved," I grin from ear to ear. "Let''s pick up the pace; I want to reach Red Dust Mountain before nightfall."


    ¡°Are you sure your information is accurate,¡± Max asks me with a worried look.


    I can''t help but laugh at my companion. He didn''t hesitate to get me an alchemical bomb, but he''s worried we''ll get lost in some old caves. ¡°I have the map right here,¡± I pat my pocket, reassuring my friend.


    ¡°And the route leads through Red Dust Mountain?¡± Max skeptically asks.


    ¡°My people found this map when we took over the operations in Teeburn. Back when Red Dust Mountain was still known as Iron Pit Mountain, the city had much stricter tax codes. The city lord taxed everything that moved through its gates. It was fine when it was mostly iron being shipped from city to city, but what about when the miners discovered a rare metal sample or even a vein of magic gems? Moving it through Teeburn meant you''d lose a good chunk of your profits. So, one day, the various mining crews got together and found a single route through the various caves in the mountain."


    "The existence of this path has been lost to time, but if we follow this map, we''ll be able to bypass the blockade around Teeburn. And once we''re back in Olebert, we can use the various information we have on Pacore and General Pitz to secure us a new start further in the country. And even better, after we tell everyone how Giovanni rolled over to help Scholl, he''ll never be able to reach us."


    ¡°What about Aaliyah, sir?¡± Max asks me.


    ¡°That silly girl is already bound to me,¡± I laugh. ¡°She¡¯ll have to seek me out herself if she wants to get anywhere in life. And worst-case scenario, she¡¯s killed when Giovanni realizes he can¡¯t use her. I¡¯m hoping we can get some more use out of her before then, but it isn¡¯t that big of a deal if she dies. With all the coin we brought with us, starting a new business or joining one of the big merchant companies is only a matter of time.¡±


    "Giovanni thought he was so smart placing his spies around me, but he never considered I might have people in Blaiton as well. As soon as I heard he meet with Pacore, I could tell he would make his move sooner rather than later. The boy needs another few decades before he can outmaneuver me!" I heartily boast.


    "Once we''re on the other side of those mountains, we''ve won,¡± I happily proclaim.


    I''ve finally beaten Giovanni. Now all that''s left is to destroy everything he cares about. My only regret is I can''t see his face when he learns that he''s lost.

 Ch: 94

    One¡¯s Point of View:


    "I told you! I can''t heal someone that has been burned to this degree!" The doctor stresses to me, recoiling in fear.


    "And I told you," I hiss, not hiding my natural voice. "If my sister dies, you''ll be meeting Ebeon with her! Now start healing!"


    The doctor stumbles around his operating table, face scrunching up in despair the more he looks over my charred sister. The doctor sends a worried glance over to his hired guard in the corner, but I only need to turn in the man''s direction for him to hang his head submissively. Good, so he can sense the difference in our abilities. If he tried anything stupid at the moment, I wouldn''t hesitate to slit his throat.


    Seeing how his hired help isn''t going to be stepping in to save him, the doctor starts casting his magic. The doctor starts with a body scanning spell, and after a few seconds, his face drains of color.


    ¡°What is it?!¡± I demand, knowing the news isn¡¯t good.


    The doctor nervously swallows, keeping his head lowered as not to look at my hooded face. "92% of her body is burned as well as her esophagus and the inside of her lungs. She has multiple broken and fractured bones from a blast of some kind, and her organs are failing." The doctor pauses to swallow back another lump in his throat nervously. "I don''t see how she''s alive right now," he admits in a low voice.


    I look at Lizzy''s hand, the one part of her body that isn''t severely burned. The magic rings I gifted to her are dried up, meaning she must have had them activated when the alchemical bomb went off. "I gave her a healing tonic a few minutes ago, but that doesn''t matter. Start healing her."


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I can save-¡±


    ¡°Start healing, now!¡± I move my hand to the large knife I keep at my side.


    ¡°Yes, mam,¡± the doctor yelps, placing his hands over my sister. He mumbles a quick spell, and a soft white light starts emitting from his hands. The doctor keeps one hand over Elizabeth''s heart while he periodically shifts the other one over her other vital organs.


    I lean over and grasp my sister''s hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. "You''re going to be fine," I quietly mumble to myself. "You''re strong. The two of us have been through worse together." I''m glad my cloak is hiding the tears streaming down my face.


    I gently pull my arm back and straighten myself up. ¡°When you wake up, I¡¯ll have Grey¡¯s head on a platter for you,¡± I declare to my comatose sister.


    "You''re leaving!?" The doctor asks in astonishment, a bit of hope appearing in his eyes.


    "I''ll be back soon," I crush his dreams before he gets any ideas of running. "If my sister isn''t alive when I return, or I come back to see you''ve bolted, I''ll skin you alive when I catch you. That goes for you too," I warn the doctor''s bodyguard. "If you let him leave my sister''s side, you''ll share in his fate."


    The bodyguard quickly nods his head in understanding, but the doctor starts whining. "I told you this is beyond my abilities," he starts to tear up. "I don''t have anywhere near the amount of mana required to heal such injuries."


    I ball my hands into fists at my sides, but no matter how much I want to throttle the man, I need him to keep my sister alive. Taking a step closer to the doctor, I reach into my side satchel and grab the spherical vial within. The doctor flinches away from me when I pull the vial out and set it on the operating table next to my motionless sister.


    ¡°What is that?¡± He hesitantly asks me.


    ¡°My best mana recovery tonic,¡± I flatly tell him. ¡°I¡¯ll bring over more healers after I find the man who did this to my sister.  You don¡¯t stop healing her for anything, understand?!¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± the doctor squeaks out in a frightened voice.


    ¡°You better,¡± I turn away, leaving after one last veiled threat.


    Pushing open the door to the doctor''s shop, I rush out into the street and immediately dash towards the nearest alleyway. Sirens are still going off around the city, and people are rushing back to their homes. In half an hour, the streets will be deserted, and it''ll be much harder to move around.


    Activating my many stealth skills, I blend into the alley¡¯s shadows and start making for my first target. No one so much as spots my figure as I slip through the dark backstreets of Drey.


    My target is a man named Thomas, who was one of Grey''s closest aides. Elizabeth identified Thomas as one of the people who helped slip information between Grey and his other supporters. If Thomas doesn''t know anything about the alchemical bomb or Grey''s location, he certainly knows someone who does.


    "Start checking alleyways!" I hear someone command from a nearby street. Scaling a nearby wall, I move to the rooftops. Looking over the edge, I spot a man in Scholl armor issuing orders to Drey''s guardsmen. "Arrest anyone suspicious!"


    Damn!


    Since Scholl took over the city, it''s been a lot harder to move undetected. Scholl has been taking their rule of the city very seriously, and the guard patrols have more than doubled since their takeover. The standard guards are still nothing I need to worry about, but the same can''t be said about Scholl''s new squad commanders.


    The average level of a guard is only between 40 and 45, practically harmless in my eyes. However, Scholl inserted a few of its military leaders into the watch to oversee its operations, and each of them sports a fancy feather to show they mean business.


    Depending on their stat distribution, they might notice my movements or even be able to best me in combat. And with the city going into lockdown, the chances of me running into one of those unit commanders raises exponentially.


    But that won¡¯t stop me.


    Ducking out of sight, I make my way closer to Thomas''s house. Luckily, I''ve previously scouted out the area around my target''s house. He was meant to be captured around the same time Grey was eliminated.


    I slide down a building''s shingles, grab a protruding board, and swing myself gracefully down into an alley behind Thomas''s house.


    First, I position myself so that I won''t be easily seen should someone glance down the alley. Then, I activate Far Hearing while I listen for any movement in the building.


    I can hear muffled noises from a room on the second floor, which is all I need to hear before I go through with my plan.


    Bending down, I flick a small latch on the side of my boots. Three small spikes protrude from the front of my shoes while I slip on some climbing claws. The small metal spikes and claws help me silently grip the wood and stone walls of the home.


    If I were scaling the house merely to get over it, I wouldn''t need to use such tools. However, now is the time to be silent. I pick a window on the second floor and start my silent climbing. Inch by inch, I crawl up the vertical surface without so much as a beam creaking under my weight.


    When I reach the window, I peek into the room to confirm nobody''s inside. The voices are louder, but a few walls still divide me from them. With the coast clear, I pull out a smaller knife and jimmy open the small hook lock that was securing the window shut.


    Easy, I think to myself as I slowly lift the window open. Silent Steps keeps my boots from making any noise as I swing myself into the unoccupied room. With just a bed and a night table, I figure this has to be an unused guest bedroom.


    Now that I''m in the house, I can make out the mumbling more clearly. Three men are talking in the loft nearby.


    ¡°What are we going to do!?¡± A panicked male voice repeats over and over.


    "Shut up; you''re not helping!" I recognize Thomas''s voice.


    ¡°And you are!?¡± A third snaps.


    ¡°We just have to be patient,¡± Thomas sounds like he¡¯s trying to calm down the other two voices. ¡°Grey told us to wait for instructions.¡±


    ¡°He blew up the office!¡± The first voice hysterically reminds everyone. I draw my knife as I get closer to the arguing trio. ¡°Why would he possibly do that?¡±


    ¡°Jack has a point,¡± the third person agrees with his friend. ¡°I don¡¯t think Grey would stay in the city after that, let alone send for us.¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting about how he warned us beforehand? Why would he do that unless he was looking out for us?¡± Thomas points out to the other two.


    ¡°Did you know Grey was going to blow up the building?¡± The third man questions Thomas in an accusing voice. I find myself tightening the grip on my dagger, wondering the same thing. If this asshole knew people would die and didn''t say anything, I''m going to make him wish he was never born!


    ¡°You think I would¡¯ve gone to work today if I knew what was going to happen? I got the same notice both of you did, to quietly leave early,¡± Thomas defends himself.


    ¡°I heard the head receptionist died in the blast,¡± Jack quietly remarks. I have to physically hold myself back from rushing into the room and killing the three of them for mentioning my sister.


    ¡°She was spying on all of us,¡± Thomas huffs. ¡°She got what she deserved.¡±


    "As will the three of you," I step around the corner, unable to listen any longer.


    "What the!" Thomas shouts upon seeing me appear in his house. Jack backs away in fear while the third man leaps for the stairs.


    ¡°Did I say you can leave?¡± I change my voice to sound like a little girl, throwing my dagger, spearing the man in his lower left leg.


    ¡°Aaaaahhhhhh!¡± He falls to the ground screaming in pain.


    I ignore the wailing man on the floor and focus on Thomas. ¡°What did you say about the head receptionist?¡± I switch my voice to that of an old man. ¡°I believe you forgot who you work for.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Nu,  Num, Number!¡± Jack stammers at my cloaked appearance.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Thomas curses, realizing who I am.


    ¡°Fuck, indeed,¡± I take a step closer to Thomas. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance to tell me where Grey is.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he stammers out.


    "That isn''t the answer I was looking for," I say, mimicking Thomas''s voice. Drawing one of my magic daggers, I Flash Step next to Thomas, and with one swing of my blade, I lop off his left hand. Thomas''s hand hits the floor with a soft thud while Thomas immediately falls to his knees, clutching the stump where his hand used to be.


    The blade of my dagger is enchanted to be incredibly hot, so there¡¯s little blood. I¡¯ve learned over the years that It¡¯s hard to torture someone when you have to worry about them bleeding out. ¡°Care to try again?¡± I level my blade to his throat.


    "I don''t know anything," Thomas sobs out, shivering in pain and adrenaline.


    "Thomas, Thomas," I shake my head disappointingly. "I have a lie detection skill, and it''s quite a high level at that. You should be more careful with your words; now I know you know something." I lean over, and with a flick of my wrist, I flay a section of Thomas''s good arm.


    His screams reverberate throughout the house; I¡¯ll need to gag him moving forward. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again," I say, standing over Thomas. "Tell me everything you know about Grey''s movements, and I might kill you quickly."


    Thomas groans and tries begging with his eyes but his pleas don¡¯t move me in the slightest. He and the other two made their choice when they sided with Grey rather than boss Giovanni. As far as I¡¯m concerned, they helped injure my sister.


    None of them will leave this building alive!


    **********


    "What a waste of time," I hiss through my teeth. My frustration mounting as I make my way towards my next target.


    Thomas and his friends knew surprisingly little of Grey''s plans. Even as they begged for their lives, the three couldn''t even guess where Grey was hiding. And considering Thomas was one of Grey''s more important aides and knew the most about his movements, I can''t help but feel if he didn''t know anything, chances are Grey¡¯s other accomplices won¡¯t either.


    Is this Grey''s plan? Is that the reason he gave a warning to all his people? I waste all my time hunting down his men while Grey makes a break for it! My instincts are telling me he has already left the city, and if that''s true, every second I waste on his underlings, Grey gets that much further out of my reach.


    But what do I do?


    Should I make for my contacts at the gates or continue hunting down Grey¡¯s men?


    If I make the wrong decision, it will cost me precious time. I wrack my brain for the correct answer.


    I can''t help but bring my hand up to my chest. It''s times like this; I would use our unique skill to communicate with my sister. She was always good with dilemmas like this. Elizabeth was the calm, calculating one, while I was the monster sent to collect blood. Elizabeth was my eyes and ears, always collecting me the information I needed.


    Since the explosion, I''ve been trying to reestablish our link, hoping to hear my sister''s voice in my head again. Sadly, I only hear my own dark thoughts.


    What would Elizabeth tell me to do in this situation?


    ¡­


    She¡¯d tell me to go with my gut or point out why my thinking is wrong.


    ¡°I should head to the gates then,¡± I tell myself. ¡°But which gate would Grey be more likely to use?¡±


    The northern gate would take Grey towards the Endless Forest, which makes no sense. Grey could be heading to Aaliyah''s village, hoping to use her as a hostage, but she has Pacore''s student guarding her. No, if Grey were fleeing the city, he''d leave through the southern gate leading to Teeburn or the eastern gate towards Blaiton.


    It doesn''t make sense for him to head to Blaiton, though. He couldn''t possibly hope to pass by the city without drawing Giovanni''s attention. Grey''s bodyguard may be strong, but he couldn''t stand up to two numbers at once; it would be suicide.


    ¡°That only leaves the southern gate towards Teeburn!¡± I exclaim, changing direction.


    But how is Grey planning to get through Teeburn? Scholl has the entire stretch of land between Fort North Ridge and Red Dust Mountain under heavy guard. And once word makes its way to Lord Bullok, about how Grey crippled an essential link in his supply chain, Grey will be on every Scholl soldier''s shit list by tomorrow morning.


    No matter how I look at it, I can''t see how Grey plans to get out of this alive. However, that makes Grey''s actions all that more concerning. He''s been biding his time for years, and now he tries to run when he''s essentially boxed in. Grey is no fool, which means he has to have a way to get through the Teeburn blockade without being noticed.


    ¡°I need to hurry!¡±


    It takes me a few minutes to cross the city without being seen by the guards, but soon the Southern gate is towering over me. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s working today.¡± I have multiple contacts in the guard that I can call on for information. The only trick is meeting with them without being spotted by the others.


    Scholl is much better at managing their guards'' routes, and it''s virtually impossible to know where one guard will be stationed any one day of the week. It¡¯s supposed to limit the possibility of guards taking bribes. But if I don''t know anyone at the gate, I''ll just have to wait until a shift change and abduct the guard that switches out.


    I let out a sigh of relief when I notice the commander running the southern gate is actually one of my long-time informants. It was a stroke of luck when Pacore promoted him.


    Hiding in the wall''s massive shadow, I mimic a common birdcall but put a slight spin on the ending. Maz''s body goes rigid when he hears my signal and not so subtly starts scanning each shadow around him like I''m going to pop out at any minute. I reproduce the birdcall one more time, and this time his head snaps in my direction.


    Maz gives a few simple orders to guards under him before he starts walking in my direction. I wait until he¡¯s out of sight of everybody before fully revealing my location.


    "Gods!" Maz exclaims, bringing his hand up to his armored chest when I finally pop out of the shadows next to him. "Must you do that every time?"


    I''d usually ask about anything that''s changed in the guard recently, but time is of the essence. "Has Lennard Grey passed through this gate recently?" I ask in a young boy¡¯s voice.


    Maz is taken back when I skip over our regular introductions, but he quickly realizes what I''m asking must be important. "You''re talking about the branch manager of Silver Herd, right? He did pass through this gate," Maz confirms my suspicions.


    ¡°What direction did he go in?¡± I pressure Maz.


    "Last I saw, he and his bodyguard were riding jelens towards Teeburn," Maz quickly answers, taking a step back from me.


    "Thanks. Can I get you to draw your men''s attention for a moment so I can slip through the wall?"


    ¡°Slow down,¡± Maz raises his hands in a pleading gesture. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I accidentally say in my real voice. ¡°You hear the alarms?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°They¡¯re kind of hard to miss,¡± he jokes.


    ¡°They¡¯re because of Grey,¡± I snap, sounding like an old lady.


    Maz¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. ¡°Fuck, really?¡± Maz looks at the wall staring in the direction Grey would¡¯ve traveled. ¡°You might be too late,¡± he tells me.


    ¡°Why?¡± I hiss.


    ¡°Grey did come through this gate,¡± Maz says in an awkward tone. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t recently. Grey passed through our gate hours ago. Said he was off to oversee an inspection at the Teeburn branch.¡±


    ¡°How many hours?¡± I grab his vest.


    ¡°About three and a half,¡± Maz informs me with a sad look on his face.


    A three-and-a-half-hour head start on jelens, even if I replaced my blood with stamina tonics, it would be impossible for me to catch up with them. How did my sister not notice them leave the building?


    I feel my blood start to boil as reality starts to sink in; I can''t get revenge for my sister like I promised. If I track Grey, I''ll have to leave my sister behind, and she''ll surely die.


    Maz subconsciously feels my bloodlust and takes a few steps back. He doesn''t run; he just stands there waiting for me to speak. ¡°Thanks for the information; I have to go now,¡± I say in a cold voice straight from the abyss.


    "Any time," Maz tries to sound comforting, but I can hear the fear in his voice.


    "Thank you," I mumble, purposely using my natural voice as I slink back into the shadows. Many would''ve only given me the information I asked for and pushed me on my way. If Maz didn''t take the time and explain everything, I might''ve wasted hours chasing after Grey before I was forced to turn around.


    There¡¯s only one thing I can do now¡­


    ¡­contact Giovanni.


    I make my way along the wall until I''m closer to the eastern gate. I find a dark alleyway and pull out my communication device.


    Pouring my mana into the communication magic tool, it isn¡¯t long until a connection is established. Boss and I exchange our code phrases before he cheerfully asks me, "Is he taken care of?"


    I grit my teeth in frustration. The boss thinks I¡¯m contacting him to tell him Grey is dead. ¡°No. No, he¡¯s not,¡± I finally manage to spit out.


    The line goes silent for a minute, and the only thing the boss says is, "explain."


    And so, I do.


    I tell Giovanni how his message was received by Elizbeth and the subsequent explosion when she delivered it to Grey''s office. I''m forced to stop my recanting while I listen to the boss throw stuff around his room in a fit of rage, cursing Grey with every fiber of his being.


    It¡¯s only thanks to Marshall reminding Giovanni that I¡¯m still on the other end of the line that he asks me to continue.


    I detail how I rushed my sister to a healer and that she''s still in critical condition. Then I tell Giovanni about my interrogation of Thomas and his friends. I explain the reasoning that led me to the southern gate rather than continuing to track down more of Grey''s men and what I learned from my contact.


    ¡°He got away!¡± I hear the sound of Giovanni tossing more items around his room.


    "Yes, sir," I reply, the failure weighing on each of my words.


    ¡°Could you track him?¡± Giovanni asks.


    For the first time, I''m reluctant to answer the boss. What if he makes me leave my sister behind? "It would take a lot of time," I admit.


    ¡°But you would have to leave your sister behind,¡± Giovanni seems to read my mind.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirm in a sad voice.


    There¡¯s an excruciating pause in the conversation as I wait for my orders.


    ¡°One,¡± Giovanni finally addresses me.


    "Yes, sir?" I hesitantly ask.


    "Stay with your sister." Giovanni''s orders make my knees shake, and I can feel more tears forming in the corner of my eyes. My sister and I owe everything to Giovanni, and I know if he ordered me to track down Grey, my sister would''ve wanted me to follow his orders.


    ¡°Thank you, Boss,¡± I choke back my tears. I know we picked a good man to follow.


    ¡°What is the state of the Drey branch,¡± Giovanni switches topics.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been back since the explosion,¡± I admit.


    "I''ll send orders as to who will be in charge while your sister is recovering," Giovanni tells me in a calculating tone. "But for now, I want you to see to your sister¡¯s injuries, and squash any insurrection Grey''s men might try. And one more thing."


    ¡°Yes?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Send a message to Aaliyah, tell her I need her to contact me right away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it done immediately,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Grey will pay for what he¡¯s done,¡± Giovanni assures me.


    ¡°Thank you, boss.¡±


    "Go take care of your sister," are the last orders I receive from the boss before the communication between us is cut. Giovanni didn''t even bother with our closing passwords.


    It doesn''t matter; I have my orders. Protect my sister, squash anyone who even mentions the name Grey, and send a message to the girl in the woods.


    Four mentioned Aaliyah has a way to screw over Grey whenever she wants. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I hope it¡¯s painful.


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°This is painful to watch,¡± I groan and throw my hands into the air.


    "We almost had it." Our failure doesn''t so easily squash Sandra''s optimism.


    ¡°I think I jinxed us with my confidence this morning.¡±


    "Oh, stop; you''re being overly dramatic," Sandra berates me.


    "How many samples have we gone through today?" I ask Sandra with my hands on my hips.


    "I don''t know," Sandra plays dumb. "Maybe seven or eight?"


    "This will be thirteen," I correct her, knowing she knows precisely how many times we''ve failed today.


    Usually, we would call it a day after so many failures, but we both feel like we''re close to finally cracking the fourth step.


    We already figured out we need to add 9.5 ounces of mithril into the cooled solution before heating it back up again. Then we figured out the fire needs to remain around 700¡ã F for nine and a half minutes, matching the amount of mithril we added.


    But once the mithril is heated into the solution, something weird happens. The solution settles as it does after each of the other steps, but after ten minutes or so, the solution rapidly burns itself out.


    We''ve tried increasing or lowering the temperature after the solution stabilizes to keep it from breaking down, but nothing works.


    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re not missing a step?¡± Sandra asks me.


    "There was nothing in the notes I was given, but I see what you''re getting at," I nod along with Sandra. The vague instructions I was given have all worked out so far, but that doesn''t mean the fourth step wasn''t tampered with. It would be nearly impossible to prove it, but I bet there''s something else we need to add to the mithril solution.


    Of course, if that¡¯s true, we might never figure out the fourth step. At least not without burning through my remaining herb and mithril supplies. And even then, I''m not so sure.


    I shake my head in disappointment, but while I''m doing that, I notice Sandra pondering next to me. She took her mask off to get some fresh air after our last failure, and now she has her hand up to her chin, mumbling to herself.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I ask.


    "I''m trying to think about it from a mage''s perspective," she tells me.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Sandra turns her body towards me and explains. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think of the recipe as a stolen spell.¡±


    ¡°Ok. I¡¯m not following you, but go on,¡± I encourage my friend.


    "My master only briefly talked about it, but he explained how mages hide their spells and what other mages do to uncover their secrets. Untrained mages like to add meaningless phrases into a spell or leave out a section altogether. But do you know what experienced mages do?"


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, having been hoked by Sandra.


    "Smart mages only leave out syllables rather than entire phrases. That way, their descendants can decipher the spells easier while making them useless to everyone else. I have to imagine the recipe is the same way. I''m willing to bet the missing ingredient in step four is something common that we¡¯ve already used during our testing.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand,¡± I smile at Sandra. I don¡¯t want to think about how long it would¡¯ve taken me to figure that out on my own.


    ¡°We need to make a list of everything we¡¯ve used so far,¡± Sandra suggests.


    "We''ve used purified water, eathrosse, devil''s poke, magicite, mithril, and technically fire," I name off everything in the relatively short ingredient list.


    Sandra hums in agreement, ¡°And which do you think makes the most sense to add in with the mithril?¡±


    Sandra and my eyes widen at the same time. "Magicite," we both shout together. I''m happy for the epiphany, but I still slap my forehead for not thinking about this sooner. I''m not sure exactly how we should add the magicite to the mixture, but I should''ve recognized the possible solution as a blacksmith.


    Whenever I craft with mithril, I need to add magicite to my fuel, so it binds properly. Whoever created the list of steps given to me left out the fact that you need to use a fire brimming with magic!


    Sandra excitedly throws her mask back on and starts preparing another batch of engraving ink while I ready the forge. The two of us are brimming with excitement as we go through the first three steps.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we¡¯re right,¡± I think aloud as Sandra removes the hot mixture so it can cool before we try step four again.


    Sandra sets the mixture on the anvil to cool before moving over to the workbench and preparing the 9.5 ounces of mithril we¡¯ll need.


    I stroke the fire, lowering Mana Skin so I can better feel the temperature on my skin. Once it''s stable, around 700¡ãF, I add a few small pieces of magicite to the flames. Using Sense Mana, I watch the extra mana fuse with the flames.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± I hear Sandra say behind me.


    ¡°The fire is good to go too,¡± I happily exclaim.


    The world feels like it''s slowing down as Sandra carefully adds the mithril to the solution before placing it in the forge. I''m sure both of us are counting the seconds in our heads until we''re supposed to remove the solution.


    I cross my fingers as time ticks down.


    At precisely 570 seconds, I remove the solution from the forge. Sandra and I hold our breath waiting to see if we failed again.


    One minute silently passes.


    Then two.


    Three.


    Five.


    Ten!


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sandra and I shout for joy when the solution doesn¡¯t burn itself out.


    "We finished step four!" Sandra lunges at me, arms open, looking for a celebratory hug. Thank the gods I retract Mana Skin in time before she collides with me. We jump up and down together until Sandra gets a little green in the face. "What''s next?" She asks me after her nausea slowly passes.


    "The last step says to let it cure."


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Sandra asks me.


    ¡°What makes you think I ¨C WOW!¡± I exclaim when I turn my attention back to the solution.


    ¡°What?¡± Sandra sends me a questioning look, seeing my eyes focused on the solution.


    ¡°It¡¯s absorbing ambient mana,¡± I point out to Sandra.


    "It is?!" Sandra asks, surprised. She moves closer to the solution and stares at the vial with a scholar''s intensity. "I can''t see it," she admits defeat after a few minutes of unproductive staring.


    ¡°It¡¯s absorbing a teeny-tiny amount of mana,¡± I explain.


    ¡°Does that mean we just have to wait for it to finish absorbing enough mana?¡± Sandra asks me with an excited smile.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I mirror her excitement.


    It''s no wonder they left out a crucial part of step four because step five is just waiting for the engraving ink to absorb enough mana.


    We did it!


    We discovered how to make engraving ink!


    I fist bump Sandra, who¡¯s equally losing her shit. ¡°Want to make another batch?¡± She asks me.


    ¡°One more,¡± I agree.


    As soon as the ink finishes curing, I¡¯ll be able to start practicing enchanting my items.


    Let¡¯s see Tabitha tear through my armor then!


    As if sensing my thoughts, I feel Tabitha¡¯s gaze fall on me. Maybe I¡¯ll hold off on gloating until I win.


    I happily watch Sandra prepare a new batch of engraving ink. We just opened up a whole new world of opportunities for both of us.

 Ch: 95

    ¡°I think we might have celebrated a little too soon,¡± I sigh at the three glass containers of engraving ink sitting on our workbench.


    In our excitement, Sandra and I completed the second batch of engraving ink; and seeing how both the first and second batches appeared stable, we couldn¡¯t help but make a third. We should''ve stopped after the second batch, but what''s done is done.


    It''s been a little over two hours since the first batch of engraving ink was completed, and if by now it hasn''t turned into black sludge on us like all the other failures, I think we¡¯re in the clear.


    But as if to spite all our success, I think I see one more problem we have to deal with.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Sandra asks me, removing her face mask for the day.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first sample,¡± I tell her.


    "What''s wrong with it? It isn¡¯t going bad, is it?" Sandra moves over and picks up the glass container of brownish-black ink, holding it up to the dipping sun to get a better look at its contents.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going bad. The problem is how much mana it¡¯s absorbing,¡± my frown deepens.


    ¡°Is it not completed?¡± Master Del asks, walking over to see our final results. Tabitha walks next to master with a blank expression, seemingly not interested in what''s happening. Tabitha might not be interested in the crafting aspect of my life, but I notice her eyes focus on the engraving ink in Sandra''s hands and the other two containers on our workbench. She looks interested for a second before all her excitement seems to vanish like it was never there in the first place.  I bet she¡¯ll be more excited after I figure out how to enchant my gear.


    But first, we still have one more problem to solve. "The mixture itself is completed," I explain to Master and a seemingly bored Tabitha. "All that''s left is to let the engraving ink absorb ambient mana until it''s ready."


    ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Sandra offers me the first batch of engraving ink.


    I take the offered container of ink and focus on it with Sense Mana. "It''s been two hours since we completed this batch, and I can hardly see a change in the amount of mana it''s absorbed. I''m not sure how much time it will take for the ink to absorb enough mana.¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Sandra frowns, understanding the problem.


    ¡°After we bottled each batch, I took note of roughly how much mana was in each of the solutions," I move over to our workbench and pick up the little notepad I use to record ideas and observations. "The first solution had roughly 157.38 points of mana in it. That¡¯s pretty low considering the ingredients it¡¯s made from.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Sandra interrupts me. ¡°You can tell exactly how much mana is in each of those solutions!¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I shake my head. ¡°I can only sense to a hundredth of a mana point.¡±


    ¡°Only a hundredth, she says,¡± Sandra huffs under her breath. ¡°I need to pick up my training.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to monitoring my mana levels when I practice my magic skills, so it¡¯s not that hard to gauge the rough amount of mana in an object if it isn¡¯t too massive or too small,¡± I explain to my friend. ¡°Each container holds about half a liter of ink and weighs about 75 ounces,¡± I read from my notes. ¡°We can assume the solution needs to at least double or triple the amount of mana it currently has.¡±


    "So, how much mana has the solution absorbed over the last two hours?" Sandra asks me with bated breath.


    "In the last two hours, the ink has only absorbed .13 mana."


    Sandra hisses ad recoils like she just touched something hot. ¡°That¡¯s it; that¡¯s nothing,¡± she exclaims.


    ¡°I know, but I think I might have a solution,¡± I grin back at her.


    Sandra puts her hands on her hip, ¡°Then you were just trying to make me worry?¡±


    Sandra¡¯s accusing glare is dangerous, so I explain myself before she has another mood swing and tries to throw a fireball at me. Again. "I''m not sure how we can improve the inks mana absorption rate, but I was thinking, why do we have to wait for nature? I can just inject my own mana into the ink until it''s saturated enough."


    ¡°Are you going to stick your finger into the ink and release all your mana?¡± Sandra sarcastically asks.


    "I thought it''d be a little more refined than that." Moving back over to our workbench, I swap out my notebook with my engraving pen. I uncork the stopper from the engraving ink container and start stirring the mixture with my pen. ¡°My engraving pen is a great conductor for mana. I¡¯ll push my mana through the pen and into the ink, all while stirring it.¡±


    ¡°Just expelling your magic won¡¯t have that much of an effect,¡± Tabitha offers her opinion with a blank expression.


    I smugly grin at my combat teacher, ¡°Who said I¡¯d only be using Expel Mana?¡±


    Thanks to all my recent training, it''s child''s play for me to expel my mana and inject it into my pen. That''s where my control would typically start to become muddled, but thanks to my practicing with Mana Threads, I can use Mana Manipulation to keep control of the mana channeled through my engraving pen like it¡¯s an extension of my body.


    I essentially use Inject Mana twice to pour my mana directly into the ink. Today I''ve only used my mana to keep Mana Skin active, so I essentially have almost an entire mana pool to experiment with the engraving ink.


    "Let''s see how much mana the engraving ink really needs?" I say in a boasting manner, dumping my mana into the solution.


    I start off with a confident smile on my face, but maintaining it becomes strenuous after I continue to dump more and more of my mana into the few cups of engraving ink with no end in sight. Sure, some of my mana is lost in the transfer, but not much. How much mana does this ink need!?


    ¡°Are you ok, Aaliyah?¡± Sandra notices my strained expression and the sweat starting to form on my forehead as I continue to feed my mana into the ink. Sandra knows Mana Skin keeps the air around me at a perfect temprature, meaning the only reason I would be sweating was if I was overexerting myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I grit through my teeth. ¡°It¡¯s just taking a lot more mana than I expected.¡±


    300 mana, 400 mana, the engraving ink devours every bit I pump into it.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough, Aaliyah,¡± Master warns me when my arm starts to tremble.


    I choose to ignore Master¡¯s recommendation and push forward; I know my limits, and I''m not there yet. 600 mana, which''s over half my mana pool channeled into the engraving ink. That¡¯s close to what I used to blow up those bandits back then. And yet, the engraving ink is still readily devouring the mana I feed it!


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I hear Tabitha¡¯s cold voice behind me. At the same time, I feel her gauntleted hand grasp my shoulder.


    ¡°I know when to stop,¡± I grumble, pushing the last bit of mana I¡¯m willing to spend today into the engraving ink. Tapping my engraving pen on the rim of the glass container, I make sure not even a drop of engraving ink is wasted as I remove my pen from the solution.


    Seeing how I''m following her orders, Tabitha removes her hand from my shoulder and moves back next to Master.


    ¡°How much mana did you use?¡± Sandra questions me.


    ¡°Can you hold this for a minute?¡± Instead of answering Sandra, I offer her the container of engraving ink.


    ¡°I can feel the difference in it now,¡± Sandra gasps in amazement when she takes the ink from my hands.


    "You should; I poured 650 mana into it," I finally answer Sandra''s question while wiping the sweat from my face.


    ¡°650!¡± She exclaims, looking at the glass container in her hands. The ink has become glossier than it was, and as Sandra shakes the container in her hand, you can tell the ink has become less viscous.


    ¡°Well, more like 627, I lost some of my mana in the transfer,¡± I point out to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s still a lot of mana,¡± Sandra remarks. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much it can hold,¡± she holds the ink up to the falling sun again.


    ¡°And it¡¯s not even done absorbing mana yet," I can''t help but look at the other two containers of engraving ink and frown. "At the rate the other two are absorbing mana, it would take them 400 days to match the first sample.¡±


    ¡°There must be a way to speed up the process. There¡¯s no way alchemists or enchanters would wait that long,¡± Sandra suggests.


    ¡°My people have no problem with waiting,¡± Master offhandedly remarks.


    I¡¯m about to point out to Master we humans aren¡¯t as patient as Stone kin are when Tabitha takes a step forward, drawing everyone''s attention. "Most likely, a mana gathering array is used,¡± she notes in a bland tone of voice.


    ¡°Mana gathering array, what¡¯s that?¡± I curiously ask Tabitha.


    "It''s a large enchantment engraved inside cabinets, closets, or even an entire room; it all depends on what you''re charging. Most nobles have them installed somewhere in their house so their staff can charge multiple magic items without the need to call in a mage. The enchantment draws in ambient mana and condenses it, so magic items designed to recharge on their own do it faster," Tabitha explains it to us like it was common knowledge.


    "Then an alchemist puts the ink in one of those enchanted cabinets, and it charges the ink faster," Sandra summarizes Tabitha''s mini-lecture.


    ¡°Then we need to place the engraving ink in a place with a lot of mana,¡± I think aloud.


    ¡°The bottom of the mine!¡± Sandra shouts out my idea before I get a chance to.


    ¡°I was just about to say that,¡± I sulk.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve been faster,¡± Sandra playfully sticks her tongue out at me.


    ¡°You-,¡± I start to say confidently but quickly realize I don¡¯t have anything snappy to say back. ¡°You grab the ink while I grab a crate from master¡¯s house,¡± I turn away from Sandra so she can¡¯t see the embarrassed look on my face.


    ¡°Hurry up, we¡¯re running out of daylight,¡± she playfully shouts at my retreating form, holding back her laughter.


    "Yeah, yeah," I grumble, fetching an empty crate from Master''s house. Sandra puts the three glass containers in the box and takes it from me with a smile.


    I grab my war hammer just in case, and we start making our way towards the mine. Tabitha stays behind with Master knowing we¡¯re just taking a quick stroll.


    "It will be interesting to see how quickly the ink charges at the bottom of the mine," Sandra strikes up some friendly conversation as we walk down the forest trail. "Want to take a guess at how long it will take? I say fifty days.¡±


    I balance my hammer on my shoulder and rub my chin with my left hand. So, she¡¯s guessing it will charge eight times faster, huh? I think back to the mana levels at the bottom of the mine. The mana there is roughly twenty-two times what it is on the surface, but just because it¡¯s that high doesn¡¯t mean the ink will absorb it that fast. Plus, I think Sandra is forgetting the first sample isn¡¯t finished charging all the way yet. ¡°I¡¯ll say forty days, but it doesn¡¯t matter that much.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I grin at Sandra. "No matter how long it takes for the ink to charge, it will always be quicker for me to do it myself."


    ¡°What about the mana cost?¡± Sandra raises a questioning eyebrow at me.


    "That was just because I was trying to see how much mana the ink needed. I could spare 100 mana a day to speed up the process. Even if it takes me fifteen days to fully charge the ink, that''s still a lot better than four hundred or even forty for that matter.¡±


    "You''re only saying that because you have the mana to spare," Sandra looks down at her midsection. "Part of my mana pool is protecting my baby, and the rest I need to practice my skills and spells. I don¡¯t think I can waste 9% of my mana every day charging engraving ink.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯ll be pregnant forever,¡± I joke.


    ¡°It feels like it,¡± Sandra groans.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little early for you to be saying that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m allowed to complain all I want,¡± Sandra glares at me with fire in her eyes.


    ¡°Point taken,¡± I take a quick step away from Sandra.


    I give Sandra some space for a few minutes and wait until we enter the quarry before I move back next to her. ¡°Can you handle the light? I¡¯m a little tapped out at the moment,¡± I grin at Sandra, trying to judge whether she¡¯s still mad at me or not.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that tapped for mana,¡± Sandra beams back at me.


    I have officially given up trying to read Sandra.


    Would I ever act like that if I ever decided to have kids? As soon as that question pops into my head, I nearly stumble over a rock at the entrance to the mine. Sandra is too busy casting her magic to notice, but that random thought throws my mind into chaos.


    I''m a woman, I''ve long come to terms with that fact, and I''m quite comfortable in my own body. But I have been focusing every minute of my time trying to improve my skills and overall level to reach my goal of traveling the world someday, that I''ve never considered any other goals in life. Do I want a family of my own someday? And what would that family look like?


    Somehow, I can¡¯t picture myself as a typical mom, and that¡¯s ok. I''ll continue working towards my goals, and if I should have a Disney moment where I meet my significant other someday, I''ll cross that bridge when I come to it.


    ¡°You ok, Aaliyah?¡± Sandra¡¯s question pulls me out of my thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for a while.¡±


    Glancing around, I see we are nearly to the end of the mine already. Wow, I really wasn''t paying attention. "Just thinking about my future," I chuckle, trying to reassure myself as much as my friend.


    ¡°Oh, were you thinking about traveling the world, slaying monsters?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± I just smile along with Sandra. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m telling her I was thinking about the prospect of a family. I have a feeling I¡¯m not prepared to open that can of worms with a pregnant Sandra. "I was thinking about all the progress we made today and what the results might be tomorrow,¡± I shift the conversation without Sandra realizing it.


    "Yeah, but you forget one thing," Sandra tells me.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°We still need to clean up when we get back.¡±


    "The best part of the day," I sarcastically remark with a straight face. Sandra and I laugh together all the way back to master''s clearing.


    **********


    ¡°Goodnight, master,¡± I wave to Del. Sandra joins me in waving, while Tabitha locks eyes with Master with an expression that screams, ''fight me!''


    "Night; I''ll see the two of you tomorrow." Master nods encouragingly to Sandra and me but purposely avoids acknowledging Tabitha in any way, shape, or form.


    Too bad for master, Tabitha isn''t discouraged so easily. "Yes, see you tomorrow, Del-Razen. We may spar then."


    I snort through my nose, trying to hold back my laughter, while Sandra has her hand up to her mouth, barely holding herself together. When did Tabitha learn master''s full name? Master was not prepared to hear his full name and freezes just long enough for Tabitha to consider his silence as a sign of agreement. "I look forward to our rematch tomorrow."


    Master doesn¡¯t even recover after Tabitha disappears down the forest trail leading to the village. He just stands there with his mouth open, not understanding how his goodbye could be turned on him in such a way.


    ¡°I think she broke him,¡± Sandra whispers to me.


    ¡°Probably,¡± I whisper back.


    ¡°Got to give her credit, though,¡± Sandra remarks. ¡°She doesn¡¯t take no for an answer.¡±


    Sandra turns to leave, so I yell one last thing to Master, breaking him out of his stupor. ¡°Don¡¯t stand out here all night!¡±


    As Sandra and I start walking towards the village, we hear Del yell behind us, "What just happened?!"


    At least I¡¯ll get a small break when the two of them spar; I chuckle to myself.


    The sun is almost entirely over the horizon by the time we make it to the village and walk past Sandra''s house. I probably shouldn''t consider it Sandra''s house anymore since she¡¯s moved out, but that doesn''t matter at the moment because Camden is waiting outside with a letter in his hand.


    ¡°How¡¯s my little girl doing?¡± Camden spreads his arms and ambushes Sandra with a hug. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in forever!¡±


    Sandra awkwardly returns the spontaneous hug. ¡°It¡¯s been two days, Dad,¡± Sandra deadpans.


    While the two of them have their lovely father-daughter time, I cast a glance at Tabitha, who''s watching everything take place before she retires to Camden''s house for the evening.


    ¡°Dad, why are you waiting for us outside the house?¡± Sandra asks, finally separating herself from her emotional father.


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Camden straightens himself out and hands me the letter. ¡°This came for you thirty minutes ago. I figured you¡¯d be stopping by soon, so I didn¡¯t send one of my boys out to deliver it.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t for Tabitha?¡± I cock my head to the side. The last message sent to the village was an update for Tabitha from Pacore, and I can''t think of a reason someone would send me a letter¡­ unless it were urgent! The letter isn''t sealed or anything, so I have no idea who it''s from.


    I unfold the paper to see three words staring back at me:


    ¡°Contact Giovanni immediately.¡±


    I glance up from the letter at Camden, wondering if anything else was sent with it, but he only shrugs his shoulder.


    Alright then.


    I turn to Sandra and ask, ¡°Can you make it back to your house without me?¡±


    Sandra gives me a ¡®really¡¯ look. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as you trying to be a good friend and not you looking down on me.¡±


    "Thanks, see you tomorrow," I offer a quick farewell before taking off jogging towards my house. Mom is going to be mad when I tell her I need to take a quick trip into the forest before dinner.


    **********


    When I get home, I¡¯m forced to explain why I¡¯m heading back out again after grabbing the hidden magic transceiver from my room, but after mentioning the emergency message I received, Mom nods in understanding. "Alright, but be safe and hurry back quickly," she tells me before giving me a quick hug and an encouraging push towards the door. I smartly choose not to comment on Mother¡¯s generosity and take the chance to bolt out of the door before she changes her mind.


    My plan was to sprint into the woods as soon as the door closes behind me, but I''m frozen in place as soon as I step outside and come face to face with Tabitha. The way Tabitha is standing suggests she had been waiting for me.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± Tabitha asks with a blank expression that is honestly a little terrifying in the fading sunset.


    ¡°I have to take care of something really quick,¡± I start inching myself to the side, not taking my eyes off the woman.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you then,¡± Tabitha takes a step closer to me. Damn, how do I handle this? Giovanni told me the communication magic tool is incredibly rare and not to show it to others. Plus, I doubt Giovanni would be happy if I brought Tabitha along with me to our emergency meeting.


    "That''s quite alright," I tell her. "I just have to handle something private."


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow, ¡°You aren¡¯t running away, are you?¡±


    I can¡¯t help but snort at her question. ¡°Yes,¡± I sarcastically reply. ¡°I¡¯m choosing now of all times to run away.¡± Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. ¡°I have no intention to run away from you and Pacore. There¡¯s just something private I need to take care of. If you¡¯re that worried, you can wait here until I return. It should only take me an hour at most.¡±


    Tabitha stares me down, thinking over my proposal. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait here for you. Just this once.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I offer a smile to the stony-faced woman. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± I reassure Tabitha one more time before running behind our house and into the woods.


    Pushing Sense Mana to the max, I use my skill to navigate the almost pitch-black forest and make sure Tabitha isn''t secretly following me. I only gave myself an hour, so I need to hurry.


    Though I''m rushing through the forest, I don''t drop Sense Mana for a second. Not only am I using it to navigate, but I also need to keep an eye out for predators. The chameleon spiders are all but a thing of the past now, and the hunters have once again started spotting farkas tracks around the village. The wolf-bear hybrids are most active at night, and objectively speaking, I''m a tempting snack.


    Sure, I could turn them into meat paste with my hammer, but I¡¯m already on a time crunch. Luckily that thought doesn''t jinx me, and I make it to the spot I can connect with Giovanni in record time. I wasn''t able to move this fast in the woods before I started training with Tabitha. Both my footwork in and out of battle has seen a lot of improvement as of late.


    Pulling the communication device out of my pocket, I start channeling my magic into it. Gods, I hope this connects quickly. I don''t want my mana pool to drop much lower while I''m out here all alone. Maybe I can figure out a way to extend the signal after I get used to enchanting things?


    "Aaliyah?" Giovanni''s abrupt voice pulls me out of my thoughts. We''ve never connected this fast before. Was he waiting for me to call him?


    "I''m here," I reply to the magic tool. "What''s the emergency that required me to take a moonlight stroll through the woods?"


    "Has anyone shown up to your village?" Giovanni answers my question with his own.


    "Not that I''ve heard of, and people showing up is kind of a hot topic around here," I joke, hoping to break some of the growing tension I''m feeling.


    ¡°You need to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious over the next couple of days,¡± Giovanni tells me in an ominous voice. I can¡¯t help but glance around me when I hear such a warning, even though Sense Mana tells me nothing is in my perception bubble.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± I demand. ¡°What happened?¡±


    The line goes quiet for a minute before Giovanni answers in a solemn voice, ¡°Grey has fled Drey.¡±


    So that¡¯s why he wanted me to contact him, ¡°You think he¡¯ll come for me?¡±


    "No," I hear Giovanni sigh on the other end. "We have reason to believe he''s heading for Teeburn. However, Grey still has plenty of associates in the area, and we can''t take chances that he''ll try something nefarious with you."


    ¡°We still have a contract with one another,¡± I remind Giovanni. ¡°Grey would be crazy to try something when he already thinks I¡¯m bound to him.¡±


    ¡°Normally, I would agree with you," Giovanni responds in a sorrowful voice that makes me nervous. "But I can''t underestimate the man any further than I already have."


    It doesn¡¯t sound like Grey left the city quietly. ¡°What happened?¡± I swallow a nervous lump in my throat.


    ¡°Grey fled the city, but not without leaving an alchemical bomb in his office.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± I can¡¯t help but exclaim.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Giovanni continues explaining. ¡°The fire is out, but news of the devastation is still trickling in. My people report a third of the branch is destroyed along with countless documents. Fourteen people are confirmed dead, while three others remain in critical condition. One of the injured being my best receptionist.¡±


    ¡°The lady who worked the front desk,¡± I mumble, recalling the nameless receptionist that seemed to read me like a book.


    "Yes," Giovanni confirms my suspicions. "She was¡­ is, one of my best people," Giovanni corrects himself. "She was the one closest to the explosion," Giovanni tells me with anger building in his voice. "Grey warned all his people to leave the building beforehand, and we can only assume she was his target."


    ¡°And she¡¯s still alive?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask. I have experience with surviving explosions, and though I don¡¯t know how strong an alchemical bomb is, I can guess it¡¯s stronger than my overcharged flame spell. The receptionist was intimidating to deal with but not in a physical sort of way; I can¡¯t see how she would survive such a blast.


    "She was lucky," Giovanni cryptically tells me, barely holding back his growing anger. ¡°Grey!¡± I hear Giovanni growl out the name like itself is a curse.


    I can¡¯t believe Grey would do such a thing.


    No, that¡¯s not right. I can''t pretend like I know the man. After all, I''ve only met him twice, and both times I didn''t see how much of a snake he was. I just find it hard to believe a man could do such a thing.


    Bringing my arms up, I wrap them around myself in a comforting manner. The magic and wonder of this world sometimes makes me forget evil people aren¡¯t exclusive to my past life. There will always be people who don¡¯t care who they hurt as long as it furthers their goals.


    This is a grim reminder that I can¡¯t take everyone at face value. When I finally leave the village, I''ll come into contact with a lot of new people, and it would be foolish of me to think a few of them won''t try to use me, whether it''s for my blacksmithing skills or my relationship with Pacore.


    ¡°Do you think my family is in any danger?¡± I ask.


    "I''m not sure," Giovanni honestly replies. "Even now, I have my best agents tracking down every one of Grey''s people, but I can''t be certain we''ll get them all. And Grey himself is still on the loose; it''s anyone''s guess as to what his plans are now that he''s committed an act of open rebellion in Scholl''s territory."


    ¡°Scholl is aware of what he did?¡±


    "They are," Giovanni informs me. "I''ve sent letters to Lord Bullok; he''s the person sent by Scholl to run everything, as well as Pacore, detailing Grey¡¯s horrendous actions. By tomorrow morning, Grey will be the most wanted man in this corner of the world.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know where he is,¡± I point out.


    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Giovanni replies dejectedly. ¡°That¡¯s why I needed you to contact me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± I question Giovanni.


    There''s another long pause in the conversation. "Is it right that you can still break your contract with Grey? The distance doesn''t matter?" Giovanni asks me.


    ¡°I can,¡± I answer.


    "And you can force the backlash on him?" Giovanni further questions.


    ¡°If you want to ask me something, be clear about it,¡± I say into the magic tool.


    ¡°I want you to make him suffer!¡± Giovanni finally snaps. ¡°The bastard stole money from the branches vault, betrayed the company that¡¯s supported him all these years, and worst of all¡­!¡± Giovanni takes a few deep breaths between all his yelling. ¡°And worst of all, he hurt my people! If there¡¯s anything you can do to make Grey suffer, I¡¯ll be eternally grateful,¡± Giovanni pleads to me.


    ¡°I think I can do that," I respond in a reassuring voice. Grey was already on my shit list, and hearing about what he''s done only strengthens my resolve. "I''ll contact you tomorrow morning, letting you know how it went."


    ¡°I appreciate your help, Aaliyah. Remember to be on the lookout for anyone suspicious. Once you terminate your contract with Grey, he¡¯ll see you as fair game,¡± Giovanni reminds me.


    ¡°Let them come,¡± I grin into the magic device. ¡°I¡¯d like to see Grey¡¯s lackeys try anything with Tabitha here.¡±


    ¡°All the same, be careful. I have to continue coordinating with my men in Drey. If anything, and I mean anything at all happens to you or your village, contact me immediately."


    ¡°I will,¡± I agree to Giovanni¡¯s demands. I can only imagine what struggles he must be going through at the moment. ¡°Best of luck to you.¡±


    ¡°To you as well,¡± Giovanni replies before our connection is cut.


    I stash the communication magic tool in my pocket and tiredly rub at my eyes. Here I thought I would be able to get a good night''s sleep before my training with Tabitha tomorrow. Oh well, at least I''ll finally get Grey''s stupid contract out of my soul.


    But first I need to get back to the village and have dinner with my family.


    **********


    Clothes changed, teeth brushed, hair combed out; everything''s taken care of, I can finally go to bed.


    Spreading my arms, I lean back and let gravity do its job. My bed welcomes me with a soft embrace after what was a pretty eventful day. Sandra and I have basically solved the engraving ink issue, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, tomorrow we''ll have an accurate timeframe to make engraving ink. That should''ve been enough excitement for one day, but then I had to go and get that letter from Giovanni.


    I still have a hard time comprehending Grey¡¯s actions, to willingly endanger so many people, most of which had nothing to do with his and Giovanni¡¯s rivalry. You wouldn¡¯t be far off calling him a monster.


    I made it back to the village before Tabitha came looking for me, but the rest of my night felt muted after my conversation with Giovanni. Bad news tends to do that to people. I know I don''t have strong ties to Silver Herd besides my working relationship with Kervin, but hearing about such a needless tragedy tends to bring down one¡¯s mood.


    I spent most of dinner explaining the success Sandra and I had today, but in the end, I had to tell my family about the explosion in Drey and about Grey fleeing the city. Dad was surprised such a thing could happen, but mother was oddly unfazed by it all. She said stories like this were all too common in the larger cities and especially the capital. Apparently, greed has blinded many to try such foolish things; mother also noted almost every story ends with death.


    "Is it wrong I agree with that statement?" I ask myself as I roll into position on my bed and pull my covers up. I believe Grey deserves to be punished for his greed and what he did in Drey.


    Or is that what I¡¯m telling myself to justify what I¡¯m about to do?


    Closing my eyes, I dive into my soul.


    When I open them again, I¡¯m standing on my little patch of grass in the center of the clearing I always appear in, surrounded by my artificially created plants.


    My always blooming rose garden is always lovely to look at, and even my work in progress birds of paradise brings a small smile to my face. I''ve perfectly leveled the ground since I have no reason to worry about rain in my soul.


    Around my patch of grass are multiple stone pathways leading to different sections of the clearing. I take a path to the left that leads over to my Picasso tree and the plaque hanging from it representing Grey''s contract. At this point, I''ve decided to leave the tree as it is, considering it a piece of funky art rather than a sad attempt at replicating a¡­ I think it was supposed to be an oak tree?


    Oh well, I shrug my shoulders; it doesn''t matter anymore.


    What does matter is this, I reach out and grab the plaque that¡¯s fused with my weirdly shaped tree. Using Soul Manipulation, I dislodge the ornament without leaving so much as a dent on the tree.


    The plaque feels heavier than I remember, but that''s reasonable since the sign has the same amount of experience crammed in as half of my landscaped clearing. Mom said a person''s Contract level dictates the strength of each contract and how many a person can have active at any one time.


    Grey definitely didn''t skimp on our contract. Since Sense Soul hit level 40, I''ve been able to look deeper into the plaque I created out of Grey''s experience shards, and I''ve noticed something interesting.


    There are actually three skills mixed into our contract. The primary skill and easiest to piece out is, of course, Contract, but there are two other skills mixed in with it, and I think they are what make the contract so much stronger than the contracts I''ve formed with Kervin. I don''t have anything even remotely resembling them, so I can only guess what they do.


    But no matter how interesting it is to look at, it''s been in my soul long enough.  I can''t help but stare down at the plaque in my hands.


    I always planned to remove the contract from my soul, but my conversation with Giovanni is still fresh in my mind.


    I promised to help make Grey suffer, and there is a method of removing Grey''s contract that I''ve thought about in passing that would surely do just that.


    I''ve grown more accustomed to controlling my soul, and it would only take some meditation for me to drag this plaque out of my soul and back into the real world. The experience would dissipate and return to Grey, nullifying our contract while simultaneously causing him some pain if Kervin is to be believed.


    That¡¯s how I originally planned to expel Grey¡¯s contract, but if I really want to hurt him¡­


    A slight tremor runs through my soul as I gather excess experience points and merge them with trace amounts of mana circulating throughout my soul. Two ghostly tendrils extend from my back and grasp either side of the plaque with ethereal claws.


    If one-sidedly breaking our contract and sending Grey¡¯s experience points back to him causes pain, what would happen if I devoured the experience and made it my own?


    I¡¯ve been reluctant to experiment with Soul Devourer since I got the skill, but this seems like a good time to test out some theories I¡¯ve been postulating.


    I wouldn''t be devouring Grey''s soul core, only the experience he used to try and tie me down. A fitting punishment if there ever there was one. And if I lose my sanity like I did when I killed the soul devourer, there isn''t much I could do; there''s only so much experience I can take.


    The more I think about it, the more it seems like a good idea.


    If I¡¯m going to test my tier 6 skill, I might as well test it on another monster!


    My two tendrils of soul and mana envelop the plaque, and I recite the name of my skill.


    ¡°Soul Devourer!¡±

 Ch: 96

    Lennard Grey¡¯s Point of View:


    "I don''t think I can go on for much longer," I wheeze to Max. "I''m not physically built like you are."


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the goblins will accept that as an excuse,¡± Max stares into the darkness behind us.


    ¡°What!¡± My already pounding heart speeds up as I rush to Max¡¯s side. ¡°I thought you scared them away?¡± I ask, peering into the void behind us.


    Max shakes his head. ¡°They were only pretended to flee after I killed most of the big ones. They¡¯re keeping their distance, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯re still following us."


    ¡°Fucking, goblins!¡± I spit into the dark. ¡°Can¡¯t you just kill the rest of them?¡± I turn and plead to Max.


    "It would be a waste of time and energy," he says as he shifts his pack to his side and places it on the ground, taking a seat on a nearby boulder.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I feverishly ask Max, nervously glancing down both ends of the tunnel.


    ¡°You said you needed a break, so take a break,¡± Max motions to a smaller boulder protruding from the wall across from him. Max adjusts his pack in front of him, so the magic lantern strapped to the top of it illuminates as much of the tunnel as possible.


    ¡°You just said,¡± I hiss in displeasure.


    "I said they''re keeping their distance for now," he smirks at me. "We should take this opportunity for you to recover some of your stamina. Gods know I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and make fun of the weak merchant,¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see this attitude when it¡¯s time for me to pay you.¡±


    Max chuckles at my hollow threat. ¡°Forgive me, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m carrying over ten years¡¯ worth my salary at the moment,¡± Max pats his pack. He¡¯s the one carrying all the gold we stole from the branch office along with our heavier supplies. My pack is considerably lighter, filled with enough water for the both of us for a few days, along with plenty of dried meat and biscuits.


    It hurt to leave almost all of my worldly possessions behind, but we had to travel light. Of course, that doesn''t mean mine and Max''s pockets are empty by any means. The light from Max''s backpack illuminates the rings on each of my fingers; some doubled up on my fatter digits. We planned to travel light, prioritizing the lightest and most expensive items, so we made sure to grab every piece of enchanted jewelry we could get our hands on.


    All we had to do was stop by one of the warehouses before we left the city. No one second-guessed me when I said I wanted to bring some of our best items to Teeburn to sell to Scholl''s military while I was in the city. The fifteen rings on my fingers are worth over 750 gold coins, and that isn''t even counting the bracelets and amulets I''m wearing.


    Max is wearing his specialized armor and other gear, and between the two of us, I''d say we''re carrying over 5,000 gold coins worth of stuff. More than enough for the two of us to live in luxury while we resettle in Olebert''s capitol.


    With all this money and information at our disposal, the two of us will indeed be accepted into one of the major trading companies. From there, It is only a matter of time before my talents are recognized and I''m given a position I deserve. No longer will I slave under that weak family that chooses to play each of its deals safe. Only the bold grow strong in this world!


    "How much farther does this tunnel go for, Boss?" Max''s question drags me out of my daydreams.


    ¡°Let me check,¡± I pull out the map. ¡°If everything written here is correct, then this tunnel goes for another 300 feet before we¡¯re outside again.¡±


    Max nods and hums in thought. ¡°We¡¯ll have to be careful once we¡¯re outside again.¡±


    ¡°I thought you hated the tunnels?¡± I ask with a smirk.


    ¡°I do,¡± Max rubs the back of his head. ¡°But I hate the idea of being ambushed more.¡±


    ¡°Ambushed?!¡± I exclaim.


    ¡°Shhhh!¡± Max hisses at me. ¡°Keep your voice down. No need to draw the goblins closer to us. And yes, we need to be on the lookout for ambushes once we leave the tunnel.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we were followed?¡± I nervously lean forward.


    Thankfully, Max shakes his head no. "The sun was setting when we entered this tunnel system, and it will be pitch black outside once we leave. Who knows how many goblins are in these hills or what else might be lurking about?"


    ¡°Why are these goblins so persistent?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of goblins hunting people down like this unless it was a horde.¡±


    "It''s probably the environment," Max explains to me. "There''s little life in these mountains, and I''d bet everything here is a scavenger. Once the mountain range was stripped of everything of value, I doubt many come up here any longer, and it''s anyone''s guess as to how many monsters have spawned since then. For all we know, there could be a starving goblin horde in these hills."


    ¡°Really?¡± I nervously ask.


    Max snorts, trying to hold back his laughter. "Calm down; I was exaggerating. I''m sure there isn''t a horde up here. When that many goblins get together, they need way more food than this barren landscape could provide. Goblin raiding parties would''ve been spotted along the roads and have had a force sent to deal with them by now if there was a significant population up here. I was just saying we need to be on the lookout for packs of goblins that are looking for food, like the group we ran into earlier."


    I let out a sigh of relief; as long as it isn''t a horde, I''m positive Max could slay any number of goblins we might encounter. And with all these defensive magic tools, I won''t have to worry about getting caught up in the fighting. They were all manually charged, so as long as I don''t get myself into a situation where they''ll activate, they should be good for the rest of our trek through the mountain.


    However, there is one thing I need to worry about. ¡°What are we going to do about sleep?¡± I ask Max. ¡°We made it a good distance into the mountain, but at the rate we¡¯re going, it¡¯ll take us another two days of straight travel before we¡¯re out the other side.¡±


    "You''ll just have to endure," Max informs me with a look that says this wasn¡¯t something I could negotiate on. "We can''t stay in any one place that long, or it will be dangerous. Remember, tomorrow, both Giovanni and Scholl will be sending people to track us down. We have a head start but depending on who''s sent after us; we can still be tracked down. You''ll have to make do with only short breaks now and again."


    ¡°I know,¡± I sigh and hang my head. ¡°Give me five minutes to catch my break.¡±


    ¡°Five minutes then,¡± Max agrees.


    I can do this! Struggling for two days is nothing compared to what¡¯s waiting for me on the other side of the mountain. Fortune, prestige, it¡¯s all there, waiting for me to take it!


    My heart starts to pound in excitement while my palms start to sweat.


    Wait, it¡¯s not just my palms sweating! My entire body starts to turn clammy, and I start hyperventilating.


    ¡°Boss!¡± I scarcely hear Max call out my name as he rushes to my side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    ¡°My chest,¡± I manage to pant. Ripping my vest open, I dig my fingers under the many amulets hanging from my neck and try to massage the pain radiating out from the center of my being.


    My joints and muscles start locking up as it feels like two icy hands are trying to force their way through my ribs.


    The deeper the invisible hands go, the more the pain increases until I''m screaming on the rocky floor. Max tries to muffle my screams with his hand, but my cries echo in the dark tunnel.


    What is going on?!


    **********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting away,¡± I growl as Soul Devourer¡¯s ghostly appendages fight to hold onto the plaque.


    As soon as I activated my skill, Grey''s experience shards tried to flee my soul as if knowing what I was trying to do. Even now, Grey''s experience is desperately trying to flee Soul Devourer''s grip. But it''s all pointless because I just about¡­ got it!


    There it goes!


    After five minutes of trying to break down the contract plaque, my ghostly appendages start dissolving the experience mass.


    Flakes of experience are torn from the plaque''s edges, absorbed by Soul Devourer, and channeled through my soul''s avatar into the ground below me. My soul continues to tremble as I feel it slowly growing beneath my feet.


    I''m used to a quick shake, like whenever Soul Manipulation levels, but that''s just a single quick boost of experience. It will take time for me to devour all of Grey''s skill fragments, and my soul will continue to grow as I do so.


    I can''t help but start grinning as I feel more and more experience ripped from the plaque and turned into my own, my ghostly hands refusing to release their prey.


    ¡°Why did I wait so long to do this?¡± I cry out, wrapping my real arms around my body. Each pulse of experience brings with it a wave of pure pleasure. I never thought I could feel this way outside of my body.


    Closing my eyes, I savor the feeling. Gods, I haven''t felt this good since I killed the soul devourer!


    And as if being struck over the head with a hammer, I¡¯m suddenly reminded of how I acted back then. I lost myself in these overwhelming feelings and almost lost my humanity. But I¡¯m stronger than I was then!


    Sitting on the ground, I fold my legs and take up a meditative pose. As I calm my mind, I can better feel Mental Resistance trying to help me combat Soul Devourer¡¯s overwhelming influence. It¡¯s a hard feeling to hate because it resembles the natural high people get from leveling.


    To feel yourself growing stronger!


    The feeling of endless growth!


    It makes you just want to keep¡­


    Devouring!


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°No!¡± I shout out in defiance of those thoughts. ¡°I use the skill; the skill doesn¡¯t use me!¡±


    I can''t let myself fall into temptation. Such low-hanging fruit does taste delicious, but can it compare to something you''ve grown yourself?


    Thinking back, I remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing the arrow for the General. The boost of experience I felt that day was just as gratifying as this experience is; no, it was better.


    Soul Devourer can mimic that feeling of accomplishment, but it comes at the cost of turning me into a monster. The skill allows me to absorb experience, and based on what the goddess hinted at, using Soul Devourer is a slippery slope to tread on.


    All this begs the question, is the skill worth it?


    The skill is undoubtedly helpful in certain situations like this one, but I''m not sure if the risk to my psyche is worth it? I''m already stretching the skills use by using it on the experience of somebody still alive. It was much easier using Soul Devourer after I killed the monster, while I''m still fighting the plaque of experience to keep it from fleeing.


    If I tried using Soul Devour before I gathered all of Grey¡¯s experience fragment¡¯s I¡¯m sure they would¡¯ve fled my soul before I could¡¯ve done anything. It¡¯s only thanks to my other skills that Soul Devour can be used like it is.


    There is just too much I still don¡¯t know about my tier 6 skill. It¡¯s still a mystery whether or not the mental effects will decrease or increase as Soul Devourer levels. There is no telling if Mental Resistance will ever be able to fully combat or not.


    I pause my train of thought and let out a small sigh. I can sit here for hours speculating what might happen with my skill, but the only way I¡¯ll figure anything out is if I practice using it.


    And for that, I''d need to kill something. Earlier in the year, that wouldn''t be a problem, but things are still quiet around the village, and that¡¯s a good thing. Only an idiot or a monster would wish danger on their family and friends just to further a skill. I have no intention of seeking out violence, but I won¡¯t shy away from it either.


    Maybe I could join Tabitha on a few of her patrols around the village or ask the hunters if they¡¯d let me tag along on a hunt?


    The only problem with those two options is that I might go a little crazy using my skill, and I wouldn''t want either group learning about my tier 6 skill.


    No, if I want to practice Soul Devourer, I''ll need to do it by myself, and that would mean I''d have to go out and look for something to kill. So much for not seeking out violence; I''m such a hypocrite. I hang my head in shame for a little bit before looking up at the plaque still held in the air by my ghostly tendrils.


    It''s funny; spending all this time worrying over my skill has actually helped me block out its mental effects a bit.


    As my focus returns to Soul Devourer, eating away at the plaque, I once again feel the pleasure of using the skill. But whether because I''ve gotten used to the sensation or because I''ve already broken out of its effects once already, my mind isn''t overwhelmed by the feelings.


    And also, I look down at the still trembling surface of my soul, I felt a larger tremor a minute ago.


    Yep, I think Mental Resistance gained a level while I was brooding over Soul Devourer.


    I should focus more and worry about my skill after I''ve finished absorbing Grey''s contract. Soul Devourer has only eaten away at a third of the plaque, and there''s still a lot more to go.


    Maybe if I create more soul tentacles as the soul devourer had, I can speed up the process?


    Concentrating, I try to form a third ghostly tentacle-claw-thingy without affecting the two already eating away at the plaque. Am I really going to have to refer to them as soul tentacles? Soul tentacles sounds like something a demon lord in a questionable anime you wouldn''t tell people you watch would use.


    Soul Devourer already affects my mental health, and I don''t need to use weird terms in my head on top of that. Maybe soul chains would work; no, that doesn''t fit.


    Soul claws?


    Yeah, I like that! Soul Devourer uses soul claws to gather up experience. That sounds much cooler and a lot less creepy. Right?


    My third soul claw dissipates before I can direct it at the plaque, but I¡¯m not put off by the failure; practice does make perfect after all. And if I''m stealing experience from an asshole like Grey, why not level a few skills at the same time.


    **********


    Lennard Grey¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°It feels like there¡¯s a hole in my chest!¡± I scream.


    Max is trying to hold me down and keep me from thrashing about, but the pain is overwhelming. It feels like someone is ripping my soul from my chest!


    "Open your mouth, Boss!" Max forces another healing tonic down my throat. And just like the last one, the warm glow in the pit of my stomach fails to combat the sheer pain I''m feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working,¡± I hiss through my teeth. ¡°Give me a stronger one!¡±


    ¡°That was our strongest tonic,¡± Max frowns down at me. ¡°What can be causing this?¡± Max grabs my left hand and pulls it close to his face, "Which one protects against curses?"


    ¡°The one with the amethyst,¡± I hoarsely reply.


    "It''s still charged but isn''t activating. This is either a powerful curse or something else entirely," Max ponders out loud while I''m rolling in agony. ¡°Can you tell me what you¡¯re feeling, Boss?¡±


    He dares to ask how I''m feeling! I try to throw a punch, but my body feels like it''s deprived of all its energy. Max easily stops my feeble attack and pushes my hands to the rocky floor.


    ¡°Focus, Boss!¡± Max raises his voice. ¡°I can¡¯t help you if you don¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong,¡± I whine with tears in my eyes. ¡°It feels like someone¡¯s hands are digging into my chest and slowly ripping me apart!¡±


    Max¡¯s face turns utterly pale as he releases my left arm and brings his hand to his chest. ¡°Does Giovanni have access to someone who knows such dark magic?¡± I can see it in Max¡¯s eyes that he¡¯s afraid that he¡¯s next.


    Is that what this is, soul magic, one of the taboo magics thought lost to the world? How could Giovanni, a man who¡¯s never left this small corner of the kingdom, possibly have someone proficient in such dark magic?


    I would¡¯ve heard rumors of such a person, whispers in the dark. And why would Giovanni wait so long to have his revenge if he had someone capable of targeting me this far away?


    No, this isn''t Giovanni''s work; this is someone else entirely!


    But then who was it?


    Could Giovanni have contacted Pacore and ask he have this done to me?


    I doubt it, I might not be an expert in magic, but I know a mage can''t target someone they''ve never seen before. Whoever is doing this to me has to be someone I''ve personally met, most likely someone I¡¯ve made contact with!


    Working backward through the pain, I try to remember the faces of everyone I''ve come in contact with over the last year.


    It can''t be anyone from Silver Herd, and I''ve only met a handful of Scholl officials, so I don''t have to worry about them. Every face that comes to mind is either a known merchant or mercenary, none of which could be responsible for such magic.


    And then it hits me.


    Just as it feels like a third hand is reaching into my chest, the face of a village girl pops into my mind. Oh, gods, her willingness to sign a contract with me without reviewing it!


    Gritting through the pain, I try to feel for my active contracts. And just as I feared, I can no longer feel the link I formed with Aaliyah. In fact, the pain feels like it''s radiating from where our connection used to be. This should be impossible! Aaliyah is from a backwater village and too young to have gotten her hands such a rare form of magic. It should be impossible, but I know it to be the truth.


    Was this her plan all along? Did she somehow cast a spell or put curse me when we met?


    My tears continue to pour down my face as my throat turns dry. The three hands digging around my chest are so painful I can''t even move, and each second that passes makes me feel weaker and weaker.


    I can only imagine this is what dying feels like!


    I can¡¯t even mouth the words to warn Max that it was Aaliyah who did this to me.


    Suddenly, I hear the sound of dirt shifting, and out of the corner of my eye, I see glowing eyes appear down the tunnel we came from.


    The goblins are back!


    Not being able to speak, I look at Max and plead with my eyes that he saves me.


    Max looks me over before nervously glancing down the tunnel, probably counting the growing number of eyes. He¡¯s probably figuring out how many he¡¯ll need to kill before dragging me to safety. Max appears to get an idea, and he pulls my pack closer to us. Is he going to throw some of our food as bait?


    Max opens the pack, but instead of pulling anything out, he grabs one of my hands and starts pulling my rings off my fingers.


    What is he doing!?


    I''m too weak to protest as he removes every ring on my left hand before switching to my right. After removing each of my rings, he rips open my sleeves and forcefully pulls off the bracelets I was hiding under my clothes. Max then proceeds to take off each amulet from around my neck.


    He throws every piece of magic jewelry into my pack before frisking my paralyzed body for anything else I might have hidden. Max quickly finds the bag of gems I was concealing in between my trousers and undergarments. He refuses to look me in the eye as he strips me of all that I''m worth, all while keeping a watchful eye on the goblins slowly creeping closer to us.


    Once Max has everything loaded up, he ties the two packs together and swings them over his shoulder. Finally, after adjusting the pack''s straps, Max looks down at me with a sorrowful expression. "I''m sorry, Boss, but this is where we part ways."


    This son of a bitch! I want to get up and lunge at the man, but I''m still paralyzed in pain, and it doesn''t feel like it will stop anytime soon. The most I can do is glare up at Max.


    ¡°I truly am sorry,¡± Max has the gall to repeat himself. ¡°By the looks of it, you won¡¯t be able to move anytime soon. I could drag you, but if the goblins don¡¯t eventually pick us off, those sent after us surely will. It was a pleasure working for you, Sir,¡± Max bows his head and backs away from me.


    He¡¯s going to leave me behind to be eaten by goblins!


    ¡°How¡­ Could¡­ You¡­ Our¡­ Contract,¡± I manage to stutter through the pain.


    Hearing me, Max¡¯s expression of sorrow hardens into a look of resolve. "I''m sure you, of all people, appreciate how someone can interpret a contract. I have to do my best to protect you while never harming or betraying you. Strong yet simple terms I''ve followed for over two decades now. I can say without a doubt in my heart that this is the best I can do."


    Bullshit, I scream with my eyes, my heart pounding so hard I think it will burst out of my chest.


    "Whether I leave you here or drag you deeper into the mountain, I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll die,¡± Max bluntly tells me. ¡°I¡¯ve done my best to protect you, even when you decided to make Scholl and Giovanni your enemies. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to you, but it¡¯s sealed your fate as well as what I must do.¡±


    Despair starts to overwhelm the pain I¡¯m feeling, but even though I feel the need to cry, my body refuses to produce any more tears.


    ¡°Allow me to help you one more time,¡± Max offers, seeing me start to break down.


    Is he offering to save me? Please, I''ll do anything; I try to convey nonverbally, latching on to this last ray of hope.


    ¡°Terminate the contract between us,¡± Max instructs me.


    Why, how is that going to help me?


    "Terminate our contract so that I can put you out of your misery." Max''s offer is the final nail in the coffin. I''m going to die here in this tunnel, abandoned by the only person I''ve ever trusted.


    How can I die when I was so close to reaching my goals, and not even at the hands of Giovanni either, but at the hands of a village girl who pretended to fall into my trap!


    ¡°Boss, you need to make your decision now. I need to leave,¡± Max looks down the tunnel again at the eyes that seem to remain just outside the light cast by the magic tool.


    Bastard is still calling me boss! Slowly, I manage to raise my head and look Max in the eyes. ¡°Fuck¡­ You,¡± I manage to spit out.


    ¡°So be it,¡± Max shakes his head like he¡¯s disappointed in me.


    Like I would let him off the hook for his contract. If I remember correctly, he agreed that he would forfeit his life should he break our agreement. As soon as he starts to walk away, the contract will eat away at him until he shares my fate.


    ¡°Farewell, Lennard,¡± Max turns around and starts walking.


    Any second now!


    Any second!


    I want to see him drop to his knees in pain before I die. There''s no way our contract will justify his reasoning. You can''t fool your skills; that''s why Contract type skills are so strong. No matter how you try to justify your actions, your skill will still know that you''re trying to weasel your way out of it.


    The light around me grows dimmer as Max walks further down the tunnel. I can hear the goblins breathing in the darkness.


    Why is he not collapsing?


    Does the asshole honestly believe he''s done all that he can?!


    I curse you, Max.


    I curse you with every fiber of my being!


    "Max!" I shout as he rounds a bend in the tunnel, as the last bit of light vanishes.


    *********


    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    "What the hell!?" Out of nowhere, Grey''s contract suddenly became a lot easier to absorb.


    Where once my soul claws were struggling to rip apart the manifestation of experience, they¡¯re now grabbing large chunks of experience and devouring it like it¡¯s nothing. And at the same time, I feel a sudden influx of experience like I just advanced multiple skills at once.


    Why did absorbing the experience become so much easier? My speed had already increased earlier when I managed to form my third soul claw, but nothing compared to this.


    I want to pull up my status page and check my skills, but I still have to finish absorbing what remains of the experience. There was still a quarter of the plaque left, but now, as if the settings were suddenly switched to easy, it should only take me a few minutes to finish up.


    The trembling of my soul''s surface increases as more large chunks of experience are quickly absorbed and made my own.


    And then, just like that, I finish absorbing Grey''s contract.


    Nothing remarkable happens when I absorb the last bit of experience, other than mentally feeling free again.


    "Now, let''s see what leveled," I finally pull up my status page. It¡¯s harder to conjure inside my soul, but once I do, I can only yell, ¡°Oh, shit!¡±


    LV: 74 Experience: 34,230/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,430/2,430


    Stamina 1,650/1,650


    Mana: 797.38/1,020


    Vitality: 243.00


    Endurance: 100.06


    Strength: 152.04


    Dexterity: 150.05


    Senses: 62.48


    Mind: 65.35


    Magic: 102.90


    Clarity: 78.90


    Status Points: 10


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV73), Hammer Skills (LV63), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV31), Alchemy (LV14), Dancing (LV13), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV64), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV44), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV26), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV62), Weighted Strike (LV41), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV29), Contract (LV21)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV59), Mana Skin (LV56), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV36), Magic Blacksmithing (LV31), Air Walk (LV15), Magic Threads (LV15), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV16)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV4)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Alchemy (LV12-14) 1,950exp


    Contract (LV15-21) 18,900exp


    Mental Resistance (LV58-59) 29,250exp


    Ironclad Agreement (LV1-8) 9,000exp


    Appealing Deal (LV1-3) 1,500exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV14-16) 22,500exp


    Soul Devourer (LV3-4) 7,000exp


    Skill Experience: 90,100exp


    Crafting Experience: 8,641exp


    Fighting Experience: 1,883exp


    Total-experience Gained: 100,624exp


    It''s been a long time since I checked my status page twice in a single day, and I can say without a doubt that this is some of the most experience I''ve ever earned in a single day. Minus the day I crafted the general''s arrow and the soul eater battle, of course.


    Seven skills went up in level, and each is crazier than the last.


    I''m happy to see Alchemy jump a few levels after all the work Sandra and I put in, but right now, it''s the least exciting part of my status page.


    It looks like Grey¡¯s experience successfully merged with my own and not only bumped up Contract''s level, but also gave me levels in the two skills I noticed earlier. Judging by their names, Ironclad Agreement makes a contract harder to break, while Appealing Deal nudges a person to accept the contract. Both would''ve been nice to have when I struck my deal with Pacore, but I''m sure they''ll be helpful in the future.


    Overall, I stole 29,400 experience from Grey. Not a lot of experience considering our levels, but seeing how it directly impacted my skills rather than just giving me random experience, I¡¯d say it was worth way more than then that.


    If all that wasn¡¯t enough to be happy with, Mental Resistance went up two levels, Soul Manipulation went up by three, and Soul Devourer went up by two as well.


    I¡¯m happy when one of those skill levels, but all three! I can¡¯t help but stand up and awkwardly dance around my clearing.


    I hit level 74 earlier than I expected, cleared Grey¡¯s contract out of my soul, and even earned some extra experience from crafting engraving ink and¡­


    Why did I get fighting experience? I didn''t practice with Tabitha today, let alone kill anything.


    Or did I?!


    Did Grey kick the bucket after I absorbed his experience?


    Suddenly a lightbulb goes off in my head; that¡¯s why it suddenly became easier to absorb the plaque! Grey died while I was absorbing the experience, and it lost its connection to him. That must be it! The experience still wanted to escape my soul, but that''s why Soul Devourer suddenly had an easier time absorbing it.


    "Grey is dead," I say out loud, almost as if to make it official.


    But the question is, did me absorbing Grey''s experience kill him, or did something else cause his demise? Depending on the answer, I''ll have to be even more careful with my tier 6 skill.


    Either way, I¡¯ll have to let Giovanni know in the morning. I¡¯ll tell him I¡¯m not 100% positive Grey is dead, but I¡¯ll tell Giovanni I got some extra experience and what I think that means. I¡¯ll leave it up to him to decide what he wants to do with that information.


    I know I shouldn¡¯t be happy that I¡¯ve technically killed another person, but I can¡¯t bring myself to feel bad. Grey did awful things to people, and the world is better now that he¡¯s gone.


    Despite thinking that, I bring my hands together, bow my head, and offer a short prayer. ¡°May you be better in your next life.¡±


    I feel like I''m being watched for a split second, and I immediately look up at the moons hovering over my soul. None of them have turned into eyes, and the feeling of being watched is already gone.


    Was that all in my head? I shake my head and chose not to dwell on it. Even if one of the gods were watching me, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it. At least not as I am.


    Maybe in the future, I can figure out how to shield my soul, but until then, I need to worry about my real-world problems first.


    I have a sparring session with Tabitha in a few hours, and I have status points to distribute after all.

 Ch: 97.0

    Giovanni Turrini¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Here you go, Boss,¡± Marshall sets down yet another stack of documents.


    ¡°Is this all of them?¡± I motion to the four stacks of parchment covering my desk.


    Marshall shakes his head, ¡°This is only the last four months. Grey¡¯s activity increased significantly over the last year.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been this active??¡± I ask, starting to feel the fatigue catching up to me. Opening my desk drawer, I take another swig of the bitter stamina tonic I have hidden there.


    Marshall watches me place the now almost empty vial back into my desk with a worried expression on his face. "Sir, I think you should rest. You can''t keep this up on tonics alone. We''ve been working all night, and the sun has been up for nearly an hour now."


    "I''m fine," I try to reassure Marshall, but his frown just deepens. I don''t have time to argue with him, so I ignore his looks of concern. "Which of these are his most recent deals?¡±


    "The stack on your left," Marshall points out to me. "But all of those reports were submitted before we were cut off from Drey.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything more current?¡±


    ¡°Just the reports from One and Elizabeth,¡± Marshall tells me.


    ¡°Was One able to recover anything from the fire? What about Elizabeth? How is she doing?¡±


    "Nothing of value," Marshall hangs his head. "The explosion destroyed all of Grey''s records, and the subsequent fire torched most of the other documents kept in the building. In regards to Elizabeth, One is periodically checking in on her while also hunting down as many of Grey¡¯s men as she can. Like you, she refuses to sleep until she has had her revenge.¡±


    ¡°Is that wrong?¡± I send a challenging glare at Marshall.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± he responds with a straight face. ¡°But when you crash from constantly sipping stamina tonics, you¡¯ll be out for much longer than if you just took a quick nap.¡±


    ¡°How can I take a nap when Grey is still out there?¡± I clench my fists in frustration.


    ¡°Two and Four are in pursuit,¡± Marshall reminds me. ¡°Both are good at covering long distances quickly. They should be nearing Drey at any moment. I¡¯ve already debriefed them on the situation, so the two of them can immediately start tracking down Grey and Max.¡±


    ¡°Will the two of them be enough?¡± I ask Marshall. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost enough people to that conniving bastard.¡±


    ¡°Max has been working for Grey for years now, and if the information we received from Elizabeth was correct, his level is close to my own. In a straight fight, he might be able to hold off Two and Four, but that''s not how they hunt. The outcome will be decided the moment they catch up to them,¡± Marshall reassures me.


    ¡°As long as they catch up to them,¡± I cynically remark.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t like you to second guess your men,¡± Marshall gives me another worried look.


    I sigh and bring my hands up to my face, tiredly rubbing around my eyes and the bridge of my nose. It''s only been a few minutes since I sipped my stamina tonic, and I can already feel its effects waning. Other than Vitality, I only have a few status points invested in my physical skills. Mentally I can continue, but my body is insisting I stop. I hate to say it out loud but, "We need to be prepared for the possibility Grey might escape. And if that should happen, it¡¯s even more important that we find every person Grey has been colluding with and eliminate them as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doing all that we can.¡±


    ¡°Are we?¡± I hiss in frustration.


    ¡°All the numbers are on the move,¡± Marshall reminds me. ¡°One is handling things in Drey. Two and Four are hunting down Grey. Three is searching around Blaiton for whoever tipped Grey off. Five is moving to Yleles to keep an eye out for any of Grey¡¯s men trying to leave the region. Six is already in Teeburn, and word of the situation should be reaching him soon.¡±


    When was the last time all six of the numbers were mobilized at the same time? One and Four are the most active numbers and prefer always to be working. Two likes to deal with bandit groups, while the other three mostly gather information.


    I hate to admit it, but Grey picked the best moment to run. Most of the numbers were tied up around the main office on account of the war. Then he threw everything into chaos with the explosion yesterday, right when we were reestablishing our lines of communication with Drey and Teeburn. It''s been challenging to convey orders with the chain of command severed.


    Elizabeth was to take over the Drey branch after Grey was killed. But with Elizabeth injured and Grey on the run, not to mention Drey¡¯s branch nearly burning down, none of my people in the city know who they should be reporting to.


    Elizabeth was also in charge of keeping in contact with Six. The magic tool¡¯s signal can¡¯t reach Teeburn, meaning Six won¡¯t know what¡¯s going on until he gets a physical letter by way of a messenger bird. Not that he probably won¡¯t hear of what happened before our letter reaches him.


    Both Pacore and Lord Bullok have already responded to our letters and assured me every Scholl soldier would be on the lookout for Grey and his bodyguard. And judging by how fast we received a reply, I can only assume they used their mages to send their response. Casting a message spell over long distances uses a lot of mana, and few mages outside militaries are practiced in such magic. And I¡¯ve been told commanders are hesitant to have their mages commit to sending such messages because of the mana cost and that they run the risk of something important happening and being unable to send further messages.


    Unless perhaps Lord Bullok has a magic item similar to my own?


    ¡°Uggg," I groan and rub my head. My mind is drifting. I need to stay on target.


    The point is, word of Grey is spreading rapidly. If Six is doing his job, he''ll have heard about what happened and will be on the lookout for Grey. And hopefully, along with Two and Four, the three numbers will be able to box Grey in.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Marshall calls out to me. I lower my hands from my temples and look at my concerned friend. ¡°We¡¯re receiving a communication,¡± he points over to a small desk up against the wall.


    My office is locked down for the moment, with only Marshall and myself able to leave or enter. I moved the communication magic tool off to the side so Marshall could use it while I sort through documents. ¡°Is it Two and Four reporting in?¡± I ask.


    Marshall moves over and checks to see who¡¯s calling. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees which gemstone is flashing. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s Aaliyah again,¡± he tells me.


    "Aaliyah?" I repeat. I''m just as surprised as Marshall. Oh gods, was she not able to break her contract with Grey!?


    I push back from my desk and jump up from my chair, intending to join Marshall by the communicator. In hindsight, the sudden movement was a bad idea. My legs buckle underneath me from sitting too long. Thankfully, I catch myself on my desk before I fall to the floor and worry Marshall further. But my friend noticed that I almost took a tumble and moves over to support me. ¡°Let me help you,¡± he offers me his shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I give Marshall a half-hearted smile as he helps me over to the magic item. Marshall activates the device with his right arm while keeping me stable with his left. ¡°Hello, Aaliyah?¡± I ask into the magic tool with all the professionalism I can muster at the moment.


    "Morning Giovanni," Aaliyah¡¯s perky voice catches me off guard. With how happy she sounds, it''s safe to assume Aaliyah isn''t calling to tell me she failed to break her contract with Grey.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to hear from you so soon. Is everything ok?¡±


    ¡°More than ok,¡± I can feel the excitement in Aaliyah¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Grey is dead.¡±


    And like that, my world stops for a moment. My legs give out on me, and Marshall has to help me to the floor. "Can¡­ can you repeat that?" I ask in a distant voice. I feel myself trembling, waiting for her response.


    "I''m not 100% sure that he''s dead," Aaliyah''s clarification leaves me speechless. Bringing my hand up to my chest, I try to calm my beating heart. My jaw quivers as I try to ask Aaliyah the myriad of questions plaguing my mind, but my tongue refuses to work.


    Marshall sees that I¡¯m having trouble responding and asks what I cannot. ¡°Please explain!¡±


    ¡°What, who is?¡± Aaliyah is caught off-guard by Marshall¡¯s raised voice. But she quickly catches herself, ¡°Oh, you''re Giovanni''s man. Sorry, you didn''t say anything yesterday, and I forgot you were probably listening in."


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Please explain why you think Grey is dead,¡± Marshall quickly brushes off Aaliyah¡¯s apology and pleads for her to explain herself.


    The two of us hear Aaliyah take a deep breath on the other end of the magic tools. She must be collecting her thoughts.


    ¡°I was experimenting and tried a different way of terminating Grey¡¯s contract,¡± Aaliyah begins to explain in an almost cold voice.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± My hoarse voice slipping through my lips unintentionally.


    "I thought it would be more painful for him," Aaliyah answers in her calm, cold voice.


    ¡°Then he suffered?¡± I nervously swallow back a lump in my throat.


    ¡°Verry much so,¡± Aaliyah reassures me. ¡°Anyway, after I terminated our contract, I received some experience points.¡±


    ¡°You leveled a skill?¡± Marshall guesses.


    ¡°No,¡± Aaliyah¡¯s flat reply sends a shiver down both our spines. ¡°I¡¯m positive the experience wasn¡¯t from leveling a skill. It was late at night, and I sure as hell wasn¡¯t crafting anything either. That only leaves one explanation for why I would get any experience.¡±


    My office is silent as Aaliyah takes a dramatic pause. Marshall and I wait with bated breath for her to continue. And when she does, it''s like a lightning spell strikes us.


    "I had to have killed something; that''s the only explanation I can think of," Aaliyah confidently tells us.


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Marshall nods along in agreement. ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much to ask, about how much experience did you get?¡±


    There¡¯s another pause from Aaliyah, but right when I think she isn¡¯t going to answer Marshall¡¯s question, she does. ¡°I got about 1,800 experience. But I¡¯ve never experienced something like this before; is 1,800 a lot, or too little?¡±


    Marshall hums in thought. "Grey''s level was in the high fifties, maybe low sixties, based on how much experience you gained, I''d say whatever you did to his contract must have incapacitated him. Something else must have killed him, or else you would''ve gotten more experience."


    ¡°Even though I was that far away from him?¡± Aaliyah questions Marshall.


    "The distance might affect it a little bit, but the distance doesn''t matter so long as you helped kill him. Think about archers; depending on their stats, the best of them can hit a target a quarter of a mile away, even farther if you factor in skills and magic. The archer may earn less experience if it was a lucky shot, but he''ll still be rewarded for the kill," Marshall explains.


    "Same applies to a support mage using magic to boost the archer''s attack. The mage might not have personally killed the target, but depending on the scale of magic used and how much he could boost the archer¡¯s attack, he¡¯ll still be awarded a varying amount of experience points for his contribution.¡±


    As Marshall explains the nuances of combat experience, I manage to calm down and gather myself to stand back up, though only thanks to Marshall helping me. ¡°So, the two of you believe Grey is dead?¡± I ask soberly.


    ¡°It sounds like it, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, try not to sound so excited,¡± Aaliyah¡¯s sarcasm is clearly transmitted through the magic tool.


    I should be happy, but for some reason¡­ I¡¯m not.


    Grey is dead. It will need to be confirmed by Two and Four, but Aaliyah and Marshall seem convinced. I should be jumping for joy, figuratively speaking, of course, but I don''t have the energy to walk by myself, let alone jump for any reason. The point is the man who betrayed me is dead, and all I feel is tired and hollow inside.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Marshall gives me a concerned look.


    ¡°Is everything ok over there?¡± Aaliyah picks up on the heavy atmosphere on our end.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I tell Aaliyah. ¡°We¡¯re just tired on this end.¡±


    ¡°You should get some rest then.¡± Aaliyah¡¯s suggestion earns me an ¡®I told you so¡¯ look from Marshall.


    "I''ll get right on that," I let out a sigh and change the topic. "Thanks for taking the time to let us know about Grey. We''ll have our people look into the possibility of his death. If something important happens, I''ll send word from Drey."


    ¡°Does that mean the branches are connected again? I mean, even after the explosion yesterday?¡± Aaliyah sounds surprised by how quickly we¡¯re recovering.


    "The explosion complicated things, but we''ll regain control shortly," I downplay the trouble that we''re having. Aaliyah is a vital ally to Silver Herd; we can''t shake her confidence in us more than this situation already has. ¡°I should be able to send Kervin back to your village in a couple of weeks; is there anything you want or need? Or do you wish for Kervin to wait until the new year before he returns to your village like your contract with Grey stated?¡±


    "I don''t think there''s much point in waiting," Marshall and I hear Aaliyah scoff on the other end. "The whole point for Kervin not to visit our village was to keep us from getting noticed by Scholl. I''m pretty sure that ship has long since sailed. Tell Kervin he better be ready when he returns to the village; our fields have exploded in size, and I hear a certain kingdom is looking to buy food.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to let him know; anything else?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I could use some more kaglese ore if you have it.¡±


    Does she not have enough to complete her order? We¡¯ve already started negotiations with Scholl over Aaliyah¡¯s weapons. "I can see what we have, but kaglese comes from a mine close to Olebert''s capitol. Since Pacore took over Yleles and the earl''s fort, we''ve been cut off from our normal suppliers. I can scrounge together some ore but not much. How much do you need to complete your order?"


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m already almost done with that,¡± Aaliyah¡¯s casual remark sends my head spinning. Weapons that can be enchanted usually take a while to make, and a blacksmith needs to spend time testing the weapon to make sure it fits the bill. Should I ask her if she''s sure all her weapons can handle enchantments, or would she consider that rude?


    Heedless of what she''s saying, Aaliyah continues to brag about her work. "I have forty spears and swords ready, and all I have left is to make more of those special arrows."


    ¡°Arrows like the one sold to General Pitz?¡±


    "Yeah, those," Aaliyah cheerfully replies. "In fact, if it will be a few more weeks until Kervin makes it back to the village, I should have them done by then if you want them early?"


    Usually, craftsmen ask for an extension to their deadlines, not the opposite. And she¡¯s managed to make eighty kaglese weapons! We should¡¯ve done more to keep her hidden from Scholl. ¡°But you have enough kaglese for the arrows?¡±


    "Oh, yeah, I have enough kaglese for the arrows; I was just wondering if you can get me more so I can make a few more weapons. It''s ok if you can''t; I know it can''t be easy getting kaglese right now."


    She sounds so confident; it¡¯s making me feel even more tired. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Thanks. Now I don¡¯t want to be the rude one, but I have a battle junkie probably waiting for me to return to the village.¡±


    ¡°Battle junkie?¡± Marshall repeats.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Aaliyah mumbled voice comes out of the magic tool. ¡°I just have to get back to the village.¡±


    ¡°Then we won¡¯t take up any more of your time,¡± I politely move to end the conversation. Good thing too, Aaliyah told me a lot of things I need to think over.


    ¡°Until next time then,¡± the communication magic tool goes dark.


    ¡°Marshall, can you help me back to my desk?¡±


    ¡°Sure, Boss,¡± Marshall helps me stager back into my chair. Once I¡¯m seated, Marshall asks me, ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    He must be referring to Grey¡¯s death.


    It still doesn''t feel real; I have all this anger pent up with no one to direct it at. It''s good that Grey is probably dead, but I wanted him to die by my hands. I wanted to be able to tell Elizabeth that it was our numbers who got him when she wakes up. Well, I guess I can still tell her that he¡¯s dead, but it won¡¯t be the same.


    ¡°Try to get in contact with Two and Four, let them know about the change in the situation and that they might have to search for a body,¡± I give Marshall my orders.


    ¡°And you, Sir?¡±


    Leaning back in my chair, my eyes start to droop. I don''t even want to lift my arms to reach for the remains of my stamina tonic.


    What¡¯s the point in me staying up now? The man we were hunting is no longer a threat.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Marshall asks me again after I don¡¯t answer him for a few minutes.


    ¡°Wake me up in four hours,¡± I tell him, letting my eyes close. As soon as they shut, I feel the full weight of my fatigue kick in. I can feel myself slipping into unconsciousness. ¡°Remember, four hours. I¡¯ll fire you if you let me sleep longer than that,¡± I mumble as I drift off to oblivion.


    ¡°Yes, Boss, have a nice nap,¡± is the last thing I hear before sleep takes me.

 Ch: 97.5

    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    That wasn¡¯t exactly how I thought that conversation would go, I think to myself.


    I''m almost back to the village, but I''m still puzzled over why Giovanni didn''t sound happier after his man agreed with me that Grey was probably already dead. If anything, he just sounded out of it. And I certainly didn¡¯t expect our conversation to switch towards the order I promised Grey.


    I¡¯m all for talking business, especially since I could use some more kaglese, but I was expecting to be grilled on why I thought Grey was dead, not asked how my work was going.


    It might have just been me, but it almost felt like Giovanni was disappointed I killed Grey. Well, I helped kill him if Giovanni''s bodyguard was correct. That''s probably it; Giovanni wanted his own revenge for what Grey did to his people only to find out he''s already dead. To Giovanni, it might feel like he was denied closure.


    I can''t help but let out a small sigh. I might feel bad for Giovanni, but I won''t feel bad about killing Grey; he was a conniving monster, and now that he''s dead, my family and I are a lot safer.


    I won¡¯t let Giovanni¡¯s response ruin my day. Yesterday was very productive, and I want to keep the ball rolling. Up ahead, I see a break in the trees.


    After last night, I feel like I''ve learned a lot about my skills and overcame some of my fear I have towards my tier 6 skill. I''ll still have to be incredibly careful when using it, but like all power, it''s how you use it that matters.


    Walking out of the forest and seeing my house, I stop and close my eyes, letting the spring sunshine wash over me. The weather is simply perfect. A slight breeze catches my hair, and I take a moment to appreciate the serenity of the moment.


    "You''re back." And like that, Tabitha''s approaching voice pulls me out of my little piece of heaven. Opening my eyes, I see Tabitha strolling over to me, wearing her usual armor. "I didn''t see you running with your mom.¡±


    The way Tabitha can say that with a blank stare really throws me off. Is she trying to accuse me of running away? Is she trying to make small talk? I just don''t know. The only time I can accurately read Tabitha is when we''re sparring or when she''s asking me to spar.


    ¡°I had something else to take care of,¡± I simply tell her. Tabitha doesn¡¯t physically react to my answer, choosing to keep the blank look on her face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little early to be looking for me?¡± I ask in an accusing voice. I left the house earlier than usual this morning to contact Giovanni as soon as possible. Mom is probably still doing her laps around the village, meaning Tabitha shouldn¡¯t be showing up at my house for at least another twenty minutes or so.


    "I asked your mom where you were, and she told me you took a trip into the forest again."


    Damn it, Mom, you couldn''t have covered for me! I bet she told Tabitha where I was at just to mess with me. I''ve explained to Mom and Dad a dozen times about how clingy Tabitha is and how much it annoys me. I bet Mom is laughing herself silly right now.


    ¡°So, you decided to wait for me,¡± I interpret Tabitha¡¯s answer.


    Tabitha nods, confirming my suspicions, before looking me over. She grins, seeing that I''m already in my armor, but her eyes narrow judgingly when her gaze falls to the scimitar strapped to my side.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± I step in before she can say anything. ¡°I¡¯m just wearing it because it¡¯s easier to move through the forest with a sword rather than a big ass hammer.¡±


    ¡°You should still be bringing your hammer with you,¡± Tabitha berates me, finally showing some emotion. ¡°You won¡¯t get any better without practicing with it.¡±


    I want to roll my eyes, but I know she''s right. It''s just so difficult lugging my hammer around everywhere. I can take my war hammer to work with me because I can set it down after arriving, but when I¡¯m constantly on the move, there¡¯s no way. It would be best if I could figure out a way to secure my hammer to my back, but any strap I attach to it would get in the way during practice, or gods forbid a battle.


    Anime and games always made it look so easy to carry weapons on your back, but drawing from that position is tricky, and that''s without armor on. I need to come up with an easier way to carry my war hammer without it inconveniencing me¡ªjust something else I''ll need to work on.


    ¡°Give me a minute to run into my house and switch out my gear,¡± I tell Tabitha, walking past her towards my front door.


    I move inside and drop off my sword, stashing the communication magic tool under the loose floorboard directly underneath my bed. It''s not the most original hiding place, but thieves aren''t exactly a problem in a village as small as this. Everyone knows each other, and it''s hard to pass off something as yours when everyone clearly knows it isn''t.


    Even though it doesn''t take long to drop off my stuff and grab my hammer, I take my time moving around the house. Tabitha is early, so it isn''t my problem if she waits for a bit. A trained soldier like Tabitha could probably stand in place for hours if she had to. Besides, I¡¯m mostly just trying to kill some time until Sandra arrives. She should be here soon if she¡¯s as excited as I am to check on the engraving ink.


    After getting a drink of water and filling up my waterskin, I decide I¡¯ve kept Tabitha waiting long enough. Hoisting my war hammer onto my shoulder, I open the front door.


    And just as I expected, as soon as I step outside my house, I come face to face with a patiently waiting Tabitha. Sandra isn''t here yet, but I suppose we can walk towards her house and meet her there. I start walking, and Tabitha silently follows next to me.


    I expected us to run into Sandra on the way to her house, but there is no sign of her even as we approach her home. Is she staying home today?


    I knock on the solid wooden door three times until I hear Sandra''s voice come from the other side, "One moment!" A minute later, Sandra answers the door with disheveled clothes and hair. "Oh, Aaliyah! Are you done with your morning run already?" Sandra leans out the door and looks at the position of the sun.


    "I had something else to do this morning, and I finished early," I explain to my friend. "What''s with your new look?" I poke fun at her appearance. It looks like she threw her clothes on in a hurry.


    ¡°Just getting ready,¡± Sandra hurriedly tells me before trying to straighten out her clothes.


    Glancing behind Sandra, I see Brother resting against their kitchen table without a shirt on with equally messy hair matching Sandra''s.


    I stare at Richard for a full minute before it finally clicks what they were doing. I start awkwardly coughing up a lung as my face turns bright red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting you,¡± I squeak to Sandra.


    Sandra realizes what I¡¯m referring to and starts to turn red as well. ¡°We live together, we¡¯re allowed to...¡±


    Sandra starts to justify herself like they were doing something wrong, but it only makes the situation more awkward. "I don''t need an explanation," I quickly interrupt Sandra before she scars me for life. I already had to block out moments from when I was a baby involving my parents; I''d rather not add to that by discussing what my Brother and best friend do in their spare time. "Don''t you have work?" I cast an accusing glare at Richard, who''s chucking at our antics.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking the day off,¡± Richard matter-of-factly tells me. "Sandra and I have been busy since we came back to the village, and I thought we could spend the day together,¡± he says, with a widening grin.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that sounds¡­ nice,¡± I awkwardly reply. Coughing into my hand, I try to regain my composure. ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t want to check on the engraving ink with me?¡± I ask Sandra.


    ¡°I still want to check on the engraving ink with you,¡± Sandra reassures me. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t planning to stay and watch Tabitha beat you up again.¡±


    "What a friend," I say sarcastically.


    ¡°And don¡¯t you forget it,¡± Sandra winks at me. ¡°Give us a few minutes to properly get ready.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± I wave her off. ¡®Take your time, please.¡±


    Sandra walks to her bedroom, followed by Richard. But before he turns the corner, Richard sends me one last cocky grin.


    He better not think I won¡¯t get him back for this.


    **********


    Tabitha and I wait outside for ten minutes before Sandra and Richard come out in each other¡¯s arms. The two of them stay glued to each other the whole way to Master''s clearing. Sandra and Richard are so sickeningly sweet together that I think I''m starting to get a stomach ache. I wonder if Tabitha will accept that as an excuse if I tell her I don¡¯t want to practice today? Probably not.


    No, I¡¯m not going to try and get out of our sparring session today; I''m actually looking forward to it. Last night, after thinking about it, I decided I would wait to distribute my status points until we¡¯re sparring; that way, I might surprise Tabitha and finally score a good hit on her.


    ¡°Morning, Master,¡± I call out as our group walks into the clearing.


    "Morning," he responds without looking at us; he''s too busy putting on his armor to notice the extra person in our group.


    ¡°I take it this means you¡¯re actually going to spar with Tabitha,¡± I remark as we near Master.


    ¡°Stone kin don¡¯t go back on their word,¡± Master huffs as he puts on his helmet.


    I briefly consider pointing out to Master that he didn¡¯t actually agree to fight Tabitha yesterday, buuuut¡­


    If I did that, I wouldn¡¯t have someone to distract Tabitha later.


    So, Master.


    For the good of everyone.


    Sacrifice yourself.


    I offer a quick prayer for Master¡¯s wellbeing.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more of you,¡± Master remarks when he turns and sees Brother standing next to Sandra.


    "Sandra and I are just stopping by," Brother offers Master a polite smile.


    "Is that so?" Master doesn''t sound interested in Richard''s explanation.


    "Let''s get going," Tabitha steps forward with her battle-hungry expression. Seeing Master in his armor must have pushed her over the edge. All of us sigh together as Tabitha starts walking towards the quarry. Whether I manage to surprise Tabitha with my new Strength or not, I have a feeling today''s sparring session is going to be more intense than the others.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for us to walk to the quarry. And as soon as we arrive, Tabitha happily hops into the pit, brandishing her shield and sword. "Who wants to go first?" She shouts up to us.


    This woman.


    "We''re not starting yet," I groan in annoyance. She heard us talking about the engraving ink; hell, she even gave us advice. If she¡¯s playing with us, she¡¯s doing a damn good job at it.


    Tabitha frowns in disappointment as Sandra and I make our way down into the quarry. The two of us ignore her sour expression and walk straight into the mine. We leave Richard behind with Master and Tabitha, he¡¯s never been to an area as magical dense as the bottom of the mine before, and there wasn¡¯t really a reason for him to chance getting mana poisoning on his one day off.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that later,¡± Sandra smirks at me after conjuring a ball of light.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware,¡± I suppress a shiver from running up my spine. If I anger Tabitha any more than I already have, she might increase the difficulty of our sparring session right off the bat, and a few status points won¡¯t make up for that. I need her to underestimate me up until I¡¯m ready to strike.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Sandra continues to poke fun at me until we reach the deepest part of the mine.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s there mana level at now?¡± Sandra asks me as I pick up and examine the bottle of engraving ink that holds our first batch.


    ¡°800.24,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Is that good?¡± Sandra cocks her head to the side.


    "We''ll have to do some math. The solution started with 157.38 mana; it then gained .13 mana two hours after we made it. I pumped 627 mana into the solution to bring it up to 784.51. If we subtract the 784.51 from the 800.24, we arrive at 15.73 mana gained since we left the engraving ink down here. The engraving ink has been charging here for almost eleven hours, meaning the solution absorbed 1.43 mana an hour."


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the engraving ink absorbed mana twenty-two times faster down here?!¡± Sandra exclaims.


    "Yep," I feel a smile creeping across my face. It would be nicer if the absorption rate were higher, but it''s still leagues better than what it was outside the mine. But I still need to see how much total mana the ink needs to absorb.


    Sandra remains quiet while I use Inject Mana on the engraving ink. I start slow and slowly build up the amount of mana I force into the solution.


    I need to be cautious with my mana; unlike yesterday, I need my mana to train with Tabitha. If I try sparring with her without Mana Skin activated, I¡¯ll get the shit beat out of me in no time at all.


    10 mana, 25 mana, 45, 70, I slowly channel my mana until I feel the engraving ink stop willingly absorb it.


    ¡°Another 122.39 mana," I inform Sandra. At least it wasn''t too much. "There might be a slight difference in the amount of mana each batch of engraving ink needs, but it should be around 922 mana. If we subtract the mana the ink started with, that leaves us with 765.25 mana the ink needed to absorb."


    I do some long division in my head and tell Sandra my results. "If we left the engraving ink outside, it would take 490.5 days for the ink to mature, but here in the mine, it only takes 22.3 days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Sandra jumps with joy. If it takes less than a month for the engraving ink to mature down here, she won¡¯t need to worry about it after I leave.


    She''s right; this is good news. I hold up the bottle of charged engraving ink to better see its contents under Sandra''s light spell. The purple in the mixture has become much more dominant than the black, and if you look closely enough, you can see flashes of silver light glinting inside.


    I want nothing more than to run out of this mine and try enchanting something, but I can''t let myself get caught up in the hype of success. If I do, I''ll spend all my time enchanting, and my smithing and sparring will suffer.


    I can practice with the ink on my next day off, but I should wait until next week before really trying to enchant anything. The day we would''ve spent continuing our research will turn into our enchanting day. I''m sure Sandra will want to watch everything I do and take notes for when she tries herself. In a few weeks, Kervin should return to the village, and Sandra can order the materials Master needs to make her an engraving pen.


    Then again, Sandra did mention she¡¯s close to figuring out Inject Mana. If she can unlock that skill, she¡¯ll be able to use my engraving pen even though it doesn¡¯t have the runes usually required to work.


    ¡°Twenty-two days isn¡¯t that long to wait,¡± Sandra continues to dance with joy. ¡°With this, the engraving ink is officially done!¡± Sandra skips across the rocky cavern and pulls me into a celebratory hug.


    After months of testing and dozens of failures, we¡¯re finally finished. Looking back, it almost feels like a miracle that we made it this far. I¡¯m tempted to ask Giovanni who he got the instructions from because whoever they were, they certainly left out a lot of crucial details. If it weren''t for my background in working with magic metals or my overpowered Sense Mana skill, the first few steps would''ve taken us years to decipher.


    Then there were the fourth and fifth steps, both of which couldn''t have been completed if you didn''t have prior knowledge of making engraving ink. This must be how alchemists have kept their trade from being practiced by any fool who manages to get their hands on a recipe.


    How could an average person possibly tell when the engraving ink has absorbed enough mana? If someone didn''t know the engraving ink needed to cure in a high mana environment, it would take a little over sixteen months for the ink to mature in normal conditions.


    I also find it funny how you need enchantments to craft engraving ink and use it properly. You need a mana gathering array to cure the ink because not everyone has a magicite mine to throw their problems in. Then an average mage needs their engraving pen enchanted before they can enchant other things. It''s a complicated system that requires someone who already knows what they''re doing.


    The fact that Sandra and I completed what we have is nothing short of amazing. Wrapping my arms around Sandra, I return her hug. We stay like that for a minute, enjoying our success.


    But we can¡¯t stay down here all day, and all this jumping around is draining Sandra¡¯s Stamina. When we separate, Sandra has to stop and catch her breath from all the excitement.


    I patiently wait for my friend to recover before we make our way out of the mine.


    "So, you''re not sticking around?" I ask Sandra as we walk out of the mine and into the quarry.


    "Sorry, but I''m looking forward to spending the day with Richard."


    I fake a gagging noise, making Sandra chuckle.


    ¡°Jealous, she wants to hang out with me instead?¡± Richard confidently strolls up to us before leaning in and locking lips with Sandra.


    ¡°Now I really am going to barf,¡± I turn away from the passionate couple. ¡°Can¡¯t you guys do that somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Richard tells me when he pulls back for air.


    I roll my eyes at Brother and turn to Sandra. "Can you drop this off on the workbench on your way to the village?" I ask, holding out the bottle of engraving ink.


    ¡°Sure, not a problem,¡± Sandra takes the glass bottle with a smile. Richard scoots up next to her and wraps his arm around Sandra¡¯s waist. Wrapped around one another, the couple makes their way towards the ramp leading out of the quarry.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t want to stay and watch me get my butt kicked,¡± I shout at Richard¡¯s retreating figure.


    "Sandra''s told me all about it," he yells over his shoulder. "Let me know when you can actually put up a fight, so I can come and root for Tabitha." Even though I can only see the side of Richard''s face, I can tell he''s grinning ear to ear.


    I want to shout something witty in response, but Tabitha chooses this time to step forward. "Ready to start!?" The crazed look in her eye suggests the answer ''no'' wasn¡¯t an option. "I''ve been waiting patiently."


    I glance over at an exasperated Master, who''s sending angry looks at Tabitha. Waiting patiently, my ass, I bet she was hounding Master for a quick spar the whole time we were gone. But considering Master''s armor isn''t dented, it looks like he refused her request.


    It¡¯s no wonder she looks ready to pounce at me.


    I grit my teeth; I don''t want to jump straight into fighting. "Ok, I''m ready. But could we start with the Dancing practice first?"


    Tabitha starts to grin in excitement, but her smile catches when she hears I want to start off slow. She looks disappointed for a moment before she gets a resigned look on her face. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s ok.¡±


    Tabitha and I set aside our weapons and square off two feet away from each other. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Sandra and Richard disappear from sight. I was hoping Sandra would be here when I try and catch Tabitha off guard, but I can¡¯t fault her for wanting to spend time with Richard. That¡¯s what Richard is for.


    "Ready," Tabitha shouts. That''s her way of telling me to prepare myself.


    Oh well, I guess if Sandra isn¡¯t here, I don¡¯t have to worry about her making fun of me should I fail. ¡°Ready,¡± I echo.


    Tabitha steps forward with her right foot at the same time I step back with my left.


    While it¡¯s Tabitha¡¯s goal to position herself to trip me, it¡¯s my job to mirror her movements. As long as I can directly match her movements, I¡¯ll remain upright. If I don¡¯t¡­ well, it isn¡¯t like I haven¡¯t fallen a hundred times already.


    That said, it''s more complicated than it sounds.


    If a random person started watching us right now, they would probably wouldn''t call what we''re doing dancing. They''d most likely call it a game of cat and mouse, with Tabitha chasing after me while I dodge her feet. But not me.


    The only reason our movements look like Tabitha is chasing me down is that I''ve yet to reach her level of skill. If I could move better and try to trip Tabitha in return, our training would look a lot more like dancing.


    But sadly, I''m not at Tabitha''s level yet.


    Sure, I dodge Tabitha¡¯s first few leg sweeps, but the woman is relentless. She keeps the pressure up until I make a mistake and land on my ass.


    Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds, not a bad starting point for the day. Tabitha always starts strong, and it takes me a bit to get ahold of her rhythm. It''s one of the reasons I prefer to start with dancing.


    Hopping to my feet, I get back into position.


    Part of me wants to distribute my points now, but I know I only have one chance to surprise her, and I can¡¯t waste it on this.


    So, I endure; that''s what I do.


    Get up.


    Dodge.


    Get knocked on my ass.


    Repeat.


    Tabitha and I do this for two grueling hours before she calls out for us to stop. "I think that''s enough of a warmup." Tabitha wipes a single bead of sweat away from her cheek while I''m panting like a dog and rubbing my sore hind corners. ¡°Time for the real fun!¡±


    I have to keep myself from groaning. Just remember, it will all be worth it later.


    Tabitha picks up her shield and draws her sword while I''m a little bit slower in grabbing my hammer. Once we both have our weapons, we take up similar positions to when we''re dancing, but this time there''s fifteen feet between us. You would think that''s a reasonable distance to start from, but people at our level can move fifteen feet in a split second.


    There''s a tense moment where the two of us are staring each other down. I roll my shoulders, adjust my grip on my weapon, and double-check Mana Skin, all without taking my eyes off Tabitha.


    Unlike the dancing, Tabitha won''t say when we''re starting. She''s stricter when we''re using weapons and less forgiving. ¡°That¡¯s how it is on the battlefield,¡± she always says.


    I, of course, could rush forward to start us off, but I gave up that strategy after our second sparring session. Charging Tabitha in the beginning never works.


    No, I wait for Tabitha to make the first move. And like a beast watching an injured animal, it doesn¡¯t take long for Tabitha to pounce.


    Her feet glide across the ground, and in a second, she''s right in front of me. Tabitha slashes at me with her sword, but I''m not as weak as I once was. Only using Double Step, I manage to move out of the way of her sword''s trajectory. I used to have to use Flash step to dodge Tabitha¡¯s strikes , but now I can radially do it with only using Double Step.


    Using Mana Threads, I switch my grip on my hammer and anchor myself in place. I swing with all my might, aiming for Tabitha¡¯s shield.


    Tabitha smiles at my counterstrike, happy as can be. She adjusts her arm a fraction of an inch, just enough so that my hammer won''t find much purchase on her shield. Tabitha still needs to step back when my weapon collides with her shield, but that''s it; I can''t send her flying unless I score a direct hit.


    Instead of pushing forward with another attack, I take the opportunity to jump back and regain some distance.


    I don¡¯t like taking such a passive approach to fighting, but it¡¯s the only way I can deal with Tabitha. She¡¯s just too good at counterattacking. Every time I initiate an attack, it always ends with me getting my armor cut to ribbons.


    Tabitha switches her stance and once again presses the attack.


    A slash from the left, step back with my right foot.


    She swings from the right; I step back to the left.


    Compared to the first time I fought Tabitha, the difference in my movements is almost like night and day. Should I distribute my points now?


    As soon as that thought crosses my mind, I lose focus for a split second, and Tabitha gets me with a horizontal slash.


    That was a stupid mistake; I berate myself as I activate Flash Step to gain some distance. If I don''t immediately put some distance between us, Tabitha will undoubtedly score a few more hits. As if to prove my point, Tabitha''s sword arcs through the air, slicing where I was a moment ago.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting better,¡± Tabitha grins at me. ¡°We¡¯re going to have so much fun.¡±


    Now, while she¡¯s distracted!


    I mentally pull up my status page and quickly distribute my status points. Two points go into Vitality, bringing it up to 245. Three points go into Strength, raising it to 155. Then I pour the last five points into Dexterity, also bringing it to 155.


    A warmth washes over my body, chasing away my fatigue as my soul erupts in vibrant colors. It''s been a while since I''ve last leveled; I forgot how good it feels. The feeling of getting stronger!


    Using Flash Step again, I attack before Tabitha has a chance to notice the change in my stats.


    Her eyes widen in surprise as I cover the distance between us faster than usual. Raising my hammer over my head, I aim for Tabitha¡¯s head.


    I¡¯m under no delusions that I could actually hurt her, but I¡¯ll try.


    As I''m bringing my hammer down, I see a manic smile form on Tabitha''s face that sends a shiver down my spine. Her feet blur underneath her as they instantly take up a defensive stance.


    Tabitha raises her shield in front of her as if intending to take my strike head-on.


    Without hesitation, I active Weighted Strike to add even more force behind my swing. No holding back now!


    Time feels as if it¡¯s slowing down as my hammer slams into Tabitha¡¯s shield. That¡¯s it, a clean hit!


    Tabitha tries to reduce the force of my blow by taking a step back, but I won¡¯t let that happen. By stepping further into my strike, I keep the pressure on Tabitha. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you shrug this off!¡± I madly shout.


    Tabitha just grins behind her shield, ¡°Fine then.¡±


    Just then, Tabitha does something unexpected. She lets her stance crumble, choosing to let her shield bear the full force of my attack.


    Tabitha is sent rolling across the quarry floor before springing up without a single injury to show for my attack. "That attack had some oomph behind it," Tabitha remarks as she shakes out her shield arm. "You leveled up, didn''t you?"


    Damn, it only took her a moment to figure out why I was stronger.


    ¡°Then this must be your new level of strength,¡± Tabitha looks me over with a discerning eye. "That''s good, very good," she starts walking towards me. "The more you level, the harder I can push you."


    Of course, she would be happy that I¡¯m stronger.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what your new limits are,¡± Tabitha maniacally smiles at me.


    Oh, fuck!


    Tabitha disappears from my sight.


    It''s only thanks to Sense Mana that I know she just flash-stepped behind me to the left, right out of my peripheral vision.


    I immediately try to use my own Flash Step to escape, but as soon as I switch spots, I sense that Tabitha has followed me, maintaining the exact same position.


    I can''t keep using Flash Step like this, or I''ll burn out my Stamina. Double Step helps me turn in place just in time to raise my war hammer in defense, but this time Tabitha isn''t holding back. She slashes at me three times in quick succession, of which I only block the first one. The other two cuts smoothly slice through Mana Skin and my chest piece before drawing blood underneath.


    Activating Intimidating Shout, I swing my hammer, hoping to push her back or make her retreat, but Tabitha easily dodges my frenzied strike.


    A brief flash of metal in front of me, and I feel another cut open over my left ribs.


    She''s no longer content with just cutting my armor; Tabitha is out for blood. I might have poked the farkas one too many times.


    Tabitha then slams her shield into me before I can react, sending me flying backward. If it weren''t for the Mana Threads out of my hands, I''d probably would''ve dropped my weapon as I skid across the hard floor.


    I try to scramble to my feet, but the next thing I know, Tabitha is standing next to me, prepared to stab me with her sword.


    Giving up on standing up, I roll and swing my hammer at Tabitha¡¯s feet, forcing her to back off. However, I¡¯m still stuck on the ground, and Tabitha isn¡¯t going to just let me stand back up this time. No, she tries to slash at me again, forcing me to roll to avoid her attacks.


    I can¡¯t even get up!


    ¡°Are you an insect?! Stop crawling around and fight me!¡± Tabitha taunts me.


    This isn¡¯t how this was supposed to go!


    I was supposed to catch Tabitha off guard and prove to myself and her that I¡¯m not just a punching bag.


    I knew she was holding back against me, but I had no idea it was by this much. Just using Flash Step, Tabitha has proven she can dodge anything I throw at her. Should I forfeit? I ask myself as I continue to roll across the quarry floor, chased by a sword-swinging Tabitha.


    This was supposed to be my moment; I grit my teeth. I won''t let it end like this. Think! What can I do?


    First, I need to get back to my feet, which is easier said than done. At least I haven¡¯t lost my weapon yet. My Mana Threads are holding up nicely as I twist across the ground.


    That''s it, Mana Threads! That''s how I''ll get myself up. I have to time it right though, or Tabitha will just knock me to the ground again.


    I continue to barely avoid Tabitha¡¯s swings as I look for an opening. And then my moment arrives.


    During one of Tabitha''s attacks, she extends her arm slightly too far and stabs her sword into the stone floor. It will only take her a second to pull it out, but that''s all the time that I need.


    Instead of continuing to roll away, I crunch up my legs, so my feet are flat on the ground. Using Mana Threads, I secure myself in place. Pushing off with my butt, I use my leg and core strength to stand up. This all happens in the time it takes for Tabitha to pull her sword out of the ground, but my weird movements at least caught her off guard again.


    After being made to roll all over the quarry, I¡¯m not in the best of moods. Drawing back my hammer, I prepare to strike.


    Tabitha is excited to see me on my feet again, and ready''s her shield to block me, but this time I''m quicker.


    Still stuck to the ground with Mana Threads, I balance on one leg, still in striking position, and kick with my other foot.


    Tabitha wasn''t expecting me to attack with my leg and a smile crosses my face when I feel my boot slam into her fancy armor. I even activate Double Step to kick twice essentially. My kicks don''t do much damage, but they succeed in pushing Tabitha back.


    Now replanting my foot, I switch my stance and swing my hammer.


    The combo strike works and my hammer lands squarely across Tabitha''s chest, sending her into the air.


    I did it; I got her!


    Tabitha lands on her feet like a cat, but I can hear her gasping for breath. I must have knocked the wind out of her. Good, finally. I would be happier if she were coughing up blood, but I''ll take what I can get. Her armor must have stopped most of the force of my swing. Now I''m even more curious to know what it''s made of.


    What am I doing!? I need to press my attack, not compliment her armor!


    I flash step to close the distance, but I still haven''t fully incorporated dancing into my skill, so my movement is still pretty linear. Tabitha is already prepared for me by the time I appear next to her. She parries my hammer with her sword before activating a sword skill that causes her sword to blur out of sight.


    I feel a cut open up on my cheek before I even realize Tabitha has her sword up against my throat.


    ¡°It¡¯s my win,¡± she proclaims with a radiant smile.


    I slowly lower my hammer in defeat. At least this is the first time I''m not ending a sparring match on my back.


    Tabitha sheaths her sword. ¡°That was the first time you managed to hit me, and you did it when I was using most of my skills too.¡±


    Most of her skills?! So, that means even after all that, she wasn''t taking me seriously. That''s another blow to my pride, but at least I''m improving.


    "You did good," Tabitha honestly praises me, leaving me dumbfounded. "But remember, you won''t always have extra status points in every battle. It''s better to improve your skills rather than relying on a momentary burst of power."


    ¡°I understand,¡± I nod my head, taking Tabitha¡¯s words to heart.


    "Though at least you put some points in Vitality." I''m confused by Tabitha''s remark until she points at my chest, and I look down.


    One, Three, Seven, Thirteen, Sixteen cuts total. I didn''t even feel some of them. Is Tabitha bragging about her handiwork?


    It takes me a moment to see it, but I finally notice what she meant about raising my Vitality. Though her cuts drew blood, none of them were very deep, and the oldest of cuts have already started scabbing over. Oh yeah, I forgot when you put status points in Magic and Vitality, it helps you recover those faster.


    Just like how my Stamina is nearly bottomed out, but I can feel it regenerating faster than it normally would be. We just finished fighting, and I usually would need to rest for thirty minutes before my Stamina would start refilling this fast.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to go again soon,¡± Tabitha happily proclaims.


    ¡°Uhhhh, I think it¡¯s master¡¯s turn,¡± I try to divert Tabitha¡¯s attention to somebody else. Sure, this was my best sparring session yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m ready to try again so soon.


    I turn to where Master was sitting, only to not see him there. Where did?


    I spot Master standing on the edge of the quarry. Why is he up there? "It''s your turn," I shout up to him.


    Master takes one look at Tabitha and flinches back. ¡°I forgot something back at home. I¡¯ll be back in a little bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re running away! What about Stone kin not going back on their word?!¡± I angrily shout as Master turns away from the quarry¡¯s edge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can,¡± Master shamelessly yells down to us before walking towards his house.


    ¡°Let us go again while we¡¯re waiting for him,¡± Tabitha suggests with a smile that gives me goosebumps.


    Why did you betray me, Master?


    I struggle to hold back my tears.


    Here I go again. It¡¯s a good thing Sandra chose not to stick around.

 Ch: 98

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this supposed to be our day to spend time together?¡± Mother looks up from stitching my armor and pouts. ¡°It feels like you spend all your days off fiddling with your magic.¡±


    ¡°Fiddling?¡± I raise an eyebrow at Mom.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Mom holds up my vest that still has most of the metal plates exposed. ¡°And why did it take you so long to ask me to fix this?!¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± I playfully reply.


    Mom narrows her eyes at me. "We''ll don''t. If you need me to stitch up your armor, I want you to tell me immediately. And don¡¯t try patching it yourself like you did that mess,¡± Mom motions to a pile of torn-up leather sitting next to her workstation. That pile is the last remnants of my breastplate. After my last sparring session with Tabitha, I could no longer patch my armor up and was forced to make a new one.


    ¡°Are these different?¡± Mom holds up one of the plates she¡¯s securing to my new vest.


    I¡¯m surprised she noticed. ¡°Yeah, I reforged them one too many times and was forced to add more steel into the mixture.¡±


    ¡°There heavier; will they defend you better?¡± Mom gives me a concerned look.


    "They''re about the same," I inform Mom with a smile. And once again, I tell my Mom a white lie to make her feel better.


    Truthfully, those new plates are weaker than the old ones. Regular steel can''t match up to kaglese, and after testing the new mixture, I found it''s actually 8% weaker, and that''s only adding a bit more steel to the alloy.


    Oh well, I can''t worry about it now. We''ve already begun prepping the materials to start making the dellinium arrows, and I can''t waste any more time on my armor. Especially if my armor is just going to get shredded again the next time I face Tabitha. She made it quite clear that if I can hit her, she can increase the difficulty of my training.


    I reach up and massage my left shoulder; it''s still stiff from the beating Tabitha gave me a couple of days ago. At least I now have two days off to finish my recovery, and I don¡¯t feel nearly as bad as I did yesterday. Yesterday was the second time I had to craft sore, and I¡¯d forgotten how much more difficult it made working.


    At my level, it¡¯s hard to feel tired with my physical stats as high as they are. If I have a rough day and go home sore, my stats almost all but guarantee that I¡¯ll start feeling better by the time my head hits my pillow. Even during my previous sparring sessions with Tabitha, I was good by the next day. The fact that I still feel some slight pain around my body is a good indicator of how thoroughly Tabitha kicked my ass two days ago.


    I''m happy I''m closer to making her take me seriously, but I''d be lying to myself if I said I wasn''t worried about my next sparring session.


    I wonder if I should warn Mother that she might be helping me fix my armor a lot more than she thinks she will be? Looking over at her, I watch as Mom sews my armor with her strongest thread. Mother always has this profound look on her face when she works, like her eyes are concentrating solely on what she¡¯s doing, all while having a distant look on her face.


    After Mother finishes the seam she''s working on, she holds up my vest and inspects her work before she continues. I think I know where my desire for perfection came from. "As long as it protects you," Mom sends a quick glance at me.


    What? Oh yeah, my armor. I got lost in my head for a moment there. "It should be fine," I reassure her with a smile, but that seems only to make Mom more suspicious.


    "It will protect you, won''t it?" Mother''s eyes drill into me.


    ¡°As much as it can,¡± I answer in a slightly somber voice.


    ¡°What does that mean? What¡¯s the point of wearing armor if it doesn¡¯t protect you?¡±


    ¡°It protects me a little bit,¡± I awkwardly try to explain to Mom. ¡°It¡¯s another barrier protecting me from Tabitha.¡±


    ¡°Some barrier,¡± Mother scoffs. She reaches over and picks up a strip of leather from the remains of my previous armor. ¡°I know you used your magic to wash away the blood before you brought this to me.¡±


    I choose to remain silent, not feeling the need to dig my own grave.


    "You looked nearly dead when you stumbled home two days ago. I''m just worried that lady is pushing you too hard," Mom''s face softens into a look of concern.


    And this is precisely why I tried so hard not to ask her for her help with my armor.


    Taking a deep breath, I sit up straight to convey confidence. "I won''t lie; sparring with Tabitha is tough. I get my butt handed to me more than anything else," I tell Mom, looking her in the eye. "But it''s because she''s so tough on me that I''m improving as fast as I am. My shredded armor and a few cuts are just the price of my training."


    "She doesn''t need to cut you to train you!" Mom admonishes me. I know Mom is concerned for my safety, but I can''t help but smile. "Do you think this is funny?" She scowls at me.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I shake my head while still smiling. ¡°I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have such a caring mother.¡±


    ¡°Flattery won¡¯t work, Missy.¡±


    ¡°I was just telling you the truth, Mom,¡± I smile wryly. ¡°Even though Tabitha¡¯s methods might be extreme, I¡¯ve never felt like my life was in danger. Tabitha may be a battle crazy monster¡­ on second thought, let me rephrase that. Though Tabitha may be weird¡­ Uhm.¡±


    Mom stares at me while I try to think of a better way to describe Tabitha. The awkward moment lasts until I finally decide to be blunt about it. "Tabitha is weird and crazy; anyone can see that, but she''s utterly devoted to Pacore, and by extension, me. Plus, it''s hard to argue with her results."


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you need to get hurt to become stronger?¡± Mom gives me a look that says she isn¡¯t buying it.


    ¡°Yeah, kind of,¡± I shrug. ¡°You have to push yourself if you want to improve, and I¡¯m at the point in my training I need to be tossed around if I want to see any significant growth.¡±


    ¡°Child, you¡¯re killing me,¡± Mom lets out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think the gods sent you to challenge your Father and me.¡±


    ¡°The gods could care less about us,¡± I snort, immediately regretting my remark.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Mom shouts. ¡°Don¡¯t test the gods like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom,¡± I hang my head so she can¡¯t see me roll my eyes. The gods don¡¯t care about people, certainly not the two I met. And that''s probably a good thing. If all-powerful beings like them started to interfere with mortal life, I shudder to think what could happen.


    ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Mom shakes her head, ¡°How did you end up like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me,¡± I point at myself. ¡°I wanted to be a blacksmith.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± Mom rolls her eyes before focusing back on my vest. If we had this conversation half a year ago, Mom would probably be demanding I stop practicing with Tabitha. Though she''s worried about me, Mom knows I have to do this and wouldn''t put me in a position where I have to choose between her and my training. Once again, I''m reminded of how supportive my family is.


    Smiling, I turn back to my own project and the reason that started this whole conversation. Sitting in front of me on the kitchen table is a small stack of wooden boards, the largest only 2'' by 4''''. When I was doing all my prepping yesterday, I cut and planed these small planks for today.


    Off to my right is the bottle of engraving ink, and next to it is my engraving pen. Mom wasn''t wrong to call what I''m doing magic practice, but I¡¯d like to think of it more as furthering my crafting skills. After all, if I can start enchanting my gear, then maybe the armor mom is working on will last longer this time. Though, my armor will probably be the last thing I enchant.


    If Kervin makes it back to the village in a few weeks with more kaglese, I''ll be able to make a brand-new chest piece rather than reforge the one I have now. But of course, I can''t just start experimenting on my weapons and armor. If I screw up the enchantments, what then?


    But I don¡¯t want that happen, that¡¯s why I¡¯m starting off simple.


    I already have most of the runes I''ve discovered memorized, but that''s only when it comes to carving them into the wood. I''ve never had engraving ink to work with before, and It''s impossible to know how my carving will work now that I have it.  That''s why I''m going to do a series of tests to determine how my skills work now that I''ll be enchanting for real.


    First, I grab my engraving pen and the bottle of ink. I remove the small threaded cap on the end of my pen and uncork the ink. As carefully as possible, I slowly dip the engraving ink bottle until a bead of ink starts to pour into my pen. The engraving ink has the consistency of syrup, and it takes me four minutes to fill it up.


    Setting the ink bottle back off to the side, I examine my engraving pen now that it''s full. The pen feels different in my hands now that it''s heavier, but fiddling with it for a little bit is all it takes for it to start to feel natural again. But as I twirl the pen in my hands, I notice there isn''t any ink on its tip. I know there''s a small hole for the ink to dip through, but Sense Mana lets me see that the ink appears to be clogged at the small threshold.


    Did Master not make the hole big enough; do I need to see him to get it fixed? Let''s try pouring my mana into the pen first before I go running to Master Del.


    Using Inject Mana, I transfer a small amount of mana into my engraving pen, and I¡¯m surprised by the results.


    When I practiced without engraving ink inside my pen, my mana would naturally condense in the tip of the pen. The same thing is happening now, but as my mana flows through the pen, it''s reacting with the ink inside it. As my mana is pulled to the tip of the pen, it drags a small bead of engraving ink along with it.


    "That''s so cool!" I can''t help but exclaim. I can already guess how an engraving pen is supposed to be enchanted just by watching how my mana moves through the pen.


    ¡°Having success already?¡± Mom asks from her sewing corner, reminding me I¡¯m not alone. I¡¯m starting to think I might get sucked into my work too easily.


    ¡°I think so,¡± I happily tell her.


    Knowing how the pen functions, I reach over and grab a piece of wood with my left hand. I hold the board steady and move to engrave a basic mana absorbing rune. Mana absorbing runes are the basis of all enchantments, so it only fits I start with them. I focus on the image in my head.


    With Steady Hands activated, I carve out the whirlpool-looking rune, and I quickly realize the difference with using engraving ink.


    Even with me channeling my magic into the engraving pen, the ink doesn''t come out that fast. What would''ve taken me half a minute to carve out normally, the tier 1 mana absorbing rune takes me a full four minutes of slow carving to get just right. I''m all for slow and steady, but the longer it takes me to engrave the rune, the more mana I waste applying it. Plus, there¡¯s the ink I need to worry about.


    If I go too fast, the ink doesn''t fill the channel properly. But on the other hand, if I focus on one spot too long, the ink bunches up and overflows. The former problem is more common than the latter, but both are issues I need to be aware of.


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    When I do finish my first rune, I¡¯ll be the first to admit it¡¯s a little rough around the edges, but the overall shape is there.


    I pause, expecting to gain my long-awaited Engraving skill, but I never feel the tell-tail sign of my soul expanding. Which probably means¡­


    I take my finger and carefully touch a part of the rune. The ink is still runny; it needs to dry¡­ or harden. I actually don''t know what it''s supposed to do.


    Oh, fuck me, there better not be something else complicated to get the engraving ink to dry!


    Wait, Aaliyah, don¡¯t panic, I tell myself. Work with what you have.


    Today is all about testing, meaning there are no wrong answers. I should try channeling magic through the rune, as I did with my engraving pen, and see what that does.


    I need to be creative with how I inject my mana. If I touch the ink, I might ruin it, and I don''t want to mess up on my first test subject. Luckily, I have the skills to channel my magic through the air; I just need to keep my hand an inch away from the rune. I don''t use much mana because not only is the rune engraved on regular wood, but it''s also just a single rune, not a complete enchantment.


    I have no problem directing my mana into the rune, and I can use my Mana Manipulation skill to make sure very little of it is wasted on the transfer.


    The plank gobbles up my mana and quickly reaches its mana threshold, getting it close to disintegrating, but it''s worth it. The rune is doing its job by absorbing my mana, and that''s all that matters. What''s really interesting, though, is what my mana is doing to the rune.


    As the mana absorbing rune continues to eat my mana, the ink is fusing with the wood and taking on its properties. I always wondered how scratching a rune into something doesn''t compromise it structurally, but here is my answer.


    I don¡¯t take my eyes off the rune for a single second as it slowly fuses entirely with the cheap wood. I''m surprised regular wood can support a rune.


    And like that, I jinxed myself again.


    The two triangles on either side of the rune accumulate too much magic, and without an accompanying rune to utilize said magic, the wooden plank disintegrates with the two triangles as the epicenter.


    I stare down at the pile of dust that was my first attempt at enchanting. I know I told myself there were no wrong answers, but watching your work disintegrate in your hands isn¡¯t the easiest thing to watch.


    I give myself a minute to feel frustrated before I get back to work.


    I go over everything that just happened to see if I missed anything during my excitement. Even though my rune wasn''t drawn as pristinely as I would''ve liked, it still worked; that''s something to remember.


    I try to remember the moments the engraving ink was fusing with the wood, filling in the previous material''s surface. I can''t be sure, I was distracted by the material disintegrating, but I think the rune wasn''t able to mimic the wood''s density fully. It makes sense; engraving ink would be way more valuable if it could perfectly take on the principles of whatever it was used on. That, or my engraving ink, isn''t that good. I''m sure it''s like the weapons I make; you would need the best materials to make something truly remarkable.


    I¡¯ll need to keep an eye on my next test to see if I¡¯m right. I reach over and grab the next board.


    This time I¡¯ll try carving two runes, a mana gathering rune along with a one port mana regulating rune.


    My previous test didn''t necessarily disintegrate because of the rune I carved. The board disintegrated because the rune was absorbing my mana, and it didn''t have anything to do with it; the same thing would''ve happened if I were to pour too much mana into anything.


    If I can successfully carve two runes into an ordinary piece of wood, that would be great. But if the wood can''t handle it, I''ll just have to find something else to practice on. Blacksmithing logs have a lot of mana; I bet they could withstand a handful of runes.


    I¡¯m getting ahead of myself again; first, let¡¯s see how much I can do with regular wood.


    Channeling my mana, I start work on the two runes.


    Again, it takes me a few minutes to engrave the mana absorbing rune, then it takes me almost seven minutes to carve out the more complicated mana regulator rune. Lastly, I connect the two runes much as I''ve seen in the various magic items I''ve learned them from.


    My second attempt at a mana absorbing rune has cleaner lines than my first and is a lot closer to the examples I wrote down during my practicing. Sadly, the mana regulating rune is a failure. Examining the rune with Sense Mana shows that there were multiple points where the lines were overdrawn, and I can even spot an area where the lines look like they meet but have a small gap in between them.


    Getting the ink to move like I want it is more complicated than I thought.


    I let out a small sigh. Well, now is the best time to see what happens when a rune is drawn wrong.


    I start pouring my mana into the second test board.


    Almost instantly, the mana absorbing rune starts to work the same as last time, but now it has a place to send the mana it''s drawing in. The mana absorbing rune funnels my mana into the regulating rune, and suddenly a noise pierces our quiet house. The board splinters in my hands, and it sounds like someone is crinkling aluminum foil into a microphone. After that, the split board pieces start to disintegrate like my last test subject.


    So, that¡¯s what happens when a rune is drawn wrong. I only caught sight of it for a second, but Sense Mana picked up a lot of violent mana around the spots I noticed earlier, especially the area where there was a break in the rune.


    If I was practicing on a sword, would the same thing happen? I now see why enchanting is taken so seriously; one wrong move and you could lose whatever it is that you''re working on. That¡¯s a lot of risk considering I failed on the second rune. Each magic item I¡¯ve seen has at least four runes, at least four chances to make a single mistake.


    It¡¯s no wonder a metal box enchanted to heat up goes from being worth a single silver coin to a few gold when enchanted correctly.


    ¡°Aaliyah! Are you ok?¡± Mom leaps up from her chair, dropping my half-sewn vest on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom,¡± I quickly wave her back down.


    "You sure?" Mom asks, not taking my advice and moving next to me. When she reaches me, she looks me over with a critical eye.


    "All fingers accounted for," I jokingly hold up my hands, earning me a glare from Mother.


    ¡°What was that awful noise?¡± Seeing that I¡¯m ok, Mom turns her focus to the table and the pile of ash on top of it.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s what happens when you mess up a rune,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Scared the crap out of me,¡± Mom frowns.


    It must have because for the life of me; I can''t remember the last time I''ve heard Mom swear. "Sorry," I apologize to my flustered mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, as long as you¡¯re alight,¡± Mom lets out a relieved sigh. ¡°But is it safe for you to continue?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    "I mean, is it always going to make that noise when you mess up, or will something worse happen?" Mom questions me.


    I never thought of that. I purposely activated the rune, knowing it would fail, but I never considered what might have happened when I did. It only takes a few mana points to activate a basic spell, and I easily channeled five times that amount into the plank. For all I knew, the rune could''ve exploded.


    I didn''t even activate Mana Skin because I haven''t left the house today. I was careless, and I could''ve hurt Mom or myself because of my stupidity. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I honestly answer Mom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep apologizing,¡± she tells me.


    I hang my head in shame. "That second apology was because I was reckless. I knew that rune was bad, and I still activated it to see what would happen."


    Mom will probably tell me to take my work outside. I need a place to work, so I guess I¡¯ll have to impose on Master. I hope he isn¡¯t too mad to see me on his day off.


    ¡°So, you knew it was bad,¡± Mom repeats in her parenting voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I groan.


    ¡°Ok, then you should draw your runes at the table and test them outside,¡± Mom suggests to me.


    I raise my head and stare at Mom wide-eyed; even though she¡¯s scolding me, she''s oddly calm about this whole thing. I was sure she would tell me to take my work outside. Well, she did technically tell me to take it outside, but only the testing part. Which, I admit, is an excellent idea. ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± I find myself agreeing.


    ¡°And make sure you clean up your mess when you¡¯re done,¡± Mom gives me a friendly reminder before walking back to her sewing chair, picking my vest off the ground before she sits down.


    After I watch Mom take her seat, I turn back to my work. Walking in and out of the house would be annoying, so I should engrave a handful of boards, test them, then come back and examine my results before deciding how to continue.


    Let¡¯s get working.


    *********


    Carrying a handful of wood and balancing my hammer on my shoulder, I close the front door to my house behind me.


    "Now, where do I want to test these?" I mumble to myself.  When my earlier test failed, the noise wasn''t exactly quiet, and I don''t want to draw a crowd.


    Going to Master''s house would be the best bet, but I feel bad about bothering him on his day off. Each of my tests will push the runes and planks they''re carved on to their limits, and I have no way of knowing how loud they might be. And knowing Master, he''s probably relaxing on his bench at this very moment.


    I could go to the quarry, but that still requires I pass through Del''s clearing. Master pretends not to care about what I''m doing, but if he sees me going to the quarry to test out my enchantments, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll feel obligated to go with me. Then there''s the fact the quarry isn''t exactly close by. Walking all the way to the quarry just to walk back ten minutes later isn''t a good use of my time.


    Plan B then, walk into the forest. That way, even if nearby villagers hear me working, I won''t have to worry about any of them bothering me. The chameleon spiders may be gone, but most villagers still keep a healthy distance from the tree line. Someone might grab a nearby hunter to check on the noise, but asking one person to leave me alone is a lot easier than dispersing a curious crowd.


    A quick five-minute stroll later, and I¡¯m far enough away that no prying eyes will find me. I pick a spot with a fallen log for me to sit on and get comfortable. I set my hammer down next to me within arm¡¯s reach, keeping it close by just in case a passing goblin decides to do something stupid.


    Sense Mana tells me nothing is in the area, and I don''t see any markings that a farkas pack or karhu has been through here recently. The giant monster bears are waking up from their hibernation, and those who survived the chameleon spiders and winter are definitely starving. I''m actually a little curious to see how I might stack up to a karhu, maybe put Tabitha''s training to some use.


    Gods, she¡¯s rubbing off on me!


    I chuckle to myself and turn my attention to the engraved planks I brought with me. Each plank is labeled in the order I made them. Fishing through the engravings, I grab the one labeled three.


    Test three is just my second attempt at test two, a simple mana absorbing rune along with a regulating rune, only this time, I didn''t mess up the regulating part. Now let''s see how everything reacts when the two runes are carved right.


    Pouring my mana into the runes, I watch as they start to solidify. Test number three was carved first and should''ve had the longest time to dry, but it appears the runes need to be activated for the ink to harden and merge with the wood. That at least answers one crucial question.


    As the runes merge with the plank of wood, I note their structure with Sense Mana. I was right, the engraving ink is hardening and taking on the wood¡¯s properties, but the structure isn¡¯t as solid as the real thing, meaning my runes will be the weak point of my gear. When I get around to enchanting my armor, I¡¯ll have to make sure I enchant the inside that way it will take more to damage it. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do about my weapons, though. If I enchant a blade, it¡¯s almost certainly going to get destroyed in a fight.


    This is only my third test, and yet I''ve already learned so much. I know I¡¯m only progressing this quickly because I¡¯ve practice carving runes for months now, but it¡¯s nice not stumbling over this after how long it took us to decipher the engraving ink.


    While I¡¯m enjoying my success and learning about enchanting, I continue to gently push my mana into test number three with exciting results. The mana absorbing rune takes in my mana and sends it to the mana regulator. The regulating rune converts my mana into what I can only call neutral magic. As my mana is altered, I lose my control over it.


    This isn''t like when I injected my mana into my old katana. When I pushed my mana into my old sword, it would fuel the fire mana already in the metal; that''s why I could pull it out even though it was slightly altered. If I tried to absorb the mana coming out of the regulating rune, it would be the same as drawing in mana from my surroundings. My body would need to reconvert the mana back into what it was before I expelled it.


    This is interesting, but like my first test, the regulated mana has nowhere to go. Part of the mana is lost to the surroundings, but most of it simply flows back into the wood, overflows into the absorbing rune, and repeats the cycle. Only this new mana isn¡¯t reacting well with the wood.


    With each passing second, the natural mana inside the wood is slowly replaced with the new mana, and the wood appears to wither and fade in color. Not decompose like wood is supposed to; instead, the wood becomes sickly white and starts to crumble in my hands. I don''t even need to feed it any more of my magic; I only need to wait for it to destroy itself.


    Within a few minutes, nothing remains of test number three.


    Mana can be pretty damaging. If you add too much, it destroys. If you replace an object''s natural mana with a different kind, it destroys the item. I''ve been practicing magic for over fifteen years now, and I''m still figuring out its subtilties.


    Time for test number four; let''s see how this one goes.


    Picking up the next wooden plank, I grab the test I expect to fail immediately. Test number four is a continuation of tests one and three. It has a mana absorbing rune, a regulating rune, and this time, a water rune.


    The water rune is one of the simpler runes to draw, which is a big bonus, but I picked it for this test because out of all of the runes I know, I¡¯m pretty sure the water one is the least likely to explode if something goes wrong. Which I fully expect it to.


    I''m only using three runes, and from what I have seen, this configuration shouldn''t properly power the water rune, and that''s the point. Test four is to determine how many runes a regular chunk of wood can support and what happens if an enchantment isn''t sufficiently powered.


    Three, two, one, I count down in my head and start applying my magic.


    The fourth test doesn''t even last two seconds. My magic is absorbed and converted just fine, but the board disintegrates on me as soon as the mana hits the water rune. At least there wasn''t that annoying metal screeching sound.


    It was hard to tell, but I think the wood disintegrated because the third rune activated, not because the water rune wasn''t adequately powered.


    If that''s true, I might need to stop by Master''s clearing and grab some blacksmithing logs sooner than I expected. Damn, and I was hoping to wait until tomorrow too.


    I move on to test five and six to confirm my suspicions, and I''m quickly proven correct.


    Test five was the same configuration, only with a light rune instead of a water rune.


    I drew this in case the water rune didn''t do anything, but I get the same results as test number four.


    The sixth test has a complete four rune enchantment on it and was only expected to work if either test four or five was a success. But test six does have at least some benefit. The board disintegrates in the same way as the last two, but it happens as soon as the mana hits the third rune, confirming it''s the wood that''s failing, not the enchantment.


    Now, for test number seven, the second to last test, before I go home and write down my findings.


    The seventh test is a simple one, with only one rune carved into the wood, a tier 2 mana absorbing rune.


    This test will tell me if higher-tier runes stress the material they''re engraved on more or less than their weaker counterparts.


    I actually feel a little sad to destroy this one; it took me forever to engrave it correctly.


    Activating the rune, I eagerly watch what happens. The tier 2 rune absorbs my mana just like its tier 1 variant but at a much quicker speed. At the rate the rune is working, the board should disintegrate in a few moments. But while I''m waiting for the board to reach its mana limit, I feel it start to vibrate in my hands. That''s new.


    I quickly stop supplying magic to the rune to see what will happen, but the board doesn¡¯t stop vibrating. Scanning the wood, I find the cause of the issue.


    The rune isn''t bonding correctly with the wood, and the engraving ink is acting as an acid; it''s eating away at the board, all while absorbing the mana I''ve been channeling. I think the board isn''t strong enough to support the power of the rune, so it''s eating through it instead.


    Soon the engraving ink cannibalizes the wood holding the rune¡¯s shape. And once the engraving ink is free to move about, the engraving ink goes in every direction, and the board explodes in my hands.


    Wooden shrapnel harmlessly bounces off Mana Skin as I stare blankly at my now empty hands. So, runes can explode.


    That was a much more violent reaction than when I conducted my second test. When I tried activating my poorly drawn rune, the mana in the rune escaped through its flaws, disintegrating the board, but this time the rune couldn''t hold its shape and collapsed all at once. I guess this means the more significant the flaw, the more violent the reaction. This test demonstrates that you can''t just enchant anything with a higher-tier rune. I''ll need to be careful with what enchantments I try to place on stuff in the future. I''m not worried about a tier 2 rune messing up my kaglese gear, but who knows if it could hold a tier 3 or higher rune.


    But those are problems for a future me. Heck, I don''t even know any tier 3 runes at the moment, so no need to worry about what I can''t do.


    "One more test to go," I tell myself as I grab my final board.


    My eighth and final test is to see if my wooden boards can store mana. I engraved a basic tier 1 mana absorbing rune on the board and connected it to a mana storage rune.


    I copied this rune from the charging base of my mom¡¯s magic kitchen knife. The rune is meant to store the mana absorbed from the magicite placed within the container, but since I charge it most of the time to avoid wasting materials, I know it can also store my mana just fine.


    If I can figure out a way to store my mana in a portable container, it would change how I use magic. I could store up my excess mana each day and save it for the days I practice magic or use it during my sparring sessions with Tabitha. And the best way to make this dream a reality is to see how well everyday items hold mana.


    I don¡¯t necessarily want this test to fail as soon as possible, so this time I inject my mana into the runes in small bursts and watch what happens.


    The enchantment absorbs and stores my mana just fine. In fact, the storage rune holds in my mana much more efficiently than all my previous tests. When an enchantment is activated, a small amount of mana is lost every second it''s running, not much, but more than this storage rune is losing. Why doesn''t every enchantment have one of these? There has to be a drawback of some kind; that''s the only reason enchanters wouldn''t include a storage rune in every enchantment. I''ll have to do further testing to find out the reason.


    I channel my fourth burst of mana into the enchantment, and the board starts to disintegrate on me. It appears the wood couldn''t contain the mana being held within the rune, which means the amount of mana a storage rune can hold is directly correlated to the material the rune is inscribed on.


    Everything leads back to the materials you¡¯re working with.


    With my tests complete, I can''t help but smile; this is what I needed. Whether I want to admit it or not, my crafting had started to feel stale. Sure, I have the arrows to make, but the last couple of weeks have been nothing but steel weapons for the village. I make sure to put my all into it when I¡¯m making weapons for the village, but there¡¯s a point where it becomes monotonous. Each spear I make is designed to channel mana as efficiently as possible, and yet I doubt all but a few people in the village would be able to tell the difference between my work and any old spear Kervin might be selling.


    But now, my extra effort matters. If I want to work on my enchanting, I''ll need to produce the best weapons and armor that I can. I feel excited just thinking about it!


    Standing up, I brush the ash off my clothes. ¡°What should I try next?¡± I ponder out loud with a smile on my face. Grabbing my hammer and swinging it onto my shoulder, I start walking back towards the village, excited for my next round of testing.

 Ch: 99

    "After that, I went back home to write down my notes," I explain to Sandra how I spent my first day off. While talking to Sandra, I removing the kaglese arrow shaft from the forge, moving over to my anvil to use my smaller hammer to straighten it out better. Just looking at the arrow shaft, you could see the slight bend on the one end that needs to be fixed.


    ¡°What¡¯d you do next?¡± Sandra eagerly asks me.


    Delicate work such as this doesn¡¯t require a lot of force and produces a lot less noise, so Sandra and I can talk while I¡¯m working without needing to shout at one another. "Well, I wanted to continue experimenting, but after I made it home and recorded my findings, I decided it just wasn''t practical."


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sandra gives me a curious look, expecting me to explain my decision.


    ¡°I used up more mana than I thought I had,¡± I clarify. ¡°Drawing all those runes and testing them took up a good chunk of my mana. Even if I went to Master¡¯s clearing to get some blacksmithing logs to experiment with, I¡¯d at most have enough mana to do one or two more experiments. It just didn¡¯t seem worth it to bother Master for such a small reason.¡±


    "I appreciate that," Master comments from his bench, only this time he''s sitting up and watching me work instead of pretending to nap. It''s actually Tabitha who''s lying on her bench this time, looking like she''s bored to death. Master has been ignoring her all day, choosing to focus on my work instead of entertaining the battle-hungry monster.


    I look up from my anvil and offer Master Del a quick smile before turning back on my work. "Plus, by the time I made it home, Mom had already finished most of my armor and needed me to stand still to tailor it properly. Mom made me stand in place for an hour before she was happy with her work," I chuckle, recalling my day to Sandra.


    "The same armor Tabitha destroyed yesterday?" Sandra''s question makes me pause mid-swing. "Your mom must have loved that," Sandra giggles to herself in sadistic glee.


    I turn my head and narrow my eyes at my friend, causing her to stop laughing immediately. "Sorry," Sandra holds up her palms in a placating gesture and retreats a half step back.


    Letting out a sigh of frustration, I move the kaglese arrow shaft back into the forge. ¡°Needless to say, Mother was not happy when I returned home last night.¡±


    "You can''t blame your mom for being mad," Sandra tells me, casting a glance at Tabitha, who''s staring up at the sky blankly.


    "I know; I just felt bad after trying so hard to defend myself."


    ¡°If you can call what you did yesterday defending yourself,¡± Sandra pokes fun at me again, sounding a bit too happy at my situation. Is it just me or does Sandra have a bit more bite to her these days?


    ¡°Maybe you should just spend my sparring days with Richard,¡± I snap back.


    ¡°And miss watching you get your butt kicked, no way,¡± Sandra smiles at me. "I spent the last five years in Drey studying; watching the two of you fight is the most interesting thing I''ve ever seen in years.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your magic teacher take you out of the city to hunt goblins?¡± I point out to Sandra.


    Sandra snorts and waves off my question. "We were a group of mages escorted by a handful of mercenaries. We were more in danger inside the city than we were outside hunting goblins. Now watching you and Tabitha fight, that''s action! Even if you can''t do anything against her," Sandra can''t help but throw in that last little quip.


    "I''m getting better," I defend myself while pulling the kaglese arrow shaft out of the forge and moving it back to the anvil. I got the bend out, and now I need to do my best to round it out perfectly.


    "Well, it is getting harder to follow the two of you," Sandra admits with a crestfallen look. "But what was up with yesterday? It looked like she was meaner than usual, and that''s saying something."


    ¡°You missed it,¡± I tell Sandra. ¡°The day you left to hang out with Richard, I scored my first hit on Tabitha, and apparently, that means she doesn''t have to go easy on me anymore."


    ¡°Gods!¡± Sandra hisses through her teeth. ¡°No wonder you were trying to dodge so much.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yesterday I was trying hard not to ruin my chest piece, but that just backfired on me. I was trying too hard to dodge and block Tabitha when I should¡¯ve been looking for an opening. If I swung at her more, my armor might have lasted longer than it did,¡± I admit in a downcast voice.


    "Alright," Sandra claps her hands, drawing my full attention for a quick moment. "As much fun as it is making fun of the golden girl, this conversation is getting a little too depressing for me. Forget about yesterday and tell me what you did on your second day off. I want to hear everything before you show me what you learned tomorrow."


    I can''t help but smile at Sandra''s excitement. Sure, I was too concerned with my gear yesterday, but I won''t make that mistake again. Mom was mad at me when I showed her my armor, but she quickly got over it and was just happy it did its job. Though, Mom did say she wouldn¡¯t be putting as much effort into my armor if I¡¯m going to destroy it twice a week, which is understandable.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, tomorrow will be our first official day practicing enchanting,¡± I comment like it¡¯s no big deal.


    "Well, you''ll be practicing," Sandra crosses her arms over her baby bump. "I have to watch until I can get my hands on my own engraving pen, and who knows how long that will take."


    ¡°Kervin should be here in another week or two,¡± I remind Sandra.


    "I know, but I doubt he''ll just happen to be carrying everything I need," Sandra pouts. "I probably won''t get what I need until after the new year festival."


    Shoot, she''s right. And with all the chaos in Drey at the moment, there''s no guarantee Kervin will be able to get his hands on the right mana gem for Sandra. Grey''s dead, and yet he''s still making life difficult for people.


    I should contact Giovanni and ask him if he can help me out. Now that I think about it, there are a few more things I should ask for as well. My mithril supply is starting to run low now that I''m using it in more things, and it wouldn''t hurt to get my hands on some more eathrosse and devil''s poke.


    I have enough herbs to make three more batches of engraving ink, but I doubt that will last long once I really start enchanting. And we''ll go through our supply even quicker once Sandra starts practicing with me.


    ¡°I think I might be able to help,¡± I reassure Sandra.


    ¡°Really?¡± I see Sandra brighten up out of the corner of my eye as I hold up my arrow shaft and examine it for any flaws. I¡¯ll still have to make a few more adjustments after the arrow is completed, but the shaft is good enough for now as it is.


    ¡°I can try,¡± I tell Sandra as I place the completed arrow shaft on my workbench. "That''s two down," I remark out loud more for myself than anything. I don''t know what it is, but announcing your progress just gives you a sense of accomplishment.


    Sandra watches me grab the next ingot of kaglese and move it into the forge. ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not distracting you?¡±


    ¡°You ask me that now?¡± I smirk at Sandra.


    ¡°I know these arrows are supposed to be important, and I don¡¯t want to mess you up.¡±


    "It''s fine. To be honest, these arrows have lost most of their meaning since Pacore captured general Pitz."


    ¡°Then why are you making them?¡± Sandra gives me a confused look.


    "Money, mostly," I tell her. "I was given most of my materials on credit, and I need to pay Silver Herd back."


    "They just gave you all of your supplies!?" Sandra stares at me with her mouth hanging open in shock. "Merchant companies seldom do that."


    I chuckle at Sandra''s astonished look. "It wasn''t all through credit," I elaborate. "I used my profits from my last delivery to buy my magic obscuring magic tool. And it also helped that Grey, Drey''s Silver Herd branch manager, was trying hard to get me to sign a contract with him."


    "I remember you told me about him. Didn''t you mention something about solving your problem with him earlier in the week?"


    "Did I?" I scratch my head. I tell Mom and Sandra almost everything, and sometimes I mix up who I''ve informed about something.


    I shrug my shoulders, less I have to explain. ¡°Anyways, yeah, I¡¯m honoring the terms of my contract, even if it isn¡¯t with the person I signed it with.¡±


    ¡°I get that, but why are you making arrows? Why not try a sword?¡± Sandra suggests to me.


    "I admit, it crossed my mind." Removing the kaglese ingot from the forge, I move over to the anvil and start drawing it out, paying particular attention to the metal''s internal mana structure. "It would be fun to try and make something new, but I don''t want to risk the coin."


    ¡°You¡¯re worried that much about money? How much gold do you owe Silver Herd?¡±


    ¡°About 450 gold coins." If Sandra was drinking something at the moment, she certainly would''ve done a spit take. Hearing how much I owe Silver Herd immediately sends my friend into a coughing fit.


    ¡°That much for some ore!?¡± Sandra exclaims once she finally catches her breath.


    I nod, understanding her surprise. For a small village like this, 450 gold coins is practically a fortune. ¡°Kaglese, the stuff I¡¯m working with now,¡± I hold up the glowing ingot that is slowly taking shape, ¡°Is a magic metal. I probably won¡¯t try to enchant any of them myself, but the weapons I¡¯ve made from this material are perfect for doing so, or so I was told. If I have to guess, each of the swords and spears I''ve made are worth between 3 and 5 gold coins apiece. At 70% market value, I would get between 168 and 280 gold coins for what I¡¯ve already made.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Sandra¡¯s eyes widen the more I explain. ¡°Then there are the arrows I''m making; I''m confident they''ll sell for at least 50 gold coins apiece, maybe even more. I could make a sword with what I have, it may even be the best thing I''ve ever made, but it isn''t what was asked of me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Tabitha!¡± I turn and call out, grabbing the bored warrior¡¯s attention.


    In a split-second, Tabitha swings her feet off to the side of her bench and snaps up with an excited look on her face. ¡°Do you have time for a quick match?¡±


    I ignore Tabitha¡¯s sparring invitation and instead ask for her opinion. ¡°You know a bit about weapons, right? Which are more important, a good arrow or a good sword?¡±


    Most of Tabitha¡¯s excitement fades away when she realizes I have no intention of fighting her. But because I¡¯m asking her questions about weapons, Tabitha doesn¡¯t entirely revert to her expressionless self. "That''s tricky," Tabitha thinks out loud. "Good weapons are always in demand, but I''d say quality arrows are always desired the most."


    Sandra doesn''t seem to get what Tabitha is getting at, so I explain it to her. "Swords can last a long time if you take care of them; arrows are the same, but which are you more likely to lose in a battle, an arrow or a sword? Archers are always looking for replacements, and it will be much easier for Silver Herd to sell a handful of quality arrows than it is for them to sell one amazing sword.¡±


    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying,¡± Sandra nods along in understanding.


    Tabitha lets out a small laugh, drawing both Sandra''s and my attention. "You make it sound like Silver Herd will have a hard time selling your weapons. I''m sure our Master has already worked out a deal in which your weapons will be immediately shipped to the front lines as soon as you pass them off.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I ask, honestly a little surprised by this news. Pacore seemed interested in my work, sure, but I figured he would simply ask me to make more weapons once I was finished with my order. To think Pacore is willing to pay retail price for my work, that¡¯s honestly a little flattering.


    ¡°Your crafting abilities are far beyond your combat skills," Tabitha remarks with just a hint of dissatisfaction. "Master Pacore was looking for you even before the two of you ever met."


    ¡°He was?¡±


    ¡°Yes, during the battle in which we took Fort North Ridge, General Pitz managed to injure Master with a surprising arrow we were sure she shouldn¡¯t have had.¡±


    Ah yeah, I remember now, was it General Pitz or Pacore who mentioned that my arrow harmed him? "And that''s a good thing?" I nervously ask. Knowing Tabitha, she wouldn''t be mad at me for selling an arrow to the General, but I did indirectly put Pacore in danger, and she cares about her Master above all else.


    "It is," Tabitha starts smiling like she does when we''re sparring. "Thanks to your arrow, Master Pacore was able to relish in his fight with General Pitz. Without it, I fear Master wouldn''t have had a single challenge this whole campaign."


    Does she mean everything other than taking the fort was easy? ¡°Glad I could help,¡± I off-handily remark as I turn my attention back to my work and Sandra.


    ¡°Maybe once you finish your arrows, you could try them out on me,¡± Tabitha giggles sitting back down on her bench.


    Nothing would make me happier, but I don¡¯t have the skills to use arrows this good. I doubt I could even hit the broad side of a barn with a bow, let alone someone like Tabitha.


    ¡°The point is, I¡¯d rather take the money rather than chance it,¡± I tell Sandra.


    "Don''t take this the wrong way, Aaliyah, but what do you need money for? Technically, you''re a student under someone as powerful as Pacore; I''m sure you can ask him for anything you need," Sandra reminds me of my wealthy new Master.


    I scoff at Sandra as I move the arrow shaft that''s slowly taking shape back into the forge. Sandra glares at me while I work the bellows, challenging me to prove her wrong.


    "Putting aside the fact that everything I ask from Pacore will put me further in his debt; the money isn''t even for me. Eventually I''ll be leaving the village, and I have no idea when I might be back. In case something goes wrong, I want my family to have enough money they can flee if they have to and still live comfortably someplace else."


    ¡°In case something goes wrong?¡± Sandra repeats.


    I nod my head. ¡°Tabitha has been alluding to it that I¡¯ll have to prove myself once I¡¯m brought back to Scholl. I don¡¯t know what that exactly means, but if everyone in Scholl is like Pacore and Tabitha, I doubt they''ll be challenging me to a dance-off."


    ¡°You''re right; I don''t think people will enjoy dancing with you as much as Tabitha does.¡± Sandra misunderstands my earthly reference, but she gets the point I¡¯m trying to make. Still, her misinterpretation makes me smile.


    "I plan on leaving a couple hundred gold coins for my family. That''s why I want to get this order over with and focus more on enchanting before Kervin returns. Even if I can only enchant a few basic runes, I''ll be able to make a lot more money quickly."


    ¡°Simple, I like it,¡± Sandra remarks. ¡°But is enchanting really that easy? You still haven¡¯t told me what you did during your second day off.¡±


    ¡°Mostly more tests,¡± I smile coyly at Sandra.


    ¡°Nice try, but we both know you want to talk about what you found out.¡± Sandra knows me well.


    ¡°Well, after my morning workout routine with Mother, I had to stop by here and grab the blacksmithing logs I mentioned earlier.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, go on,¡± Sandra eagerly pushes for me to get to the good stuff.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll skip over all the boring details of my family life,¡± I say exaggeratingly. When I don¡¯t get that big of a reaction from Sandra, I let out a soft sigh and start explaining my second round of rune experiments, all while continuing to work on my arrow shafts.


    "Even though I went to get the blacksmithing logs, I didn''t actually use them in my first few experiments. You see, the night before, I thought of a really important test that I didn''t consider during my first round of testing."


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t leave me in suspense,¡± Sandra smiles at my theatrics and plays along.


    ¡°Do you think the size of a rune matters?¡± I pose Sandra the same question I had, and when her eyes widen, I can tell immediately she understands where I¡¯m going with this.


    "It''s a simple question, but it has a big impact," I explain to my friend. "I took four regular planks of wood and engraved a basic tier 1 mana absorbing rune onto each of them, each a different size. The largest I stretched from one side of the board to the other while keeping the rune¡¯s dimensions right. The smallest rune was about the same size as the runes I copied from the magic items. And the last two tests were in between those.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯d you find out?¡± Sandra enthusiastically asks.


    ¡°Size does affect the runes performance, but only to a certain degree,¡± I explain my findings. ¡°I measured how quickly all four of my tests could absorb enough mana to reach their breaking point, and it was surprisingly close. I expected the largest rune to absorb mana quicker than the smaller ones, and it did, but only by a little bit. In the end, the largest rune only absorbed mana 13% faster than the smallest one."


    "Did the larger rune put any extra strain on the material?" Sandra quickly hits me with a question that reminds me how great it is to have someone discuss these things with me; I didn''t even consider how a larger rune might put more force on the base material.


    For a moment, I stop swinging my hammer and consider Sandra''s question. "I don''t think it did," I reply. "But the larger rune definitely took up more room, and I would''ve had a harder time engraving anything else."


    ¡°Then I wonder if the runes used to enchant buildings are different?¡± Sandra ponders out loud.


    That''s a good question; now I want to kick myself for not studying the enchanted buildings back when I was in Drey. "I guess we''ll have to do some further testing down the line." All the same, I don''t exactly have any enchantments you''d want cast on a building. I might be able to replicate a lightbulb, but that would eat up a lot of mana for something both Sandra and I could do with a basic spell.


    ¡°Looks like it,¡± Sandra agrees with me. ¡°What was your next test?¡±


    "The next few tests were a little boring," I tell Sandra. "I finally switched to using planks made from the blacksmithing logs and started checking to see if the runes worked differently on different materials. Basically, I retested my first few experiments from yesterday."


    ¡°Anything of note?¡± Sandra asks me.


    "Not really," I reply. "My earlier hypothesis was proven correct in that the blacksmithing logs were just better at holding the runes. The stronger wood was able to hold a lot more mana than your run-of-the-mill timber and lasted nearly fourteen times longer than my experiments from the day before. It really does boil down to the materials you use."


    Sandra nods along but doesn''t interrupt me as I continue talking about my experiments. "After finishing my more basic tests, I moved on to the more fun stuff. My tests proved the blacksmithing logs could hold out longer than the regular wood, so I jumped straight into trying to engrave a full enchantment to see how it would work on a plank of wood.¡±


    ¡°What enchantment did you go with?¡± Sandra can¡¯t hold herself back from asking.


    "Nothing crazy," I tell her. "I only know a handful of complete enchantments, and most wouldn''t exactly work well on a plank of wood. No matter what I do, a plank of wood can''t purify water after all," I joke.


    "I kept it simple and copied the enchantment found in Master''s mining helmet. My thinking was a small ball of light shouldn''t be too dangerous. But it was either that, or I enchant the plank to produce a small flame, and I think you can guess what the results of that would look like,¡± I glance meaningfully at the forge where the same logs are burning now.


    ¡°Did it work?¡± Sandra pushes for me to continue.


    "It actually did," I smile in triumphant, remembering my success. "The enchantment worked like it was supposed to and produced a ball of light on the wood''s surface where the light rune was inscribed. The enchantment even held for two minutes before the wood started to disintegrate."


    Sandra looks a little disappointed that the wood didn''t survive the test. "Even before the wood failed, the light rune was singeing the wood around it," I explain what I saw.


    ¡°But light spells don¡¯t produce that much heat,¡± Sandra scrunches her face in confusion.


    ¡°The ball of light didn¡¯t produce much heat, but the rune itself did,¡± I clarify. ¡°Channeling magic didn¡¯t exactly help the wood either. Though I did get something good out of the test."


    ¡°And what was that?¡± Sandra asks me.


    ¡°After channeling my magic for a few seconds through the completed enchantment, I finally unlocked the Enchanting skill. It¡¯s official now,¡± I boast.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll need to complete a full enchantment if I want the skill as well,¡± Sandra ponders out loud. ¡°Can I borrow your notes on the runes you¡¯ve deciphered? I¡¯ll make my own copies and start practicing drawing them.¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± I tell my friend.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sandra brightly smiles at me. ¡°So, what¡¯d you do after you unlocked the skill?¡±


    ¡°I took a nap,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°You did not.¡±


    "I had to," I tell her. "Well, I didn''t exactly take a nap, but I did stop to meditate for a bit. As I explained, enchanting eats through your mana quicker than you would expect. If I wanted to do more experiments, I had to pace myself.¡±


    "How long did you meditate for?"


    ¡°An hour or so,¡± I tell Sandra as I move on to my next arrow shaft.


    I''m surprised by how efficiently I''m working. I know I told Sandra she wasn''t hindering me, but I didn''t think either of us believed that little fib. Yet, here I am swinging my hammer as good as any other day, all while having a pleasant conversation with my friend. Swinging my hammer feels natural, the glowing metal moving as I want it with each swing; it almost feels effortless.


    As soon as that thought crosses my mind, I feel one of my skills leveling up. I don''t even have to pull up my status page to know Blacksmithing gained another level. I''m only one level away from reaching the level 75 test. Master said reaching level 75 in Blacksmithing means you''re on the cusp of being considered a true blacksmith, or at least that''s how Stone kin see things.


    I want to reach that level! I want to push my skills to their limits and see what Blacksmithing does once I pass that test. I have plenty of skills that have passed two tests, and each has grown significantly more versatile; it''s only fitting my blacksmithing skills finally join them.


    ¡°Then what¡¯d you do?¡± Sandra¡¯s question brings my focus back to our conversation, but my hands never stop working.


    ¡°After I regained some of my mana, I did the next sensible thing,¡± I wryly smile.


    ¡°And that is?¡± Sandra asks, bracing for the punchline she knows is coming.


    ¡°I engraved a flame enchantment to see what would happen.¡±


    Sandra shakes her head from side to side with a smile on her face. "Didn''t you always tell me not to waste resources when we were experimenting with engraving ink? And didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to test the flame enchantment?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it wasting resources,¡± I defend my actions, knowing that¡¯s exactly what I did. ¡°And I said I didn''t want to use the flame rune on my first test with blacksmithing logs; I didn''t say I didn''t try it later. Plus, I wanted to see how a rune of the exact opposite nature of the material it''s engraved on reacts with one another." I''m happy I was able to come up with that excuse on the fly.


    ¡°Sureeee you did,¡± Sandra looks at me like she can read what my true intentions were.


    ¡°I might have wanted to see if it would explode,¡± I admit to my friend. But in my defense, I was picturing magic grenades when I thought of the idea.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d it turn out?¡±


    ¡°Well, it didn¡¯t explode as I wanted it to," I tell her in a dejected manner. "The wood just caught on fire after a few seconds and sort of popped after the runes structure¡¯s failed.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like an explosion to me,¡± Sandra remarks.


    "Please," I scoff at the idea of that little pop being called an explosion. I''ve seen an explosion; hell, I''ve been inside one. "Even someone with your physical stats would''ve only gotten a few light burns, nothing more."


    ¡°Then did you learn anything?¡± Sandra asks with her best mom look. You know the look where your parents catch you doing something stupid and asking what you learned from your mistake, that¡¯s the look Sandra has on her face. I bet Mom or Sarette are secretly teaching her how to get her face to look like that; I''d put money on it.


    ¡°I figured out the most expensive way to start a fire,¡± I joke, earning me a small gasp from Sandra. "No, but in all honesty, the test with the fire rune did help me out. I didn''t notice it at first, but after I tested my third completed enchantment, I noticed something I missed with my two prior experiments."


    ¡°What was your third test?¡± Sandra asks for clarification.


    ¡°I copied the sharpening enchantment.¡±


    ¡°You tried to sharpen a piece of wood?¡± Sandra asks more than a little judgingly. ¡°And how was this also not a waste of resources?¡±


    ¡°Have you never heard of a wooden sword before?¡± I counter much to Sandra¡¯s amusement. ¡°And, shut up, it was a good thing I tested it.¡±


    "Oh?" Sandra''s mocking smile fades, and she eagerly listens to my explanation.


    ¡°The enchantment didn¡¯t do much to the plank of wood, but that isn''t the point. While the enchantment was activated, I noticed a difference in the sharpening rune compared to the light or flame rune. It might have been because there wasn''t anything for the sharpening rune to do, considering I didn''t exactly specify an edge for the rune to sharpen. But even without a specified target, the sharpening rune held up remarkably well, and the mana inside the rune was flowing more naturally than the light and flame runes."


    I give Sandra a minute to digest the information, and she quickly gets a look of inspiration. "The sharpening rune worked better with the earth mana in the engraving ink."


    I can''t help but smile and nod; Sandra came up with the same conclusion I had. The engraving ink we made is mostly earth mana, and even the ambient mana the ink absorbs to cure is processed into the stuff naturally. I think wind mana would work better for the sharpening rune, but it explains why the other two runes had a harder time working. I didn¡¯t have the ink specific for the job.


    ¡°This could be a problem,¡± Sandra bites her lip.


    "We shouldn''t worry just yet," I tell my friend. "We have some half-finished knives in storage, and I''ll try enchanting them tomorrow. Maybe it won''t be that big of a deal that we only have one type of ink; the other enchantments still did did work after all."


    ¡°But they also eventually failed,¡± Sandra reminds me.


    "Yeah, but the sharpening enchantment did the same thing. That''s why I''m going to use steel tomorrow; I don''t think wood is exactly the best material to hold enchantments. We can worry about tweaking our engraving ink formula after we see how the enchantments fair on steel. Remember, we already knew our ink isn¡¯t the best out there, and we were always going to have to figure out how to improve it. This is just a reminder that we still need to devote some of our time to the subject.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you were given instructions on how to adjust the engraving ink?¡± Sandra sarcastically asks me, knowing full well how little information I was given on the subject.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I burst Sandra¡¯s nonexistent bubble. The both of us let out a collective sigh. No one said teaching yourself enchanting would be easy; in fact, I think people considered it impossible.


    But if Sandra and I can come this far, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll continue to figure things out as we go.


    I don''t want to get Sandra''s hopes up, but I already know how we can try and change our engraving ink formula. Magicite isn''t the only form of crystalized mana. Considering how much is used in the recipe, I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll need to switch out the magicite for other magical crystals if we want to change the elemental affinity. There might be other herbs we¡¯ll need, but we can at least try changing up the magicite first.


    Then again, I might be jumping the gun here. I need to go back and reexamine the magic items I bought, but I don¡¯t remember there being that big a difference in the makeup of the runes I examined. I already determined the items came from different makers, and if the ink wasn''t that special, it stands to reason we can still enchant the various runes with the ink we already have.


    The next couple of weeks will be busy, and yet, I can''t help but feel excited. I already earned the skill I was after, and I''m confident I''ll only improve from here on out. I''ve never shied away from hard work, and I''m not going to start now.

 Ch: 100

    ¡°Time out!¡± I shout, lowering my hammer to my side and dropping my stance. I couldn¡¯t have timed my shout any better because Tabitha¡¯s sword pauses right against the surface of my chest piece.


    ¡°During a battle, there are no ''time outs,'' as you call it," Tabitha frowns in annoyance.


    "I''ll keep that in mind when I''m in a real battle," I tiredly reply, letting myself fall backward onto my butt. Mana Skin absorbs almost all of the impact, but even if my skill wasn''t activated, my stats are high enough I wouldn''t feel much from the slight drop, even with my armor and weapon weighing me down.


    "We should continue; you''re stunting your growth, stopping like this," Tabitha motions for me to get up.


    "Give me a few minutes, and I will." Tabitha and I lock eyes with one another. A silent battle of wills takes place between us, and I make sure not to back down.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Tabitha finally huffs, sheathing her sword. ¡°You have five minutes.¡±


    "Ten," I immediately counter, using my merchant skills for good measure.


    Tabitha''s face contorts, feeling the effect of my negotiating skills, but instead of agreeing to my terms, she walks away before she''s forced to agree with me and seal the deal verbally. If I''m lucky, that will buy me eight minutes.


    My lips curl up into a smile as I watch Tabitha head over to a particular bolder that she favors as a chair during my little breaks. Though she looks angry, I know Tabitha won¡¯t hold this against me.


    We¡¯ve been sparring for a while now, and I only recently realized I could get Tabitha to pause our sessions as I did. Tabitha may seem like a rabid animal when we fight, but I¡¯ve come to learn she has strict standards that she always follows. A fine example of this is how she stopped her attack as soon as I dropped all pretense of defending myself and called for a time out.


    If I lose focus during our bout, she has no qualms of dicing up my armor like a butcher does a dead animal. But if I give up entirely, Tabitha won''t strike me, even if her blade is just about to touch me. She refuses to attack someone who won¡¯t defend themselves.


    Now I briefly thought about using this bit of knowledge to get one over on Tabitha, but we both know that trick will only work once. And once I take advantage of that tactic, she¡¯ll never let me rest again. And Aaliyah needs her breaks.


    It¡¯s been almost three weeks since Tabitha upped the difficulty of my training, and though I know I''m improving, it feels like I''ve started to stagnate a bit. Sure, I score a hit on Tabitha every so often, but not as regularly as I would like to. I think she may be scaling her training to my rate of improvement, but if I ask Tabitha and she denies it, then that means I am stagnating. And if that''s true, it will be all that more disappointing since everything else in my life has been going swimmingly.


    From working on my enchanting with Sandra to crafting the dellinium arrows for Kervin when he arrives in a few days, I''ve felt unstoppable the last two weeks. It started with that little scare about not having the suitable types of engraving ink, only for Sandra and I to find out we didn''t have that much to worry about.


    The day after I finished the rough work on the arrow shafts, I finally tried enchanting something I didn''t want to disintegrate in my hands. Sandra was so excited it felt like she was levitating over my shoulder the entire time. If I didn''t have more Strength than her, I''m pretty sure I wouldn''t have been able to get her off me. Of course, I was gentile while having her give me some space to work, let alone hurting my best friend; I would sooner kill myself than harm my unborn niece or nephew.


    Sandra was still quite adamant in wanting to watch me closely, and I guess I should count myself lucky I was at least given enough elbow room to draw out the runes.


    I remember the both of us let out a collective sigh of relief when I successfully enchanted and activated that first dagger. Our first test wasn¡¯t astounding by any means, but it was an important milestone all the same. I grabbed a half-formed knife out of Master¡¯s scrap bin and copied the simple sharpening enchantment on it, slightly tweaking the design, so the mana absorbing rune is on the handle.


    The enchantment worked as it was supposed to and gave a slight cutting edge to the dull piece of steel that otherwise might have had trouble cutting a stick of butter. After that initial success, we took a step back and thought about where we should go from there.


    Sandra suggested that though the enchantment was working now, we should test to see if keeping it activated for extended periods might affect the rune work in the long run. While I proceeded with our next test, Sandra supplied a steady stream of mana to the newly enchanted knife to see if we declared our success a little too early. But to my knowledge, Sandra is still regularly activating the dagger, and it hasn''t broken, so I don''t think we have much to fear in that regard.


    Sandra and I spent some time bouncing a few ideas off of one another, and we eventually decided we needed to test to see if our engraving ink could work with runes that were obviously not of the earth element.


    Once again, I fished some scrap steel out of the dud pile that resembled an abstract wand and enchanted it to produce a ball of light out of its tip. After finishing and five minutes of pretending to be in the Harry Potter universe, I was willing to call my work a success.


    I had to grab Master¡¯s mining helmet to compare the two light spells, but they were almost identical. Master¡¯s helmet was more mana efficient than my light wand, but only by about 4%, and that could stem from any number of discrepancies.


    I was willing to accept my results as irrefutable proof that our engraving ink was fine to work with; however, I wasn''t the only one who needed convincing. Sandra suggested we try one more experiment, sighting how light magic is closest to fire magic and how our engraving ink might not match up to it perfectly; earth mana isn''t exactly fire''s opposite.


    Being a good friend, I agreed to do another experiment to placate Sandra¡¯s worries. It also helped that all these different experiments were getting me a lot more comfortable carving the different runes. I even got a handful of experience points for each successful enchantment.


    Sandra recommended I try enchanting something with a wind attribute rune; sadly, I didn¡¯t have anything like that in my small repertoire. Enchantments are meant to empower everyday items, and few of them demand a need for a stronger breeze or whatever wind elemental runes do. However, there¡¯s always a plan B.


    I suggested I try replicating the water purifier I bought from Kervin. The enchantment might not be geared towards wind mana, but it should''ve at least shown us some tiny flaws with using the wrong ink, which it ended up doing. Though, crafting the structure for the rune was a lot more complicated than I expected.


    First, I quickly crafted a rough replica of the water purify that did not go as planned. My runes must have been bad, seeing how I was working on multiple surfaces. That''s how we saw the destruction of an hours'' worth of work, accompanied by the shrieking noise proving I failed to draw at least one or more of my runes correctly. At least I learned steel disintegrates like wood when the enchantment fails; you always learn something from your mistakes and all that.


    My second attempt saw me dumbing down the design thanks to some ideas from Sandra. Instead of recreating the water purifier''s shape, my second attempt had me making an open box with a small hole at the bottom. Simply put, you fill the metal container with water, add mana, and your water is cleaned as it trickles through the small opening.


    I took my time carving the runes again, and after another hour of hard work, I had the ugliest magic tool in the history of the world. I don¡¯t think Kervin would even buy it, and he buys everything I make.


    Looks aside, the water purifying box did show us that clashing engraving ink does put unnecessary stress on the enchantment. I had to use a noticeable amount of extra mana to get the enchantment to function correctly, and I had to pause a few times to essentially keep the enchantment from overheating from the mana I was sending through it.


    It was a bit of a bummer knowing we would have to be careful with what runes we work with going forward, at least until we figure out how to adjust our engraving ink recipe, but I wasn''t going to let that get me down. I still ended up proving our ink can work for most of the enchantments I''ve deciphered, and that''s a good enough place to start.


    I was happy with the results, but Sandra took longer to see the bright side of things.


    Looking back, I was riding the highs of success, while Sandra was forced to stand off to the side, watching me do everything. That''s probably why she was so critical of everything. It¡¯s never fun to be told you can¡¯t play with something new, especially when it¡¯s dangled right in front of you.


    Sandra has devoted her life to three things, magic, family, and my brother; I try not to grimace at that last part. Ever since I first met her, Sandra''s passion for magic was plain for anyone to see, and I wholeheartedly believe that if Brother didn''t want to go to Drey with her, Sandra would''ve left him behind at that point in their relationship.


    So, for Sandra to be reduced to a spectator while I was having fun experimenting with a new form of magic must be incredibly frustrating for her.


    Why can I only seem to have these breakthroughs after the situation? Casting a glance up to the ridge of the quarry, I let out a sigh seeing the lack of a few familiar figures. It¡¯s no wonder Sandra cut back some of the time she was spending with me. When she told me she wanted to do some extra magic practice, I took Sandra''s words at face value, never considering how frustrated she might be. Knowing her, Sandra''s probably home right now trying to unlock Inject Mana, so she doesn''t have to wait for Kervin to arrive. But at least I was able to give her some good news about getting ahold of a mana gem.


    A couple of days ago after I spent most of the day experimenting with Sandra, I took a trip into the woods and got a hold of Giovanni. The first half of our conversation was much like my previous talks with the man, mostly business and whatnot. But because my day ended early on account of using up my allocated mana during the enchanting experiments, I wasn¡¯t in a rush to get home like I usually am when I contact him.


    I, of course, had budgeted out enough mana to keep Mana skin activated for my little trek, plus a little extra to power the communication device, all while not falling below my safety threshold. Neither task cost me much mana, giving me a rare chance to have an actual conversation with the head of Silver Herd.


    After I asked Giovanni for the supplies Master needed to craft Sandra an engraving pen, we talked about what was happening outside the village. Living in such a remote place, you can sometimes forget there''s a whole world out there, and apparently, a lot has happened since I was last in Drey, like the war that''s currently at a stalemate.


    Pacore had only ever sent a single update to Tabitha, and that was a while ago back when he took the Earl¡¯s fort. While I¡¯ve been practicing my skills and training with Tabitha, Pacore has been defending his newly concurred lands from an army anxious to retake what was lost. Olebert''s second army had made its way around Red Dust Mountain, hoping to bolster the defenses of Yleles only to arrive to a city already under Pacore''s control.


    Giovanni said Olebert''s army would''ve never made it in time; they arrived three days after Pacore had taken the city, and by that point, he had already dug himself in like a tick. And from what Giovanni told me, Pacore is apparently better at defending than he is at attacking, though I¡¯m sure he prefers the latter over the former.


    With General Pitz and her other high-leveled subordinates still held captive by Scholl, the recently arrived army was left with few options. The only thing the Olebert general leading the forces could do was set up a makeshift camp outside of Yleles to make sure Pacore''s conquest stops where it was. Giovanni said a few brief scuffles broke out between the two forces, but word has spread that Pacore has yet to lose a single man in any of the altercations.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    With an army outside Yleles and an even greater force stationed around Teeburn, our little corner of the world has officially been sealed off from our once rulers.


    To me, it sounds like it''s only a matter of time until Olebert is forced to turn over these lands to Scholl publicly. That, or Olebert forsakes General Pitz and moves to retake their lands, which doesn''t sound like it will happen any time soon. You could almost say the fighting has essentially stopped with both sides waiting to see what the other does before committing to doing anything further.


    That¡¯s good news for everyone afraid of the fighting spreading across the lands, but the ceasefire and barricade are still causing some significant problems for everyone, especially Giovanni. Silver Herd is a merchant company and depends on the movement of goods to make its money, and a trade embargo doesn¡¯t help with that.


    Sure, Giovanni is working with Pacore to ship food to Fort North Ridge, where it''s passed on to caravans heading into Scholl. Still, most, if not all, of the specialty goods Silver Herd sold came from Giovanni''s contacts deeper in Olebert. With both routes cut off and all trade between forces seen as a traitorous offense, Giovanni is forced to rely on smugglers to get the goods that he needs.


    When I asked him to find me a neutral or air elemental magic gem, thinking he should still have a few on hand, he regretfully told me his stock was entirely out. As soon as people fully realized the implications of being cut off from Olebert, those who could afford it bought everything they could. Metals, magic gems, magicite, types of yarn, and anything that our region doesn''t produce itself were bought up over a period of three days.


    Thankfully, kaglese ore wasn¡¯t high on people¡¯s priority list due to its difficulty to smelt, so Giovanni was able to set the rest of his stock aside for me along with a bit of mithril. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said about the magic gem. Giovanni promised me he would get me the magic gem Sandra needed, but he would need to go through his darker channels to do so. That means Sandra will get her magic gem but at a substantial mark up.


    Giovanni warned me that even if Kervin sells the gem to Sandra or me at cost, we would need to be prepared to spend multiple gold coins, even for a small specimen.


    I complained, but Giovanni took the time to explain to me how rapidly the prices for gems and ores are on the rise. Our little corner of the world was once known for its iron mines in Red Dust Mountain, but since those dried up, we¡¯ve been forced to import iron from other areas, areas past the blockade. There are a few small mines here and there like the one Master has dug out, but nothing on a grand scale like there once was.


    The price for iron and steel has essentially tripled and has probably risen even higher since I last spoke with Giovanni. I was practically begged to sell as many ingots as I could spare when Kervin arrives in a few days. It took me all of a second to agree with the prices Giovanni was throwing at me. I can still remember Giovanni¡¯s ecstatic voice when I mentioned I might be able to part with some magicite as well.


    Giovanni said he would send extra gold with Kervin along with an additional bodyguard for good measure.


    I asked if all this inflation means I''ll get more for the weapons I''ve already completed, to which Giovanni said yes and no. I will be paid 80% of the original market value instead of the quoted 70%, but unfortunately, Giovanni couldn''t guarantee me any more than that.


    I was about to threaten to sell to somebody else, but anticipating my reaction, Giovanni quickly told me how he''s already sold the weapons to my new Master, as Tabitha predicted. Now, I could''ve been an asshole and demanded more money and likely would''ve gotten it too, but it would''ve put a considerable strain on my relationship with Silver Herd, a relationship I want to keep amicable.


    I know Giovanni wants to maintain a good relationship with me in hopes of expanding his business to Scholl, and I want someone reliable to keep an eye on the village after I leave. It would be stupid for either of us to throw that all away over some short-term gains. Rightfully I wanted to tell Giovanni it was okay, but I had to wait for him to finish overly apologizing for the situation like any good merchant trying to maintain their contact would.


    Even without getting more for my weapons, I¡¯ll still make some good money when I sell the extra steel and magicite to Kervin. I asked Master to help me, and while I¡¯ve been working on finishing up my arrows, Master has been working the smelter for the last week and a half. Even right now, instead of watching me practice with Tabitha, Master is down in the mine getting more magicite and iron ore.


    I can''t wait to see the look on Kervin''s face when he sees the couple hundred ingots we have prepared for him. Our stuff is quality steel, too, not like most of the impure stuff I saw in Grey''s office. I''m so happy he''s dead.


    That was another critical thing Giovanni told me about. Apparently, he sent Reel and another one of his agents to track down Grey, and the two assassins found what remained of his body in a goblin camp in the middle of the mountains. The bones were picked clean, they were only able to confirm the body was Grey after they found the shredded remains of his cloak. The fabric perfectly matched what Grey was spotted wearing by the gate guards the day he fled the city.


    Sandra''s skepticism must have rubbed off on me because I felt the need to question if Giovanni was sure the remains were indeed Grey. I was then told Reel and his partner scoured the area and even found where Grey was ambushed. All signs pointed to two people traveling together up until that point before the trail reduced to only a single set of tracks.


    In theory, it could''ve been an elaborate hoax set up by Grey, but based on how Reel couldn''t find any of the valuables Grey had stolen, it only makes sense Grey died, and Max took everything with him. If Max had died and Grey survived, Reel and his partner would''ve caught up to him by now.


    Giovanni said his men searched the area for any traces of Max, but he was long gone by the time they located where Grey fell to the goblins. Silver Herd is keeping an eye on the path Grey and Max took into the mountains should Max try to return, but Giovanni said he wasn''t holding his breath. He believes there has to be some hidden route through the mountain; that''s the only reason Giovanni could see Grey trying to flee that way. Giovanni sounded adamant about eventually uncovering the route, but sadly he was too busy at the moment re-establishing his hold on the surrounding cities to justify dedicating his men to the project.


    "Man, Giovanni sure was chatty," I remark to myself as I stretch out my limbs, shaking away the dull pain from my previous sparring session. "Three or so minutes until Tabitha walks back over, ready to continue our sparring session."


    I get up and move over to the spot I have my waterskin stashed. Can¡¯t forget to hydrate, I chuckle to myself. My body has gotten to the point where I can go quite a while without needing water, sure it would affect my performance, but it isn¡¯t a medical concern like it would be back on Earth.


    Back on Earth, if I pushed my old body a fraction of what I do against Tabitha, I would sweat enough to fill up a bathtub. Wiping at my forehead, I smear the few drops of sweat across my skin. I''ll work up a good sheen by the end of the day, but nothing that would make someone suspect I''d been sparring all day.


    A few weeks ago, I sweated more during our fights, but I think my body is getting used to this new level of activity much like it has when I¡¯m blacksmithing.


    I don''t sweat that much; I only eat once a day and rarely use the bathroom. I doubt I''d be called human anymore back on Earth, which is fine. Knowledge from my time on Earth is valuable, but I can''t let myself be bogged down by the standards of a world I¡¯m no longer a part of.


    I''m strong, but there are stronger people in this world.


    Stronger everything.


    I pull up my status page to see my growth over the last few weeks.


    LV: 74 Experience: 189,317/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,288.62/2,450


    Stamina 1,489.77/1,666


    Mana: 808.34/1,030


    Vitality: 245.02


    Endurance: 100.12


    Strength: 155.04


    Dexterity: 155.08


    Senses: 62.52


    Mind: 65.39


    Magic: 103.11


    Clarity: 79.07


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV74), Hammer Skills (LV66), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV47), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV31), Dancing (LV19), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV64), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV46), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV29), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Weighted Strike (LV42), Precise Strike (LV41), Double Strike (LV40), Flash Step (LV31), Contract (LV21), Enchanting (LV6)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV59), Mana Skin (LV57), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV37), Magic Blacksmithing (LV33), Magic Threads (LV19), Air Walk (LV18), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV16)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV4)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV74) 3,700exp


    Hammer Skills (LV64-66) 9,750exp


    Drawing (LV47) 2,350exp


    Alchemy (LV15) 750exp


    Dancing (LV14-19) 4,950exp


    Hammer Arts (LV45-46) 9,100exp


    Steady Hands (LV27-29) 8,400exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV63) 9,450exp


    Weighted Strike (LV42) 6,300exp


    Precise Strike (LV41) 6,150exp


    Flash Step (LV30-31) 9,150exp


    Enchanting (LV1-6) 3,150exp


    Mana Skin (LV57) 14,250exp


    Extract Mana (LV37) 9,250exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV32-33) 16,250exp


    Air Walk (LV16-18) 12,750exp


    Magic Threads (LV16-19) 17,500exp


    Skill Experience: 143,200exp


    Crafting Experience: 9,071exp


    Fighting Experience: 2,816exp


    Total-experience Gained: 154,087exp


    "Solid growth across the board," I smile to myself. Working hard every day and getting beaten up by Tabitha has its benefits.


    Thanks to all my sparring and working on the arrows, Hammer Skills leveled up three times. Now I¡¯ll only need nine more levels in the skill until Tabitha lets me pick up another weapon again. However, I am getting quite used to only using my war hammer. Using Magic Threads, I anchor myself to the quarry floor and twirl my hammer around.


    Satisfied with my weapon control, I decide to put it away for a few minutes until Tabitha approaches me again. Angling the hammer''s head over my shoulder, I slowly release my grip, letting my hammer slid down the back of my armor. When the hammer¡¯s head reaches the top of my ass crack, I tighten my grip and keep the hammer from slipping any lower. With my weapon in place, I weave magic threads around my weapon and secure it to my armor.


    I came up with this nifty trick last week, and now I can keep my hammer with me while freeing up my hands when I need to; plus, there''s no sheaths or any awkward straps in my way. It takes a bit of mana to thoroughly secure my weapon this way, but maintaining it isn¡¯t that intensive, and I can just reabsorb most of my mana when I need to wield it again.


    When Sandra saw me use this technique for the first time, she was excited to see me use raw mana in such a way while Tabitha just stared at me with a blank face and said, ''interesting.'' I can use this technique with other items too.


    If I want to look intimidating, I could place a bunch of daggers all over my armor. Nothing says ''don''t fuck with me'' than a bunch of daggers everywhere. I smile at the absurdity of the idea, I¡¯m not like Reel and trained with daggers in that way, and I would probably just drop them everywhere by accident.


    Magic Threads and Hammer Skills aren''t the only skills that saw a sizable improvement. A few days ago, while I was putting the various arrow pieces together, Precise Strike finally passed its bottleneck at level 40, and that''s not all, Blacksmithing reached level 74, and I can feel that it''s close to reaching level 75.


    I''m sure my skill will level again after I finish the arrows tomorrow. I''ve been putting a lot of effort into my crafting, and since I haven''t considered them complete yet, I haven''t received any experience for what I''ve done. All the crafting experience I''ve earned has been from practicing engraving and helping my mom fix my armor on a regular basis.


    But if the experience from the last time I made a dellinium arrow is anything to go off of, I expect to see a lot of experience for my troubles. When I made that first arrow, I had to ask Master for quite a bit of help. In fact, if memory serves, he''s the one who actually had to shape the arrowheads because I couldn''t work the dellinium with my Strength stat at the time.


    It''s a good thing I''ve grown a lot since then; if I didn''t gain so many levels from killing the soul eater, I would''ve had to ask for Master''s help again.


    It took a lot of effort, but my Strength was just high enough for me to shape the arrowheads. I had to use my skills with every other swing, but that got the job done. The arrows are 95% completed, and tomorrow I''ll be spending the whole day doing nothing but going over every millimeter of the arrows working out any flaws no matter how small they are.


    I¡¯m pretty sure Pacore is buying the arrows along with my weapons, but I have no idea where they¡¯re going from there. I just hope whoever ends up getting them appreciates my work.


    I briefly considered trying to enchant the arrows but quickly dismissed the idea. I''m still a beginner when it comes to enchanting, and the number of runes at my disposal is too limiting. I''d undoubtedly just end up lowering the value of the arrows rather than increasing them.


    I hear the shuffling of armor, and when I turn my head, I see Tabitha walking over to me with a happy expression. Almost nine minutes, longer than I expected. ¡°Ready to go again?¡± She asks with a smile that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.


    ¡°Sure am,¡± I feign confidence, grabbing my hammer¡¯s handle and reabsorbing my Magic Threads. Taking up my stance, I brandish my war hammer, squashing any feelings of doubt or fear. You don¡¯t let your emotions dictate how you fight. You give your all, that¡¯s it.


    With a gracefulness hard to describe, Tabitha unsheathes her sword and brandishes her shield in a single motion. There are no verbal or bodily cues for us to start fighting; we both simply move at the same time.


    Tabitha starts with an overhead slash while I swing my hammer at her ignoring her rapidly approaching blade.


    Tabitha raises her shield to guard herself, and I feel the reverberations of the strike through my arms as my hammer connects with her shield. She tries to fully deflect my attack, but I''m not the same person I was a month ago. As Tabitha adjusts her shield to try and make my hammer slide off it, I do the same and make sure my hammer stays connected with her shield, so she feels at least some of the weight of my attack. I don''t send Tabitha flying, but I do get her to take two steps back, and with the new distance between us, I dance out of the way of her sword.


    Stepping forward, I do what I was too afraid to do during my earlier sparring sessions; I press the attack.


    My style of fighting has evolved as my skills have grown. I use a heavy weapon, and though I can move relatively freely thanks to my Dexterity, it''s my Strength where my true advantage lies.


    I used to think Tabitha was a berserker when I first started training with her because I wasn''t used to fighting against someone at her level. But now that I can put up more of a fight, I''ve realized how similar her style is to Pacore. Tabitha doesn''t dance out of the way exactly as the old man did, but her fighting style is still centered around countering like his is. Tabitha just uses a shield rather than relying on a freakishly high defense. I started to spot other similarities, too, like how Tabitha moves about.


    I swing my hammer at Tabitha and watch as she twirls away from my strike with a few rapid steps. Time doesn''t move in slow motion like in the movies, and I can only make out the rough steps that she takes; Tabitha almost mirrored a maneuver Pacore used when Master and I were fighting him. However, while Pacore evaded us by sheer skill, Tabitha has some speed behind her steps because she has a more even build.


    I only have a split second to pull back my hammer before Tabitha moves in for her counterattack. She tries to throw me off guard by slamming her shield into me, but I''ve already anchored myself to the ground with Magic Threads and hit her shield with the butt of my hammer to reduce the force of her attack.


    Tabitha still slams into me, but I''m able to withstand the attack. She doesn''t let the failure of her first strike get to her, and Tabitha quickly switches to attacking with her sword, sending a stab at my midsection.


    I step back with my left foot in time to dodge the brunt of her attack, but her sword''s edge still leaves a cut across the front of my armor. She didn''t draw blood that time, I smirk. Tabitha shares my enthusiasm as we continue to go back and forth.


    After half an hour of attacking one another, there''s no denying Tabitha is still winning. While I manage to hit her twice, for every time I scored a solid hit on her, she''s cut me over a dozen times. Most of her attacks failed to make me bleed, but while my armor is partially stained red, Tabitha doesn''t look injured at all from my two successful taps.


    She hasn¡¯t let me look closely at her armor yet, but I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s enchanted to reduce blunt force damage. That, or one of Tabitha¡¯s other magic items might explain why I can¡¯t seem to injure her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to ask for another ¡®time out¡¯ again?¡± Tabitha taunts when I pause for a moment.


    ¡°Why, do you need a break?¡± I spit back, dodging Tabitha¡¯s strike. She didn¡¯t hesitate to try and get me when she thought I was slowing down.


    ¡°I could keep this up all day!¡± Tabitha proudly proclaims.


    I don''t doubt that. Stay strong, Aaliyah, I think to myself. If you want to get over this slump and truly hit her, you need to push harder.


    I won¡¯t be happy until I see Tabitha grimace in pain. Who cares if she¡¯s still going easy on me, I just need to improve until she doesn¡¯t, then I¡¯ll get Tabitha.


    ¡°Always improve,¡± I mutter under my breath.


    Tabitha must have read my lips because her smile blossoms further.


    First, let¡¯s see if I can knock that look off her face.

 Ch: 101

    Sandra¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°Come on,¡± I anxiously whisper to myself.


    Eyes closed, focusing solely on the stick in my hands, I slowly expel my mana, trying to force it into the wood.


    I can sense the mana escaping from my hands, and I can push it towards the stick, but the material''s natural mana resistance easily brushes off my attempts to earn the Inject Mana skill. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I release more mana, hoping that increasing the amount will better my chances.


    ¡°Take it, damn you!¡± I finally lose my patience when the wood resists my mana for the thousandth time, unfazed by the level of mana I''m expelling. Opening my eyes, I stare down in anger at the ordinary twig in my hands. The stick didn''t come from some magic tree or anything special like the blacksmithing logs Aaliyah works with; it''s just a standard stick I picked up outside the house.


    Aaliyah made it sound so easy when she explained to me how she unlocked Inject Mana. Just force your mana into an object until you break past its natural barrier, she said. Look for a weak spot in the barrier, she suggested. I didn''t have the heart to tell her I can''t even sense my own magic resistance threshold, let alone anything outside my body.


    Any mage with Sense Mana at level 10 can vaguely see how mana flows inside yourself. When you push the skill to level 20, you can tell roughly how much mana is inside something if you''re close enough. Your internal mana senses become stronger, with 20 being the level most magic teachers require their potential apprentices to have. At level 30, you can sense the finer details of how mana moves around you and is the general mark that you¡¯re no longer a novice apprentice.


    I followed my teacher''s lessons and meditated multiple times a day in Drey to get Sense Mana to level 30, at which point I was complimented for my hard work and the rate that I was improving.


    I continued training like that and thought it was special to get Sense Mana to level 39 by the time I finished my apprenticeship under my Master. Nearly 20 levels, I almost doubled my skill''s level in five years. And Sense Mana isn''t like other tier 2 skills; you can''t just improve its level by activating it over and over like other low tier skills; you need a talent few in the world possess.


    I was proud of the level I reached¡­ until I was shown what real talent looks like.


    I wonder if my old Master has returned to Drey? Part of me wants to take Aaliyah to him and see his reaction when she displays her mana skills. He would droll on and on about how great of a mage he was and how only a handful of mages in the area were better than him. If he was telling the truth, then that just shows how shitty the local mages are.


    My Magic Master explained to us how you only need to get Sense Magic to level 30 to be an effective mage and that it was our more active magic skills we should focus on, like chanting. I can only now see how limiting his advice truly was, and my family paid him a small fortune for it.


    Sure, I can cast spells, but I have nowhere near the flexibility of Aaliyah. She can fly just by manipulating the mana under her feet. One time one of my fellow apprentices jokingly asked our Master when he would teach us flight magic. Our Master spent the next half hour berating us for asking for the impossible. Spells to make you hover are tier 4, and full-on flight magic is classified as tier 5. We were told we would have to sell our souls just to see the incantation for such a spell, let alone to have the skills actually to cast it.


    And yet, every morning, I spot Aaliyah doing what my Master said was impossible and without a spell to boot. Most of the villagers don''t notice because she still runs close to the ground, but you can see that Aaliyah''s feet never actually touch the ground if you look carefully.


    I¡¯ve talked to Aaliyah multiple times about how she does it, and it all comes back to her mana manipulation skills. Aaliyah seems to freely manipulate mana into practical skills; just a few days ago, she showed me how she figured out how to attach her hammer to her back with threaded magic.


    I was excited to hear how she did it and was happy for Aaliyah''s success; however¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous watching her.


    I might be able to pull off the same feat with a few lower-tier spells, but the mana expenditure wouldn''t make it feasible. Also, keeping multiple spells active for an extended period of time puts a considerable strain on the mind because you need to visualize the spell continuing to work.


    Of course, Aaliyah doesn''t have such a problem because her skills allow her to treat mana like it''s physical. Compaction, turning it into threads, directly injecting and absorbing it, mages can only dream of the stuff Aaliyah does with her magic. Aaliyah told me she ties each construct she creates to her mana network, so once she forms them, they hold until she reabsorbs the magic. She circulates the same mana that flows through her body into her Mana skin and vice versa, making her skill essentially part of her body. The control that must require! The fact alone, she can freely manipulate her mana outside her body is honestly a bit scary.


    It isn''t healthy to compare myself to her; I know that, I have to shake my head to try and dismiss those negative thoughts. Sadly, I can¡¯t help but think about how I¡¯ve been trying so hard to bridge the gap between us, only to no avail. I would feel better if I could reciprocate knowledge with her, but my contract with my Master keeps me from teaching Aaliyah even the most basics of spells I know. I keep asking for her to teach me more and more, without doing the same in turn. Aaliyah even let me help her deciphered the engraving ink. She says she couldn''t have done it without me, but I''m fully aware it would''ve just taken her longer.


    To add even more insult to injure, I''ve yet to learn a single one of her mana skills, despite her best efforts to help me. I love Aaliyah like a little sister, but it''s just so damn frustrating! I can¡¯t hang my head any lower.


    ¡°Having a hard time?¡± A voice in front of me asks.


    ¡°AAAAAaaaaaaaa,¡± I jump and scream, tossing my stick in the direction of the voice.


    ¡°Hey," Richard raises his arm, blocking the small twig before it can hit him in the face. "You shouldn''t throw things," he jokes, unknowing that I was a second away from casting a fireball spell at him.


    Richard smiles down at me while I bring my hand up to my chest, trying to quail my beating heart. His mirthful look slowly fades as he realizes that he really did frighten me. "I''m so sorry," he bends down and sits next to me on my meditation cushion, wrapping his strong arms around me.


    ¡°You should be,¡± I hiss.


    "I greeted you when I walked into the house; I thought you knew I was there," Richard quickly explains himself.


    My meditation station isn''t that far away from the front door, and I didn''t even notice him enter and approach me. Great, now I''m slacking even when I''m not practicing magic.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Richard asks in a concerned voice, pulling me closer to him.


    ¡°Why does something have to be wrong?¡± I stubbornly try to pull away from Richard, but his loving grimp keep me in place. I bet Aaliyah could get out of this.


    "Because something is bothering you." Richard releases his grip just enough so I can look up into his eyes. Confronted by his worried expression, I let out a soft sigh; Richard knows me so well.


    I stop resisting and let Richard pull me back into his chest protectingly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you like this since you were having trouble with that one spell back in Drey, but something tells me this isn¡¯t just magic related,¡± he softly coos and starts stroking my hair. ¡°Does it have something to do with Aaliyah?¡±


    I can''t help but twitch when Richard says his sister''s name, all but confirming his suspicions. "What made you guess that?" I mumble into Richard''s chest so quietly that I''m not even sure that he heard me.


    But of course he did, Richard chuckles and moves on from stroking my hair to tenderly rubbing my back. ¡°It¡¯s no secret that you¡¯ve been avoiding her recently,¡± Richard points out to me.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been avoiding Aaliyah. Tomorrow I¡¯ll be spending all day with her,¡± I tell Richard.


    ¡°That¡¯s because tomorrow is the two of yours ''magic study day¡¯. Besides your meeting tomorrow, when was the last time you hung out with Aaliyah?¡±


    ¡°She and I have just been busy lately. I¡¯ve been working on my magic, and Aaliyah is finishing up her arrows today.¡± I don''t want to talk about this. Can''t Richard be a bad boyfriend for once and let me sulk by myself?


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Richard isn¡¯t convinced with my excuse. ¡°And that¡¯s why you threw a stick at me,¡± he whispers into my ear.


    ¡°I threw a stick at you because you frightened me,¡± I remind him, starting to get a little frustrated while blushing.


    ¡°And not noticing me when I walk into our house?¡± I can hear the mirth in Richard¡¯s voice.


    I know what he''s doing; Richard is trying to prod me until I slip up and tell him what he wants to hear. Too bad for him; I''m not that easy. "That''s right; you shouldn''t frighten people. Next time you might get more than a stick thrown at you,¡± I make an empty threat.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll need a helmet from Aaliyah then. Can you please ask her for one for me?" Richard makes light of my threat, knowing I would never intentionally hurt him.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I decide to try and move the subject of our conversation away from Aaliyah. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave for work two hours ago?¡±


    ¡°It was three hours ago, sweety,¡± Richard chucklingly remarks. "And if you''re asking why I''m back, I''m guessing you forgot what I was doing today." Thankfully my face is still buried in Richard''s chest, so he can''t see my blush deepening from his comments.


    ¡°Today was the day I sit down with your father and Salus to discuss the possibility of setting up a wall around the village,¡± Richard reminds me.


    Oh yeah, I forgot Richard was meeting with Dad today. Multiple people have been asking for a wall since that Scholl platoon marched up to our village, and Richard eagerly volunteered to come up with a design. Richard spends a few hours working on his plans every night, and I forgot that he mentioned that he finished them a few days ago. "How did Dad and Salus like your design?" I happily ask now that the conversation isn''t revolving around my relationship with Aaliyah.


    ¡°They called it ¡®bold¡¯ when I showed it to them,¡± Richard stresses their choice of words.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t like it? Do you want me to go talk to my dad?¡± I quickly offer my help.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Richard tells me in a cheerful voice. ¡°The two of them were just concerned with the scale of my designs. I had to go into greater detail about everything, but I slowly got the two of them to see how the village could make my plans work.


    "That''s wonderful," I exclaim. I know just how much work Richard put into the design of his wall. Once it''s completed, the village won¡¯t need to worry about monsters attacking for a long time, and even if they do, with Richard¡¯s wall in place, there will be little chance of people getting hurt.


    Wait! ¡°So, if they agreed to your design, why are you back home?¡± I again question Richard about his spontaneous visit.


    "I came home to grab my notes on the approximation on how much material the wall will need. I need a lot of stone for parts of the wall, and there are only two people I can ask for help.¡±


    I can feel Richard gazing down at me, no doubt with a cocky smile on his face, proud of himself for how smoothly he shifted the conversation back to Aaliyah.


    ¡°Would you like to come with me? It looks like you could use a break anyway?" Richard''s sweet voice nudges me to agree.


    It doesn¡¯t look like Richard is going to take no for an answer. Letting out a small sigh, I decide to agree with him and get this over with. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go with you. But I really am trying to work on my magic, and I won¡¯t stay if your discussion takes too long.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss,¡± Richard happily agrees. Standing up, he offers me his hand.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°I can still get up on my own,¡± I huff, angling myself so I can comfortably get to my feet without putting unnecessary pressure on my midsection. I¡¯m almost through my fourth month of pregnancy, and though my stomach isn''t that big at this point, I''m already finding that I need to move around differently as my belly continues to expand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± Richard beams down at me. He reaches over and gently takes my hand into his own, ¡°but an extra hand always helps.¡±


    I accept the offer and let Richard help me to my feet. I''ve never told him, but I love it when he acts all chivalrous with me; it''s like I have my own personal knight. Only my knight builds castles rather than defends them.


    Richard continues to butter me up when we reach the front door, where he bends over and helps me put my shoes on. If he continues to act like this, I won''t be able to stay mad at him poking his nose in my and Aaliyah''s business.


    Arm in arm, we leave our house and slowly make our way through the village. Richard remains conscious of our pace, slowing his steps to not put any unnecessary stress on me.


    But halfway through the village, Richard can¡¯t help himself. ¡°So, Aaliyah, what¡¯s going on there?¡± Richard likes to point out that I''m like our moms, but I think he doesn''t realize he has these stubborn moments too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, ok,¡± I whisper as we walk past a small group of villagers enjoying the spring sun.


    ¡°Did my sister do something?¡± Richard pushes the subject. ¡°I can try and get her to apologize, but if I¡¯m honest, I don¡¯t think I can take her.¡± Richard gives me a meek look, and I can''t help but laugh, which prompts him to smile.


    "Don''t worry; I don''t think I can take her either." As soon as those words leave my mouth, I¡¯m reminded that I''m falling further behind Aaliyah. Richard notices the change in my expression, and I think at that moment, he realizes what''s been bugging me.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s told me multiple times I shouldn¡¯t compare myself to my sister," Richard says in a quiet yet caring voice. "I thought we were both happy with all the progress we''ve made," Richard''s hand hovers down to my protruding belly, ¡°I know I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy,¡± I snap back, finding my hand naturally moving to my stomach in a protective matter. ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± I hang my head in shame.


    "It''s hard watching Aaliyah improve as she does," Richard finishes my sentence for me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I mumble in a barely audible voice.


    A silence falls over the two of us as we walk past the village¡¯s new armory. Unwilling to let Richard see the defeated look in my eyes, I focus on the new building. The square building is rather plain, but the size is impressive. The structure looks like it could withstand anything with walls made from large stone blocks and the thickest tree trunks around. I wouldn''t start chucking fireballs at it, but I''m sure the building could take a stray spell or two.


    Richard said the armory was designed to store all the weapons and armor Aaliyah made for the village and act as a bunker should the village be attacked. If another goblin hoard or a large group of bandits were to approach the village, the armory would be a safe place for the children and elderly to take shelter along with anyone else who couldn¡¯t defend themselves.


    The twin doors at the front of the armory are wide enough for four people to stand side by side. They''re made from a bone larch tree, Richard explained to me that it was a very durable wood that Richard''s dad had to look for specifically. You can see the steel fixtures holding the structure together were made with a lot of care, yet another example of Aaliyah''s masterful craftsmanship. Even when she''s constantly busy, Aaliyah didn''t hesitate to offer her services while Richard and Salas built the structure.


    As we pass by the armory and through the rest of the village, I feel confident enough to talk as we step into the forest now that there aren¡¯t any wayward villagers nearby. ¡°I¡¯m having trouble unlocking a skill.¡±


    ¡°The one you¡¯ve been trying to get?¡±


    So, Richard noticed. "Yeah, it''s the skill that I need to start practicing enchanting with Aaliyah."


    "I see," Richard hums in thought. "I can see how that must be frustrating, but what does that have to do with my sister? You''ll figure it out eventually."


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait for eventually! I¡¯m already having trouble keeping up with Aaliyah, and the longer I take, the more of her time I waste.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re wasting her time?¡± Richard prompts me to continue explaining, and now that I¡¯ve started, the words just pour out of my mouth.


    ¡°She spends so much of her time trying to help me learn new mana skills, and I can¡¯t teach Aaliyah anything in return. Did I tell you she contacted Silver Herd for me?¡±


    ¡°I believe you mentioned it,¡± Richard nods along with me.


    "Yeah, did I also tell you how much the materials I need cost?" I frown just thinking about it.


    ¡°You might have left that part out, but I take it they¡¯re expensive.¡±


    "That''s an understatement," I grit threw my teeth. "Aaliyah told me there are material shortages thanks to the war, and even selling to me at cost, I¡¯ll probably need a handful of gold coins!¡±


    Richard grimaces at the price; he knows being a mage, money has a different value to me. Materials, magic items, my apprenticeship, everything having to do with magic costs leagues above everything else. If I had graduated my apprenticeship a few years ago and had time to use my craft in the city, I might be able to afford the cost of a few gold coins. I''m not complaining that we left for home after I finished my apprenticeship, especially after what happened to Drey soon after leaving, but I knew coming straight home would leave me a poor mage.


    I knew it would take me a while to build up a decent income, but I didn''t expect to need to get my hands on magic materials so early. I planned to use my magic around the village and charge my father a residence tax. That¡¯ usually what elderly magic users do, when they want to retire someplace out of the way. A residency tax is a flat monthly payment that a mage charges for helping out a town or village.


    However, because my parents, the village headman, sponsored my magic education, I would only charge a third of the usual rate until the village expanded a bit and most of my debt was paid off. I figured I''d still need a few more years of practical study before I needed to expand my horizons, giving me plenty of time to save up some coin. I mean, who needs magic gear as soon as they finish their first apprenticeship anyway?


    Too bad that sentiment only lasted until Aaliyah showed me her fancy amulet.


    Seeing my distress, Richard tries to make me feel better. "We can try and scrape the money together. I''m sure if I asked, your father would front me the money for my part of constructing the wall."


    I smile at Richards''s offer but slowly shake my head back and forth. "There''s no need for that; Aaliyah already offered to pay for everything."


    ¡°She did?!¡± Richard is surprised to hear that.


    ¡°Yep, only needed to see me frown at the mention of the price before she told me she would handle it.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Richard looks like he¡¯s starting to see what has me upset.


    "She takes the time to teach me even though I''m not improving, she''s paying for what I need, and I can''t give her a single thing in return!" I wipe the corner of my eyes, damn hormones, I''m frustrated, but this isn''t something I should cry over.


    ¡°You helped her with the engraving ink,¡± Richard reminds me.


    ¡°Helped,¡± I frown. "It''s only thanks to Aaliyah''s ridiculous skills that we progressed as we did."


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that,¡± Richard wraps his arm around my shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, no?¡± I scoff at Richard¡¯s platitudes. "I could barely follow along with half the things she was talking about. How the mana was moving inside the engraving ink, I was lucky I could sense the reaction inside the ink when it took place."


    ¡°But I heard you experimented without Aaliyah plenty of times.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but Aaliyah was always nearby, and she always kept an eye on what I was doing. Whenever I did something right, she was there to point out whatever I did. I don''t think she even realized it, but it was only thanks to Aaliyah''s comments that I ''helped'' as much as I did. If anything, I''ve only been holding her back to increase my own skills," I depressingly admit.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Bless Richard for standing up for me, but he doesn¡¯t know what I do.


    I stop walking in the middle of the forest trail and look Richard in the eyes. With no tears to cloud my vision, I flatly ask Richard, "Do you have any idea how many skill levels I''ve gained since we came back to the village?"


    Richard is confused by my question and remains silent under my gaze. Pulling up my status page, I tell him how quickly my skills have increased since I started working with Aaliyah.


    LV: 41 Experience: 8,746/69,380


    Health: 1,710/1,710


    Stamina: 592/730


    Mana: 784/1,160


    Vitality: 171


    Endurance: 28


    Strength: 21


    Dexterity: 26


    Senses: 32


    Mind: 43


    Magic: 116


    Clarity: 48


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Running (LV18), Writing (LV37), Mathematics (LV26), Cooking (LV34), Dagger skills (LV7), Meditation (LV39), Sense Mana (LV42), Chanting (LV54), Mana Manipulation (LV19), Expel Mana (LV31), Recall Spell (LV27), Quick Casting (LV14), Alchemy (LV12), Dancing (LV7)


    ¡°I¡¯ve gained three levels in Sense Mana, five in Mana manipulation, four in Expel Mana, plus learning my two newest skills! Alchemy and Dancing might only be tier 1, but both required Aaliyah¡¯s help to obtain!¡±


    "I think you might be exaggerating," Richard motions for me to slow down and take a breath. "Mom, Dad, and I," Richard counts off on his fingers. "All three of us also unlocked the dancing skill after practicing a few times with Aaliyah; it isn''t that important."


    I doubt Richard would be saying that if he watched Aaliyah spar with Tabitha. "And Alchemy?" I challenge back. "You know alchemists are just as fussy about accepting apprentices as mages are. Will you tell me unlocking Alchemy wasn''t a big deal?"


    ¡°Well¡­ no,¡± Richard stumbles to answer.


    ¡°And what about my other skills?¡± I press forward, making Richard take a tentative step back. "My mana skills are my most important skills and the hardest to level. In the last four months, Sense Mana, Mana Manipulation, and Expel Mana have seen the same growth as my entire final year under my Master."


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± Richard tries to point out the bright side to me.


    I shake my head. ¡°You¡¯re still not seeing it. Compared to our time in Drey, what¡¯s different since we returned home?¡±


    Richard seriously ponders over my question while I wait for a response. ¡°Well, we spend more time together,¡± he beams at me. ¡°We both get to see our families. The two of us are starting a life together.¡±


    I watch Richard''s loving eyes drop to my stomach, and I have to hold back some tears. If I don''t get what I''m feeling off my chest, it might destroy my friendship with Aaliyah. Clearing my voice, so I don''t sound like I''m ready to cry, I tell Richard the problem with what he just told me.


    "Exactly, we have more time to spend with our families and each other. I haven''t increased my training regimen; if anything, I''ve cut back on my practice time." I don''t mention how part of my mana pool is dedicated to protecting our child. "And yet, my skills that should be getting harder to level are increasing on a monthly basis.¡±


    Richard gives me a look that says he doesn''t understand why I''m complaining about being able to level my skills. "Everything falls back to Aaliyah," I tell him. "Every time she has a chance, Aaliyah tries to explain how she improved her skills, not caring how busy she is. She''s fighting that crazy woman, so she''s safe when she goes to Scholl. She puts her all into her crafting so the village is armed and so that she can leave money behind for her family. And now she''s paying for all the materials that I need to learn one of the most desired professions in the world."


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it much while we were deciphering the ink because I was excited by what I was learning, but now that I¡¯m sitting on the sidelines, I can¡¯t help but notice how much I¡¯m leaching off Aaliyah!¡± Trembling, I ball up my fists in frustration. ¡°I could pretend I was helping her more than I was while we were working on the engraving ink, but now¡­ now I¡¯m not even doing that anymore.¡±


    Richard wraps his arms around me, supporting me as I bare my soul. "When Aaliyah was still little before I left the village, I could talk freely about what I learned from Anastasia. Now I''m under this stupid contract limiting me from teaching Aaliyah even the most basic of spells. What was even the point of me even leaving the village in the first place? If I stayed behind, I probably could''ve just practiced with Aaliyah, and if the rate at which I''m gaining skills is any indication, I probably would''ve been better off that way."


    ¡°So, nothing good came out of time in Drey?¡± Richard quietly asks me.


    ¡°You know I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Richard rocks back and forth on his feet. ¡°I now know what''s been bothering you, and I know what you''re feeling. Remember how much I complained about Aaliyah and how much she always seemed to overshadow what I did. She doesn''t brag about her skills, but when she tries to help you with everything, you can''t help but feel a little incompetent next to her. You don''t want to be mad at her because of how much she cares for us, but you can''t help but compare yourself to her."


    Just the way Richard can put my feelings into words somehow makes me feel a little bit better. Just knowing there''s someone who gets me completely lifts a part of the weight off my shoulders.


    ¡°And I think you''re undervaluing what we learned in Drey. We might not have gone to the capital, but we''ve seen what''s outside the village for ourselves. We know what things are worth and how the world operates; do you think Aaliyah can say the same thing? By what you¡¯ve told me, my sister already has a warped sense of money, and I doubt that won''t be the only eye-opener she faces when she leaves the village."


    I can picture Aaliyah walking down a street, stopping at a stall for some food, and trying to pay with a gold coin. Thought the thought brings a small smile to my face, I wouldn''t exactly call knowing the price of bread, or what type of coins you''re supposed to use in different areas were the best trade-off to where my skills would be if I stayed in the village with Aaliyah.


    Sensing he hadn¡¯t convinced me yet; Richard makes a point I haven''t thought about. "Alright, what about what you did for the village?"


    ¡°Are you talking about me turning the fields over?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Richard looks at me with a bit of a smug look. ¡°Could you have done that if you never went to Drey?¡±


    ¡°No, but a simple earth spell isn¡¯t comparable to literally running through the air.¡±


    "And which of those was more helpful to the village?" Richard''s grin gets a bit bigger. "People are saying thanks to you; the village will have its best harvest ever. Can Aaliyah do that? I don''t think so. Sure, I''m going to ask Aaliyah for some stone from Del-Razen''s quarry, but who''s going to be the biggest help in helping me magic up a proper wall?"


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t conjure up a wall, right?¡± I look at Richard dubiously.


    "I know," he leans forward and kisses me on my forehead. "I''ve watched you practice your magic for the last five years; I have a pretty good idea of what you''re capable of. Even with just the help of your more basic spells, we''ll be able to construct the wall a lot faster than otherwise. You might not be able to do what Aaliyah does, but she can''t do what you do either."


    "And that''s supposed to make me feel better about myself?" I ask a bit sarcastically, wryly looking up into Richard''s eyes. "Alright, smart guy, now tell me why I shouldn''t feel jealous, and what I should do about paying her back for all her help?"


    Richard chuckles, "Silly; you''re already paying her back by being her friend." I narrow my eyes venomously at him for saying such a cheesy thing, but that only makes Richard laugh more. "I''m serious; you should know by now Aaliyah doesn¡¯t want anything from you, well, maybe more time to hang out with you, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t exactly help me pay her back,¡± I deadpan.


    ¡°Then tell her you¡¯re going to pay her back,¡± Richard suggests to me.


    ¡°And where am I supposed to get enough gold by the time she leaves?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay it all back all at once,¡± Richard tells me with a smile. ¡°Just tell her you¡¯ll give everything you owe her to our parents; I¡¯m sure Aaliyah would be more than ok with that.¡±


    That''s actually a good idea; how come I never thought of that? And since when did Richard get so good with relationship advice? "So smart. Who are you, and what have you done with my fianc¨¦?¡± I playfully ask.


    Richard bashfully rubs the back of his head. ¡°I just know what it¡¯s like living with my sister, and I have a bit of experience resolving conflicts.¡±


    Now that gits me to raise an eyebrow.


    Richard explains, ¡°You forget you weren¡¯t the only one who improved in Drey. I was promoted to be a general foreman, and it was my job to direct a crew of workers.¡±


    ¡°And now you give expert relationship advice?¡± I don¡¯t buy that for a minute.


    "I solved arguments between the workers," Richard responds. "Laborers are a tough bunch, and it''s easy for them to step on each other''s toes for the simplest of reasons. My boss told me as the foreman; I either need to fire people or resolve the issue. Fire too many people, and there isn''t anyone to work with, so I had to learn to talk down two men ready to rip each other apart with their bare hands. The problem between you and Aaliyah is serious, but I don¡¯t think the two of you are at the point of killing one another," he jokes. "Tell Aaliyah you''ll pay her back and teach her about what it was like to live in Drey; I''m sure that''s just as important as the magic lessons she''s giving you."


    ¡°And my jealousy? You haven¡¯t mentioned anything about that yet.¡±


    Richard¡¯s smile slips a bit, ¡°Can I tell you something between the two of us?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I reassure him, Richard¡¯s secrets are my secrets.


    "That feeling of jealousy is likely never going to vanish." I flinch hearing Richard going from sounding so positive to so negative in a split second.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re still jealous of your sister?¡± I tentatively ask.


    Richard doesn''t nod his head, but I can see the answer in his eyes; there''s the shame of jealously there, just like me. "I''ll always be at least be a little jealous of my sister''s achievements. It doesn''t mean I don''t love her and support her, but¡­ Aaliyah can be almost too perfect. She never stops improving, and no matter how hard you try, you''ll never catch up to her. I noticed it when we were kids, and I''m sure you''ve seen it after spending enough time with her, but no matter what Aaliyah does, she succeeds. Succeed might be the wrong word; I wouldn''t say she can master anything she tries, but rather her growth just can''t be matched. Aaliyah picks up new skills like they''re scattered on the ground and never lacks some sort of inspiration."


    ¡°And how do you deal with knowing that?¡± I ask the thousand gold question.


    "Well, as I said, I''m her older brother. Even if I''m jealous of Aaliyah''s success, I''m still happy to see her improving if you can believe it," a complicated smile crosses Richard''s face. "You need to come to terms with both feelings, despite how conflicting they are.¡±


    ¡°And give up catching up to her,¡± I sigh and hang my head.


    ¡°No!¡± Richard reaches under my chin and tilts my head back up. ¡°Never give up trying to catch up to Aaliyah.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say like three times that it¡¯s impossible to catch up to her?¡± I¡¯m confused by Richard¡¯s mix messaging.


    "I did, and it''s probably true," he shamelessly admits. "But that doesn''t mean you can quit trying to catch up to Aaliyah. I may never reach her level, but I will damn well try. Use the jealousy to stay motivated; if you wanted to get stronger, then become stronger. The jealousy may never vanish, but you don''t need to let it control you. I told myself I''d stop trying my hardest when my jealousy vanishes; until then, I''ll keep improving. And who knows, maybe the gods will pity me and offer me a blessing," Richard wholeheartedly laughs.


    ¡°Thanks, Babe,¡± I hug Richard after his laughter starts to calm down.


    ¡°Anytime, Sweety. If you ever can¡¯t talk to Aaliyah, you can always come to me. I¡¯ll always be on your side,¡± he stresses.


    "Well, now that I know you can give decent advice, I might just have to do that," I smile at Richard. "In fact, we should probably have discussions like this every night; that way, we''ll always know how the other is feeling."


    "Wait, what!" Richard''s eyes expand to the size of dinner plates.


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like the perfect idea,¡± I reiterate.


    ¡°Hold on now, every night?¡±


    I laugh at the look of horror on Richard¡¯s face. It takes me laughing for five minutes before Richard realizes I was joking.


    ¡°Ready to see Aaliyah?¡± Richard asks me before we continue to Del¡¯s clearing.


    Feeling much better, I nod, and the two of us continue our walk hand in hand.


    I still need to have a discussion with Aaliyah, but I no longer feel like I need to avoid her. Richard gave me a lot of good advice, and I''m going to take it to heart.


    I''ll find a way to pay back Aaliyah for everything she''s done and everything she''ll do.


    And I''ll keep training. I''m still going to try and unlock Inject Mana, but I''ve been putting off practicing my spells for far too long. I can''t focus on what Aaliyah can do, I need to focus on what I can do, and I can cast spells. My original goal was to learn magic to improve the village, and I can''t forget that.


    "I love you," I whisper, leaning in close to Richard.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he responds without missing a beat.


    How was I lucky enough to find such a great man, I think to myself as we continue down the forest trail towards my friend.


    Towards my rival.

 Ch: 102

    Why did Sandra and Richard have to choose now of all times to visit me?


    Don''t get me wrong; I want to talk to Sandra; Richard, less so. But gods, the timing! I can¡¯t turn away from the arrow in my hands. It¡¯s a good thing Master got up to warn them not to distract me.


    I¡¯m busy soldering the fletching onto an arrow, only I''m not using a soft metal like tin this time. Maybe if I had some sort of magic tin, it would work ok, but regular tin wouldn¡¯t hold up under the forces the arrow was likely to be subjected to.


    I was told my previous arrow managed to hurt Pacore, that¡¯s all well and good, but I¡¯ve leveled significantly since I made that arrow, and I want this new batch to be even better.


    So, no tin here, this time, I''m using a copper/steel alloy that¡¯s had a bit of mithril thrown into the mixture to do the job instead. I already tested the alloy, and though it keeps most of the steel''s strength, it also gives it better flexibility.


    Like I did with the previous arrow, I prepped the feathers and carved out the groves where the fletching will sit with my engraving pen. But now''s the tricky part. First, I stretched out the chunk of steel alloy I¡¯m using as the filler metal as thin as I could get it, and now I''m shifting it around in my forge.


    It might not be pure steel, but the alloy still melts at a much higher melting point than tin. So I need to keep it as hot as possible, which requires me to put it in the hottest part of the forge. Last time I could use Mana Skin to keep my hands safe while retaining my dexterity when soldering, but even though Mana Skin has grown as strong as it has, I can¡¯t just shove my hand into the forge to heat the wire.


    At least not yet. Master has demonstrated that he could resist temperatures to a certain degree, but that''s only when he''s working with metals with a relatively lower melting point like copper, not the 1,100¡ãC odd flames I¡¯m currently working with. For just a bit of comparison, tin melts around 230¡ãC, so I need to be extremely careful.


    Using my tongs, I hold the alloy wire in the flames. I''m so close to the forge that I can barely hear anything over the roar of the flames. Master is talking to Brother and Sandra, probably explaining what I''m doing. But again, I don¡¯t have the leisure to listen in on their conversation; I stare into the forge, not taking my eyes off the metal for a second.


    If I were a normal person back on earth, this amount of light radiation alone probably would¡¯ve blinded me, but with a Senses stat of 62, my eyes aren¡¯t that weak.


    I¡¯m waiting for the perfect moment to remove the wire. I need the tip to be just hot enough to melt properly. If I leave it in too long, my material will drip into the flames, but if I pull it out too soon, I won¡¯t be able to solder anything with it, leaving me with very little margin for error.


    That¡¯s it!


    Yanking my tongs from the forge, I twist in place and bring the glowing wire over to my arrow shaft I have fastened to my anvil. With the speed and precision of a robot, I drag the molten wire across one of the grooves before setting my tongs and alloy wire over the edge of the forge. The wire needs to remain hot, but I don¡¯t put it so far into the flames that it will melt.


    Now that my hands are free, I grab one of the prepared feathers nearby and carefully position it into the rapidly cooling metal. I hold the feather in place until Sense Mana confirms that the feather has adequately bonded with the arrow shaft. Like all joints, the two mana structures don''t match up perfectly. Still, the mana conductivity between the two remains high thanks to the mithril empowered metal I used for the filler metal.


    If I could get the mana networks to bond better, that would increase the quality of the arrows by another degree. But how do I go about doing that?


    Mana networks form naturally in everything, but they aren¡¯t random. All plants and animals, including humans, form mana networks that conform to their body structure- i.e., the body and limbs.


    Inanimate objects are slightly different and more like storage containers. Their mana usually pools in one point and evenly radiates out from there; it''s because metals hold their mana in this way that I can see when they have microfractures in them. Because microfractures are essentially small voids in the material¡¯s structure, the mana can¡¯t cleanly penetrate them, creating distinct mana currents in the material.


    To increase the arrow¡¯s mana conductivity further, I would need to connect the mana network of the fechin feather I attached to the shaft, through the steel alloy, and into the shaft itself.


    How would I go about connecting three separate mana networks? Mana bleeds from one to the other due to proximity, but none of the three are welded together like the dellinium arrowhead is to the arrow shaft.


    I''ll have to think about it going further, but I need to finish this arrow for now, so I shift back to my tongs in the forge.


    Again, I wait for the metal to heat up before doing everything again. Then, ten minutes later, my arrow is fully fletched after a third pass.


    Taking a step back, I look over the completed arrow. Everything looks good, the arrowhead still needs to be sharpened, but the fletching is on tight, the shaft is straight as... well as an arrow. Overall, some of my best work.


    Unclamping the arrow from my anvil, I make my way over to my workbench, where a wooden rack waits for me. I set the arrow down next to the other three I had already completed for the day. The change is minute, but from the bottom up, you can see how the fletching on each of the arrows is getting better. The first one I completed has excess filler metal I¡¯ll need to grind away, but that¡¯s the worst of them. With each one I fletch, the technique I''m using becomes more like second nature to me. It¡¯s a good thing too, because I still have five more to go.


    I initially thought I only had enough dellinium for eight more arrows after making the original one, but after working the metal a bit, I realized I could scrounge up enough material to make it nine. It was good to set aside enough kaglese and mithril for ten arrows instead of eight just in case I messed up on something.


    I''m almost halfway done.


    But before I start on the fifth arrow, I turn to the four people watching me from the benches.


    Brother is awkwardly sitting next to Tabitha, while Master has graciously sat up to make room for a pregnant Sandra. For once, Tabitha isn''t looking to me for a battle; instead, she''s intrigued by her bench mate. I¡¯m sure Tabitha has seen my family around the village, but either because she¡¯s respecting my wishes to not interfere with them, or whether she just doesn¡¯t care, Tabitha has kept her distance from them. Now that I think about it, this is the first time she¡¯s met a member of my family. Richard, for his part, is trying to put up a courteous smile, but that''s hard to do with someone like Tabitha staring you down.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not as strong as your sister?¡± I hear Tabitha bluntly ask my brother as I walk over to them.


    ¡°Sadly, no,¡± Richard responds with a strained look. ¡°I was a physical build when I started my apprenticeship, but I switched focuses after I started apprenticing to be a foreman.¡±


    Tabitha nods in understanding but continues to look over Brother''s large frame. He inherited our father¡¯s height, much like I did, but maybe because he''s a boy, Richard looks a lot bulkier than I. I bet she has already asked him to spar with her.


    Sandra smiles at Brother as he explains himself to the battle junkie, while Master looks happy Tabitha isn¡¯t bothering him for a change.


    ¡°Sandra!¡± I happily call out as I near them.


    I open my arms for a friendly hug, even going as far as dropping Mana Skin, only to see Sandra¡¯s face scrunch up. ¡°Whoa there,¡± she holds her hands out in front of her, keeping me at a distance.


    Shit, is she still mad at me? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I quickly apologize, stepping back.


    Sandra¡¯s eyes widen at me, seeing the hurt look on my face. ¡°No, not that,¡± she quickly says. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been swimming, and I can smell you from here.¡±


    Sandra moves to pinch the bridge of her nose as I look down. She''s right; not only do I have pit stains, but my shirt¡¯s collar is entirely soaked. I didn¡¯t feel it when I was next to the forge, but I¡¯ve worked up quite the sweat, haven¡¯t I?


    Now that I¡¯ve dropped Mana Skin, I can feel the spring breeze as it catches my wet clothing. Of course, my stats keep me from feeling cold, but the wind does send a slight shiver up my spine and give me goosebumps.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologize again, this time about the smell. ¡°Mana Skin protects me from the temperature of the forge, but the heat that does get through does a number on me. I didn''t even notice." I don''t mention that I can smell myself now that I''m getting a breath of fresh air. It would be nice to use my magic to clean myself, but staying next to the forge for so long eats away at Mana Skin and, in turn, my mana supply. If I want to finish the arrows today, I¡¯ll need all of my mana to do so.


    ¡°Oh, stop. I should be the one apologizing for brushing you off like that. You just caught me off guard, is all." Sandra''s smile is strained, but her words make me feel better.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re both at fault then,¡± I nervously chuckle, not sure if Sandra was still mad at me or not. ¡°I¡¯m just happy you came; Master and Tabitha don¡¯t make good conversation partners.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Master snaps, while Tabitha doesn¡¯t look perturbed by my statement in the least.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy, practicing my magic¡­ and thinking over things.¡± Sandra fidgets in place.


    ¡°Really, so have I,¡± I say with a little too much enthusiasm.


    ¡°You did?¡± Sandra seems initially surprised, but that quickly melts away into a questioning look. ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    Now it¡¯s my turn to fidget in place. ¡°Just about how I didn¡¯t notice your feelings recently. I''ve been focusing on myself and I¡­."


    "Let me stop you there," Sandra cuts in as I was stumbling over what to say next. "You didn''t do anything wrong. I was the jealous one."


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, more on reflex rather than not understanding what Sandra was saying. It only hit me yesterday that she was feeling left out. Some friend I am. ¡°But I did. I was so caught up in our success and moving forward that I forgot about you.¡±


    ¡°No, it was me who couldn¡¯t help you anymore. You¡¯ve done so much for me, and I can''t pay you back like I wanted to.¡±


    There is a long pause where Sandra and I just stare at each other, both of us absorbing what the other said. It then dawned on both of us that, at the core of our worries, we were both worried about what we had to offer to the other. But, unfortunately, that isn''t how a friendship works.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy the rest of today,¡± I motion over to the still roaring forge and my equipment. "But we¡¯re still getting together tomorrow, right?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    ¡°I would love to,¡± Sandra beams at me.


    I can¡¯t keep a big smile from growing on my face. ¡°Wonderful! I have some notes I would love to talk to you about if you¡¯d help me.¡±


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± Sandra replies as she gets a look of inspiration. ¡°Only so long as you let me teach you about Drey and what it¡¯s like outside the village,¡± she stipulates.


    ¡°About Drey; why?¡± I cock my head to the side.


    "I want to repay you any way I can,¡± she confidently states. ¡°Even if it¡¯s only teaching you what¡¯s considered normal outside the village.¡± Sandra pauses for a second before her expression hardens. ¡°Also, I want to form a contract with you.¡±


    This time I physically flinch back in surprise; what kind of contract would Sandra need to sign with me? Sandra has heard about my history with contracts in great detail; she even knows that they one-sidedly benefit me, to a certain degree. ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡±


    A fire ignites in Sandra¡¯s eyes, and they light up as she explains. ¡°I want to sign a contract with you that states I¡¯ll pay you or your family back for what you¡¯ve done for me, the knowledge you''ve freely given me, as well as the gold you¡¯re spending to get me the materials I need, all of it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± I try to say, but Sandra softly shakes her head back and forth.


    ¡°I know you think that; you''re a good friend. But, the contract isn''t for you, it''s for me. Please?"


    ¡°How am I supposed to say no to that look," I grumble under my breath. ¡°If you really feel the need to, I guess I have the skills for it,¡± I reluctantly agree.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Sandra shouts and wraps me in a hug, undeterred by my stank.


    ¡°I thought I was smelly,¡± I joke as I return her hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it,¡± Sandra quietly snips in an even tone that was honestly a little scary. Her Mom skill level must still be rising. ¡°I¡¯ll use magic when I get home to clean myself.¡±


    We separate, but we''re still smiling and holding hands as friends do.


    Then there¡¯s clapping off to the side. Sandra and I turn to see Richard sitting on the bench next to Tabitha, clapping with a shit-eating grin plastered on his smug face. ¡°Yes, the two of you are best friends, tears all around. I never saw this happening,¡± he remarks sarcastically.


    I frown in displeasure to Richard¡¯s enjoyment, but it only takes one look from Sandra for him to pause mid-clap immediately and second guess his actions. Sometimes Richard could be so stupid.


    *Cough* Richard clears his throat, looking a lot less confident than he was a second ago. ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s great that the two of you made up. Honestly, I''m happy for you," he stresses his words more towards Sandra than me. ¡°But I actually had a reason to come here today.¡±


    Huh, and here I figured he was just tagging along with Sandra as he always does on his time off.


    Richard reaches to the side of the bench, where he grabs a tube that looks like it would hold a map or some sort of large document. ¡°I actually came to speak with both of you,¡± he turns and looks at Master Del.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Master raises an eyebrow. Whatever Richard has, it doesn¡¯t look like he discussed it with Master while I was working. Richard already proved himself with the village armory, so I¡¯m curious what he¡¯s designed now.


    ¡°I call it the villages shield," Richard proclaims as he opens up the container and unfurls a large piece of parchment for all to see.


    (I''m not talented in Paint to make an actual blueprint, but I did make this map of the village along with Richard¡¯s proposed wall. I highlighted a few of the key buildings in the village as well. I hope you like it.)


    The parchment is a map of the village and its fields, and surrounding everything is a-.


    ¡°You want to build a wall,¡± I state the obvious. I have a little knowledge of reading blueprints, so I can tell what my brother designed at a quick glance.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, just like Drey has.¡±


    ¡°Drey¡¯s walls are huge,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Not that big, but something more manageable, yes.¡±


    I glance at Master, and we share a knowing look. It doesn''t take a genius to figure out why brother came to speak to us. "What do you need?" I ask, fearing Richard''s answer.


    "A lot," is all Brother responds with.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s putting it lightly.¡± Looking at his notes drawn on the blueprints, I start comprehending the extent of what Richard has planned.


    The wall looks like it was designed to be built in multiple stages, and it could be argued we would need to supply items at each. The finished product would be a fifteen-foot wall surrounding the village with two gates on either end. I frown when I notice the wall would cut off the quickest way to Del¡¯s clearing. You would need to leave the front gate and loop around.


    My frown deepens when I start calculating the material the wall would require. Like any good medieval wall, Richard designed it to be made from stone and plaster, which must be mined from Master''s quarry. To build such a structure, a person would need to mine tens of thousands of cubic feet of stone. I think Brother might have gone overboard with his design, even including stats; it would take years to build such a wall.


    ¡°Does Camden know what you have planned?¡± I can¡¯t help but look up and ask the designer of such a monstrosity.


    Richard chuckles at my skepticism. "He had the same look you did at first, but he agreed."


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Richard motions down at the blueprint with his eyes. "I''m going to start small, build the section of the wall that leads out of town first.¡±


    ¡°Not the back part by the fields?¡± I note.


    The excitement dims in Richard¡¯s eyes a bit as he sends a glance at Tabitha. "At first, I thought about starting in the back, better protection from the forest and all that, but after Pacore showed up.¡±


    Richard doesn''t say the rest, but we all know what he''s talking about. Everyone in the village was a bit traumatized when Pacore marched the platoon of soldiers to the front of our village. I can only shudder at the thought of what could''ve happened if they weren''t friendly.


    We were more likely to be attacked by goblins or farkas in the near future, but a wall in the front of the village would probably make everyone feel safer, if only mentally.


    Now I see why Richard wants to start in the front of the village, but the area he plans to cover. Richard¡¯s plans propose we clear out more of the forest and build a reasonable distance away from everybody''s homes. I guess it¡¯s for when the village expands in the future, but damn that¡¯s a lot of space.


    ¡°You realize how long this will take, right?¡± I ask my brother.


    ¡°It will be a project,¡± he nods in understanding. ¡°But when the village needed to, it expanded almost as much when the magic beasts attacked, didn¡¯t it? I talked with Salus about it, and he agrees, if we get the same people who helped with the forest expansion, we could start getting a wall up in a few weeks!¡±


    The longer Brother talks about his plans, the more the excitement returns to his face. But after his earlier comments about Sandra and me, I feel it''s only fitting to toss some water on his burning passion. "If Master and I agree to help you, that is,¡± I flatly tell him.


    All jokes aside, helping with the wall would be a huge commitment. Even if Master and I don¡¯t help build the thing, it would still be us that would have to mine the stone for the wall. Then the fittings for the gates had to be made, and a strong wall wasn¡¯t just built from stone either. Huge nails to hold everything together were required, along with this world''s equivalent of rebar. And don¡¯t get me started on the tools we¡¯d need to make. Unless Brother brought a bunch of stone carving equipment with him, we¡¯d have to make that too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can agree to this.¡± Richard knew my last jab was just me fooling with him, but now that I specifically said I wouldn¡¯t help him, he''s no longer smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll still be in the village,¡± I remind him. ¡°Once I leave, Master would need to handle everything on his own. I can¡¯t agree to that," I flat-out tell him.


    Richard''s face scrunches up, and you could see the wheels turning in his head. He¡¯s probably trying to think of what he could say to convince me, but I¡¯m not the one he needs to convince. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Del staring at Brother¡¯s blueprint; it''s up to him if we help.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Master Del finally speaks up, startling Brother out of his thoughts.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°What about the path that leads to my house?¡± Master points to the trail that leads to his clearing and how it indicates a wall would be built there.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Richard appears to understand what Master is asking about, but I highly doubt it. "That would be the very last section of wall to be built; the stone needs to come from your quarry after all."


    I was right; Richard didn''t understand.


    ¡°I get that,¡± Master growls at my brother. ¡°I mean, what about when people need to come to me for something; are you going to make them walk even farther?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that!¡± Richard exclaims.


    ¡°Yes, that!¡± Master snaps.


    "I just figured you''d move into the village after the wall was done," Richard matter-of-factly tells Master, stunning both of us.


    ¡°And why in Tarrow¡¯s forge would I do that!?" It''s been a while since I heard Master swear to the god of earth and nature.


    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Richard hesitates to answer, choosing to scratch the back of his head while looking off to the side. When he does give his answer, it leaves Master¡¯s mouth wide open. ¡°I figured because everyone in the village knows about you now, there was no reason to live out in the middle of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what do they know about me?¡± Master stutters at first but still manages to send a sharp look at Brother.


    ¡°They know,¡± Brother cryptically responds with only those two words like Master should know what he meant, infuriating him more. Not a wise decision considering Richard needs his help to make his wall a reality.


    In a bout of clarity, Richard realizes that his answers were only making Master more enraged, so he bites the bullet and spits out rapidly, "Everyone in the village knows you can talk perfectly fine."


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Silence hung in the air, but I let out a breath I didn''t realize I was holding in. Master Del''s use of vocabulary wasn''t anything important in terms of secrets.


    Master must agree too, because I see most of the tension drain out of his face. "Is that so," he blandly remarks.


    ¡°Yeah, Salus and Markus have been telling everybody. Plus, everyone in the village saw you stand up to Scholl. Word is out that you aren¡¯t as mean as everybody thought you were.¡±


    I have to suppress a giggle at that, but Richard makes a good point. Del spent years crafting his grouchy Stone kin appearance; without that, does he really need to live out in the forest? He wouldn''t need to move for a few years while the wall was being built, and if I''m honest with myself, I''m a little worried about what will happen when I leave. Since I became Del¡¯s apprentice, he¡¯s opened up a lot, and I think it would be good for him to be around more people, especially if everyone realizes what a great person he is.


    "What makes you think I would want to leave my clearing?" Master says that, but I can tell he''s thinking about it. If the village is expanded like in Richard¡¯s planes, there would be more than enough room to fit all of Master¡¯s equipment and then some.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have to make a decision now,¡± I point out to Master. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t need to move for a few years, and if you decide you don¡¯t want to, Richard could just add a small gate in the wall.¡±


    ¡°That would compromise security,¡± Richard remarks, but he shuts up when I scowl at him. Honestly, I''m trying to help him here. Master takes forever to convince of anything; we just need to sow the idea now and let it grow over time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Master huffs. Usually, when he says that he''s brushing somebody off, but something tells me that''s not the case this time.


    "Does that mean you''ll agree to help with the wall?" Richard doesn''t miss the conversation turning in his favor and presses Master for an answer.


    Del doesn¡¯t immediately agree, making eye contact with me instead. He doesn''t need to say anything to understand that he''s asking for my opinion.


    I only need nod once to convey I think a wall is a good idea. Despite all the work it would take, a fifteen-foot wall would alleviate a lot of my fears. Moreover, after I left, I would sleep better at night knowing my friends and family were safe behind such a wall.


    My wordless consent is all Master needs before he turns back to Brother. ¡°Alright, we will help you.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Brother shouts, looking ready to jump for joy.


    "But only with mining the materials and any smithing you need doing," Master quickly reigns in Brother''s enthusiasm, but not by much.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Richard smiles at Del. I should talk to him later about his relationship with Master. When I leave, I don¡¯t want him to revert to his old ways, and even if we joke a lot, I know Richard''s personality; he''d be a good conversation partner for Master. If he agrees to look after him, that would be another thing I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about.


    "Good; now, if you''ve finished, leave me alone so I can take a nap.¡± Master looks away from Brother like he always does to hide his emotions.


    Master probably isn¡¯t even going to go to sleep. Before Richard and Sandra showed up, he watched me work like a hawk.


    ¡°Oh, Shit! My work!¡± I exclaim, using Flash step to run over to the forge. ¡°Crap,¡± I swear aloud again when I see the flames inside or lack thereof. With all the emotional talk, I forgot about maintaining the fire; it''ll take forever to get the temperature back up to what I need it to be.


    ¡°Need to pay attention more,¡± Master comments from his bench as I furiously work the bellows and add more charcoal and blacksmithing logs to the fire. He makes it sound like he also didn¡¯t forget, but if he didn''t, Master would''ve warned me before the flames dimmed this much. He knows how important working on the arrows is to me.


    ¡°Is everything ok?¡± Sandra asks worriedly, concerned that our conversation might have ruined my work.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I sigh. ¡°It will just take some extra time to stoke the fire,¡± I reassure her.


    ¡°In that case, we better get going,¡± Richard wraps moves next to Sandra and protectively wraps his arm around her.


    ¡°See you tomorrow?¡±


    "You bet," I tell Sandra.


    I keep one eye on my friend and Brother as they move to leave the clearing and the other on my steadily growing fire.


    I was not prepared for all this today, but I¡¯m happy they showed up in the end. Sandra alleviated most of my fears regarding our friendship, and Richard''s wall will be a massive boon to the village, even if I''ll need to somehow work mining for stone into my schedule.


    But that¡¯s all for after I finish these arrows. I need to focus again and get back into the right headspace to forge. Once I do that, everything will just come naturally as it always has.

 Ch: 103

    A strike from the left, a shield bash from the front, and a knee to hips; I bob and weave through all of Tabitha¡¯s attacks as varied as they are. The hilt of my hammer works wonders in blocking Tabitha¡¯s armored knee, but most of my focus is on her sword. It only happens on rare occasions, but I can accurately predict how she will attack. And when I do-


    Swinging my hammer, I connect with her breastplate and send her rocketing back over a dozen feet. She lands on her knees, Tabitha¡¯s enchanted gear not so much as denting under my giant hammer, but that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t do any damage.


    Instead of charging me and counterattacking like she usually does, Tabitha pauses where she landed. She has a pained look on her face meaning the force behind my weapon made it through her armor¡¯s enchantments.


    If she were anyone else, I¡¯d call a stop our match to see how she was doing, but I only need to look at the massive grin on her face to know I didn¡¯t do that much damage.


    ¡°That was a good hit,¡± Tabitha compliments me. Hearing her words of praise, I immediately use Flash Step to gain as much distance from her as possible.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction; I¡¯m giving you a compliment?¡± Her grin widens when I don¡¯t drop my guard and instead prepare for her counterattack. ¡°That was the fifth time you¡¯ve predicted my attacks; it looks like you''ve finally reached the next level.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get any levels from that,¡± I state, knowing I won¡¯t need to ask her to explain herself.


    ¡°Not physical levels; you''ve reached the next level of training. You saw my attacks in their entirety, and you got me good.¡± Still holding her sword, Tabitha brings her armored gauntlet up to her chest and affectionately rubs the spot I tagged her, looking at me like she was a proud parent or something.


    I might have been happy to hear Tabitha acknowledge me if this was a month ago, but I know better now. She has the same look on her face she had back when I first managed to hit her. Her next attack will be fiercer than the last, and if I don¡¯t watch her every movement, I won¡¯t be able to defend myself.


    ¡°Yeah, Aaliyah! Kick her ass while she¡¯s down!¡±


    ¡°You got this!¡±


    Thanks to my cheer squad off to the side, I feel a blush creeping its way onto my face. I¡¯ve already told them earlier to stop, but it isn¡¯t like I have time to yell at them at the moment. While I¡¯m staring at Tabitha, she¡¯s doing the same to me. If I give her an opening, she¡¯ll take it.


    ¡°The two of you get back to work!¡± I hear my brother shout at the two men cheering me on.


    "Oh, come on, Richard, have a heart. It''s just getting to the good part."


    ¡°Yeah, Boss, just a few minutes. It¡¯s crazy how fast they move.¡±


    ¡°Start carving that stone, or I¡¯ll volunteer the two of you as their test dummies, then you could watch them up close. Now, hop to it!¡± Brother threatens Frank and Lloyd, and judging by the dual groans behind me, they decide to listen to him.


    The two men have been working in the quarry since yesterday. Master and I mined a bunch of stone a couple of days back, and Richard brought them in to help prep it before they''re carted off to the village. I was told Frank and Lloyd were originally farmers and were two of the first people to volunteer to clear trees when the Chameleon spiders became a threat to the village.


    With Sandra using her magic to help tend the fields, there was no longer enough work for all the farmers in the village. So, Frank and Lloyd permanently switched their jobs and were now working full-time under Brother and Salus. The two of them helped build the armory, so this wasn¡¯t the first time they worked together.


    Age-wise, they each had a few years on Richard, but they followed his orders well enough, all be it as begrudgingly as possible.


    The day after Master and I agreed to help with the wall; Brother immediately started his pet project. And as expected, people jumped at the idea of building our own wall. Along with a slew of other volunteers, our father was clearing out the space around the front of the village while Richard, Llyod, and Frank were prepping the stone they would need.


    Even Master was helping. Instead of watching me spar with Tabitha like he usually did, Del was down in the mine, hauling up more stone and ore. He grumbled about all the work he needed to do, but I didn''t miss the hint of a smile on his face as he walked into the darkness.


    Our quarry looked like an actual mining operation now instead of a large hole in the ground. There were three growing stone piles; one for the waste rock, one for the iron ore master was pulling out with everything else, and a pile of large rocks that would make suitable bricks. Everything mined would be put to use.


    The waste rock would be crushed and mixed before being used to build the village''s wall foundation. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t notice it when I looked over Richard¡¯s plans the first time, but his fifteen-foot wall would be, in actuality, twenty-five feet. So while the above-ground part of the wall would be fifteen feet high, its base would stretch ten feet into the ground.


    Then there was a growing pile of wood next to the entrance to the mine. Master told Richard that if he wanted his stone, he would need to provide enough material to shore up the growing tunnels underground. So, Master was mining; Brother was building supports, leaving Frank and Llyod up here with us.


    Brother would come up periodically like he just did to check on his men, but he couldn¡¯t afford to oversee them the entire time.


    When I agreed to help Richard, I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d be giving up my privacy along with my free time.


    ¡°Here I come!¡± Tabitha considerately shouts before rushing me. My mind was drifting to my surroundings, and I¡¯m not sure if she noticed or not, but her calling out to me helped.


    I square up my hammer to guard my center as she rushes me. Tabitha smiles as I take my stance, and it only grows wider as she nears me.


    I predict a swing from my left, but as I move to block Tabitha¡¯s sword, it dawns on me too late that it was a feint. Shifting my hammer, I try to block her shield from colliding with my left side, but that too is another feint. Tabitha''s sword glows briefly and moves so fast I can''t see its trajectory.


    I Flash Step back, but I can feel a trickle of blood running down my left arm.


    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± I hear off to my side, and I have to agree. Tabitha used a feint as a feint and cut me! The wound wasn''t deep, but there was a sizable gash in my armor on my left forearm.


    ¡°What the hell," I mumble, looking at what was essentially ruined armor.


    ¡°This is the next part of your training." My head snaps up to a smug-looking Tabitha who''s gone into full-on teacher mode. ¡°I¡¯ll no longer be limiting my strikes to your chest piece. Arms, legs, back; they¡¯re all fair game now.¡±


    What is she saying? Fair game?


    I look down at my armor, and it dawns on me. Mom has helped me fix my chest piece a dozen times since I made it, but I''ve yet to have to fix the other parts of my gear. They would receive some slight damage here and there, but I''ve yet to have to reforge the metal plates in them as I have for my chest piece. She¡¯s kicked at my shins and bashed me with her shield, but now I realize Tabitha had never seriously tried to cut the other parts of my body.


    ¡°You were able to guard yourself when you knew where I would be attacking. Now you need to do that but with your entire body.¡±


    Was I subconsciously guarding my chest this whole time?


    I don¡¯t air my thoughts to Tabitha, knowing she would just see them as an excuse. Though, I¡¯d be lying if I said I was ready for what came next. I feel Mother is going to be mad at me when I make it home later. If I make it home.


    My stats stop my bleeding, but I still feel where she cut me.


    ¡°And if I can guard against you, is that the end of my training?¡± I tentatively ask the question I¡¯m not sure I want the answer to. I¡¯ve followed her directions all this time, never questioning when I would be considered good enough.


    Tabitha scoffs and shakes her head. ¡°You won¡¯t be ¡®good enough¡¯ for years,¡± she stresses. "My goal is simply to get you to the point you can handle any challenges you might receive when we make it back to Scholl."


    ¡°Challenges?¡± I ask for clarification.


    "Yes, challenges. Being Master Pacore''s newest student, you''ll most likely receive at least a few. It¡¯s considered bad manners to challenge someone with more than a ten-level difference between each other, but because of your level relative to your age, you¡¯ll be at a serious disadvantage. Even our best and brightest usually don¡¯t reach the 70''s until their mid-thirties. Anyone who challenges you will have years of practice under their belts."


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure I¡¯d lose, even after seeing what I can do?¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s grin widens, "You''d lose in minutes. You''d need to be able to doge my last attack even to consider holding your own, let alone winning. Our country is one of warriors, where the strong are revered. Everyone worth their salt would challenge you simply to gain the attention of Master. That is why I train you as I do. You ooze natural talent, but you lack experience. So, I will push you until you''re at the point you won''t bring shame to me or Master Pacore. Now raise your weapon; we continue."


    I swallow a lump in my throat; Tabitha¡¯s passionate speech evoked a lot of emotions. According to what everyone who knows my level has told me, I might be one of the most talented people in the world for my age. But when you compare me to someone who''s gained their level over decades- there''s simply no comparison. After training with Tabitha, I''m not even sure I could''ve beaten the high-level soldiers that came to the village with Pacore.


    I need to be able to hold my own against someone who¡¯s seen battle, a real battle. And if I''m right, Tabitha will torture me until I reach that point, and then probably more after that, too, if she wasn''t exaggerating the years'' thing.


    ¡°Ready or not, here I come!¡± Tabitha advances with all the ferocity of a rabid dog.


    It¡¯s ok, calm yourself, I repeat in my head. I¡¯ve blocked her attacks before; I just need to expand on those principles. My eyes track Tabitha; she''s moving differently than she usually does. There was more fluidity in her steps, almost like she wasn''t concentrating on holding herself back anymore, despite how crazy that sounds.


    I¡¯ll do it; I¡¯ll block her next attack! I decided that in the split second it takes for Tabitha to close the distance between us.


    As her sword cleaves down towards me I-


    ¡°I got it!¡± A shout of excitement distracts me, and I¡¯m not the only one.


    Tabitha¡¯s blade freezes mere inches from my right shoulder. I was close to blocking it, but now that we¡¯ve both frozen in place, I can see that I wouldn¡¯t have made it in time.


    Both of us turn our gazes towards the woman we both seem to have forgotten was even here. Sandra had been meditating in a shaded corner of the quarry since we started sparring hours ago, and she hasn''t made a peep since. While Tabitha and I have grown used to Frank and Llyod cheering us on and calling out to us, Sandra had been eerily silent. So much so it even appears she was able to catch Tabitha off guard with her shout.


    I guess that means I owe Sandra one; if it weren''t for her random outburst, my right shoulder pad would be destroyed now.


    ¡°Oh, am I interrupting?¡± Sandra flinches under mine and Tabitha''s gazes.


    Tabitha slowly pulls her weapon back and lowers it. ¡°It appears I lost myself in the heat of the moment and forgot my surroundings. This is embarrassing.¡±


    She smiles like Sandra¡¯s interruption is a joke, but I''m over here sweating. I misjudged Tabitha''s movements and was nanoseconds away from paying for it. My hands are trembling. If I try to face Tabitha like this, I¡¯ll only one-sidedly get my ass kicked.


    Untensing my muscles, I slowly lower my hammer in a way that conveys I''m not ready to restart our sparring just yet. Tabitha frowns at my movements, but she doesn''t attack. So, before she can say anything, I turn and walk towards Sandra. She has a confused look on her face, obviously unaware of what she just interrupted. Sandra must have been in deep meditation if she had missed how heated our sparring had become.


    ¡°Did I interrupt?¡± Sandra asks me again as I approach her, sending a questioning glance past me at what I¡¯m assuming must be an annoyed-looking Tabitha.


    ¡°Perfect timing, actually,¡± I tell her quietly enough that I¡¯m sure Tabitha couldn¡¯t hear me.


    ¡°Good¡­ then?¡± Sandra is confused by my words, but that doesn''t distract from the excitement written across her face.


    ¡°You had a breakthrough?¡± I prompt Sandra to start talking just as Tabitha walks over to drag me back to our sparring.


    ¡°I did!¡± she shouts, bouncing up and down in excitement. ¡°See, I¡­¡± Sandra looks around for something but then focuses on the front of her shirt, where I can see a familiar ashy substance clinging to her clothing. ¡°Well, the stick disintegrated, but I did it! I unlocked Inject Mana.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± I realize what I said too late and want to kick myself for possibly ruining Sandra''s big moment.


    Thankfully my question doesn¡¯t diminish Sandra¡¯s excitement. "I am, that''s why I shouted. I checked my status page and everything. So it''s official, I can use Inject Mana now!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± I exclaimed, happy that my friend found the success she''s been working so hard for.


    ¡°Look, I can," Sandra looks around her for something she can use to demonstrate her skill. She settles on a nearby rock, and I watch as she pups her mana into it.


    It doesn¡¯t disintegrate in her hands, but that''s because rocks and metal have a higher threshold for the amount of extra mana they can hold. If Sandra¡¯s mana pool wasn¡¯t limited from protecting her baby, and she hadn¡¯t been practicing for hours, I¡¯m sure she would¡¯ve been able to pulverize the stone with ease, but right now, she just couldn''t do it.


    ¡°I swear I can do it,¡± Sandra¡¯s face scrunches up in frustration when the stone in her hand doesn¡¯t disintegrate.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, don¡¯t strain yourself,¡± I tell her before she pushes too hard. "Remember, I can see the mana you just poured into the stone. I can tell you unlocked the skill," I reassure her. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    "Thanks," Sandra beams at with the strength of a thousand suns. Her smile is so bright I might just have to shield my eyes, and I''ve spent the last couple of days staring into a forge. ¡°With this, I¡¯ll be able to get some practice in drawing runes with an engraving pen before Kervin shows up.¡±


    ¡°You mean once your mana levels recharge,¡± I point out to her. Of course, someone has to remind her she shouldn''t overtax herself while she''s pregnant.


    ¡°I know that,¡± Sandra gives me a look that says that was obvious, but I''m sure if I didn''t say anything, she''d have rushed back to Master''s clearing in her excitement already and started practicing with my engraving pen.


    Kervin wasn¡¯t due to arrive at the village for a few more days, and even when he arrived, there was no guarantee that Giovanni could get me the magic gem I asked for in time. We have to assume that the two of us would need to share an engraving pen for the foreseeable future. Which I¡¯m completely fine with.


    I thought my schedule would open up after completing the arrows, but Master and I are busier than ever, thanks to Richard''s wall. So I have to limit my enchanting practice to once a week, so Sandra can use my pen all she wants the rest of the time. The only problem with that is that we do our best when practicing together, which will be more difficult with one pen.


    Even with the problems and work we might face shortly, seeing Sandra succeed at something she¡¯s put her all into stokes my competitive spirit. I need to try my hardest as well.


    And that means-


    ¡°Again, congratulations,¡± I tell Sandra one last time. ¡°But I need to get back to my sparring.¡±


    "But you sounded relieved to stop a moment ago,¡± Sandra shoots me a cheeky grin.


    ¡°Oh, quiet,¡± I turn away from my friend with a smile on my face and walk back to Tabitha. She''s been close by staring at us during our entire conversation.


    ¡°Are you ready to continue?¡± She asks me when I stop twenty paces from her.


    ¡°I am,¡± I say with all my resolve.


    ¡°Good. Begin!¡±


    And like that, my training begins again.


    **********


    One¡¯s Point of View:


    The dark room I''m standing in reeks heavily of blood, but for once, the smell doesn''t bother me.


    With my hood down, I stare down at the mutilated corpse at my feet. Any normal person would think it was a skinned animal with how it looks, but if you looked hard enough, you could see what used to be his face.


    My gloves are stained red, and likely the rest of my clothes weren¡¯t any better.


    ¡°Wow, I haven¡¯t seen you without your hood down in a long time. What if I were someone else and saw you like that?¡± I turn towards the dark doorway behind me and watch as Four materializes out of thin air with a smirk on his face.


    ¡°I knew you were there,¡± I glare at him. I¡¯m in no mood to deal with his shenanigans. ¡°And I wanted him to see the face of my sister as he died," I motion to the sack of flesh beside me.


    ¡°I¡¯m as much a fan of overkill as the next assassin, but don¡¯t you think you might have gone just a little bit overboard with this one? It''s not your style," he points out.


    ¡°He was the one who helped Grey smuggle the alchemical bomb into the city,¡± I flatly tell my fellow number.


    ¡°Oh,¡± a rare look of understanding flashes across Four¡¯s face. ¡°In that case, I hope he died screaming.¡± He moves next to me and kicks the body with enough force to send it crashing into the wall across the room. More blood splatters everywhere, but neither Four nor I care. I¡¯m going to torch the building after I leave anyways.


    ¡°Did you get any information out of him?¡±


    ¡°Nothing I didn¡¯t already know. He was the last of Grey''s contacts still in the city. I''ve been looking for him since I first heard about him, but he''s been hiding in shitholes like this since the bombing."


    ¡°Feeling better then, now that they¡¯re all dead, I mean?" He asks me, to which I scowl.


    ¡°Right, stupid question. How¡¯s your sister doing?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why you are here?¡± I snap.


    Four shrugs off my attitude and answers in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°I¡¯m leaving the city with Kervin in an hour. With Elizabeth-.¡±


    My eyes harden at the mention of my sister¡¯s name.


    ¡°Recuperating,¡± Four chooses his words carefully. ¡°I figured I should check in with you.¡±


    It was Lizzy who always dealt with the other numbers when they passed through the city. Unlike me, she had the patience to deal with Four.


    ¡°Fine. Go,¡± I wave him off.


    Four drops his perpetual smile for a second and asks me a question that cuts deeper than any dagger ever could. ¡°Seriously, how is she doing?¡±


    Gritting my teeth, I have to bite down my anger, threatening to rise up. By the tone of his voice alone, I can tell he¡¯s being serious for a change, but that doesn¡¯t make it any easier to talk about my sister. Every time I think about her in that bed, I get the urge to kill someone.


    ¡°She still hasn¡¯t woken up,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°I see.¡± Four genuinely looks saddened hearing the news about my sister. ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± he says with conviction. ¡°If anyone could pull through, it¡¯s your sister.¡±


    I try to keep a neutral face in front of Four, but I can¡¯t keep my eyes from widening in shock. I had no idea he felt that way. He''s always been antagonistic and hard to read; you could never tell what he was thinking or how he felt about people.


    "I''ll be off now." Four turns around and steps back into the darkness. As quickly as he came, he was gone from my senses.


    Once I''m sure he''s gone, I wrap my arms around myself and try to hold back my tears. Damn you, Four, for showing me kindness; you''re always supposed to be annoying. If I don¡¯t have my anger, how else am I supposed to deal with everything that''s going on?!


    As I told Four, my sister hasn''t woken up since the bombing. The whiny healer succeeded in keeping her alive long enough for other healers to be called in. Thanks to Giovanni, a couple of military healers showed up on orders of Lord Bullok, but I have a feeling they actually came from Pacore. They¡¯ve been regularly stopping by and healing my sister in segments.


    Burnt flesh is tricky to heal, so they''re forced to cut it off of her down to her bones and then reheel the section with magic. The human body can¡¯t handle that kind of strain, so they have to heal small sections at a time. Most of Lizzy¡¯s body is still burnt, the only exception being her chest, where her organs are; that¡¯s where the healers have been focusing their attention.


    I wanted her to open her eyes, but I could only imagine what kind of hell that would be for her.


    It¡¯s so frustrating! I wish Grey were still alive so I could make him suffer for all that he''s done. The honor of killing him should''ve been mine. But, instead, a goblin stole it from me.


    I''ve hunted down every person who was loyal to him, and yet, I can''t fill the void in my chest. And I know I won¡¯t be able to fill that void until my sister wakes up, and I apologize for failing her. It should''ve been me who made the first move on Grey, not her.


    But what angers me the most is that the world is still turning despite what happened to her. To me, the world should be at a standstill without Lizzy; everyone should feel as bad as I do. But they don''t.


    Things were looking up for Drey and our little corner of the world. Scholl is already proving to be a better ruler than Olebert ever was. The fighting has come to a standstill, meaning Scholl could focus more on its newly acquired territories. Despite there being a material shortage, industry was booming. None more so than Silver Herd.


    The Boss and Pacore have become well acquainted with each other thanks to their shared interests in Aaliyah. Giovanni has already signed a contract with Scholl to transport their foodstuffs as soon as they are available. Everyone is happy.


    Everyone except my sister and me that is.


    The only solace I take is knowing there¡¯s one person who understands how I¡¯m feeling. Boss Giovanni has everything going for him at the moment, yet every time I report to him, I can hear the same pain I''m feeling in his voice. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s never ordered me to leave the city, preferring to keep me close to my injured sister. He¡¯s thrown hundreds of gold coins into trying to heal her without asking anything in return.


    I didn''t even know what he agreed to when he asked Scholl''s mages to help. It all plagues my mind.


    I should finish up here and get back to the clinic.


    ¡°Llaif gamfr ol e nnamse!¡±


    A small flame ignites on my hand. Then, with a flick of my wrist, I send the small ball of fire into a pile of tinder. A few weeks ago, this temporary shelter hosed the many farmers sheltering from Scholl¡¯s invasion before being left to rot.


    Pulling my hood up, I watch as the magically small flame quickly peters out, but not before sparking and catching the rubble on fire.


    I stand there and wait a few minutes for the fire to grow before exiting the building. Then, silently, I sneak out of the building without any of the local vagrants seeing me. People know not to ask questions around here, but you never know. Scholl is doing a much better job patrolling the streets, and it isn¡¯t impossible that someone might rat me out.


    I don¡¯t feel bad for burning down the building because Silver Herd owns it, and the Boss has already permitted me to act as I see fit. This area was meant to be torn down anyways to make room for a new food warehouse.


    It was clever of my target to hide here, but it was only a matter of time before I found him. None of my contacts in the guards reported him leaving the city so, I knew he was here somewhere.


    But now that I¡¯ve killed him, I¡¯m out of targets to vent my rage.


    Again, what do I do with these emotions?


    Sighing, I dash for a nearby ally and start making my way towards my sister. If I don''t have anyone to kill, I''ll spend my time with her. If Giovanni or any of the other numbers need me, they¡¯ll know where I¡¯ll be. Not like they''d need to, though, considering the way the war is turning out or the lack thereof. With General Pitz in Pacore¡¯s hands, Scholl has essentially sued for peace. Regardless of whether it lasts, the longer things are quiet, the stronger Scholl''s grip on the region becomes.


    "How very boring."

 Ch: 104

    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    ¡°I missed this.¡±


    ¡°Missed what, Boss?¡± Lurte asks to the side of me.


    ¡°This,¡± I gesture to the forest around us. ¡°A quiet trip through the woods. No bandits after us, no emergency delivery; just a simple delivery to a client.¡±


    "And the fact that we''re picking up hundreds of gold coins worth of weapons and materials has nothing to do with it?¡± Reel cheekily comments from behind me. It was his turn to rest in the cart, but it wasn''t as comfortable as usual, with the pile of ore and other goods taking up most of the space.


    Turning my head slightly, I see that he¡¯s sitting on the edge of the cart with his feet dangling over the side. ¡°That too,¡± I smile at him before turning my attention back to the road even though I don''t need to; the bivol know what they''re doing. ¡°Everything has just been so hectic lately. You know I used to hate this,¡± I say more to myself rather than expecting a reaction from my men.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Reel responds, sounding more than a little bored. I¡¯m happy that no one was trying to kill us this time; Reel¡­ not so much.


    But he answered me, so I keep the conversation going. ¡°That¡¯s right; I wanted nothing more than to be promoted to an office position or perhaps run one of our branch stores. Funny, right?"


    Reel scoffs at the idea, but his attitude doesn''t bother me as much as it used to. In fact, I realized he keeps things interesting.


    When we escaped Drey and the assassins Grey sent after us, we were essentially stuck at Silver Herd¡¯s main offices, in case he made another attempt on my life. It wasn''t all bad; I had a sit down with Giovanni, where he spelled out my job regarding Aaliyah. But in the end, he basically repeated everything I already knew, treat Aaliyah like the golden roc that she was and help her produce as many golden eggs as possible. However, being stuck inside wasn¡¯t nearly as glamorous as I thought it would be.


    I was officially one of Giovanni¡¯s trusted people, but that only equated to me being allowed to help with some of his more important paperwork. The paperwork I was subsequently buried under until Grey was all but confirmed dead.


    In comparison, the last two weeks were much more enjoyable. Finally, I was allowed to make my way back to Drey, where I was happy to learn my house was spared in Scholl¡¯s takeover of the city. Aaliyah and others laughed at everything I had piled up in my house, but now with goods priced at their highest points in decades, I can sell almost everything in my house for nearly double what I paid for it.


    Add in my percentage of the goods I¡¯m about to pick up, and I¡¯m going to have more gold than I know what to do with.


    It¡¯s true what they say; even in strife, one can build wealth.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m back on my cart, I can¡¯t think of anywhere I¡¯d rather be." Of course, the further away from all that paperwork, the better, but I don¡¯t say that part aloud.


    ¡°Well, I can agree with you there." I see Reel draw one of his daggers out of the corner of my eye and start playing with it by flipping it around. "It''s no fun sitting around doing nothing." Then, faster than my eyes can follow, he throws his dagger into a bush in the distance. A goblin falls out of its hiding space with Reel¡¯s dagger buried in its throat. Poor thing, bad luck choosing that spot to hide.


    I shake my head; since when did I start feeling bad for goblins?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he was alone,¡± Reel tells Lurte and Ryiba, who draw their weapons and close in on me. He then jumps off the cart and moves over to fetch his weapon.


    It''s funny; the sight of a goblin used to send shivers up my spine. But, I guess after surviving an assassination attempt, things like goblins don¡¯t bother me anymore. That or Reel¡¯s personality is rubbing off on me.


    ¡°I guess goblins are returning to the woods,¡± I offer up an observation.


    ¡°There can¡¯t be many of them if we¡¯re only seeing one now,¡± Reel notes as he jogs back to the cart, and I think he¡¯s right.


    We should be reaching the village any moment now, and we¡¯re just now seeing a single goblin? Before the whole magic spider fiasco, Lurte and Ryiba would usually have to kill multiple groups of the buggers before we¡¯ve made it this far. To think that was only a year ago, it feels like it''s been much longer than that. More happened in this last year than in all the time I¡¯ve spent working for Silver Herd combined.


    ¡°Still, we should inform the village when we reach it.¡± I snap the rains, making the bivol kick it into high gear. They go from slow to slightly less slow.


    I wonder how the village has been doing since we were last here? It has been more than a couple of months since I made that final ore delivery, and I can¡¯ help but imagine they were starving for supplies. I brought bags of salt, spices, and other everyday items the village would regularly order from me, along with Aaliyah''s ore. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be excited to see me.


    ¡°What in the gods name is that!?¡± Ryiba exclaims, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    He was walking slightly further in front of us, but as we round the bend in the road, the rest of us saw what made him exclaim as he did.


    We were at the front of the village, but it looked totally different than what I remembered. The small clearing we usually camped at, the trees around it, they were all gone. From our position, there was an unobstructed view of the village where once was a thin line of trees.


    In front of us, I count nearly twenty villagers working in what could only be described as organized chaos. Six men, including the man I recognize as Aaliyah¡¯s father, were felling trees like they were saplings. Once a tree fell, another group of six would move over and start processing it. Another handful of villagers was digging up boulders and roots, while three men who I assume were hunters stood nearby keeping an eye on the diminishing forest.


    Coordinating the chaos was Salus, the village¡¯s architect. We''ve done business in the past, but I''ve never seen him working like this before.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Kervin!¡± One of the villagers finally notices us. One of the hunters was already moving to point us out to Salus, but now we drew everyone''s attention.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I call out with a friendly smile as I nudge my bivol forward. The cart shakes over the upturned earth, but my boys are strong enough to pull us through much worse than this.


    ¡°Sorry for the mess, but we¡¯re a bit busy at the moment," Salus calls out to me as we near him. "You, get those beams ready. The cart should be back soon," he turned and snapped at one of the workers.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite all right," I start to say, but Salus cuts me off mid-way, issuing all kinds of orders in quick succession.


    I watch, stunned, as everyone follows his directions.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he gives me a half-baked apology without taking his eyes off his workers. ¡°But as you can see, I have my hands full. These guys wouldn¡¯t know a dovetail joint from a miter joint if their lives depended on it,¡± he said, motioning to a duo planning down a felled tree trunk.


    I had no idea what the salty architect was grumbling about, but it was apparent we were only getting in his way. ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way,¡± I tell him as I usher my bivol forward out of the construction zone.


    ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± he waves me off, not paying attention to us in the slightest.


    What were they doing here? I spot a stack of large stone blocks off to the side, and next to it is a sizable mound of crushed stone. Were they building some sort of fortification? A building, perhaps?


    Curiosity drove me to snap my reigns again, hurrying us into the village. Usually, we''d park in our regular spot and see where all the goods I brought would go, but with our clearing destroyed, I guess our only option was to head to the clearing in front of the headman¡¯s house. Maybe there we could get some answers.


    It didn''t take long for us to make it to the headman''s house, but it was long enough to get a rudimentary glimpse at the village. It looked nice, nicer than most of the villages we¡¯ve passed through on our way back to Drey.


    I also didn¡¯t miss the brand-new stone building behind the headman¡¯s house either. Its large double doors were wide open, showing off the impressive arsenal within. I¡¯ve sold enough of Aaliyah¡¯s work to realize at a glance that she made everything within.


    ¡°Should they have it open like that?¡± I frown at the open doors.


    ¡°Do you want to try opening those doors quickly in an emergency?¡± Reel sarcastically chuckles at me. I guess he has a point there.


    ¡°Still,¡± Reel casts a curious glance at the village¡¯s new armory. ¡°That''s a lot of gear for a village this size. I''d say there are enough weapons in there to outfit most of the village if need be. I¡¯d feel bad for any bandit¡¯s stupid enough to try and attack this place.¡±


    ¡°Aaliyah¡¯s been busy,¡± Lurte jokes.


    ¡°That she has,¡± I find myself mumbling under my breath. The construction at the front of the village, a new armory, what else has changed since we were last here?


    ¡°Kervin, it¡¯s good to see you!¡± Headman Downs was waiting for us outside his front door as we pulled up. ¡°It¡¯s been too long!¡±


    ¡°It has, hasn¡¯t it,¡± I smile, noting that he looks happy to see us.


    ¡°Is all that rubble back there for Aaliyah? I swear that girl" Headman Downs shakes his head like a tired parent would, but his colossal smile contradicts his tired tone. He feigns a sigh before focusing on the crats tied down on top of the loose ore. ¡°I hope you brought stuff for the village as well and not just what Aaliyah asked for.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry there,¡± I lean over and pat the nearest crate. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget about the village. I have salt, spices, and considering it''s almost the new year, I brought a few barrels of mead with me. Are you interested?¡± I give the headman my best merchant¡¯s smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we need,¡± Downs beams at me. ¡°We¡¯re celebrating my daughter¡¯s marriage this festival, so the alcohol will be much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± I smile. I brought alcohol with me because I figured the village could use a drink after being isolated for as long as they have, but I didn''t know they would be holding a marriage ceremony. If I knew that, I¡¯d probably would¡¯ve brought more.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Headman Downs¡¯ grin widens. ¡°Things have been busy lately, and the supplies are much needed.¡±


    ¡°We noticed,¡± I glance in the direction of the village¡¯s entrance. ¡°You tore up our clearing.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that. but the scale of the project demands as such.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, what are you building?¡± I curiously ask, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°We¡¯re building a wall," Headman Downs grandiosely proclaims, spreading his arms wide.


    ¡°A wall!?¡± I¡¯m rendered speechless. This village probably doesn¡¯t even have a thousand people, and they want to build a wall? I can understand why they would want one, but walls aren''t generally built around a settlement of this size.


    "And the village can afford that?" I tentatively inquire after I collect myself.


    ¡°Normally no,¡± Headman Downs informs me. ¡°But as I said, my daughter and her soon-to-be husband returned right before all this Scholl business. After studying in Drey, he became a respectable architect, and he proposed the project. Considering his family, it shouldn¡¯t surprise you that he has lofty aspirations.¡±


    ¡°His family?¡±


    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s the older brother of Aaliyah. He convinced her and her master to mine out the required stone for it. It will take a few years to complete, but I¡¯m assured the project is doable. I¡¯m sure you saw how eager people are to help.¡±


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    I nod along with his explanation. If anyone else told me such a plan, I¡¯d call them a fool. However, if the project involves Aaliyah and her family, I can see it working out. What is this village turning into?


    It will be a fort all unto itself, located in the middle of nowhere, but a fort non the less.


    ¡°I would love to stay and chat, but I have some things I need to take care of around the village. Why don''t you leave the goods meant for the village here outside my house, and I''ll have my boy look at them. He needs to get used to dealing with merchants if he¡¯s going to succeed me someday,¡± Headman downs good naturally chuckles.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on him,¡± I tease. I¡¯m sure we both know that making a few extra coppers off some bags of salt nowhere compares to the business I do with Aaliyah. I''ll push his son for him, but I won¡¯t charge what I could.


    "Much appreciated," Headman Downs gives me a wave and walks off, leaving my men and me to unload the crates and barrels we brought.


    We get everything unloaded before the headman¡¯s son shows up, but I¡¯m not worried about leaving my goods unattended, so we make our way towards Del Razen¡¯s clearing. I¡¯m sure Aaliyah¡¯s there now, and if not, it¡¯s still the place she¡¯d probably want us to drop off her delivery.


    The trail we go down looks worn out, and I can see tracks of were multiple carts passing through here. It''s obvious where the stone came from; I just hope Aaliyah didn¡¯t spend all her time mining stone when Giovanni asked her to sell us some extra metal.


    Eventually, through the trees, I hear the sounds of someone hammering metal, signaling we''ve arrived.


    As my cart rolls into the clearing, I¡¯m greeted by at least one familiar sight. The clearing looks the same it did the last time I was here. I honestly half expect to see a massive furnace or some other contraption thrown up since then, but everything looks the same.


    Aaliyah must have seen us coming because she stops working after we make it a few feet into the clearing and lowers her tools. As we got closer to her, I saw what she was working on. It looks like a steel staff, but it''s a lot rougher than the usual stuff she sells me.


    ¡°Kervin, you¡¯re alive!¡± She smiles at me as I hop off my cart.


    For a second, my merchant''s smile slips, and I frown, but then I remember she''s a lot like Reel, probably why they get along as they do. Forcing my smile back onto my face, I greet her. ¡°We did. Was there any doubt?" I puff up my chest, but her response makes me deflate.


    ¡°A little bit, yeah. I was happy to hear from Giovanni that you all escaped, ok." She holds out her hand, offering me a good-natured shake, but I freeze right as I¡¯m about to grasp her hand.


    I didn¡¯t feel it when we were approaching, but now that I¡¯m standing directly in front of her, I can feel a physical weight behind Aaliyah.


    She¡¯s always had a presence about her like most high leveled individuals I¡¯ve met, but it¡¯s different than that now. I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but she feels dangerous. It¡¯s a lot like what I feel when I¡¯m around Giovanni¡¯s bodyguard.


    I felt the same thing from Reel before the assassins attacked us, but somehow, he keeps his pressure contained whenever he¡¯s not in battle. I didn¡¯t even feel a thing when he killed the goblin earlier.


    ¡°Is something the matter? Is my hand dirty?¡± She pulls back her hand and looks it over for whatever is bothering me.


    "No. nothing like that," I force out, trying to hide my emotions like a good merchant should. "I just thought you look like you''ve grown a bit taller than the last time I saw you," I lie.


    ¡°I hope not,¡± she exclaims before looking herself over. ¡°I¡¯m tall enough as it is. I¡¯m happy for the height my parents blessed me with, but I don¡¯t want to stand out more than I already do.¡±


    ¡°That ship has already set sail,¡± is what I want to say, but I bite my tongue. "It must have been my mistake," I smile, offering her my hand.


    We shake, and I''m again reminded of her skill that creates a boundary around her. It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m shaking someone¡¯s hand, but merely being forced to wave my hand up and down, and it¡¯s a lot stronger now too.


    So, the clearing hasn''t changed, but it appears Aaliyah has.


    "Well, look at you.¡± Reel picks now of all times to make his presence known.


    ¡°Hey Reel,¡± Aaliyah smiles at him, and I don¡¯t miss that it''s more of a friendly smile than the polite one she gave me. ¡°I heard you found Gray¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°What was left of it, more like,¡± Reel chuckles in a way that makes my hair stand on end.


    "Goblins, am I right? I wish I were the one who found him.¡±


    ¡°You and me both,¡± Reel agrees with Aaliyah and starts scanning her with his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve improved,¡± he notes with a smile I don¡¯t like.


    I¡¯m about to discourage him from doing whatever he''s thinking about, but he moves before I can say anything. He throws a left hook at Aaliyah, pantomiming like he''s holding one of his daggers.


    I don¡¯t even have time to shout as Aaliyah brings up her left arm, blocking his imaginary blade, but she takes it one step further. She steps in and sends a very real fist at his armored chest.


    Reel flashes backwards and starts laughing. ¡°I take it back; you''ve improved a lot." He looks delighted that Aaliyah was able to stop him. And judging by her smile, the feelings were mutual.


    She playfully scoffs but continues to grin at him. "You have no idea."


    ¡°What is this?¡± A cold voice cuts into Aaliyah and Reel¡¯s conversation, and a new pressure bears down on me.


    Aaliyah¡¯s smile slips as she turns to a woman in armor walking towards us. Her face is a mask of neutrality, but it only takes one glance from her to make me want to turn tail and run.


    When I was helping Giovanni with paperwork, I had a chance to meet Pacore; this feels just like then. I can''t bring my head up to meet her eyes. It was like a literal mountain was walking towards me.


    Aaliyah doesn¡¯t say anything when the woman stops in front of her. Her head swivels in Reel¡¯s direction, and it was his turn to be looked over. I watch as Reel takes a tentative step back for the first time. His face was flushed, and I could swear there was a bead of sweat forming on his cheek.


    ¡°You are an assassin,¡± the woman in armor states like a ruler handing down a sentence. "Are you here for the girl or me?" Her hand drops to the sword at her side, and alarm bells start going off in my head!


    ¡°If I was, did you think I would just tell you," Reel defiantly answers, and I''ve never had a bigger urge to strangle the man.


    Luckily, Aaliyah steps in on his behalf, both metaphorically and physically.


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± she steps in-between Reel and the armored woman. ¡°He¡¯s with Silver Herd; he''s a friend."


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The woman questions without taking her hand off her sword and never taking her eyes off Reel.


    ¡°He is,¡± Aaliyah assures the woman while starting to nervously sweat like the rest of us. ¡°He¡¯s helped me loads of times, even saved my life once.¡±


    The woman hums in thought before slowly removing her hand from her sword. ¡°Alright then, if you know each other, I suppose it''s all right." Hearing her words, both Aaliyah and I let out a collective sigh of relief. ¡°Though it is a little disappointing, I was hoping for a real battle for a change.¡±


    I start coughing. This woman is insane!


    ¡°Funny, I was thinking the same.¡±


    Shut up, Reel, you idiot!


    The previously stony-faced woman smiles, and my instincts scream at me something is wrong.


    ¡°Really?¡± The woman asks with may too much enthusiasm. She pushes past Aaliyah and stands directly in front of Reel. ¡°If that is the case, how about we have a quick sparring session. I¡¯m sure it would be entertaining for the both of us.¡±


    Standing behind the armored woman, Aaliyah frantically signals Reel to turn down her offer, but Reel ignores her. "That sounds like fun; we''re here for the rest of the day. Can I find you when I''m ready?"


    Aaliyah mouths, ''you idiot!'' at him before shaking her head back and forth like it couldn''t be helped.


    ¡°You may find me here when you are ready,¡± the armored woman savagely grins at Reel before walking back the way she came. She sits down on a bench next to a mediating girl I just now notice.


    "You''re dead; you know that, right?" Aaliyah flatly tells Reel.


    "You sure? After taking her hand off her sword, I didn¡¯t feel any more killing intent from her. I think she''s just like me and board at the moment."


    Aaliyah snickers in Reel''s face, "You have no idea what you got yourself into. Let me know when you plan to fight her because I want to be there when they scrape you off the quarry¡¯s floor.¡±


    ¡°I take it Pacore¡¯s student lives up to her reputation.¡± It¡¯s only thanks to Reel¡¯s comment that I finally realized who the woman was. Giovanni warned me one of Pacore¡¯s students was in the village and that I wasn¡¯t to get on her bad side. And here Reel is antagonizing her! I¡¯d berate the man if I thought it would do anything, but I¡¯ve long since realized Reel only listens to Giovanni.


    ¡°I mean, she has to be good if she helped you improve so much in such a short amount of time." Reel tries to antagonize Aaliyah, but it doesn''t work.


    ¡°Sorry, what was that? I could¡¯ve sworn I heard a dead man talking just now," she counters.


    Reel and Aaliyah continue to trade barbs, and I¡¯m forced to step in at risk of the two of them squabbling the day away. ¡°Not that this isn¡¯t productive, but I believe we have some important business to attend to,¡± I remind the bickering pair.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, my order,¡± Aaliyah quickly breaks away from Reel when I remind her that the rest of us are here.


    She skips to the side of my cart so quickly that I could only barely follow her movements. She smiles when she sees the pile of kaglese I brought her.


    ¡°You have no idea how much I needed this,¡± she happily remarks.


    I thought she might be mad because I only managed to bring her a third of her original order, but it looks like she knows that magic materials are hard to come by right now. While she is happy, I should sweeten the deal.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t all,¡± I motion to the two crates sitting on top of the ore. ¡°Giovanni wanted you to know he was able to get ahold of some more mithril and a couple of the herbs you requested.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Aaliyah excitedly pries open the nearest crate with her bare hands. The wood splinters as she easily removes the crate''s lid that was nailed shut. Granted, most physical builds could do the same thing, but watching a fifteen-year-old girl do so was¡­ unsettling, to say the least.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t much,¡± I remind her. ¡°But I hope it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she beams at me. ¡°I suppose since you brought me such a special gift, I should show you one in kind.¡±


    Aaliyah nimbly leaps off my carriage and beckons for the four of us to follow her. She leads us over to one of the small sheds in the clearing and dramatically flings the doors open¡ªmy pulse races when I see the shiny weapons inside.


    Swords, spears, each in her usual design, but their tannish coloring gives away what they¡¯re made of.


    Reel steps forward, grabs one of the short spears and begins twirling it around. He lets out a long whistle, signaling his approval. ¡°I might just need to take up spearmanship.¡±


    ¡°These weapons are already sold,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°Pity,¡± Reel sniffles, pretending to be sad. ¡°Hey, Aaliyah, how much to make me a dagger?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have enough daggers already?¡± She motions at Reel¡¯s entire body, most likely more aware of how many blades are hidden all over his person than any of us do. In all the time I¡¯ve known him, I¡¯ve never seen Reel run out of daggers. Lurte, Ryiba, and I even have a friendly bet going between us as to just how many he carries with him. If he follows through and fights Pacore''s student, we might finally get some sort of an idea as to how many he has.


    ¡°You can never have too many daggers!¡± Reel looks offended at the implication.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Aaliyah smiles, but that quickly morphs into a smug look. ¡°But I¡¯m contractually obligated to sell all my goods to Silver Herd. So you''ll have to negotiate an order through Kervin."


    Reel¡¯s draw drops, and the rest of us have to hold back our laughter.


    "I''m just joking," Aaliyah laughs at Reel''s expense. ¡°I still owe you one for saving my life; a dagger is the least I can do. I''m busy at the moment, but if you stop by sometime near the end of the day, we can discuss the design you want.¡±


    Reel practically bounces in place in excitement like a kid promised a sweat treat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t enchant it yet, but it should be able to hold a strong enough one in the future.¡±


    Reel and I pause. ¡°Did you just say you couldn¡¯t enchant it ¡®yet¡¯?¡± I ask.


    Aaliyah proudly puffs out her chest. She then reaches over to a shelf in the shed and pulls out an ugly-looking piece of scrap metal. She only needs to hold it for a second before luminescent lights ignite across its surface.


    No way! It¡¯s only been three months!


    ¡°Sandra and I are still working out some kinks, but we''re hoping to be able to reliably enchant stuff by festival time. It eats up a lot of resources, though."


    It¡¯s no wonder she asked for more mithril and herbs; I can only imagine the gold she burnt through to advance at such a quick pace.


    "Oh yeah, in my excitement, I forgot. Did you bring me the magic gem I asked for?¡±


    I nod, ¡°It¡¯s in my safe.¡±


    ¡°Awesome! Hey Sandra, your gem arrived!¡± Aaliyah calls out to the girl who¡¯s meditating on the bench, and I realize it''s Headman Downs'' daughter. "Sandra!" Aaliyah calls out again, but she doesn''t stir.


    ¡°Normally, I''d hate disturbing her like this, but I know she would want to see it,¡± Aaliyah justifies to herself before walking over to the statue of a girl.


    ¡°Hey Sandra,¡± Aaliyah places her hand on her shoulder, and her eyes snap open.


    ¡°Aaliyah!¡± Downs¡¯ daughter snaps. ¡°You know how annoying it is when someone interrupts your meditation!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Aaliyah gestures for her to calm down. "But I figured you''d like to know your magic gem arrived."


    Aaliyah motions over her shoulder at us, and when the headman¡¯s daughter sees us, her eyes go wide, and she leaps up from her seat. ¡°Kervin¡¯s here!?¡±


    Aaliyah chuckles at her friend. "You were in such a deep meditation you missed him entering the clearing."


    Sandra Downs blushes in embarrassment, but that doesn¡¯t stop her from moving past Aaliyah and jogging over to us.


    I haven¡¯t seen her in a while, not since the last letter I delivered to her over six months ago. I notice a few subtle differences between the woman walking towards me and the girl I last saw. She was glowing, and not in the Vitality sort of way. Her clothes were loose, but that didn''t stop me from seeing her growing baby bump.


    ¡°Congratulations, Ms. Downs,¡± I politely bow my head.


    "It''s been a while, Kervin."


    ¡°It seems everyone is saying that these days,¡± I give her my best merchant¡¯s smile. "I wish someone told me sooner," I motion to her stomach. "I would''ve bought you a gift."


    ¡°I guess it''s more obvious now," she affectionately places her hand over her lower abdomen. "The gem you brought is enough.¡± I can see the excitement in her eyes.


    So, I move over to the safe built into my cart and open it, fetching the small case within. Aaliyah stands next to her friend as I carefully pass over the jewelry box.


    She slowly opens the small box, and the two of them stare at the small gem within. It''s only slightly bigger than a grain of rice and is a bit cloudy, but I was reassured it was the best Giovanni could get his hands on with such short notice.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Sandra says, and I feel a bit of tension leave my body.


    ¡°With the mithril he brought, you¡¯ll have your engraving pen in no time,¡± Aaliyah affectionately pats her friend¡¯s shoulder before looking at me. ¡°Thanks, Kervin.¡±


    "It is Giovanni you should be thinking," I point out. I know better than to take credit for something I didn¡¯t do.


    ¡°Still, thanks,¡± she repeats. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to ask, but what¡¯s the damage?¡±


    I cough into my hand and gather my nerve. ¡°The gem is 34 gold coins.¡±


    Sandra Downs pales at the price, and Aaliyah looks like I just slapped her. ¡°34,¡± she repeats in an icy tone.


    ¡°I was told it was extremely hard to get ahold of on such short notice. Giovanni mentioned he had to go through some ¡®less than reputable dealers¡¯ to find one. 34 gold coins is what Silver Herd paid for it; you''re not being charged a single copper of mark-up," I stress.


    ¡°Aaliyah, I don¡¯t need-," Sandra starts saying, and I immediately break out in sweats. Silver Herd paid a lot over the asking price to get that gem, and if Aaliyah says she doesn''t want it, there isn''t much we can do.


    "No, it''s fine," Aaliyah lets out a sigh, and I can breathe again. "I ordered it; it''s only right I buy it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back,¡± Sandra promises.


    ¡°I know you will; we have a contract after all."


    Do the two of them have a contract together? I''m curious what it is, but I keep those thoughts to myself; however, I file that tidbit of information in the back of my mind.


    ¡°Excellent, I thank you,¡± I clap my hands together and lay on the charm. "Though it may be expensive, I''m sure the two of you will make great use of it." I then seamlessly switch over to business. ¡°Where would you like us to unload your ore?¡±


    ¡°Over by the smelter is fine; the same place you put it last time.¡±


    I wave my hand, signaling Lurte and Ryiba to get to work. While they do that, I should take inventory of everything I¡¯m supposed to pick up. ¡°So, which of these weapons are for the order?¡±


    "You hold onto the gem," Aaliyah tells Ms. Downs before focusing on me. ¡°Almost everything in this shed belongs to the order I promised Grey.¡±


    I nod and start doing calculations in my head. Aaliyah¡¯s original contract stated she would be paid 70% of the market value for everything she made. Still, now, the market is overinflated, and Silver Herd had already sold everything to Pacore at a lower price. Giovanni told me to pay 80% of what we sold them for, so that¡¯s¡­


    ¡°278 gold coins there,¡± I mumble to myself. ¡°And the arrows?¡± I ask Aaliyah.


    ¡°Over here,¡± she says in a proud tone of voice.


    Aaliyah leads me over to a large flat box sitting next to her workbench. The wood has been sanded and applied with a varnish; the hinges shine in the sunlight, and I¡¯m happy I won¡¯t need to procure my own box this time.


    ¡°You have the honors,¡± she motions for me to open the container; so, I do just that.


    As soon as I open the wooden case, I suck in a breath of air. The arrows inside look like works of art rather than weapons. The black arrowheads contrast with the tan arrow shafts and make the colorful fletching pop. Running my hand down one of the arrow shafts, I marvel at how smooth it feels to the touch. You can¡¯t even tell that it was formed by a hammer.


    Engraved just above the fletching on each of the arrows is Aaliyah¡¯s maker mark, and just like the arrow shafts, they are smooth to the touch. She must have used engraving ink to make them. Her maker''s mark isn''t a rune, so I don''t think it will affect anything, and because it is flush with everything else, it won''t affect the arrow''s aerodynamics. Not that I¡¯m an expert on either subject.


    But no matter how I look at it, these nine arrows are a cut above the first one she sold me.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± She asks me with a proud grin on her face.


    ¡°I think they are amazing,¡± I give her my honest opinion. I don''t, however, tell her I think Silver Herd lowballed Pacore on their price. It¡¯s our fault for underestimating the monster that is Aaliyah, but we could¡¯ve easily gotten 10% more for arrows of this quality.


    ¡°Happy to hear it. So, does all this cover what I owe Silver Herd?¡±


    ¡°That and then some,¡± I tell her. The goods here were enough to cover her debt to the company and then some. It even covers the price of the goods I brought her today. ¡°I was told you also had some metal for me?¡±


    ¡°I do," she maintains her smile and leads me over to another shed. Inside this one are stacks of iron and steel ingots. "I can''t sell you all of it because we need to save some stock for everything we''re building for the wall. That''s what I was working on when you showed up," she motions to the steel rod she was working on.


    ¡°I understand; how much can you spare?¡±


    "Three-quarters of our stock, roughly 220 steel and iron ingots,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°Standard ingot size?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she nods.


    That means each ingot weighs roughly 20 pounds. Four hundred forty ingots at 20 pounds; so, that gives me almost four and a half tuns of metal. It isn¡¯t enough to supply all of our customers, but it will put a small dent in what¡¯s needed. At least we¡¯ll get some product out to our most valued clients.


    Steel is currently trading at 24 copers a pound, nearly triple its original 9. Iron is even worse at 15 when it used to be traded for only 4 copper a pound. The market value of everything is 17 gold coins and 16 silver, an astronomical sum considering it''s only iron and steel and not a magical metal. At 80%, Aaliyah will get 13 gold, 72 silver, and 8 large copper. Adding together what we owe her for the weapons and what she owes us for the second delivery, she went from owing us 450 gold coins to use owing her 18 gold coins!


    Damn, I didn¡¯t bring that much with us!


    ¡°How¡¯d we do?¡± Aaliyah asks after she sees the gears in my head stop spinning.


    ¡°It pains me to say it, but it looks like I didn¡¯t bring enough gold with me.¡± Walking over to my safe again, I fetch the bag of coins hidden there. Aaliyah¡¯s hands tremble as I offer her the bag. "That is 15 gold in assorted coins. With this, Silver Herd owes you three more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m no longer in debt!¡± She happily shouts.


    I stand there sharing in her enthusiasm, I may only get a small percentage of everything, but that still guarantees quite a bit of gold for myself.


    ¡°Shall we make it official,¡± I hold out my hand after Aaliyah stops jumping for joy.


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± she firmly takes my hand. Even with her barrier skill still activated and our hands not actually touching each other, our skills still recognize the transaction as complete. I feel a warm glow in the pit of my stomach, signaling I just got a good deal of experience. I hold off on pulling up my status page, but I bet my Merchant skill leveled just now.


    It may have taken months and an assassination attempt, but it was all worth it in the end. Maybe in the future, I''ll-


    My thoughts halt as Aaliyah squeezes my hand tighter than I would like. Her cheeks are red, and she has a drunken expression on her face.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I ask, to which Aaliyah just smiles at me.


    I seem to have forgotten how weird she could be. Do I even want to ask what just happened?


    Oh well, for the amount of coin I just made, I could put up with anything. And I¡¯ll continue to do so for as long as possible.

 Ch: 105

    A warm glow radiates out of my soul and travels throughout my body. My cheeks turn crimson as I try to remember the last time I felt something like this.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Kervin gives me a concerned look that quickly turns to awkwardness as I respond with a goofy smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I finally say after I compose myself a bit. My cheeks are still red, but that''s mainly because I''m blushing now. "I tried an experiment, and it worked out.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­,¡± he tries to say, but I feel the need to explain myself.


    ¡°You see, mentally, I¡¯ve been telling myself the arrows wouldn¡¯t be ¡®complete¡¯ until I gave them to you. I haven''t gotten a single point of experience from working on them until this point. It worked as I wanted it to." That''s what I tell Kervin, but that¡¯s only part of the truth. I tried this to see if I could replicate the same feeling I get from using Soul Devourer.


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Kervin forces a smile. ¡°Everyone likes that feeling, so I can see why you¡¯d want to try and increase it.¡± I knew it was just an empty platitude on Kervin¡¯s part, but I¡¯ll take it. ¡°I imagine you got a lot of experience for the arrows then?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± I smirk, not falling into his trap and revealing my gains.


    ¡°Fair enough," Kervin takes a step back and glances at his cart, which is quickly being emptied of my ore. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to go over your gains; I¡¯m quite interested in my own if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    I watch as Kervin turns around and walks over to his cart. He has a far-off look to him, so I¡¯m guessing he just pulled up his status page. I quickly do the same; I¡¯ve purposely waited to check my status until now, and I''m curious about how much I''ve grown.


    LV: 74 Experience: 510,534/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,450/2,450


    Stamina 1,133.49/1,666


    Mana: 781.80/1,030


    Vitality: 245.03


    Endurance: 100.16


    Strength: 155.06


    Dexterity: 155.09


    Senses: 62.54


    Mind: 65.40


    Magic: 103.15


    Clarity: 79.09


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV67), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV31), Dancing (LV21), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV65), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Hammer Arts (LV47), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV30), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Weighted Strike (LV43), Precise Strike (LV43), Double Strike (LV41), Flash Step (LV31), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV7)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV59), Mana Skin (LV58), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV37), Magic Blacksmithing (LV35), Magic Threads (LV20), Air Walk (LV18), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV17)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV4)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Blacksmithing (LV75) 3,750exp


    Hammer Skills (LV67) 3,350exp


    Mining (LV51) 2,550exp


    Drawing (LV48) 2,400exp


    Trading (LV46-48) 7,050exp


    Dancing (LV20-21) 2,050exp


    Double Step (LV65) 6,500exp


    Measurement (LV48-49) 9,700exp


    Hammer Arts (LV47) 4,700exp


    Intimidating Shout (LV32) 3,200exp


    Steady Hands (LV30) 3,000exp


    Increase Price (LV22) 2,200exp


    Weighted Strike (LV43) 6,450exp


    Precise Strike (LV42-43) 12,750exp


    Double Strike (LV41) 6,150exp


    Contract (LV22) 3,300exp


    Enchanting (LV7) 1,050exp


    Mana Skin (LV58) 14,500exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV34-35) 17,250exp


    Magic Threads (LV20) 5,000exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV17) 8,500exp


    Skill Experience: 125,400exp


    Crafting Experience: 191,635exp


    Fighting Experience: 4,182exp


    Total experience Gained: 321,217exp


    That is a lot of experience points!


    ¡­But not as much as I was expecting.


    Between Tabitha''s increased training regiment and all the work I put into those arrows, over twenty of my skills saw some sort of growth.


    Compared to the last time I checked my status page, I gained fewer overall skill levels, but the experience I gained from them was still close to that of the last time. But that''s just regarding the experience I gained from leveling up my skills. Most of the overall experience I gained was from a moment ago when I finally fulfilled my agreement with Silver Herd.


    I put hours of hard work into each of those arrows, even after I technically had them finished. I kept from considering the arrows completed; instead, I examined each arrow almost every day, looking for any minor mistakes. If there were a slight bump, I''d smooth it out. If I thought I could sharpen the arrows further, I did. To compare these arrows to the one I made initially was like comparing day to night. And yet¡­ subtracting what I thought I got from the other smiting I¡¯ve been doing, I only gained roughly 180 thousand experience from them.


    I don¡¯t remember the exact amount of experience I got for the first arrow, but I think it was around one hundred and thirty thousand. That¡¯s only fifty thousand more than the last arrow I made, but that''s a lot less considering I made nine arrows instead of the one this time.


    I figured I¡¯d get at least three hundred thousand this time around, considering I didn¡¯t ask for Master¡¯s help like last time. My shoulders sag a bit.


    I want to be happy with all the skill levels I got, but I can''t help but feel ripped off by whatever system distributes experience in this world.


    Maybe the arrows weren¡¯t that different from the first one?


    From what Master has told me, I know you get less experience the more times you craft the same item; I just didn''t imagine it would drop off by such a large amount.


    But it makes sense, I didn¡¯t have nearly the same trouble I had forging the first arrow, and strife plays a big part in how much experience someone is rewarded. I spent longer making the nine, but there was never any thought that I''d fail.


    Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, wouldn¡¯t crafting be overpowered if I got one hundred thirty thousand experience for each arrow I made? No one would choose to be a warrior if crafting gave that much experience. That first arrow pushed me to my limits, but I¡¯ve gained ten levels since then, and I''m not the same person I was back then.


    And it isn¡¯t like the experience I got was small by any means. Of course, as people level, they need more experience, but as they do, they can also create better and better products, facilitating further growth.


    I¡¯ll need to remember that to not get my hopes up in the future. In the end, I ended up shooting myself in the foot by waiting to claim my experience. If I didn¡¯t wait, I would¡¯ve noticed the diminishing return and wouldn¡¯t have gotten my hopes that high. When I make Reel¡¯s dagger, it will be interesting to see how much experience that gives me. Maybe then I''ll be able to guess how much I got for that last arrow compared to the previous ones.


    Taking a deep breath, I settle my turbulent emotions. I should feel proud of what I¡¯ve made, and just because I didn¡¯t get the experience I was expecting doesn¡¯t take away from what I did.


    Plus, my skills leveling was the real reward.


    I finally reached level 75 in Blacksmithing, reaching its second bottleneck. It is also the level that Stone Kin believe to be the starting point for a true smith.


    While Blacksmithing hit level 75, Mining and Double Strike passed their first tests. Double strike probably leveled while I was making the arrows, and I''m sure Mining reached level 51 sometime over the past few days. Both Master and I have been working hard in the mine almost every day, so it¡¯s only natural Mining would reach the next level.


    While I understood why most of my skills leveled, two gave me pause.


    The first was Increase Price. After completing such a huge transaction, I understood why Trading would level, but Increase Price?


    I didn¡¯t push for more money even though I could¡¯ve, yet my skill still leveled. Was I given a higher price for my goods without me knowing? And if so, did that make my skill level?


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Tabitha told me Pacore bought my weapons from Giovanni as soon as he conquered Blaiton, before inflation became as bad as it has. So if I were paid for what my weapons would be worth now, 28 gold would seem like chump-change.


    The only thing I could think of was that Giovanni ordered Kervin to pay me more because of our relationship, even though they didn''t have to. That might have been enough to push Increase Price up a level.


    Sometimes I wish there was a manual I could consult on what qualified as enough to raise a skill to its next level. But unfortunately, the requirements are more than a little vague, and nobody seems to level the same as the person next to them. Human error, maybe?


    And speaking of what it takes to raise a level, my eyes fall to my Contract skill. It was the second skill that confused me because it leveling up also came out of nowhere. But I¡¯m not sure if it leveled because I formed a contract with Sandra or because I fulfilled my agreement with Silver Herd?


    Technically, I terminated the Contract between Grey and me, so did I receive experience for following through with it even though the person I first formed it with was dead and the contract was gone? If so, then Contract is as scary as I thought it was. Even with the contract broken, on some level, the world still rewarded me for my part, meaning specific skills had a more profound function than what I initially realized. Skills affect the soul, so I should be careful in the future.


    ¡°Excuse me, Aaliyah?¡± Kervin calls out to me, so I dismiss my status page and leave pondering the nature of skills for later.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My guys are finished emptying the cart; is it ok if we load up the weapons?¡± Ever the polite merchant, Kervin asks for permission before he grabs his goods from our sheds.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± I give him the all-clear. ¡°They¡¯re yours anyways.¡±


    ¡°Right then,¡± Kervin nods with a smile.


    I stand back and watch his men start by loading up all the ingots he bought. One by one, they move the pile of meatal from our material¡¯s shed to Kervin¡¯s cart. The merchant himself stands close by, out of his men¡¯s way, and mouths out numbers as they work, probably taking a mental inventory of everything. It doesn¡¯t take long for Lurte, Ryiba, and Reel to empty everything, even if they periodically stopped to admire my work.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything!¡± Kervin cheerfully remakes after watching the last spear be placed in his cart.


    While Kervin¡¯s men move to strap a tarp over everything, I look at our previously full sheds. The pile of steel and iron in the materials shed is half of what it was, and the shed I was using to store my completed works in was now empty. It took me three months to fill it up but less than an hour to empty.


    ¡°I want to say thank you, Aaliyah. Silver Herd appreciates your work.¡±


    ¡°I take it you also gained some experience,¡± I grin at Kervin, who has a massive smile on his face.


    He chuckles. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡±


    Kervin and I share a small laugh, but that only lasts a minute. Before an awkward silence comes between us, I ask a few questions I have. ¡°I take it, that was the last of the kaglese?¡± I motion to the pile of ore next to our smelter.


    ¡°Sadly, yes. I can see about maybe fining you a different magic mineral, but it won¡¯t be in large quantities like this.¡±


    ¡°Like the samples you used to bring for me?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Kervin lets out a sigh. ¡°I would offer you to come back with us to Drey and see what we have, but things aren¡¯t exactly ¡®running smoothly¡¯ at the moment.¡±


    I could imagine so; the office building I visited in Drey was huge. I don¡¯t know how big the explosion was, but it should take a while to fix, even with the proper skills.


    ¡°Thanks, but no,¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m busy enough here already. I¡¯d love a chance to look at new metals, but I don¡¯t have time to experiment at the moment. As much as it pains me to admit.¡± I clench and unclench my fists.


    ¡°There is some good news,¡± Kervin tells me when he sees my frustration. ¡°Whatever you make with that kaglese will sell for even more next time.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, about that. Did you give me more than 70%?¡±


    ¡°You noticed. Because the goods were sold before we got them, Giovanni knew we couldn''t pay you what you deserve at the current market price. So, he had me raise your cut to 80% of what he sold it to Pacore for.¡±


    "That''s good," I remark, more than a little surprised. Mom told me that crafters usually only get around 50% of what their goods are worth. She drilled it into me that I should always barter with that in mind.


    If 80% covered all my debt and all the overpriced materials Kervin brought with him today, that probably means Giovanni sold all my stuff to Pacore for over 1000 gold coins! Just how rich is the old man, or did he use Scholl¡¯s money? I wonder?


    But more importantly, Kervin is right. The batch of ore I just got is already paid for, so whatever I make with it will be 100% profit.


    ¡°Did Giovanni have any requests for me? Anything specific he needs making?"


    ¡°Nope,¡± Kervin grins from ear to ear. ¡°Pacore has already agreed to buy anything you make. As long as it isn¡¯t farm tools, you can make whatever you want, and it will sell. Even if you make farm tools, I''ll buy them from you," Kervin good naturally chuckles.


    Both Pacore and Giovanni must have a lot of faith in me if I¡¯m being given this much freedom. A chunk of the ore will go to a new set of armor for myself, and a tiny bit is all that is needed for Kervin¡¯s knife, but the rest is up in the air. Do I stick to spears and swords, or do I mix things up with a different weapon?


    I don''t have any more dellinium, so more arrows are out of the question. Maybe I should try making a shield?


    I should ask Tabitha; if anyone knows what Pacore might need, it was her.


    "I take it you''ll buy other stuff too, right?" I ask just to make sure.


    ¡°If you make it, Silver Herd can sell it,¡± Kervin reassures me. ¡°Ingots, tools, weapons, building supplies," Kervin glances at my glowing forge and the steel rods lying next to it. "Until there''s a proper seize fire between Scholl and Olebert, and the trading routes are once again opened up, we''ll buy anything you got."


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I happily remark.


    ¡°Everything is secured, Boss,¡± Ryiba calls out to Kervin as he walks over to us, followed closely by Reel and Lurte.


    ¡°Good,¡± Kervin smiles at his men before focusing back on me and bowing politely. ¡°I¡¯ll be back later in the day to watch Reel get his ass kicked by Pacore¡¯s student.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Reel snaps.


    Kervin ignores Reel''s protests. "I have business with the future headman of this village, so I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡±


    ¡°See you later,¡± I politely wave the four men off and watch them slowly leave Master¡¯s clearing.


    I too, need to get back to work. I''ll need to hustle if I want to get everything done before Kervin comes back. Brother said he needed roughly a hundred steel rods before they started digging out the wall''s foundation, so I better get to it.


    Never a moment''s rest.


    **********


    For once, I stood at the edge of the quarry and not inside it.


    I watched as Reel stretched just as I did before each of my sparring sessions with Tabitha. And for the first time, I saw Tabitha do the same.


    She already had her weapons drawn and was lightly swinging them around to warm up. Tabitha must see Reel as a real threat; that, or this is going to end really quickly.


    "Three copper says Tabitha is going to win."


    ¡°What, no way, Tabitha is going to crush him. I¡¯m not giving you my money.¡± Standing next to me, Frank and Lloyd were just as vocal as ever, giddily awaiting the fighting to start. By their excitement and how vocal they were, you would never guess they¡¯d been working all day.


    When Lloyd doesn''t rise to Frank''s challenge, he turns to the others nearby. "What about you, Boss? You think the new guy can beat Tabitha?¡±


    My brother hums in thought. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯ve seen Aaliyah spar with Tabitha, but we¡¯ve never seen this Reel person before. Is he any good?¡± Brother directs his question towards me.


    ¡°He is,¡± I simply state and leave it at that. If it were just Richard and me, I¡¯d tell him Reel was around the same level I am or that Tabitha is in the 90¡¯s, but I don¡¯t want to give away their levels in front of Frank and Lloyd.


    ¡°But he is used to fighting,¡± Master¡¯s tired voice enters our conversation.


    The sun was going down, and everyone should be retiring for the day, but here we all were, ready to watch the fight between Reel and Tabitha.


    Brother, Sandra, Master, Frank, and Lloyd stood near me while Kervin, Lurte, and Ryiba made up their own group a few dozen feet away from us.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting,¡± I point out to everyone when I see Reel and Tabitha take up their respective stances.


    ¡°First to bleed?¡± I hear Reel ask the armored woman in front of him.


    ¡°Sounds fun,¡± Tabitha responds with her signature savage grin.


    Frank and Lloyd go quiet as the air changes. Reel and Tabitha both release their bloodlust simultaneously, and every one of us is forced to swallow a nervous lump in our throats, even me.


    I thought I was used to the pressure Tabitha usually releases during our fights, but this was different. There was a quantitative difference between the Tabitha in front of me and the one I regularly sparred with. The Tabitha in front of me was out for blood! Reel wasn''t as bad, but


    the pressure he released wasn''t that far off from Tabitha''s.


    Reel felt like a drawn dagger ready to pounce in the face of Tabitha''s might.


    "Holy shit," Frank mutters, and I see that he and most of our group were trembling. Only Master and I were fine, but I did notice how strongly Master was clenching his fists while my hand had reflexively moved up to grab my hammer.


    And then Reel vanished.


    There were gasps of surprise around me, but I kept my eyes on the battlefield. I wasn¡¯t going to miss a second of this fight.


    I might not be able to physically see Reel, but Sense Mana still let me track where he was. And he was¡­ just standing there?


    Reel hadn¡¯t taken a step since he became invisible, confusing me greatly. I¡¯d figure he¡¯d throw a dagger or creep up behind her.


    Though the dagger probably wouldn¡¯t be that good of an idea. As soon as he releases his weapon, I doubt it would go very far before it lost its invisibility, and that would give away his position.


    ¡°He¡¯s invisible; come on!¡± Frank loudly complains.


    I watch as Reel finally starts to make his move. He moves slowly back and forth, testing to see if Tabitha can track him as I can, but she just stands there, facing forward with a smile plastered across her face. Tabitha doesn¡¯t so much as twitch as Reel slowly positions himself to the left of her.


    She holds her shield on her left arm, but dealing with that is better than the sword in her right.


    Twenty feet, fifteen feet, Reel slowly closes in on his target, and Tabitha still hasn¡¯t moved from her initial position. Is Reel going to be able to successfully ambush her?


    At ten feet, the void of mana that is Reel lunges at Tabitha. Part of me thinks that it might be all just as quick as it started, but the woman who''s been training me all this time doesn''t disappoint. Tabitha''s feet blur at the last second, and she reorientates herself to face the still invisible Reel. I can¡¯t see his expression while he¡¯s cloaked, but I¡¯m sure he must be surprised.


    Tabitha swings her sword at the empty air, and a loud clanging noise echoes throughout the quarry. Dirt is kicked up as Reel is sent flying by Tabitha¡¯s strike. Space appears to shatter around Reel as the effects of his magic item are broken, and he is revealed to my shocked companions.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known I couldn¡¯t sneak up on you," Reel grimaces and shakes out his arms. The blades of the two daggers in his hands were ruined from parring Tabitha''s sudden strike.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad attempt, but better than you have tried and failed,¡± she gloats.


    ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll need to do better," Reel rises to his feet in defiance with a cocky grin. He tosses away his useless daggers and draws two new ones. Both serrated weapons are longer than the first pair he used and radiate a higher degree of magic.


    Reel rushes at Tabitha, who takes a step forward to meet him, and what happens next is a flurry of strikes between the two.


    Sparks fly all over the place as enchanted metal meets enchanted metal. Both are Dexterity-based fighters, and yet they¡¯re both different from one another.


    Reel is like me and moves around a lot, while Tabitha prefers short, swift movements. Reel attacks from two angles with multiple weapons, while Tabitha guards with her shield and counterattacks with her sword.


    The new daggers Reel is using have to be enchanted for endurance because, unlike his first two, they hold up when he uses them to parry Tabitha''s sword. Reel is forced to dance between a very thin line of attacking and defending due to the length of his weapons. He has to get in close, while Tabitha is more comfortable at mid-range.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± I hear Sandra say.


    I take my eyes off the battle for a moment to sneak a peek at my friend. Her eyes were wide, but she didn''t look as shocked as Frank and Lloyd. Both men are staring into the quarry speechless with their mouths hanging open. That¡¯s a first for them.


    I¡¯m a little jealous that they¡¯ve never looked at me like that when I was sparing Tabitha, but more than anyone else here, I can see that the fight between Reel and Tabitha is a step above anything I¡¯ve done.


    The way the two anticipate each other¡¯s movements.


    The way they predict the others strikes.


    The sheer number of feints they use!


    This is a true battle between high-leveled individuals.


    I can only watch and marvel at the spectacle in front of me like the rest of them.


    After trading countless blows in a matter of minutes, the two finally separate, with neither of them so much as scratching the other.


    ¡°Another hidden talent in this corner of the world,¡± Tabitha offers her praise to Reel while ignoring the sweat dripping into her eyes.


    ¡°That means a lot coming from you,¡± Reel pants.


    That''s all the two say before they rush at each other again like frenzied animals. The two of them were the epitome of an anime fight come to life, which is incredible.


    My heart speeds up as time seems to come to a crawl. I had never seen either of them fight like this before, and it was eye-opening. I need to practice a lot harder if I¡¯m ever going to press Tabitha as Reel is doing right now.


    Maybe I, too, could be like this if I never took up crafting and devoted all my time to practicing with my weapon, but that¡¯s just not me.


    Neither of them is slowing, even though both are starting to get winded. So it was only a matter of time until one of them messed up and allowed the other to tag them. Which would it be? I had a suspicion who it might be.


    Suddenly, Reel made his move. He uses Flash Step to appear behind Tabitha. She uses her stance-changing skill to reposition herself, but Reel had already Flash Stepped again and lunged at Tabitha by then. He aimed for the split-second cooldown before she could use her skill again.


    Reel thrusts his right dagger at her exposed side, but a flash of light halts it before it can pierce her skin. Tabitha has a manic look on her face as she looks down at a frozen Reel. Tabitha¡¯s shield was glowing and had wrapped her in a cloak of light.


    So that¡¯s what her shield does, it produces an effect similar to my Mana Skin, but seeing how it stopped Reel''s enchanted dagger, it was probably a lot stronger.


    Tabitha stabs at Reel, and he''s forced to duck away. But as he ducks, Tabitha steps forward, and shield bashes him, sending him stumbling.


    From there on, the fight turned incredibly one-sided. Tabitha kept the pressure on Reel, never letting him recover until she could slice him in between his armor.


    Reel didn¡¯t flinch when he was cut or groan in pain; he merely looked defeated. "It''s my loss," he admits lowering his daggers. "Truly, the rumors about you don''t do you justice."


    The light slowly fades around Tabitha. ¡°You weren¡¯t so bad yourself,¡± she genuinely smiles. She sheaths her sword and wipes the sweat from her face, signaling the fight to be over.


    ¡°That¡­Was¡­Amazing!¡± Lloyd shouts while everyone else respectfully claps.


    Reel smiles under everyone¡¯s praises before dropping to his knees in exhaustion.


    I use Air Walk to hop down into the quarry and offer him a hand. "Well, you survived," I joke as I help him to his feet.


    ¡°Shut up; I''m sure you know how strong she is," Reel hisses at me.


    For a second, my smile collapses. "I do now," I mumble under my breath. For all Tabitha''s been pushing me, she¡¯s never fought like that. I finally saw what she¡¯s capable of, and it pains me to admit it, but I¡¯m nowhere close to reaching that level yet.


    "I''m the one who lost; how come you''re the one who looks defeated?"


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I force a smile and shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m just sad I didn¡¯t get to see her squash you flat like I thought she would. You¡¯re better than I give you credit for.¡±


    ¡°He was,¡± Tabitha walks over to us and stares down at a limping Reel. ¡°Your talents are wasted here; why not come and work for my Master. Scholl would appreciate your talents."


    Reel''s eyes widen in surprise, but he chuckles and brushes off Tabitha¡¯s offer. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I already serve a man I respect.¡±


    ¡°Humm, pity.¡± That¡¯s all Tabitha says before she turns around to face the others who were walking down into the quarry.


    ¡°Lady Tabitha, you were amazing!¡±


    ¡°Truly splendid!¡±


    Frank and Lloyd fawn over the armored woman as Kervin walks over to us.


    ¡°You, ok?¡± he asks, raising an eyebrow at a battered Reel.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Reel groans as he straitens his back. ¡°After a good night¡¯s rest, I¡¯ll be good as new.¡±


    ¡°You know it was stupid of you to challenge her, right?¡± Kervin asks in a low voice so that others couldn''t hear him. ¡°What if you offended her and she decided to kill you?¡±


    Reel scoffs. ¡°Then I would¡¯ve died,¡± he matter-of-factly says. ¡°She went easy on me,¡± Reel says with a bit of frustration in his voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell while we were fighting, but seeing how she''s nowhere near as tired as I am, I don''t think I pushed her as hard as I thought I did.¡±


    Kervin steals a glance over his shoulder at Tabitha, who is nodding along to the people congratulating her on her win.


    ¡°I had to try,¡± Reel firmly states. ¡°I needed to see the gap between me and the next level. That¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll improve.¡±


    Kervin sighs and shakes his head. "You''re crazy; you know that?"


    Reel chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s the best way to live. You can let go of me now,¡± he tells me.


    I slowly take my hands off Reel, but he seems ok to stand. Part of me wanted to agree with Reel about pushing yourself, but on the other hand, I understood Kervin not getting Reel¡¯s motivation. Some days I want nothing more than to stay in the village and craft my days away, while others, I want to adventure and see the world.


    Either way, I''ll need strength if I want to decide for myself. There was a genuine possibility that I might die after leaving the village for Scholl. So I have to be stronger.


    No, I will become stronger.


    I''ll reach Tabitha''s level and beyond; this I swear to myself.

 Ch: 106

    The village seemed quieter than usual as I ran my morning laps. No one was in the fields, people weren¡¯t clearing trees, and our budding wall was left unattended, just for today, that is. There were still a couple of hunters patrolling the edge of the village, but they were the only people I encountered on my run.


    However, if you walked more than ten feet into the village, you would see that the quiet fa?ade was only skin deep. The village was full of excitement because today was the last day of the year, and everyone was preparing for the end-of-year festival.


    Usually, the end-of-year festival wasn''t enough to warrant everybody taking the entire day off, but this year was particular. Not only had the village survived goblin attacks, magic beasts, and a change in leadership from Olebert to Scholl, but we were also celebrating Richard and Sandra¡¯s union today. And almost the whole village was helping with the preparations.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m running alone right now. Mother was with Sarette making some last-minute adjustments to the couple''s wedding tassels. Dad was out with the hunters looking for fresh meat for the festivities later. Richard was having his builders fasten together a tiny stage in front of Camden''s house for the ceremony, while Sandra was being fawned over by most of the village''s women.


    I offered to help, but I was told I wasn¡¯t needed. Which, not going to lie, I felt a little sad about.


    But then again, I wasn¡¯t good enough with sowing to help put the final touches on the tassel, there were plenty of people working on the stage, and I knew next to nothing about fashion.


    The only thing I could¡¯ve helped with was the hunting, and even then, I was told I was more of a ¡®hit things over the head¡¯ kind of girl rather than the silent hunter type.


    So, with nothing important to do, I figured I¡¯d stick to my morning routine and take a few laps around the village. And without Mother with me, I don¡¯t need to hold back.


    Pumping my arms, I finish my twenty-fifth lap around the village in ten minutes, my personal best. My stopping point put me directly in front of the village where the first part of the wall was being constructed.


    I could get a good look at how far along everything was coming without getting in anybody¡¯s way with nobody around. Although, of course, there wasn''t much to see at the moment other than a lot of upturned dirt. But that was because all of the progress made was underground.


    The day after Kervin left the village, Richard deemed he had enough material prepped to start laying the wall''s foundation, and it was magical.


    Mostly because Sandra used magic to dig the hole.


    I¡¯d seen her use magic to turn over the village¡¯s fields, but it wasn¡¯t exactly flashy like a fireball spell. The trench she dug for Richard, on the other hand, that was impressive. Sandra assured me her spell wasn¡¯t always that over the top and that she was only able to do what she did because she incorporated her new Inject Mana skill into her spell. But it was still impressive.


    Sandra was able to peel back earth like a chef peeled an onion. She couldn¡¯t move all the dirt at once, so she did it in waves, basically turning the ground into a receding tide of dirt.


    Sandra did in ten minutes what all of Richards''s crew would¡¯ve taken two days to accomplish, and that was with her limited mana pool.


    I tried to copy her spell by observing how her mana functioned, but I sadly failed. She used Inject Mana to force her spell deep into the earth where it activated, but with her Quick Casting skill combined with her Chanting skill, I wasn¡¯t able to follow along with what she was mumbling under her breath. I had tried to mimic Sandra''s spell by manually manipulating my mana as her spell did, but that went over as well as I expected.


    I''m not sure if my skills weren''t high enough or if there was some fundamental difference between casting magic with incantations and physical manipulation. Of course, the latter helps the former, but that''s all I knew.


    Sandra and I love to bounce theories off of one another, but that''s all we can do as we are. Plus, I can¡¯t prod Sandra for too many answers because even though she hides it well, I can tell she¡¯s disappointed by her lack of knowledge.


    This is understandable because Sandra¡¯s family paid good money for her to learn magic, and all she got in return was a half-ass lesson. If anything, the Downs¡¯ paid more for the spells Sandra learned, with only a few tips and tricks thrown in for good measure, most of which she couldn¡¯t share.


    Part of me wants to pay off Sandra¡¯s debt so she can teach me the spells that she¡¯s learned; however, Sandra already feels like she owes me to the point she demanded we form a contract between us. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d agree to me paying off her debt, no matter my motives.


    Sighing, I reach out and tap the stone wall sticking out of the ground. Since Kervin left the village, they¡¯ve built about 200 feet of wall. At the moment, it only sticks a foot out of the ground, and anything in this forest could quickly get over it as it is now, but Richard claims from here on out, progress will be faster.


    According to him, the villagers who volunteered to help were gaining their first skills. They were only tier 1 and 2 max, but everything speeds up the process bit by bit. I was told the foundation was the most challenging part to build, and though they were about to start building up rather than down, part of their crew was going to remain dedicated to digging and laying down more foundation to expand the wall around the village.


    When completed, the wall will be two feet thick and should protect the village from most of the dangers of the forest. It might not protect against a strong magic beast, but it would certainly slow them down and give people time to react. And if magic beasts were that common, the village wouldn¡¯t be here right now. This last year was truly an exception among exceptions.


    Climbing onto the small wall, I test my footing by jumping in place. The stone under my feet doesn¡¯t budge a millimeter, and then, when I¡¯m positive the wall can take it, I launch myself into the air and activate Air Walk. I climb higher and higher until I can see the entirety of the village before me, and it¡¯s a beautiful sight.


    The morning sun was shining brightly down onto our little patch of heaven. There was no morning chill in the air, seeing how this was the last day of spring. It was getting hotter out, and things would only heat up tomorrow with summer officially starting, and I wasn''t just talking about the weather.


    Pacore told me he would settle his business with Olebert as soon as possible. Meaning I don¡¯t know how much longer I have here.


    It pained me to know that he could show up tomorrow, and I wouldn¡¯t have a say in my leaving. My going protects the village, but I still have things I want to do before leaving. I want to hold my future niece or nephew before I go and make sure that they will grow up in a safe environment. As safe as they could be out here in the forest anyways.


    The steadily growing wall below me helped with that second part, but I could still do more. I¡¯m still designing my second set of armor, but in the meantime, I¡¯m practicing by making various armor pieces for the village¡¯s armory. My goal is to fill up Richard¡¯s fancy building before Pacore comes to drag me off to Scholl.


    And then there was the third thing I wanted to do.


    It wasn¡¯t as important as my first two goals, but it was still something I¡¯ve been working towards over the last year, ever since the goblin extermination.


    I wanted to see what was in the deeper reaches of the forest.


    I want to see where the chameleon spiders came from with my own eyes, and I want to see what else was possibly living there.


    My parents know I wanted to explore the depths of the Endless Forest, but I bet they thought I forgot about it with everything that¡¯s been going on recently. I''ve naturally had to put exploring on the back burner between my training with Tabitha and everything else I''ve been working on. But now¡­


    I flex my hands as I gaze off into the distance at the sea of trees beyond the edge of the village. I don¡¯t want to have any more regrets than I need to when I leave the village, so starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll start my preparations. I won¡¯t mention my plans until I have more things squared away, but I will see what¡¯s out there.


    With that promise, I slow down my use of Air Walk and let myself drift back to the ground, where someone is waiting for me.


    ¡°I saw you in the sky,¡± Tabitha notes as my feet once again touch down on the hard stone.


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to see the village,¡± I lightly reply.


    Tabitha nods in understanding but honestly looks bored. She knows I won''t agree to train with her today, but I still thought she would ask. The fact that we¡¯re alone right now, and she wasn''t begging to train with me, was honestly a little disconcerting.


    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t have much to do today either?¡± I ask, trying to strike up a conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been good with festivals,¡± Tabitha tells me without a hint of emotion. ¡°I was required to attend them with my Master, but I never enjoyed them. Too many people looking for weaknesses to exploit.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fun,¡± I note with a lot of sarcasm, but then smile at Tabitha. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry about that here.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes widen just a bit, signaling she understands what I¡¯m getting at. Tabitha is the strongest person in the village, and other than myself, no one here has any relationship with Scholl. No one was stupid enough to anger the woman in armor, let alone try anything. So if she wanted to relax for a change, by all rights, she could.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± Tabitha mumbles.


    ¡°If you think so, may I make a suggestion?¡±


    "You may," Tabitha permits me to speak my mind.


    ¡°Take off your armor for a change, and leave your weapons in your room,¡± I tell her. ¡°Enjoy the festival; I know I will. I''ve been waiting for this for years."


    Tabitha lightly shivers at the mere mention of disarming herself, but I can see that she¡¯s thinking it over. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Tabitha says, lacking her usual confident tone for a change. ¡°I¡¯m going to patrol the village¡¯s perimeter again.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you tonight. Don¡¯t be late for my brother¡¯s wedding ceremony.¡±


    Tabitha pauses as she turns around to walk away. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± That¡¯s all she says before walking into the woods.


    I chuckle and shake my head. To think I would openly ask her to attend my brother¡¯s wedding. I can''t help but feel we''ve become closer, even with all her torturous training. Even if I initially didn''t like her because of her relationship to Pacore, I¡¯d be blind if I didn¡¯t see how much she¡¯s putting into training me.


    Then there¡¯s what she¡¯s done to help the village. People gossip about how they¡¯ve seen her patrolling the edge of the forest now and again. And everyone knows she¡¯s killed more than one Karhu that had wandered a bit too close to the village.


    To me, it always felt like she spent all her time watching me, but that obviously wasn¡¯t the case.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I may not completely understand her devotion to Pacore, but she personally has done enough for me and the village that I don¡¯t despise her anymore. At least when she¡¯s not tearing up my armor with her sword, that is.


    ¡°Well, now what do I do?¡± I ask out loud to no one.


    Maybe I should check up on Master and make sure he¡¯s coming to the festival. Not to bother him, certainly not. After all, it would be just like Master to not show up and blame it on not being invited. I was going to make sure Master would attend the celebrations, even if I had to drag him there myself.


    **********


    Most of my day was boring, and I spent most of it bugging Master until he promised to join in on the celebrations.


    The festivities didn¡¯t start until much later in the day, but with the sun dipping over the horizon, things were finally kicking off.


    There was a sense of excitement in the air.


    Everyone in the village watched as Camden made his up onto the newly built stage in front of his house.


    I was standing with my family to the left of the stage, periodically smirking at my brother, who looked both the happiest he¡¯s ever been as well as the most nervous. He wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off Camden''s front door, which was where Sandra was supposed to emerge from at the beginning of the ceremony.


    ¡°Friends! Thank you for coming!¡± Camden¡¯s voice boomed over the crowd, earning him a few good-natured cheers in return.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the end of year festivities in a moment, but we all know why we are here. Today my precious daughter is getting married, and it couldn¡¯t be to anyone better.¡± Everyone erupts in applause.


    Camden waves his hands, gesturing for people to quiet down when people don¡¯t stop cheering. ¡°Usually, I''d call up the bride''s father to join me on stage, but seeing how I''m already here, that makes things easier.¡± Camden¡¯s joke earned a few chuckles from the crowd. His joke is only funny because everyone knows what happens next. This was the part where the bride''s father was supposed to give the groom a hard time.


    ¡°Richard,¡± Camden gestures at my brother. ¡°Come up and state before me and everyone else what you have to offer my daughter."


    ¡°Good luck,¡± I whisper to Richard as I affectionally pat his back; I use just enough force to make him take his first step towards the stage.


    Richard locks eyes with Camden, and I see a small battle of wills take place. To his credit, Brother doesn¡¯t flinch under Camden¡¯s gaze and steadily makes his way up on stage to stand in front of Sandra''s father.


    ¡°Well?¡± Camden asks with an air of superiority.


    Brother clears his throat and places his hand over his heart. ¡°I Richard, do swear to you and everyone here that I will provide for Sandra to the best of my abilities and beyond. If she asks for it, I will build her a castle with my own two hands and treat her like the queen I know she is. To the end of my days, I will keep her safe and allow no harm to befall her. In the gods'' names, I swear!"


    ¡°Wooo!" I cheer like many others in the crowd. His speech was a little over the top, with the whole build a castle thing, but when you consider it was Richard who came up with the idea to build a wall around the village, you would realize he might be able to do it. Though I doubt Master would agree to supply him with the stone if he tried.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Camden gives Brother an approving nod. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t accept anything else. But let us see if your bride feels the same way. Sandra Downs, do you accept?¡± Camden turns towards his front door.


    Slowly, the door swings open, revealing Sandra standing in the doorway wearing a beautiful blue dress. Unlike Earth, people don''t wear white when they get married, at least not in Olebert where this ceremony originates. Her dress caught the last rays of the sunset and sparkled in the light. Sandra confidently walked out onto the stage, wearing the biggest smile I¡¯d ever seen, even greater than Brother''s if that was possible. ¡°I accept. A thousand times, yes.¡±


    I spot a tear in the corner of Camden¡¯s eye. I¡¯m not sure if it was because he was happy for his daughter or because he was essentially giving her away. Either way, he was fighting to hold back his tears.


    Camden pauses to cough and wipe at his eyes, earning him a few heckles from the crowd.


    ¡°Too late to stop now!¡± One person shouts. ¡°Don¡¯t choke,¡± another yells over everybody else.


    Camden straightens himself out and continues with the ceremony, ignoring the jokes at his expense. ¡°Alright then, all we need is someone to act as a witness that isn''t a part of the two families."


    Earlier, I asked Mother about why the witness had to be someone not related to the bride and groom, and she told me it was to make sure the two families weren''t forcing the couple together. Having an outside party witness the matrimony might not be a foolproof way to stop a forced marriage, but it helped somewhat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± I hear Frank¡¯s voice in the crowd, along with multiple other people volunteering.


    ¡°I already asked someone,¡± Camden barks, silencing everyone. ¡°If our esteemed guest can join us up on stage.¡±


    The crowd goes silent, and I hear someone sigh before people start parting and making way for the person to reach the stage. Whoever they are, they certainly don¡¯t sound very enthusiastic.


    From my position, I couldn¡¯t see much of the person stepping forward; however, I could see one thing, their hair. It was blue, and that was all I needed to see to know who Camden asked to stand witness to Richard and Sandra''s wedding. But though I recognized her, others didn''t.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    "Idiots, it''s her."


    Tabitha walked out of the crowd, and I immediately understood why some people didn''t recognize her. She wasn¡¯t wearing her armor like I suggested this morning. She still has her sword at her hip, so she didn¡¯t take all my advice, but you could see that she was at least trying. You couldn¡¯t fault people for not recognizing her right away, I see her almost every other day, and even I¡¯ve never seen her without her armor on.


    Tabitha rigidly makes her way on stage and stands next to Camden, wearing what had to be a military uniform. Her outfit wasn¡¯t over the top, but it stood out compared to people¡¯s everyday wear. And true to someone in a uniform, Tabitha didn¡¯t let her posture slip, standing straight as an arrow. Her hand is resting on her sword''s handle while her eyes constantly scanned the crowd.


    She looks like she¡¯s expecting a monster to pop out of nowhere. I didn''t realize she would be this nervous without her armor on.


    ¡°If you can, please state your name?¡± Camden politely asks Tabitha as she joins him up on stage.


    ¡°Lady Tabitha Leres, Second captain under Scholl¡¯s third battalion. Student of Pacore the Deathless.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a noble!?¡± More than one person shouts. Many are surprised to hear Tabitha''s full name and rank, and that includes me. I knew Tabitha was an important person, but a noble as well?


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Leres,¡± Camden bows in the way someone does when greeting a person of higher stature before turning back to a shocked crowd. "With such an important person witnessing my daughter¡¯s wedding, I¡¯m sure no one would question this ceremony¡¯s authenticity. Families, please bring up the tassels.¡±


    Camden doesn¡¯t give us long to think about Tabitha¡¯s title before he calls us on stage. While Mom, Dad, and I enter from the left, Sandra¡¯s brothers and her mother climb on stage from the right. We then move next to the person we aren¡¯t related to. So, we gather around Sandra while her family moves next to Brother. The act is supposed to symbolize our two families coming together.


    ¡°Do both families have their tassels?¡± Camden looks back and forth between Mother and his wife, clearly seeing the vibrant blue and gold tassels each holds.


    ¡°We do,¡± They both respond together, clearly happy to see their babies finally getting married.


    ¡°Present them, please.¡± Camden holds out his hands.


    Mother and Sarette offer up an end of their tassels, and Camden continues the ceremony.


    ¡°With these,¡± he proclaims, grabbing the two tassels. ¡°We bind the lives of Sandra Downs and Richard together.¡± Camden precedes to tie the two tassels together with a marriage knot.


    ¡°Take each other¡¯s hands,¡± he instructs the couple.


    Gingerly, Brother reaches to his side and gently takes Sandra¡¯s hand into his own, all while sporting the most love-struck smile I¡¯ve ever seen. Sandra has a similar smile, making the two look lost in their own world as Sandra¡¯s father continues the ceremony.


    "With these tassels, we bind not only this couple but their families as well."


    I can''t help but chuckle to myself. Our families have been inseparable for years, making the ceremony just the icing on top of the proverbial cake.


    The village cheers as Camden wraps the tassels around Richard and Sandra¡¯s hands, binding them together both physically and metaphorically.


    ¡°Let the gods rejoice and bless this union!¡± Camden shouts over the growing excitement of the crowd. ¡°I now pronounce you both Sandra and Richard Downs!¡±


    Because our family didn¡¯t have a last name, Richard automatically adopted Sandra¡¯s now that they were officially married.


    "Congratulations, you two," Camden lets his MC persona slip as he leans forward and hugs the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you!¡± Mom gushes as she affectionately clings to Dad¡¯s side.


    As soon as Camden parts from the newlywed couple, they kiss to the joy of the crowd.


    And just like that, Sandra and Brother¡¯s marriage ceremony was complete. For a relatively short spectacle, it was pretty beautiful. Personally, I think simplicity is best. Mom said the nobles and the rich like to turn their weddings into multi-day affairs, but those are a minority


    and sound like a pain to attend to.


    It was more practical to tack a marriage on to any event already scheduled in a village-like ours. There could even be multiple weddings cerebrated at once, but that was rare in a village of our size. Moreover, it made sense considering people will drink the same for one marriage or five.


    ¡°Time to drink!¡± A man in the crowd shouted, with others quickly joining in, ready to get the party started.


    ¡°Not quite yet,¡± Camden cuts off the cheering crowd before they can move to crack open the kegs of ale. Camden shuffles around Richard and Sandra, who were still tightly embracing one another, taking center-stage. ¡°We¡¯ll get to the drinking in a moment. But first, we still have the end of year ceremony.¡±


    Many in the audience groan but stop when Camden gives the crowd a somber look. ¡°We mustn¡¯t forget the people we lost this year. Those who died of old age and especially those who gave their lives to defend the village.¡±


    Everyone in the crowd goes silent as Camden starts reciting names from memory. Just as he said, the first two were people who died of old age; that was where Camden would usually have to stop, but next came the names of those who died during the goblin attack.


    I didn¡¯t know most of them, but their deaths still weighed on my heart. Back then, if I was as strong as I am now, I probably could¡¯ve saved them.


    ¡°May we all pray that they found peace and comfort in Goddess Ilia¡¯s gentle embrace,¡± Camden prays aloud, and everyone repeats what he says verbatim.


    I mumble the words and lower my head in prayer like everybody else, but it isn''t to show respect to the gods. My prayer is solely for the souls of the dearly departed in hopes that they safely made their way into the circle of reincarnation. There was no reason they should be subjected to meeting with those crass beings everybody calls gods. A peaceful afterlife is what they truly deserve.


    Everyone shares in the moment of silence.


    Camden waits a full five minutes before breaking the silence over the crowd. ¡°We will not forget those we lost, but we will not overlook the good either. This last year was the most trying our village has ever seen, and we came out stronger from it. My daughter and her husband returned home and brought with them waves of change. Our fields are bigger than they ever have been before, and many have leveled. You could argue our village was safer than ever, and with the wall, many of you are helping to build, Spotted Creek Village will be even safer in the years to come.¡±


    ¡°New life is coming to our village,¡± Camden glances at Sandra with a smile on his face. ¡°And we have a new adult joining us as well.¡±


    There is confusion amongst the crowd, but that quickly fades when Camden gestures for me to stand next to him. ¡°Some of you might have forgotten, with how much she has helped the village, but Aaliyah turned fifteen this year. She is the pride of our village, and we all must celebrate this momentous occasion.¡±


    Camden gestures to a few people standing next to the kegs; in turn, they begin to crack open the alcohol and start pouring tankards of ale. People then start passing out the cups, but no one drinks yet.


    One woman brings multiple tankards up onto the stage and hands them to us, making sure to hand one filled with juice to Sandra.


    Camden waits for everyone present to have a drink before holding his up above his head. ¡°This is for the dead, and for the living; to our past, and to our future. May the next year be better than the last!¡± Camden throws back his head and starts chugging his ale, and everyone does the same.


    Well, not everyone chugs their drink, some sip their alcohol, but the point is everyone drinks at the same time. So I tentatively bring my tankard up to my mouth and give it a sniff before I take a swig.


    I wasn¡¯t that much of a drinker in my past life, and it had been so long since I''ve tasted alcohol that I couldn''t remember what beer tasted like. So, it indeed was like I was drinking for the first time. And¡­


    It wasn¡¯t that good.


    The ale was warm and tasted like liquid bread. I didn¡¯t know what to expect from medieval alcohol, but it wasn¡¯t this.


    I didn¡¯t want to compare the ale to modern-day beer because it wasn¡¯t, but I had to guess they both served the same purpose. You didn¡¯t drink beer because it tasted good; you drank it because you wanted to get plastered. So, despite the ale¡¯s lack-luster taste, I copied Camden and threw my head back, and chugged my beverage down to the last drop.


    Tonight, the village was going to party, and I''d been sober for fifteen years. I deserved a drink.


    Tonight, I was going to get drunk, no two ways about it.


    ¡°Let the party begin!¡± Camden happily proclaimed to the joy of the village.


    The official ceremony was complete, and now everyone was free to celebrate however they saw fit. Fires were started as people started to barbecue skewers while others crowded around the kegs. People broke off into groups and sat at benches and tables people had set up during the day.


    Many people came up to personally congratulate Sandra and Richard on their wedding, while others congratulated me on turning fifteen, even though technically my birthday was over half a year ago. Mom and Dad stood next to Camden and Sarette, content to watch their kids'' first taste at marriage.


    Everyone focused on the married couple, and only I and a few others noticed Tabitha slink off to the side. A brave few tried to approach her to wish her a happy festival, but all turned away when she dismissed them with her eyes. Tabitha didn¡¯t exactly have an aura that said ¡®come talk to me,'' and I''d already had enough attention for the day, so I decided to join her.


    When I walked up to her, I noticed that she was frowning down at the cup in her hands; she had barely drunk any of her ale. "Not up to your standards?" I chuckle.


    ¡°Did you like it?¡± She asks, raising a questioning eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to like it to get drunk off of it.¡±


    Tabitha snorts, ¡°Good luck with that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    "She means at your level; this stuff might as well be bad tasting water.¡±


    I turn to see Master walking over to us. I had seen him in the crowd during the ceremony, but I wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to stick around after the main part was over. But, wait, what did he say about my level?


    Looking down at my empty cup, I was suddenly conscious of my buzz, or lack thereof. The ale wasn''t that strong, but I was essentially a lightweight, or at least I was in my past life I was. I chugged almost 20 ounces of ale, and I don''t feel so much as a thing. ¡°It isn¡¯t strong enough for me to get drunk,¡± I say to myself more as stating a fact rather than asking for clarification from Master.


    Master chuckles, ¡°Not unless you plan on drinking everything the village has. Here, let me give you a proper first drink.¡± Master reaches to his side where his waterskin is. He uncorks the stopper and pours a deep amber liquid into my empty mug. "Care for some?" Master offers Tabitha after he pours me the equivalent of a double.


    Tabitha hesitates for a moment, but she eventually takes the offered alcohol. She brings the container up to her nose and sniffs. ¡°Hmmm, not as strong as Master¡¯s,¡± she notes.


    What the hell! Pacore drinks something more potent than this? The fumes wafting up from my tankard stung my eyes. The stuff I was about to drink was probably closer to jet fuel than it was to alcohol, and Pacore drinks something stronger!?


    Master looked a little offended to hear his homebrew wasn¡¯t up to Pacore¡¯s standards, but his sour expression was quickly replaced with a happy smirk after Tabitha pours a generous amount of his alcohol into her tankard of ale.


    Tabitha sipped her newly spiked drink, and I watched as her cheeks began to flush.


    "What about you?" Master asks me, seeing me watch Tabitha try her drink without touching my own. "Scared?"


    ¡°Honestly, a little bit," I joke before finally trying the stuff Del always carries with him.


    I sip my drink and immediately regret my decision. Unlike Tabitha¡¯s, my drink wasn¡¯t diluted in ale, so when the warm liquid touches my tong, it feels like it is melting. My brain told me to spit out whatever was in my mouth, but I fought against that impulse and forced down the amber poison.


    My throat burned as it went down, and when the alcohol finally made its way to my stomach, it felt like it would burn a hole through it. I reeled back and started coughing. My vision went blurry for a second as I felt the world start tilt under my feet.


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± Master moves next to me and steadies me with a firm hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s some kick,¡± I wheeze.


    Master laughs, ¡°You handled that better than I thought you would.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but can we move this over to a bench or table. I¡¯d rather nurse this sitting down.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can do that.¡±


    The three of us make our way over to a nearby vacant table, and once I¡¯m sitting down, I take another sip of alcohol. ¡°I know I¡¯ve seen you drinking this forever, but what¡¯s it made oof?" I ask.


    Master chuckles at me for some reason. ¡°I ferment Jack berries; they''re a small berry in the woods around here, mildly poisonous. It¡¯s hard to get them to keep their taste while still having them not lose their kick.¡±


    ¡°Tasstess goood for poison," I chirp, taking a larger sip. The longer I drink it, the better it tastes, and the easier it goes down.


    My body feels warm, and my muscles untense for the first time in what feels like ages. Why is Tabitha smiling at me? We aren''t sparring¡­ are we?


    ¡°Mind if we join?¡± A voice behind me asks.


    Craning my neck to the side, I see Frank and Lloyd. ¡°Ssuurrre!" I shout, waving the two over to take a seat.


    Both men recoil from my voice, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m awesome.


    ¡°I see Aaliyah is enjoying her first drink,¡± Llyod chuckles at me.


    ¡°Anndd what dooss that mean?!¡± I challenge, ready to stand up and throw fists.


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± Master forces me back to my seat before I could fully stand up. Why is he stopping me? I invited them to join us, and Llyod made fun of me.


    ¡°I shoullld kick hiss asss!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you could, but I think he just meant you look happy.¡±


    "Really?" I turn to Llyod, who has his hand over his mouth. Is he trying to hold back his laughter, or is he struggling to breathe? I finish off what was left in my cup as I ponder this.


    ¡°Care for more?¡± Master offers me his waterskin.


    ¡°Yesh, pwese,¡± I hold out my cup. I finally realize why Master enjoys drinking so much; I feel like I could take on the world. This was my first night being an adult again, and I was going to enjoy myself.


    And judging by everyone smiling around me, I won¡¯t be the only one.


    ¡°To the new year!¡± I shout and throw back another shot.


    From then on, things got blurry. But who cares, I was having fun.

 Ch: 107

    Del-Razen¡¯s Point of view:


    It took everything I had to hold back my laughter as I poured Aaliyah another cup of my homebrew. She underestimated the alcohol I drink regularly and was now drunk without even realizing it.


    I know I should¡¯ve warned her before she tried it, but the blasted girl had been bothering me all day. I was already planning on attending the festival, yet she felt the need to interrupt my nap, to make me promise to something I already planned on doing; she deserves to be taken down a peg for a change. Besides, this will be a good lesson for her. You must always be wary of what someone else is drinking, no matter your build.


    The only thing that could''ve improved this moment was if I got Tabitha along with Aaliyah; however, she was smarter than my disciple. However, I am curious about what Pacore drinks. I craft my homebrew to combat my stone-kin vitality; I wonder what a person as ridiculous as Pacore needs to drink for it to affect him? Literal poison, perhaps?


    ¡°She¡¯s really gone, isn¡¯t she?¡± Llyod whispers to me from across the bench, motioning to Aaliyah, wobbling in her seat next to me. She has a smile on her face and is even more vocal than usual, which is saying something.


    ¡°She is, but it¡¯s fine. With her stats, she¡¯ll be good to go by tomorrow morning." But, of course, I don''t mention that even if her body can purge everything from her system, she¡¯ll probably still have a killer headache when she wakes up. ¡°Want to try some?¡± I grin across the table at the two men sitting across from me.


    Frank and Llyod take one look at my waterskin, then at the rosy-faced Aaliyah, before subconsciously inching back in their seats.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Frank turns me down with a forced grin. ¡°Both of us are Strength/Vitality builds, but if it¡¯s too much for Aaliyah¡­." He trails off, leaving the rest unsaid.


    The two of them aren¡¯t getting away from me that easy. I hadn''t forgotten how they cheered for Tabitha when she forced me to spar with her last week. ¡°Just a little mixed into your ale then, like Tabitha,¡± I hold out my waterskin, not taking no for an answer.


    Frank gingerly takes my waterskin and holds it away from him like it contains acid instead of alcohol. The two men debate over how much they should add to their drinks, bringing a mischievous smile to my face.


    Now is my best chance to get back at all the human brats who have been taking me for granted, how quickly they forget I¡¯m the highest leveled individual in the village.


    Well, second strongest at the moment, I sneak a peek out of the corner of my eye at Tabitha. Lady Tabitha, as it turns out. I haven''t interacted with human nobility since I left my home, but even I know she doesn¡¯t act like a noble.


    If I had to guess, it¡¯s just a title given to her, not that she¡¯s in charge of any land or anything like that. Of course, it''s also possible she was born into a noble family, but if that were the case, I would think her mannerisms would be more regal than they are.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Tabitha catches me eying her. Her cheeks are a little red, but other than that, my homebrew doesn¡¯t seem to have that much effect on her. Then again, she''s still working on her first cup, while Aaliyah is almost done with her second.


    ¡°Just curious if you like it?¡± I motion to the cup in her hands with my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± she remarks without much fanfare. ¡°It still tastes like cheap ale; it just has a bit of a kick to it now. It reminds me of the stuff they would distribute after winning a battle. Master would always offer to share his with me, but I vowed never to touch the stuff again."


    I¡¯m shocked; the more Tabitha talks, the less tense she becomes and the more she opens up. Perhaps she¡¯s not as immune to my homebrew as I thought.


    ¡°Gods!¡± Frank and Lloyd shout together. Both are clutching at their throats and wheezing.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t add that much; stop exaggerating,¡± I admonish the two, moving to grab my waterskin before they accidentally drop it.


    Once I have it, I take a drink before turning back to a looser-lipped Tabitha. ¡°So, tell me, what¡¯s in store for my disciple once she leaves for Scholl?"


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, you know?¡± Aaliyah whines and obnoxiously throws herself against me.


    For the first time, I see Tabitha smile while not in a battle or talking about Pacore. ¡°She will be introduced as Master¡¯s newest student.¡±


    ¡°And what does that mean,¡± I press for a clearer answer.


    Tabitha sips her ale before answering. "She''ll be brought before the king and other pillars of Scholl. They will have a chance to reject her position, but with her level and talent at such a young age, the other pillars are more likely to try and steal her from Master rather than anything else.¡±


    ¡°And she¡¯ll be treated well?¡±


    Tabitha pauses mid-sip, and her smile slips. ¡°Are you questioning my Master¡¯s intentions?¡± She challenges me with a glare.


    ¡°Did I say anything about Pacore?¡± I meet her gaze. ¡°I just want to make sure Aaliyah isn¡¯t going to be tossed aside once she¡¯s in Scholl. It isn¡¯t out of the realm of possibilities that Pacore only wants Aaliyah to keep her out of Olebert¡¯s reach.¡± I¡¯ve had these thoughts for a while now, and if the alcohol is opening Tabitha up, this is my best chance to ask.


    The table goes silent as Tabitha leaks just the smallest amount of killing intent. ¡°Master Pacore would never do that,¡± she says in a cold voice that sends shivers up my spine. ¡°Master took her under his wing. Once she''s in Scholl, I''m sure he''ll oversee her training personally, just as he did with all of us."


    I assume she¡¯s talking about her and Pacore¡¯s other disciples. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°He will,¡± Tabitha states with certainty.


    I don¡¯t see any deception in her eyes, Tabitha may be a higher level than me, but I¡¯ve lived longer. Looking around the table, I see Frank and Lloyd have sunk in their seats while Aaliyah is confusingly looking between us.


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± she drunkenly protests, to which I smile.


    ¡°I know you can.¡± I pat my apprentice on the shoulder before apologizing to Tabitha. ¡°Sorry if I offended you; I just worry about what will happen to her.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s scowl softens. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you this time.¡± She turns her head to the side, breaking eye contact with me.


    "That''s good; we''re all friends here,¡± Frank tries to cut through some of the awkward tension. The festival around us was almost in full swing, with only those of us at this table not looking like they were having a good time. There was a bubble around our table that the other villagers avoided, almost like they could sense they shouldn¡¯t get closer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lloyd agrees with his friend. ¡°Tonight is a night of celebration. We should all be as drunk as Aaliyah is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk; I¡¯m fine," Aaliyah tries to protest, but it comes out in a garbled mess that I could barely understand.


    Aaliyah''s drunken ramblings cut through the tension better than Frank and Lloyd ever could, but we still had an awkward silence.


    Everyone but Aaliyah sipped their drinks in silence. Eventually, the silence became too much for Frank and Lloyd; the two started elbowing one another, trying to get the other to break the heavy silence. Lloyd looks around for a conversation topic, and I see his eyes land on the feathers adorning Tabitha¡¯s hair. ¡°Your feathers are beautiful, Lady Tabitha.¡±


    Tabitha mumbles a polite ''thank you to Lloyd, but that¡¯s all she says.


    Lloyd, bless his heart, doesn¡¯t give up and tries to force a conversation. ¡°Frank and I have been wondering, is there a reason you always wear them? When that platoon of soldiers showed up at the village, a handful of them also had feathers. Do they mean anything? The old guy had the most of them.¡±


    I snicker hearing Lloyd refer to Pacore as the ''old guy,'' only a handful of people in the village know who he was, and everyone who did know agreed that it was best not to spread that knowledge around.


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow, but Lloyd doesn''t know he offended her. I thought she would snap at him, but Tabitha defies my expectations and ignores Lloyd¡¯s remark, instead choosing to take another sip of her ale.


    Frank and Lloyd are confused by her reaction, and I decide to take pity on them. ¡°It¡¯s a Scholl thing," I tell them. "The feathers signify a person''s rank and how strong they are.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Frank¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°But that old guy had like a dozen of them in his beard. Did that mean he was stronger than Lady Tabitha!?¡±


    Now it was Tabitha¡¯s turn to chuckle. ¡°He is,¡± she says, setting her tankard down and turning to the surprised duo. ¡°But that isn¡¯t what our feathers mean.¡±


    She reaches up and pulls out the three feathers attached to her hair. Each one of them has clips on them to hold them in place. And though they aren¡¯t activated, I could see the lines inscribed on their surfaces, meaning that they were enchanted.


    ¡°It¡¯s a common misconception that our feathers represent our rank.¡± Everyone at the table leans forward to get a better view of Tabitha¡¯s feathers.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Aaliyah reaches over and picks up the grey one, bringing it close to her face. ¡°So much magic,¡± she mumbles.


    Tabitha smiles with pride. ¡°The feathers are a tradition from back when Scholl was first founded. Warriors would go out and hunt the dangerous beasts of the plains and claim trophies of their kills.¡±


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Then why do you only have feathers?¡± Frank curiously asks.


    ¡°That is because the strongest magical beasts all fly in Scholl. Our nation is mostly a rocky wasteland, where only the strongest survive. That goes double for beasts that inhabit it. Breeds of huge griffins, rocs large enough to lift a grown man into the air, and countless other beasts with wings are just a few magic beasts that hunt our skies. It is said that Scholl¡¯s founder killed a grand roc and built his castle over its nest. Its feathers were so strong and so big that he crafted his armor out of them. We show our strength in the same way by adorning ourselves with the feathers of the beasts we hunt.¡±


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Frank, Lloyd, and Aaliyah were all mesmerized by Tabitha¡¯s story. I¡¯ve heard of grand rocs myself but have never seen one. They¡¯re said to be bigger than a house, with talons that could pierce enchanted steel. Depending on their age, their feathers are tier 4 or 5 materials.


    ¡°Does that mean you hunted one too?¡± Lloyd asks Tabitha.


    Tabitha laughs at his ridiculous question, and I have to agree; it is funny. Grand rocs might not be at the level of dragons, but they weren''t just beasts regularly hunted.


    "The last grand roc was hunted 63 years ago before I was born,¡± Tabitha explains with a smile. ¡°My feathers are from weaker beasts. When a warier is strong enough, they¡¯re expected to go out into the wilds and slay an appropriate beast, preferably one too close to a village or other settlement.¡±


    ¡°Alone!?¡± Lloyd asks in disbelief.


    ¡°Most of the time,¡± Tabitha clarifies with a smirk. ¡°Some beasts can¡¯t be hunted alone, like this one,¡± Tabitha holds up one of her three feathers, a large brown one with white highlights on its tips. ¡°This one is from a speckled griffin; they camouflage themselves next to rocks. They¡¯re considered too dangerous to hunt by yourself, so I and two others of Pacore¡¯s disciples worked together to slay it. We each took one of the feathers from its crest as a sign that we succeeded.¡±


    ¡°So, they¡¯re like medals of honor,¡± I note.


    ¡°The stone kin equivalent, yes. Other nations think the colors of our feathers are the most important part, but that isn¡¯t true. Those in command may have similar feathers, but that¡¯s just because people hunt the same beasts at certain levels.¡±


    ¡°What level do you have to be?¡± Frank asks.


    ¡°Around 70 is the norm,¡± Tabitha responds, and Frank and Lloyd¡¯s eyes go round. ¡°But it¡¯s possible to earn one at lower levels if a person is talented enough to slay an appropriate beast.¡±


    ¡°Like me?¡± Aaliyah goofily grins.


    ¡°You are already at the level where you could earn your own feathers. If I know Master well enough, which I do. Then he''ll probably have you hunt a suitable beast on your way to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Alayah hums in thought, and I¡¯m suddenly put on edge. ¡°Does it have to be a monster from Scholl? I want to explore the deeper parts of the forest; what if I encounter something with feathers there?¡±


    ¡°The forest!?¡± Frank and Lloyd shout.


    I doubt Aaliyah is referring to the regular part of the forest around the village.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡± Tabitha asks for clarification which Frank and Lloyd are all too happy to give.


    ¡°She¡¯s talking about the high magic area deep in the forest,¡± Lloyd tells her.


    ¡°It¡¯s where the chameleon spiders came from,¡± Frank adds.


    ¡°High magic area, interesting,¡± Tabitha smiles in a way that I don¡¯t like. ¡°You plan on going into such an area?¡± Tabitha asks, an inebriated Aliyah.


    "Sure am," Aaliyah responds instantly but pauses when she looks like she remembered something. "But don''t tell anyone, I¡¯m not ready just yet.¡±


    And that¡¯s all Aaliyah had to say to get everyone at the table laughing, even Tabitha.


    ¡°It''s isn¡¯t funny!¡± She yells, slamming her hands down onto the table. Luckily, she didn''t use her full strength, or she might''ve splintered the wood. Even drunk, she still has decent control over her Strength.


    When we all stop laughing, the mood surrounding the table is much better.


    ¡°Promise you won¡¯t say anything,¡± Aaliyah demands Frank and Lloyd.


    "We won''t," Frank promises, wiping a fake tear from his eye.


    ¡°Lady Tabitha, I have a question. If all the feathers look alike, how do people tell them apart? Wouldn¡¯t everyone confuse them with each other?" Lloyd poses a good question.


    ¡°Maybe to people like you, they all look the same, but high-level individuals can recognize the difference,¡± Tabitha holds up the griffin feather and her third, entirely black feather. "Which of these are from the strongest beast?¡± She asks the table.


    Frank and Lloyd are confused, but Aaliyah is interested in the challenge. Even in the state that she¡¯s in, Aaliyah carefully examines the two feathers Tabitha is holding up and compares them to the one in her hands. I don¡¯t have her talent with mana, but I have a good idea of how the feathers compare.


    ¡°That one,¡± Aaliyah points to the black feather in Tabitha¡¯s right hand. Wrong choice.


    ¡°Close,¡± Tabitha says what I already know. ¡°It¡¯s the griffin feather," she says, lowering the black one.


    ¡°Not-uh,¡± Aaliyah disagrees. ¡°The black one has more mana than this one.¡±


    ¡°That may be true, but this black feather is from a night raven. It wields more mana than most magic beasts at its level, but it was only around level 75. It was the first feather I earned. The speckled griffin we fought was almost 120.


    ¡°It sounds like it was of the earth element,¡± I explain to a confused Frank and Lloyd. ¡°They''ve supposedly have less mana than other magic beast affinities but are much stronger physically. And if it came from a level 120 creature, that feather has to be worth at least half a gold coin by itself.¡±


    ¡°That much?!¡± Frank and Lloyd exclaim.


    I ignore their shouts of surprise and focus on a pouting Aaliyah. ¡°You tricked me.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Tabitha chuckles. ¡°Mana isn¡¯t everything. Generally, the stronger a magic beast is, the more mana it has, but that isn''t always the case. You can''t let your guard down because someone doesn¡¯t have much mana.¡± Tabitha uses this moment to teach Aaliyah a lesson.


    ¡°I don¡¯t use mana to gauge someone¡¯s level,¡± Aaliyah scoffs. ¡°I look at a person¡¯s, Hey! ¡°


    I reach over and cover Aaliyah''s mouth before she says something she''ll regret in the morning.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough,¡± I slide Aaliyah¡¯s cup out of her reach.


    Aaliyah puffs up her cheeks like a child as I slowly remove my hand from her mouth. "I wasn''t going to say anything," she complains.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± I mock sarcastically. Tabitha watches our exchange, but she doesn¡¯t comment on what I kept Aaliyah from revealing.


    ¡°So, someone can¡¯t just put a feather in their hair and call themselves a warrior?" Lloyd asks, unconcerned by me covering Aaliyah''s mouth.


    ¡°Some have tried,¡± Tabitha explains. ¡°Every so often, a fool tries to claim to be stronger than they are with a random feather. Some even purchase a feather from a high-level beast and try to pass it off as their own.¡±


    ¡°Then what happens?¡± Frank asks.


    Tabitha coldly smiles at the two making them cringe. "Then they die."


    Frank and Lloyd grow pale.


    ¡°That, or they¡¯re imprisoned,¡± Tabitha continues after a long pause. ¡°It is illegal to wear a feather if you aren¡¯t strong g enough.¡±


    ¡°People are jailed for that?! That¡¯s insane!¡±


    Tabitha thoughtfully nods to Lloyd. ¡°Wearing a feather is a status symbol in Scholl, but it doesn¡¯t just mean you¡¯re strong. Wearing a feather means you demand respect, but you have duties to uphold. If there is ever an incident, say a bandit attack or wild beast, and a feathered warrior is nearby, they¡¯re obligated to help. You can see how impersonating such a person could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why not everyone chooses to wear a feather. A high-level farmer or merchant could technically meet the level requirement for one, but unless they can fight, they won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well damn, now I sort of want a feather,¡± Aaliyah grumbles.


    Tabitha turns towards my disciple with the same look she gets when they¡¯re about to spar. ¡°It makes me happy to hear that. I heard the villagers talking about how you volunteered to protect them. You¡¯re the kind of person who should have a feather.¡±


    Aaliyah¡¯s already red face turns a dark crimson under Tabitha¡¯s praise.


    ¡°And how many of them does it take to fight a dragon?¡± Frank asks, and the table goes silent again. A few people walking by heard Frank''s question and stopped to listen in.


    ¡°Where did you hear about the dragon?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow.


    Frank waves his hands, trying to defuse the situation, but the more he talks, the deeper the hole he finds himself in. ¡°People gossip about it, that¡¯s all. Someone asked Kervin about what¡¯s happening in Drey, which led to him telling us there was a dragon wreaking havoc in Scholl. That¡¯s why you guys invaded Olebert, isn¡¯t it? I was just curious why you feathered individuals chose war over slaying the beast? It sounds right up your alley.¡±


    If I''d ever seen a man trying to commit suicide, it was at this moment.


    Tabitha¡¯s hands were balled into fists, and she looked ready to explode.


    ¡°Do you think we wanted this?¡± Tabitha tries to hold back her anger, but it leaks out. ¡°Did you think we chose to invade on a whim?¡± Tabitha demands an answer from Frank, but the man realizes that he could be killed if he says the wrong thing, so he doesn''t say anything. The people-watching nearby take a step back in fear but don''t leave.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± Tabitha slams her fist down onto the table, almost splintering the wood. Unlike Aaliyah, she wasn¡¯t holding back. I¡¯d never seen her lose her cool like this.


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Frank finally squeaks, nearly folding in onto himself, expecting to be struck by Tabitha.


    I prepared to throw myself forward to stop her from killing Frank if need be, but surprisingly, Tabitha didn''t murder the man as I thought.


    She bit her lower lip until a trickle of blood dripped out of the corner of her mouth, but she didn¡¯t attack him.


    I watched as Tabitha tried to get a hold of her emotions, and for once, I didn''t see her as a battle-loving golem.


    ¡°We tried to kill it,¡± Tabitha whispers; we all only heard her because everyone around us was silent.


    ¡°We tried,¡± she repeats, with obvious hurt in her voice. ¡°We didn¡¯t start this war lightly.¡±


    ¡°It came from the ocean,¡± Tabitha says after a long pause, looking up at the stars. ¡°Twenty-three months ago, the dragon used the flooded tunnels under Scholl to swim into Scholls Heart, the largest freshwater source in our country. Scholl¡¯s Heart produces a significant part of our food; of course, we tried to kill the beast.¡±


    Twenty-three months, the dragon had been in Scholl for over a year and a half. I had no idea it was that long.


    "It took a month to gather the forces thought necessary to kill the creature,¡± Tabitha explains in a somber voice, which betrayed her story''s outcome. "50,000 soldiers were mustered in a month, an accomplishment even for Scholl. But in that month, the dragon had already claimed its territory. It leveled each farming village around the lake, killing tens of thousands and destroying most of the crops. In one month, it wiped out over a century of infostructure.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± Lloyd gives voice to what we¡¯re all thinking.


    Tabitha just nods. "With a flick of its tail, it could wipe out a village of this size."


    Everyone goes pale, picturing such a thing, while Tabitha takes a large gulp of her ale. ¡°We didn¡¯t realize just how big the dragon was until our army marched on it. Our generals were concerned how we would fight it, considering it was a water dragon and stayed in the lake most of the time.¡±


    ¡°You lured it on land,¡± Aaliyah drunkenly guesses.


    "It came on the land itself. It slithered out of the water like the colossal snake that it is and met our army head-on. From head to tail, the beast was over 1,500 feet long.¡±


    Everyone gasped, hearing the size of the dragon. A creature that big, I could hardly believe it. I know from stories that creatures that size exist, but hearing a firsthand account of one gives me goosebumps.


    Even after being the focus of an angry Tabitha, Frank can¡¯t help but ask a question. ¡°Did it breathe fire?¡±


    "It''s a dragon; of course, it breathed fire,¡± Lloyd elbowed his friend, proving just how little the average villager knew about dragons.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t,¡± Tabitha corrects them. ¡°Not all dragons breath fire. In fact, the majority don''t. Instead, water dragons shoot pressurized water from their mouths.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so bad,¡± Lloyd comments, and I can see the pain in Tabitha¡¯s eyes intensify.


    "It doesn''t, does it?" Tabitha shakes her head, self-deprecatingly. ¡°The water a water dragon spits out can cut through stone and steel in seconds. It rips through flesh and disintegrates bones on contact. It was so strong that it tore through the army¡¯s barrier mages before we could react. So many died, thinking the same thing you did. That was the first time we failed to kill it.¡±


    ¡°Our second attack was four months later, and our king didn¡¯t hold anything back after the first failure to subjugate the monster. So the second attack was the one I participated in; there were 4,000 of us."


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Someone behind me gasps.


    Tabitha has a far-off look, and I think she hasn''t even noticed the crowd she''s drawn in.


    ¡°Everyone who participated in the second attack was at least level 70, and we were led by two of the strongest people in Scholl; Master Pacore the Deathless, who is my master, and Rezenta the Unseen, who is a Master War-Mage. Both led the attack on the dragon. And we still failed."


    A heavy silence permeated the air. "This time, we were able to hurt the beast, but it wasn''t enough. Though everyone was at least level 70, only us who were closer to 100 could do any significant damage. Lady Rezenta did the most damage while my master was at the forefront of the battle. He tried to keep the dragon focused on him, but even he couldn¡¯t hold out for long.¡±


    ¡°After taking seven direct attacks from the dragon, Master Pacore passed out from the strain. We were able to rescue him before the dragon finished him off but at the cost of many lives. I lost two of my fellow disciples that day." Tabitha''s voice dipped, recounting the battle.


    ¡°Without Master agro-ing the dragon, it started tearing through our lines, much like it did the first time. More survived on account of their higher levels, but Lady Rezenta was forced to sound the retreat. The plan was to retreat and recuperate before trying again, but a few days later, we found the dragon completely healed from its injuries when we were ready to attack a second time.¡±


    ¡°The vitality of a dragon was truly frightening. It was a mental blow to everyone, and though they were reluctant to, Master and Lady Rezenta pulled us back. There was no point in rechallenging it with fewer troops than the first time. We had failed.¡±


    Tabitha lets out a long sight; she then grabs her mug and chugs the rest of her ale. "People argued about the possibility of removing the dragon without killing it, but anything less than poisoning the entire lake was pointless. And if we did do that, it would cripple our country for centuries to come. Plus, there was no guarantee the dragon wouldn¡¯t just move its nest to one of the other lakes.¡±


    ¡°With the Heart of Scholl lost to us, it was only a matter of time until people started to starve. We needed food, so, no, we didn''t invade Olebert on a whim."


    ¡°I apologize,¡± Frank lowers his head in shame.


    ¡°As you should,¡± Tabitha huffs. ¡°My brothers and sisters died trying to save our country; I will not have their sacrifice be made light of. The dragon will pay,¡± Tabitha growls. ¡°Scholl is not a land of the weak! We will find a way to slay the dragon; we just need time.¡±


    Tabitha holds her head and stares into her empty cup. ¡°This village reminds me of Scholl. You all try so hard to improve yourselves. On my way here, the other villages I came across were stagnant; there was no fire in their eyes. No drive.¡±


    ¡°Continue to grow. Become stronger. Expand your fields; help save my people.¡± A single tear falls to the table.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t ask that," Camden pushes his way through the crowd around us. At some point, the party paused, and everyone was listening in on Tabitha''s story.


    "We here at Spotted Creek Village know what it''s like to be besieged by a monster," Camden raises his glass, and everyone else does the same in solidarity. "We will do our part to save ''Our People.'' We''re a part of Scholl now, aren''t we?" Camden grins down at a red-eyed Tabitha.


    Tabitha is shocked by Camden¡¯s declaration but smiles when she sees the villagers around her nodding in agreement.


    ¡°Death to the dragon!¡± Camden cheers.


    ¡°Death to the dragon!¡± everyone shouts.


    The crowd slowly dissipates, but Camden remains. ¡°Lady Tabitha, would you like to join us up at the front? We have skewers prepared.¡±


    ¡°I would like that,¡± Tabitha surprisingly agrees, and we watch as she leaves, bringing the number at our table down to four.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll grab some food too,¡± Frank and Lloyd git up from their seats and make their way towards the grills.


    ¡°Bring me back some,¡± Aaliyah shouts after the departing two, earning her a wave from them, signaling they heard her.


    Once Aaliyah and I are all alone, she turns to me. Her face is still flushed red, but she has her usual determined look on. "Master, I want to help them.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you do,¡± I chuckle, pulling her in for a light hug. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but promise me you¡¯ll remember your limits. I won¡¯t be there to help you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Aaliyah responds in a quiet voice.


    "I would be if you¡¯d let me,¡± I try to change her mind about me joining her on her trip to Scholl. I want to go with her to watch over her, but she made me promise to stay here and look after the village while she¡¯s gone.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re needed here,¡± Aaliyah says with resolve.


    I knew she wouldn''t go for it, but I had to try.


    How much have I changed since she became my apprentice?


    I was content to watch my life pass me by in seclusion, but then she came in and turned everything on its head. I¡¯m interacting with others again, and I don¡¯t hate it.


    She made me realize I''m tired of being alone and how important it is to help others.


    God Tarrow, pleaser watch over Aaliyah. I don¡¯t know what I would do if something happened to her and I wasn''t there.


    Please.

 Ch: 108

    ¡°Good morning, Princess. I wasn¡¯t sure if you were going to show.¡± Master immediately starts heckling me as I stumble into his clearing.


    ¡°Funny,¡± I grumble, trying to ignore the pounding in my head. The sun overhead was blinding me, making everything worse. This was the weirdest hangover ever; I didn''t even feel groggy in the slightest. There was no nausea, no light sensitivity, or any of the usual symptoms of a hangover, except for having a splitting headache.


    "You planned this, didn''t you?" I send an accusing look at Master, who''s oddly up and cheerful for a change. He¡¯s practically glowing like Sandra, and that¡¯s saying something.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest idea of what you mean,¡± Master plays dumb, but he isn¡¯t hiding the smile on his face. ¡°Did you enjoy last night? You certainly seemed like you did. Remember anything?¡± He snickers at me.


    I blush as I lower my head, so Master can¡¯t see the look of embarrassment on my face. ¡°I remember everything,¡± I groan.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Master sounds surprised by that, but then again, I am too.


    With how far gone I was yesterday, you would think everything would be a blurry haze. But nope, I could vividly remember everything I said and did last night, much to my growing shame. And to add insult to injury, if I pretended the headache wasn''t there, I''d be feeling over the moon right now. Instead, last night was the best sleep I''d had in a long time. No training in my soul, no tossing and turning in my bed trying to fall asleep, I passed out as soon as my head hit my pillow.


    ¡°Must be your mental stats helping you,¡± Master notes. ¡°I never invested in them, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re stupid,¡± I snap back.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be throwing stones after last night,¡± Master barks with laughter, clearly unhurt by my insult.


    I bite back another angry retort, knowing whatever I say would just be used against me. Last night was a mistake on my part, plain and simple.


    I thought I wanted to get drunk, but I severely underestimated Master¡¯s homebrew. I wanted a nice buzz, but what I got was shit-faced without even knowing it. At least I wasn''t the only one; Master was particularly evil last night.


    Frank, Lloyd, most of the wall construction crew; Tabitha, anyone who¡¯s stepped foot into Master''s clearing over the last month probably felt worse than I did. Tabitha and I had our stats to fall back on, but everyone else¡­.


    Master started only drinking with those at our table, but after Tabitha explained Scholl''s invasion and we ate a bit, he made his rounds around the party. Like a demon on everybody''s shoulder, Master convinced many people to try his homebrew. Thankfully, he didn''t let them drink as much as I did, but I remember that at some point, he had to go home for a few minutes to refill his waterskin. After which, he continued to share.


    The person who got it the worst was Dad. He found me halfway through the festival and asked what I was drinking. Unlike everyone else who diluted Master''s alcohol in their ale, Dad tried to take a shot as I did. Unfortunately, he was still back home recovering. This was the first time in as long as I could remember that I left the house before he did.


    It was only thanks to Mom that I¡¯d woken up when I did, and even then, with how late in the day it was, I didn¡¯t bother with my morning exercises. It was almost noon, and I¡¯d just made my way to Master¡¯s clearing.


    "Where''s Tabitha?" Master asks, seeing how my shadow wasn''t following me into the clearing for a change.


    ¡°She¡¯s back at the village straightening up. She said she would be by in a bit.¡± At least that¡¯s what Camden told me she said. I don¡¯t tell Master, but I didn''t see Tabitha myself. According to Camden, who was also nursing a terrible headache back at his house, she enjoyed herself as much as I did last night. Whatever that entailed.


    I vividly remember everyone offering Tabitha food and drink, and the party went on for a lot longer than it usually did. But unfortunately, I lost sight of her relatively early on, so I don¡¯t know what she got up to.


    I used cleaning magic as soon as Mom woke me up, but I don''t know if Tabitha could do the same. She knows basic magic, so it stands to reason; she would know such a practical tier 1 spell despite me never seeing her use it.


    Maybe she needed to wipe herself down or something? I do it every so often to relax, even though I don''t have to.


    Master throws his head back and laughs hysterically. Yeah, he definitely knew what he was doing last night. "What about your friend; Is she not coming today either?" He wheezes through his teeth.


    ¡°Tabitha will be here in a little bit,¡± I remind him again while resisting the urge to punch him. ¡°And Sandra¡­. she got married last night; what do you think she¡¯s doing right now? On second thought, I don¡¯t want to think about it.¡± I shake my head, trying not to imagine what Sandra and Brother were doing during what was essentially their honeymoon.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put too much thought into it,¡± Master chuckles again. ¡°I had a drink with Richard, too.¡±


    That¡¯s got to suck for him. Hopefully, Richard didn''t drink as much as Dad did, or else even I¡¯d feel bad for him. Well¡­. primarily for Sandra. No bride wants to spend their first day married tending to their sick husband.


    Letting out a sigh, I ignore Master, who''s close to falling over with laughter, and move over to my workbench, where I grab a piece of parchment. My head was still pounding, but Master''s alcohol did give me a few good ideas last night, even if I¡¯m not sure if I could pull them off. And even if I don¡¯t have time to forge anything today, I could still get my ideas down on paper and prep for a busy week.


    ¡°What are you working on?¡± Master asks out of breath after he stops giggling like a burly schoolgirl. He moves next to me and watches me sketch out a new dagger design with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s the dagger I want to try and make for Reel.¡±


    Master¡¯s face scrunches in confusion as I draw, and it isn¡¯t until I have it nearly finished that he understands what I¡¯m sketching. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with a normal dagger? Why not make the one he asked for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of normal,¡± I tell him. ¡°Normal is the experience I got for those arrows I made. If I stick to '' normal, ''it will take me years to break past Blacksmithing''s third test. It will have the same dimensions as what he asked for; only this one will be better.¡±


    "Yeah, but this?" Master points at my blueprint. "You make one mistake, and you''ll ruin it. The dagger and the materials. I can''t help you, either; this is beyond what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Ruin what?¡± A sudden voice cuts into our conversation.


    Master and I turn to the clearing''s entrance to see Tabitha walking toward us, once again donning her fancy armor. She shows no signs of being hungover, and if I didn''t know she''d been drinking the night before, I''d say she was perfectly fine.


    ¡°Morning, Tabitha,¡± I greet her as she approaches us.


    ¡°It is no longer morning,¡± she responds in a monotone voice. Her eyes drift past me and laser in on Master, who looks away as not to meet her cold eyes.


    ¡°Still proud of what you did?¡± I whisper to him.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Master growls under his breath as Tabitha draws closer to us.


    "Master was just apologizing for ruining our night last night." Del pales, but Tabitha doesn''t react to what I say.


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping,¡± Master anxiously whispers.


    ¡°He did not ruin my night,¡± Tabitha says matter-of-factly, strolling forward taking measured steps.


    Master lets out a sigh of relief, but Tabitha wasn¡¯t finished speaking.


    ¡°That does not mean I will forget what you did." Tabitha''s eyes drill into Master, who immediately starts to sweat visibly. She walks past him like he isn''t there and moves next to me. "What is this?" She asks, scanning my new dagger design, shifting the conversation to a new topic.


    After last night, I''m all too happy to mess with Master, so I follow Tabitha''s example and explain my work, pretending that Del isn''t standing a few feet away from us.


    ¡°I wanted to try and make Reel a unique dagger.¡±


    ¡°For the assassin, I sparred with, yes? You¡¯ve turned an engraving pen into a dagger,¡± She notes with just a hint of surprise.


    Reel had asked me for a grooved dagger, saying he needed a new one meant for poisoning. He explained the grooves were meant to hold the bulk of the poison. A small amount would be slathered on its edge, but most of that could be scraped off in a scuffle during a battle. My new dagger design would solve that issue.


    Instead of having Reel coat his blade in poison, I would make it ooze out from the inside itself. The handle would house most of the poison and would feed into a small channel that would run down the spine of the dagger, much like how a modern pen works. I would put needle-sized holes through the blade and connect them to the channel, relying on the viscosity of the poison to keep it from leaking out of such tiny holes.


    It would be tricky to get the poison out, but mana would solve the feeding issue like my engraving pen. If I enchant the handle with a basic mana absorbing rune and direct it down towards those microscopic openings, whenever someone fed their mana into the dagger, it would try to escape through those openings and drag the poison along with it.


    ¡°A frightening dagger design,¡± Tabitha speaks softly. ¡°A good blade for an assassin. Are you sure you can make it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try. I just wanted your opinion if you think Reel would like it?¡± I ask.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Tabitha nods her head. ¡°He would. But shouldn¡¯t you be working on other things if you wish to explore the magic-dense region in the forest?"


    Of course, she would remember that.


    "Eventually, I will," I tell her while avoiding eye contact. I don¡¯t need to see her face to know she¡¯s excited by the idea of exploring the nearby magic-dense region.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Tabitha nodding in understanding with a faint smile on her face. ¡°When you are ready, let me know.¡±


    ¡°You want to go too?¡± I guess. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that Tabitha wishes to join me.


    Tabitha grins at me like she does when we spar. ¡°Of course, I was sent here to watch over you. I couldn¡¯t let you go to such a place unsupervised.¡±


    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been to one before?¡±


    "I have," Tabitha tells me, fondly looking off into the distance. "Magic dense regions are the ultimate challenge for hunters and adventurers alike. There are a few in Scholl, but none of them are forest biomes. I¡¯m curious what lies within.¡±


    Tabitha and I share a rare moment of synergy. I, too, am curious about what lies within the forest and knowing Tabitha had been to similar areas before, I had a million questions I wanted to ask her.


    It was stupid of me, but I originally wasn¡¯t planning on asking Tabitha to join me, but having someone with her experience with me is a good idea for a whole host of reasons. And if she wants to, why not let her come along. ¡°Alright, but like I said last night, keep it a secret. I don¡¯t want my family worrying about it needlessly until I¡¯m ready to go.¡±


    ¡°I understand.... when do you think you''ll be ready?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes are ablaze with excitement. Something tells me she¡¯ll want to go sooner rather than later. And if that¡¯s the case, I need to get my armor going.


    ¡°Not now,¡± I sarcastically snort, brushing off her implication that we could leave right now. But first, while she is in a happy mood. ¡°Sister, Tabitha?¡±


    "Yes?" Tabitha asks, raising a questioning eyebrow. She knows me by now that when I refer to her as sister or senior sister, I''m about to ask for something complicated.


    ¡°I want to explore the forest; you want to explore the forest. Help me help you.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Tabitha warns me before I try activating any of my merchant skills.


    ¡°Let me see your armor. Please,¡± I bluntly ask.


    Tabitha''s eyes turn into dinner plates, and her hand drops to her sword instinctually. "Why?" She asks in a tone that sends a shiver up my spine.


    I can''t back down now. Meeting her eyes, I explain why I want to see her armor. "I''m going to be making a new set of armor soon, and I''m trying to decide if I want to risk enchanting it. I know a handful of enchantments, but nothing I would want to put on armor. So I was hoping you would let me see yours so I could study its enchantments.¡±


    "You can watch me the whole time, and I promise not to damage anything," I quickly add when I see her having difficulty agreeing with my request.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure about that?¡± Tabitha gives me a critical look.


    "Positive," I reassure her. "I just need to study it while the enchantments are activated. Preferably when you aren''t swinging a sword at me."


    "I suppose I could let you look at them," Tabitha hesitantly agrees, and I have to hold back the desire to jump for joy.


    Examining Tabitha''s armor will be a massive win for me. I know I probably won''t be able to copy the higher-tier runes, but it would be worth it if I could decipher one good one.


    Grabbing another piece of parchment, I start sketching out the armor designs I discussed with Mom the last couple of days. My fighting style has evolved since I made my first set of armor, and my newer set will reflect the slight changes in my fighting style.


    Thanks to Tabitha''s teachings, my movements have become much more precise, to the point my armor isn''t ripped to shreds each time I practice with her. Of course, my movements are still nowhere near hers, but I¡¯m slowly closing the distance.


    I''m confident I don''t need as much plating in my second set. I talked it over with Master and Tabitha, and they recommended I instead wear a gambeson. They are cheaper and easier to make while still offering a decent amount of defense for the material used.


    Gambesons are made from layered linens and other fabrics, making them essentially thick jackets. They aren¡¯t the strongest armor pieces and are more something you wear underneath your heavier armor, but they offer great defense for what they are. The main thing is that gambesons are flexible and don''t restrict the wearer''s movements.


    I still plan to wear a chest piece, helmet, and other paddings, just not as much as I do now. Tabitha''s training has pushed my movement skills to the next level, and it''s time I play to my strengths. My fighting style revolves around striking hard and fast before retreating, not deflecting or tanking like Tabitha or Pacore.


    Some armor will always be needed, but the easier I can move, the better I can fight. My current armor is flexible enough, but it represents my prior fear of getting hit. The multiple metal plates are clunkier than I need and weigh me down. With Mana Threads, I don''t need bulky armor to counterbalance my swings, rendering my current armor counter-intuitive.


    Then there was my hammer; I needed to adjust it too before exploring the woods. It was wrong of me to shape it like a ball-peen hammer. I thought the rounded side would be suitable for blunt force damage, but it shows the level of ignorance I had when it came to combat when I first made it.


    It''s a good thing I didn''t try enchanting it because I need to turn the rounded side of my hammer into a point for piercing; such a change would''ve ruined any enchantment I had on it.


    So much to do and so little time. Regardless of my headache, it was time to get back to work.


    **********


    Pacore the Deathless'' Point of View:


    The sun overhead felt good against my invisible armor. I miss the wide-open rocky terrain of Scholl, and standing on the ramparts surrounded by stone reminded me of my homeland. The grass and trees were nice to look at for a while, but now the endless sea of green looked all the same to me.


    It was a new year, and I wasn''t celebrating it in Scholl with my disciples or His Majesty.


    Looking out from Yleles'' walls, I scan Olebert''s camp for what must be the fifth time today. Everything was quiet, agonizingly so.


    Olebert had all but given up trying to retake the city. Smart of them, but still¡­. The cowards.


    "I shouldn''t be surprised this is where I found you."


    "Happy new year, Lord Bullok," I greet the young man as he walks towards me, flanked by four of his personal guard. I had received word that he was supposed to be arriving soon, but I wasn¡¯t expecting him until tomorrow.


    "And to you as well, Master Pacore the Deathless." He offers me a polite bow using my full title, to which I nod. He joins me on the edge of the wall with his hands behind his back in a relaxed stance, much to the displeasure of his guards. He''s out in the open, and though he may be a decent warrior with a single feather of his own, he isn''t as durable as I am. Few are.


    His letting his guard down could be a sign of trust towards me, but it''s unneeded. Jason has been sending me reports of Bullock¡¯s movements while I¡¯ve been stationed in Yleles. Initially, I wasn''t sure where the young lord''s allegiances lie, but he''s yet to try and sabotage me or take control, so I¡¯m giving him the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise.


    "I take it your rushing here that negotiations are about to start."


    "Indeed," Bullok confirms what I already suspected.


    "When will they arrive?" I ask.


    "In a few days. They originally demanded I meet them outside Teeburn, but I wouldn''t let them dictate where we hold our talks."


    "Smart and the fact that I¡¯m here had nothing to do with it?" I smirk at the young lord.


    "Your presence might have played a factor in it." He doesn¡¯t give me a straight answer like a true politician, choosing to smile instead. "I was hoping you could be there during the meetings."


    "Hmm," I hum thoughtfully, stroking my beard. I don''t like dealing with politicians; I can resist their skills but not counter them. I am Scholl''s shield, not its voice.


    "You won''t have to do much," Bullok assures me. "Just stand there menacingly."


    "Oh?" I fold my hands in front of me and look down on the lord. His bodyguards flinch under my pressure, but none take their eyes off me. They''re decently trained then.


    "Yes, like that," Bullok forces a smile, knees shaking.


    "You worry they may try something?" I make an educated guess as to why he''d want me there with him. Inviting me to help him could be seen as him joining his majesty¡¯s camp and could make things difficult for him back home.


    The danger of having our kingdom starve has temporarily united the various fractions bidding for power. Still, with peace talks with Olebert commencing, it was only a matter of time until people started to move again. I''m sure they''re scheming in the shadows, waiting for an opening of any kind.


    "The Olebert nobles worry me," Bullok admits, his politician¡¯s mask cracking a bit. "They gave up their cites far too easily and were slow to muster a proper defense. It''s almost like they didn''t care about their cities or people. They only agreed to negotiate after I wrote that we had Genial Pitz."


    "My father taught me how to fight just as much as he taught me how to negotiate, but these Olebert nobles.... you understand, right? They aren¡¯t what I¡¯m used to."


    I have to agree with the young man; Olebert has surprised me at each step of this invasion, and not in a good way. Other than the fort, Olebert''s nobles practically rolled over for us and abandoned their holdings.


    They might just try something during the peace talks. "They demanded the general be present, didn''t they?"


    Lord Bullok nods with a serious look.


    "Well, that''s not going to happen," I snort.


    "So, you''ll be there?" Young Lord Bullok pleads with his eyes.


    "I suppose I¡¯m not doing anything else," I reluctantly agree. "How far out are they exactly?"


    "My people estimate three days. It was estimated to take them eight to get around Red Dust Mountain, and they were sighted leaving Teeburn five days ago. They said they wanted to negotiate before the new year. Did you know the people here celebrate the night before rather than the day of?"


    "Hard not to notice. Last night Yleles was the most active as I¡¯ve ever seen it. I had to issue orders for my men not to go overboard partying with the locals.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they had fun.¡±


    "They''re still having fun," I huff. With each day, they drop their guard a little more. Starting tomorrow, maybe I should start having them run drills. Or maybe I should spar with a few of them; that would put them in their place. I could critically injure one or two commanders; that would set a strong precedent. Though I''d have to make sure they have ties with the phoenix faction.


    Taking a deep breath, I let out a tired sigh. The lull in battle is making me anxious. I could work off some of my pent-up aggression if Tabitha were with me, but she isn''t. I left my other students in Teeburn to hold the city, but even they aren¡¯t as eager to spar with me as she always is.


    Thinking about my student, I¡¯m reminded that it¡¯s been over a month since one of us has sent the other a letter. I sent her an update regarding Olebert¡¯s ceasefire, and she wrote me back telling me how much fun she had training Aaliyah.


    Poor girl, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d take up Tabitha¡¯s offer to train her. I told Tabitha; Aaliyah would probably want to spar with her as a way to convince her to go to the village. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d actually agree with how much hostility she showed me. But it sounded like the two of them were getting along.


    I¡¯m happy for Tabitha. She sticks out even among my students, and I''m happy to hear she''s met someone she can interact with. After all, it''s ok to crave battle, the best warriors do, but you need a reason to fight. Aaliyah has her friends and family; I have His Majesty; Tabitha has me¡­. only me. Tabitha¡¯s loyalty has always been more towards me rather than to Scholl. It doesn¡¯t bother His Majesty, but I can¡¯t remain her fixation forever.


    I''m an old man and have no idea when the gods will see fit to take me. Tabitha needs a person she''s willing to follow when that happens. If she can''t find that person by the time I die, I shudder to think what could happen. Most likely, she would recklessly throw herself into battle until she died. That would be a true tragedy for someone of her talent.


    But if she''s getting along with Aaliyah, there might just be some hope. Plus, it will cut down on what I¡¯ll need to teach my newest disciple myself. If she¡¯s made it this long practicing with Tabitha without giving up, she''s just as strong as I hoped.


    "Master Pacore?" Bullock''s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡±


    ¡°I was asking if it was ok to be letting your men party at a time like this?¡±


    "Ah yes, that. You do not need to worry," I assure the anxious-looking lord. "They may be celebrating, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m up here. We''re rotating out the guard, so everyone has downtime while still keeping an eye on Olebert. Not that it matters."


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand," the young lord tilts his head, confused by my answer. I should expect as much; though he''s probably fought monsters to raise his level, most of his time must have been spent learning politics rather than battlefield awareness. There is a vast difference between fighting monsters and other humans. To someone like me, it¡¯s easy to tell what Olebert¡¯s forces are focusing on, but him¡­


    "Do you see Olebert''s camp?" I motion to our opponents in the distance. He nods but still looks confused, so I spell out our situation for him. "Their camp is a mess; tents everywhere, their command center easily visible, not a single soldier in formation.¡±


    ¡°So, they¡¯re undertrained?¡± Lord Bullok guesses.


    "It appears that way, doesn''t it. But if you look closer, you see that everything isn''t as it appears. They''ve been trying to secretly dig trenches behind their tents, using them for cover. Their soldiers aren¡¯t lined up to attack, they¡¯re in the trenches, yet the observation towers they''ve built are always maned. They''re not preparing for a siege; they''re digging themselves in, wanting us to attack them.¡±


    ¡°But the siege weapons!?¡± Bullok points at a catapult stationed in the middle of their camp.


    ¡°Too far away,¡± I point out. ¡°And they aren¡¯t new. The ones they have are what''s left from when they initially tried to retake the city. They''re just for show, again meant to bait us into attacking them. They''ve given up on trying to retake the city, instead choosing to deploy defensive tactics."


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I still don¡¯t see what you mean. I¡¯m lacking,¡± Bullok lowers his head.


    I good-naturally chuckle and pat the boy on his shoulder. "It would be too costly for them to try and retake the city again; they''ve tried too many. That is unless we lost more of our troops. By say, trying to attack a seemingly weak camp."


    Young Lord Bullock''s eyes widen as he sees Olebert''s defenses in a new light.


    ¡°They were banking on my ruthless reputation, thinking I would order my men to charge them as soon as they showed weakness. But their commander is a hundred years too young to fool me,¡± I boast.


    ¡°Then they won¡¯t make a move unless we do," Bullok smirks like he''s heard his best news all day.


    I can see the wheels turning in Bullock''s head. He''ll use what I told him during the negotiations. Good, I want to return home. I wish to know how we''re dealing with the dragon; news has been sparse out here. News of the Dragon has spread, but not all the gory details are public knowledge. If Olebert or other nations learns how severely the beast crippled us, they may see it as an opportunity to attack. This time, in force.


    I''m not naive enough to think this is all Olebert has to offer. General Pitz''s existence is enough to prove Olebert also has high-leveled individuals they can field. While a significant part of me craves a real battle, my rational side recognizes that would spell doom for us.


    If Olebert can break past our defenses, they only need to torch the fields to kill us. Food is and always will be our goal. Our survival depends on Olebert overestimating us. We need a ceasefire; that''s the only way we can save our people back home.


    The army in front of me is here to keep us from expanding our reach; little do they know, we don''t have the personnel available to expand any further.


    The dragon didn''t just destroy our farms; it killed a lot of people: those who tilled the fields and those who gathered to slay it. Bringing my hand up, I rub my invisible chest plate, remembering how strong the dragon''s breath was and how easily it killed our warriors.


    Once we have an official peace agreement, I can return home and focus on our true enemy. "It will be nice to be home again," I whisper.


    ¡°Come again, Master Pacore?¡± Bullok gives me a confused look.


    ¡°Just thinking about returning home,¡± I tell him. ¡°What do you think; a week, maybe two?¡±


    ¡°Till what?¡± Young Bullok doesn¡¯t understand what I¡¯m asking.


    ¡°Until I get to go home,¡± I clarify.


    ¡°Uhhh,¡± Bullok looks conflicted. ¡°Master Pacore, may I ask, have you ever brokered a peace agreement before?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have! Do you know how many have surrendered to me?¡±


    "Yes, yes," Bullok waves his hands, signaling he didn''t mean to offend me. "But I mean, have you ever had to negotiate with a force that didn''t surrender to you?"


    There is a long pause between us, and the longer it goes on, the more uncomfortable young Bullok looks.


    I can''t afford to look weak in front of my subordinates, so I hide my embarrassment behind a mask of superiority. "Something wrong?" I ask, knowing I sound condescending.


    ¡°No, Master Pacore,¡± Bullok lowers his head. ¡°I would imagine you don¡¯t have to deal with anything other than unconditional surrender. This time must be an exception.¡±


    I wave for the boy to stop trying to stroke my ego; he''s only hurting my pride as Pacore the Deathless. "Never mind that; how long do you think negations will take. Three weeks, not a month, I hope?"


    ¡°Maybe two,¡± Bullok hesitantly answers.


    I smile, ¡°So I was right, two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, no,¡± Bullok cuts me off before I can celebrate. ¡°I meant two months.¡±


    ¡°Two months!?¡±


    ¡°Maybe three, as things stand,¡± Bullok sheepishly amends his statement. ¡°Peace talks take a long time.¡±


    Grounding my teeth, I bite back my frustration. Just when I thought I would finally get to go home with my new apprentice. And now I''m being told I''ll have to sit through months of peace talks!


    If Olebert doesn''t try something during the negotiations, I will!


    Damn, I guess my boredom is only going to get worse.

 Ch: 109.1

    The fire in the forge looked brighter than usual compared to the first rays of sunshine finally washing over me. The forest around the clearing was quiet, making the blazing fire sound much louder than usual.


    The sun had only crested the horizon twenty minutes ago, and the world around me was still trying to shake off the shackles of night.


    Letting out a long yawn, I work the bellows, supplying the fire with the much-needed oxygen it craved.


    I was alone at the moment, and honestly, the unusual silence of my surroundings was a bit nerve-racking. I¡¯d gotten used to always having someone in the clearing with me, and when I was alone, it always felt like I was on edge. It may be a bad habit, but I regularly lose myself in my work. And with no one else there to watch my back, I couldn''t do that.


    Master had already greeted me when I arrived an hour ago to start my prepping, but he had already left for the day. He had walked out of the clearing with a frown, yet he still went to the mine. For me.


    The last two weeks had been hectic for both of us. You could say we were burning our candles at both ends, and it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if one of us got burned soon. A scary thought considering we work with fire. But hopefully, it will be worth it in the end.


    So long as I don¡¯t screw up on what matters.


    I have so much to do and very little time to do it. Tabitha received a letter from Pacore three days after the new year¡¯s festival, letting her know peace talks with Olebert were about to commence. It was good news for the village and would bring much-needed peace and stability to the region, but for me, it was like a countdown had begun to tick down in the back of my mind.


    For all I knew, Olebert could roll over for Pacore just as they did with Drey, and I''d be heading for Scholl any day now. Though considering Tabitha hasn¡¯t received another letter saying as such, I¡¯m working off the assumption that isn¡¯t happening just yet. That said, I only have a few months to half a year max before Pacore comes for me. And there was still so much to do.


    I didn''t just feel the time crunch, and even Master has kicked it into high gear. He grumbles a lot, but I can¡¯t overstate how much he¡¯s helping me. Between sparring, runic research, forging, magic training, soul training, and taking one day off a week to rest and spend time with my family, I''ve had little to no time to help Master keep up with mining the stone and iron the village needs.


    Over the last two weeks, I''ve only helped him in the mine once, and it ruined my already tight schedule to the point Master insisted I didn¡¯t do it again.


    But the wall was still being built, and though Master may complain, he wouldn¡¯t go back on his word to help the village. Hence these early days.


    Village life usually started at dawn, but that didn''t cut it for us.


    Prepping everything I needed to do each day took time, and if I wanted to do my daily exercises, I had to be up earlier than everybody else. Although I have to say, if I didn''t have the support of my family, I''m not sure I''d have been able to maintain the pace that I have.


    Mother and Father have been up with me every morning in solidarity. Mom makes sure I¡¯m up on time by shaking me awake if I accidentally stay in my soul too long, while dad brews a type of tea called Hunter¡¯s Mud. It¡¯s an evil, bitter drink with the consistency of watered-down syrup made from various forest roots and a type of crushed tree bark. The stuff tasted foul, but it kicked harder than a dozen cups of coffee. Witch I needed, considering I''m pretty sure normal coffee wouldn''t be able to do much against my current stats.


    Mom still tries to run with me, but with how early we¡¯re up each morning and her much lower physical stats, she can¡¯t accompany me every day. But, honestly, she''s doing better than I expected. I mean, I¡¯ve thought about giving up on my morning routine for more sleep, much less her, but I know if I compromise now, I¡¯ll do so again in the future. And that¡¯s a slippery slope to be on.


    Master would go to the mines as soon as I arrived in the clearing, and Tabitha wouldn¡¯t show up until she finished her morning routine. I wasn¡¯t aware of it, but much like I stretch and run every morning, Tabitha practiced in the quarry. I didn¡¯t know about her practicing because she¡¯d always be finished by the time I was done with my morning exercises. Master never saw her because he¡¯d never had a reason to go to the quarry that early, and Tabitha would cut through the forest to meet me, so they never saw one another.


    When I asked Tabitha how long she¡¯d been practicing in the morning, she flatly told me she''d been doing it since she arrived at the village like it wasn''t a big deal. She had initially been practicing in the forest, but after I started our sparring sessions, she¡¯s been using the quarry, which is much easier to practice in. I thought it was weird how quickly she became accustomed to sparring there, but now it all makes sense.


    Once again, I was humbled by Tabitha. I was always a little jealous of her fighting skills and told myself it was just because she''s seen more action than me, but I was wrong. Tabitha is amazing as she is, not because she¡¯s gifted but because she works hard and practices four hours a day, all before the sun even rises. And the rest of the time she spends watching over me and patrolling the surrounding forest.


    She never complains and never neglects her duties.


    I have to admit, Tabitha is an inspiration.


    Now only if she were easier to talk to. If she weren''t so silent and humble when not talking about Pacore and pointed out how hard she works from the start, I¡¯d might have seen her in a different light sooner, instead of initially thinking she was looking down on me for having what she would consider a peaceful life.


    While musing about Tabitha, the flames of the forge glow a brilliant orange. The mana in the fire was turning rapidly thanks to the magicite I added in, and I note it¡¯s almost time to add in my ingot.


    Kervin will be back in a week, and I still need to make a few more weapons before he arrives. Initially, I planned to ration out my kaglese, only using a bit of it every few days, but with the possibility of Pacore showing up whenever, I had to change my plans. So instead of focusing on making armor for the village, I¡¯ve been solely working on the kaglese weapons I planned on selling. When I''m done with those, I''ll work on stuff for the armory. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt Kervin will be able to get me any more kaglese, so I''ll need something to do after I finish using the last of it.


    I still have a few more to make over the coming week, but I''m working on something else today. I''m still making a weapon, but it isn''t one I''m selling. It''s the one I''m giving away.


    Today I''m going to try making the special dagger for Reel finally. I¡¯ve been putting it off, justifying myself by saying I wasn¡¯t ready yet, but I could only lie to myself for so long. I made the tools I think I¡¯ll need almost seven days ago and have looked over my plans a hundred times since then.


    The only good thing about my procrastination is that I did a lot of other work in the guise of preparation. I¡¯ve made twelve spears, eight short swords, five long swords, and two decently sized claymores.


    I mixed in slightly less kaglese into this batch of weapons to stretch my limited supply, but they still came out only slightly inferior to their non-diluted counterparts. I had Tabitha inspect the first one I made, and she said it was fine, so everything should be ok. Even with me using slightly less kaglese than usual, my weapons were still leagues ahead of other similar weapons.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I¡¯ll be a nice person and warn Kervin about the slight quality drop so as not to cause him any problems, though I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t matter with Pacore apparently claiming he would buy everything I made.


    Looking into the fire, I deem it hot enough to put my ingot in. With practiced movements, I use my tongs to place the ingot deep into the flames, next to where the air is pumped in from the bellows, careful not to let it touch the sides of the forge. The forges walls were charred a deep black and were covered in small splotches of iron from yesterday.


    I haven¡¯t had time to clean the forge in a while, the last time being the day before the new year¡¯s festival. Of course, two and a half weeks isn¡¯t that long when you consider how long people usually go without cleaning their forges, but that further showed how much Master and I have been using it with it looking like it is after such a short amount of time.


    We''ve been running the forge daily to the point we briefly considered building another one so we could work on our projects simultaneously. But we decided against it. So on the days, I''m forging, Master mines, while when I''m sparring or working on enchanting with Sandra, he uses it to forge the iron components Brother needs for the wall. Master hasn¡¯t said anything about it, but I''m sure he works on my day off too.


    A second forge would be helpful in the short term, but it would quickly lose its effectiveness after I left for Scholl. Plus, it isn''t exactly easy to build a sound forge. We might be able to throw one up in a day, but it wouldn¡¯t be able to tolerate the flames I need to work on magic metals.


    Letting out another tired sigh, I work the bellows, shifting the metal every so often to make sure the ingot is evenly heated.


    I work in silence for twenty minutes until I feel a mana signature move into Mana Sense¡¯s range. Looking up from the glowing metal, I smile and wave at Tabitha, who''s walking into the clearing from the path that leads to the quarry.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I call out.


    ¡°Morning,¡± she politely nods to me before moving over to the bench Master usually uses.


    She definitely knows a self-cleaning spell. She''s been practicing for hours, yet there wasn''t a bit of sweat on her. I haven¡¯t had a chance to see her practice regimen, but I doubt it¡¯s anything less than what she has me do. She should be drenched, not looking like she¡¯d just freshened up.


    Oh well, with Tabitha here, I can better focus on my work.


    Turning my attention to the ingot, I continue to work the bellows. The kaglese steel ingot is slow to heat up, and I need it close to a molten state if I¡¯m going to forge Reel¡¯s dagger.


    Sandra and I have spent a lot of time discussing how I''d pull off my crazy design. Initially, I thought about making both sides of the dagger separately before welding them together. If I did that, I could enchant the inside, which sounded like a good idea on paper.


    But after some quick testing using regular steel, I had to discard that idea. Welding the two sides worked, but it completely ruined the metal''s internal mana structure, and I need the daggers mana to flow correctly to make it work.


    If the mana didn¡¯t freely flow from the dagger''s handle down towards the openings, not only would it weaken the bonded metal, it could cause it to disintegrate if overused.


    Sandra suggested I instead make the handle and blade separately, but it didn''t work out when I tested it again. I tried welding the two pieces together and making a threaded removable handle, but both had the same problem. The seems again were put under considerable stress, and a lot of the mana channeled into the dagger would get bogged down in the handle.


    If I wanted my design to work, I would need to keep everything in one piece.


    ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± Sandra¡¯s voice echoes from the clearing''s entrance.


    ¡°Just in time to watch me fail,¡± I joke self-deprecatingly as she walks over to me. She spares Tabitha a polite wave but overall ignores her.


    ¡°Oh, stop,¡± Sandra rolls her eyes just like my mother does when I say something stupid. ¡°You can make anything.¡±


    Her confidence in me brings a smile to my face and takes some of the pressure of success off my shoulders. When I was thinking about how much my parents have been supporting me these last two weeks, I forgot about the rest of my family. My new family. My sister-in-law, Sandra.


    If my parents have been helping me emotionally, Sandra has been helping me physically. Even on days I say I''ll study enchanting with her, I end up focusing on something else more often than not, whether that''s practicing my mana Manipulation or sharpening one of the many weapons I''ve made. While I¡¯ve been doing that, Sandra has been tirelessly throwing herself into runic studies.


    She¡¯s effectively taken over my workbench, and now that she has an engraving pen of her own, practicing enchanting is all she wants to do. Where once it was me giving her pointers, now it was she who had to take time to explain what she''s learned to me.


    My superior magic manipulation skills help me learn everything she teaches quickly, and I can still draw enchants better than her. Still, it''s Sandra who''s become the more knowledgeable one when it comes to enchanting. And it shows in our skill growth.


    LV: 74 Experience: 529,311/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,450/2,450


    Stamina 1,584.38/1,666


    Mana: 1,030/1,030


    Vitality: 245.05


    Endurance: 100.19


    Strength: 155.09


    Dexterity: 155.13


    Senses: 62.56


    Mind: 65.47


    Magic: 103.17


    Clarity: 79.12


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV68), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV31), Dancing (LV23), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV9), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV65), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Hammer Arts (LV48), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Weighted Strike (LV44), Precise Strike (LV43), Double Strike (LV42), Flash Step (LV32), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV9)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV60), Mana Skin (LV58), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV38), Magic Blacksmithing (LV35), Magic Threads (LV21), Air Walk (LV19), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV19)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV4)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Hammer Skills (LV68) 3,400exp


    Wood Carving (LV32) 1,600exp


    Dancing (LV22-23) 2,250exp


    Pugilist Skills (LV9) 450exp


    Hammer Arts (LV48) 4,800exp


    Steady Hands (LV31) 3,100exp


    Weighted Strike (LV44) 6,600exp


    Double Strike (LV42) 6,300exp


    Flash Step (LV32) 4,800exp


    Enchanting (LV8-9) 2,550exp


    Mental Resistance (LV60) 15,000exp


    Extract Mana (LV38) 9,500exp


    Magic Threads (LV21) 5,250exp


    Air Walk (LV19) 4,750exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV18-19) 18,500exp


    Skill Experience: 88,850exp


    Crafting Experience: 27,841exp


    Fighting Experience: 9,688exp


    Total experience Gained: 126,379exp


    That was the smallest amount of experience I¡¯ve seen in a while. Sure, a few of my more important skills leveled up, but not in the way I expected after pushing myself so hard.


    The massive amount of experience I''m used to getting from my skills has started to plateau. Other than Dancing, all the lower-tier skills that I use on a daily basis have reached the point that they don''t quickly level. And my higher tier 3 and above skills aren¡¯t any better.


    Every night over the past two weeks, I''ve been working nonstop in my soul, spending what felt like months in there. And all I have to show from it was three levels.


    Sure, Mental Resistance finally reached level 60 after what felt like forever, but I honestly have no idea how I¡¯m supposed to push it or Sense Soul past their bottlenecks.


    And it''s not like I haven''t noticed my other lesser-used skills falling further to the wayside.


    Seeing constant growth has always done wonders for my motivation, but what happens if that stops? Will I be able to continue as I am? I¡¯m not sure¡­.


    Shaking my head, I try to remember why I pulled up my status page in the first place. Then, scanning my skills, I¡¯m reminded of where my train of thought was when my eyes fall on Enchanting.


    Enchanting only leveled twice and hasn''t even reached level 10 yet, while Sandra celebrated her skill reaching level 14 the other day. And I don''t doubt that she won''t stop improving any time soon. Glancing at my workbench, the multiple experiments she has scattered on it are proof enough of that.


    She has pieces of a clay pot, bits of cloth, and chunks of leather scattered all over the place, each with various runes doodled on them. While I¡¯ve focused mainly on seeing how runes hold up on wood and metal, Sandra has expanded her testing to other materials. A fact I¡¯m still kicking myself over for forgetting about.


    Then there was our runic encyclopedia, a journal Sandra had me transcribe with my Drawing skill to document the various runes we¡¯ve discovered. A journal she was working on expanding.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Tabitha,¡± Sandra saunters to the warry-looking knight.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even asked anything yet,¡± Sandra playfully tilts her head to her side and plays innocent.


    "I know what you''re going to ask," Tabitha''s eyes narrow. "You''re going to ask for my armor again."


    Sandra has the gal to look offended but doesn''t back down, even when Tabitha releases a hint of killing intent.


    ¡°I was just wishing you a good morning." Sandra doesn''t flinch under Tabitha''s pressure, having become used to it the last couple of days.


    If Tabitha released her full killing intent, she would undoubtedly scare Sandra away or make her faint, but Tabitha would never chance that on the pregnant Sandra.


    ¡°But now that you mentioned it,¡± Sandra grins down at Tabitha, ¡°I would appreciate seeing your armor one more time.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s face scrunches up like she¡¯d just eaten something bitter, and she struggles for a response.


    Sandra, a girl less than half Tabitha¡¯s age and level, had her expertly backed into a corner. It was only a matter of time until she got what she wanted. Just as she always did.


    Maybe I¡¯ve been subconsciously looking down on my friend? I know I¡¯m spreading myself thin, and it only makes sense someone with Sandra¡¯s drive would overtake me in a field they¡¯re dedicating most of their time to.


    Is this what she feels like?


    I don¡¯t like it!


    Bringing my hands up to my face, I lower Mana Skin for a moment and feel the full force of my forge. A brief slapping sound overtakes the roar of the fire, drawing both Tabitha and Sandra''s attention.


    ¡°You ok, Aaliyah?" My friend asks with concern in her eyes, seeing how I just slapped myself


    My cheeks sting as I drop my hands and reactivate Mana Skin. ¡°Never better,¡± I answer with a fake sense of confidence.


    "Ok¡­." Sandra hesitantly says before turning her attention back to Tabitha.


    If I have time to feel jealousy, I have time to work harder. If I can¡¯t support my friend with knowledge, I''ll support her with supplies by selling my work.


    It was time to stop moping and make a dagger.

 Ch: 109.2

    With a smile on my face, I watched as Tabitha reluctantly unclasped her shiny metal breastplate. Her fingers tightly gripped onto it, even as she offered it up to Sandra.


    Sandra grunted as she tried to pry the armor out of Tabitha''s hands, but only after the hesitant knight finally decided to release her death grip could Sandra finally properly get her hands on it.


    Sandra¡¯s smile mirrored my own as she brought the armor over to my workbench, where she would study it closer.


    While Sandra looked like she was on cloud nine, Tabitha was the opposite. Tabitha, the ever-stoic picture of a knight in armor, looked like her heart was ripped out of her chest. She scanned the tree line as her hand dropped to her sword. But the invisible monsters she was picturing never attacked.


    My smile faltered seeing her like that. While it was funny for the first few seconds, I can¡¯t help but feel like an asshole smiling at the uncomfortable woman. Something had to have happened to her for Tabitha to react like that every time she takes off her armor. Something that went beyond feeling exposed, and it was wrong of me to laugh at her.


    Tabitha was an extremely dangerous woman, with or without her armor on. So, imaging what it would take to give her such a complex sent a shiver up my spine. I''d ask her if I didn¡¯t think she would brush me off.


    It would be easier if she were more open. But, of course, knowing Tabitha, she won¡¯t say anything unless I ask, but would that be right of me to step into her business like that?


    Sandra didn¡¯t notice the discomfort Tabitha was under; she only had eyes for the armor in her hands. And I could understand; Tabitha''s breastplate was amazing to look at. Whatever alloy it was made from was top-notch and is probably just as challenging to work as dellinium, maybe even more so. Tabitha¡¯s breastplate conducted mana almost as well as mithril did but didn¡¯t have its weaknesses when it came to defense.


    But though I appreciate the metal and the craftsmanship that went into the armor, Sandra only cared about one part of it. The enchantments.


    Sandra can''t sense mana as I can, but that hasn''t stopped her from trying to unravel its mysteries all the same. For example, after Tabitha allowed us to see her breastplate for the first time, the first thing Sandra did was ask Master to craft her a simple magnifying glass.


    Master isn''t a skilled glassblower by any means, so the magnifying glass came out tinted green due to the metals in it, but that surprisingly helped. The tinted glass helped with the glare cast on the metal from the glowing runes and made them easier to see. Of course, she could still only see the surface level of the enchantments, but we each have to start somewhere, and at the rate she was improving, I wouldn''t put it past Sandra to figure out how to trace them with mana just like I do.


    Out of the corner of my eye, while working the bellows and was still able to, I dived a part of my attention to Sandra as she channeled her mana into Tabitha''s armor. Of course, I''ll have to put all my attention into the dagger once I start working the metal, but until then, I can allow my focus to wander¡­. to a small degree.


    Different colored lines ignite across the underside of Tabitha¡¯s armor, the exact spot where it would sit up against her chest as Sandra activates its three enchantments. One enchantment glows a soft blue while the other two are light brown. The enchantments we make with our engraving ink resemble the brown ones, but ours are overall a darker shade. It could be because there is a difference in materials, or it¡¯s equally likely our engraving ink should be a lighter color, and we just don''t know it yet.


    We would know this if the enchantments on Tabitha¡¯s armor matched our own, but sadly they don''t. All three enchantments on Tabitha''s armor were either tier 3 or above, meaning they''re three-dimensional and a significant step above anything we¡¯ve worked with.


    But that isn¡¯t stopping Sandra from trying to document what each of the enchantments do, and anyway we might be able to copy them. That first part was going well, not so much the second part.


    This was the seventh time Sandra''s looked over Tabitha''s armor, and by now, we both had a pretty comprehensive idea of what each of the enchantments did.


    For example, the blue one is a weight reduction enchantment. When activated, it decreased Tabitha¡¯s armor¡¯s weight by 40%. It was impressive, but even more so when you factored in how much mana it took to keep the enchantment activated.


    The weight reduction runes only required the tiniest bit of magic to activate because it already had a power source to draw from. Like Pacore¡¯s armor, Tabitha¡¯s armor had a magic gem embedded in it, three of them actually, one for each enchantment. They weren¡¯t as big as the magic stone in Pacore¡¯s armor, but they were still the second largest magic gems I¡¯d ever seen.


    Each gem was about the size of a large grape, practically dwarfing the rice-grain-sized ones Sandra and I used in our engraving pens. Sandra and I asked Tabitha how long each of her Enchantments could stay active, and she told us it varied between them, but the weight reduction one lasted the longest at eleven and a half hours if she drained it completely.


    The second enchantment was a more advanced version of the hardening enchantment that we already knew and could stay activated for four hours. But there was the kicker; Tabitha only ever used her enchantments sparingly and seldom at the same time.


    I asked Tabitha if she used them when we spar, and to my surprise, she did. Recently that is.


    Once I was able to put up a decent fight, Tabitha said she had started to use her enchantments during our sessions, but not in the way I expected. Tabitha toggles her enchantments on and off.


    If she¡¯s sitting or standing in place, she doesn¡¯t waste her mana activating them. Instead, Tabitha switches between her weight reduction and defensive rune depending on what she¡¯s doing during a fight. She briefly activates her weight reduction rune to move faster when she moves. When guarding, Tabitha deactivates the weight reduction rune and switches to the defensive one, restoring her armor to its original weight. Thus centering her in place and ensuring her armor won¡¯t take too much damage.


    Against dexterity builds, she keeps them both activated to keep up with them and make sure any glancing blows don¡¯t damage her gear. Essentially, Tabitha judges her opponent and decides which enchantments she wants to keep activated and when.


    When we first learned about Tabitha¡¯s fighting style, Sandra and I thought it was impossible to trigger enchantments like Tabitha said she did freely, but that was because neither of us had seen an activation rune before. At least that''s what we''re calling them.


    On each of the enchantments after the mana absorbing rune, an extra rune we¡¯d never seen before was added into the structure. With my skills, I guessed what each of the runes did and was amazed by what the new rune type did.


    It acted as a light switch. You could channel your mana into the enchantment to activate it and continue to channel your mana to maintain it like any other magic tool I''ve seen. But it had the added effect of keeping the enchantment going, even after you stopped providing your mana, by drawing on the mana in the magic gem.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    To deactivate the rune and shut off the enchantment, all you had to do was supply it with mana again. With practice, anyone could turn the enchantments on or off in milliseconds.


    Your everyday magic items didn¡¯t need this feature; that''s why I hadn''t seen it before. Until this point, all the enchantments I''ve encountered only needed to be activated for short periods or ran full time using magicite. Tabitha told us most life-saving enchantments were always activated and were designed to work once certain conditions were met. Like the third enchantment on Tabitha¡¯s armor.


    While the first two enchantments on Tabitha¡¯s armor were meant to be turned on and off periodically, the third enchantment was never meant to do so. We had to ask Tabitha what the third one did because even being able to see the runes and pour our mana into them, neither of us could figure out what the enchantment was meant to do.


    Even though the third enchantment was always activated, there were no visual signs of it doing anything. When the weight reduction or defensive enchantments were activated, I could see their mana interacting with the meatal they were inscribed on; the third one, nothing. And once Tabitha told us, I understood why.


    The third enchantment on Tabitha¡¯s armor was a full-body shield. It would only activate once a certain amount of damage was done to her, and her life was at stake. For a high cost, the enchantment would cover her from head to toe in a magic barrier.


    When Tabitha told us what it did, I joked that it was overpowered until she told us what it would take to activate.


    She could lose an arm.


    A leg.


    And still, the enchantment wouldn¡¯t activate.


    Only once she was on the cusp of death would it help her.


    I thought it would conjure something like my Mana Skin to shield her, but my skill would be the equivalent of wearing a piece of paper compared to what Tabitha¡¯s third enchantment covers her in.


    The enchantment draws out the properties of her breastplate and uses it to create a full-body shield, one so tight she wouldn''t be able to move yet strong enough it would be almost impossible to harm her. And that was what it was, a life-saving measure meant only for the final blow.


    A genuinely frightening enchantment.


    Sandra had asked Tabitha how long it would hold once activated, but she didn¡¯t know.


    An hour.


    Maybe Two?


    She had never had it activate before. Tabitha said it would¡¯ve activated against the dragon if she had been hit by it, but she was lucky that it never did. Once activated, the enchantment would destroy the armor once it ran out of mana. The enchantment would suck up all that it could to keep running, even the mana in the material it was engraved on. It would stay activated until her armor literally turned to dust.


    That was why similar enchantments were usually placed on bracelets or other jewelry pieces. Of course, they weren''t as strong as the one engraved on Tabitha''s armor, but the wearer didn''t need to worry as much about it activating and being destroyed.


    Tabitha wasn¡¯t sure, but Sandra and I speculated that the third enchantment was tier 5. It was made up of over two dozen runes, all of which were incredibly complicated.


    Then again, we could be wrong. Neither of us has that much experience with higher-tier runes yet, so we can only base things on what we currently know. But even if we learn in the future that it is only a tier 4 rune, it wouldn''t change its usefulness in our eyes.


    If I could, I would replicate it no matter the cost. It would be worth it, guaranteeing my family''s safety.


    I think Sandra understands this too, and that was why she couldn¡¯t keep herself from studying it more. It was like a fruit dangling over the edge of a cliff just out of arms reach.


    Well, maybe not that close, but that was how we saw it. It was right there, taunting us, daring us to grab it!


    We still had Tabitha¡¯s other magic items to look at, but they were just as challenging to study. Other than her shield, which was only enchanted to produce a force shield of mana once activated, Tabitha¡¯s other magic items were all jewelry, which were small and hard for Sandra to study.


    We were surprised to learn that out of all of Tabitha''s armor, only Tabitha''s shield and breastplate were enchanted, but she made an excellent point neither of us thought of. Tabitha wasn¡¯t a mage.


    She didn¡¯t have a large mana pool as we did and couldn''t afford to be covered head to toe in magic gear. Her current items were already at the cusp of what she could handle without needing to have other people charge her stuff for her. The mana gems did their part, keeping her life-saving treasures activated, but they still burnt through small amounts of mana doing so.


    Tabitha told us she topped off all her enchantments every night, ensuring they were always at 100%. Besides her shield and breastplate, she had three pieces of enchanted jewelry. First, an amulet that was designed to help her if she was poisoned. She had a ring on her right hand that could protect her from severe temperatures, like, from a giant fireball or frost spell. And on her left arm, she had a bracelet; it was similar to the gloves Anastasia used, only slightly less powerful and more meant for general fatigue.


    Each had a condition programmed in to keep them from activating willy-nilly. Like her breastplate, low-tier spells and poisons wouldn''t trigger her magic items, which from a design standpoint was a good thing. If her ring activated every time someone threw a small fireball at her, Tabitha''s gear would be rendered useless way too quickly. Besides, it would take more than something like that to hurt someone with Tabitha¡¯s level.


    Shaking my head, I clear my thoughts, as my ingot was almost ready. It was exciting thinking about everything we''ve learned regarding enchanting, but it was time to focus, and I couldn''t divide my attention any longer. I could help Sandra decipher the runes once I''m done with my work, as soon as I have everything ready for Kervin and my trip into the forest. Then I could take a small break before I go.


    With that decided, I grab my tongs and reach into the forge to remove my glowing ingot. It wasn¡¯t that far off from its melting point, but that¡¯s how I needed it.


    Switching over to my anvil, I had to be careful as I juggled my tools. First, I checked the ingot''s internal mana structure to see if it shifted during the heating process. It did, but only by a little. Next, I flip the bar over and give it a few test strokes to see how it moves.


    I¡¯ve gotten used to working with kaglese alloys, but you can never be too sure. Forging is difficult as it is, and even more so for me because I need to do it in a way that doesn''t ruin the material''s mana conductivity.


    I spend what feels like hours shifting the ingot to and from my forge, working it so everything lines up perfectly. Then the real fun begins.


    I draw out the part of the ingot that will be the blade, but only a little bit. Then, I grab one of the tools I specifically made for this job, a long thin steel cone, even smaller than a pencil. Using my hammer, I carefully drive it into the block of metal, creating the small cavity I need in the spine of the dagger. The dagger I''m making is thicker than what I''d usually make, but that¡¯s because I need it to stay strong despite the void in the spine.


    I have to make sure there isn''t a single flaw in my metal; if there is, it would only take one lousy strike for the blade to shatter. But unfortunately, I spot two such imperfections that I have to take care of before moving on, doing just that.


    The world around me drifts away as I sink deeper and deeper into my work. While using Sense Mana on my budding dagger, I sense Tabitha and Sandra standing next to one another by my workbench, but I don''t let their conversation distract me from what I''m doing.


    The forge''s fire reaches through Mana Skin and makes me sweat as I continually use Precise Strike. This dagger will be all precision, so my other two skills were worthless here.


    I work the dagger''s blade until it''s perfect; it must be before moving on.


    In the end, I couldn''t make the dagger in two parts as Sandra suggested. That said, making the dagger in stages did end up being the best way to go about this.


    I would forge the blade of the dagger first, then remove the cone currently in its spine and let the dagger¡¯s blade cool a bit. I wouldn¡¯t quench it yet, but I didn¡¯t want the blade to move as easily as it currently was.


    Then, once the blade was completed, I would use the second form I made to create the dagger¡¯s handle.


    Unlike the blade where I could drive my mold into the metal, I had to be more careful with the handle. If I moved too quickly or brought my hammer down in the wrong spot, I could cut off the handle from the shaft running down the dagger¡¯s spine. Doing so would almost certainly ruin the dagger, and I''d have to melt it down and start all over.


    So, I slowly mold the handle into what I need, taking my time.


    Hours later, after a lot of hard work, I finally had something to be proud of. But I wasn¡¯t done yet.


    I examine it for any flaws and go over my mostly completed work with a fine-tooth comb. I still needed to make the cap that would screw into the daggers pommel, wrap the handle, and most importantly, do the enchanting part.


    Once I was sure there wasn''t anything structurally wrong with it, I placed my dagger back into the forge, just long enough for me to grab my enchanting pen and heat it back up again. Pulling my dagger out of the fire, I take a deep breath and settle my emotions. The next part was arguably the hardest.


    I practiced what I was about to do multiple times, and it worked most of them, but that didn¡¯t stop me from second-guessing myself.


    Picking up my engraving pen, I start channeling my mana into it. The tip of my pen glows, but no ink comes out of the reservoir; it is empty.


    I bring my pen down to the still glowing metal of the dagger and stop just before I touch its surface. If I wasn¡¯t channeling mana into my pen, the heat radiating off it might melt my pen being made out of pure mithril.


    Using my pen to focus my mana, I activate Magic Threads. A tiny hair-like thread of mana snakes its way from the tip of my pen and into the glowing dagger. I push my mana through the metal, forcing it to part like a tiny drill.


    I came up with this while Sandra, Master, and I were discussing ways I could put small holes in my blade without compromising its structure. We bounced around a few ideas, but Master shot them all down, saying any tool we would use would make too big a hole and ruin the blade itself.


    I thought about my Magic Threads skill in a stroke of genius and remembered how I would use them to burrow into the earth below me and anchor me in place. It works by having my mana snake into the ground and fuse with the mana naturally there, but what if I didn''t let it fuse? What would happen if I focused on keeping my mana together and not spreading it out?


    What I got from my experiments were magic threads that could physically burry through the dirt. The new threads weren¡¯t as stable as my other ones and took a long time to push through the harder stuff, but with Sense Mana, I could see that they were tunneling through the ground and left a void when I retracted them.


    Using my engraving pen without ink was Sandra¡¯s idea. She thought it would help me focus my mana into a small but powerful thread capable of digging into hot metal.


    It wasn¡¯t easy forcing my mana into the dagger; my mana naturally wanted to break up and spread, but I couldn''t let that happen.


    Slowly, less than a millimeter at a time, I pushed my mana into the metal. I didn¡¯t take my eyes off my mana as it pushed forward, not even blinking. I pushed until I felt it pierce into the chamber in the dagger¡¯s spine.


    I wanted to celebrate my success, but I wasn¡¯t done yet. That was only one opening; I needed to make eleven more, six on each side of the double-bladed dagger.


    This was going to take a while.

 Ch: 109.3

    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    Sitting in the seat of my cart, I gazed up at the wall in front of me. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the same scale as the walls surrounding Drey and the other cities, but that didn''t take away from its splendor.


    The wall in front of me was still being constructed, but it had something more than those other walls did¡­. it was new.


    I know, shocker! A new wall looked new? But that was the thing; I''d never seen one before. Sure, I¡¯d seen new buildings made with stone, but I¡¯ve never seen a newly erected wall like this. The most recent wall in this corner of the world was Drey¡¯s, and it was built over a hundred years ago before my parents were even born.


    A wall was a sign that a city was safe and thriving. Any merchant worth their salt could tell a lot about a city by its defenses. Teeburn had decrepit walls due to their financial problems. Drey made regular patches but never fixed their wall''s underline problems, telling how the previous lord once ran things. Yleles renovated its western entrance regularly because it mainly catered to merchants and the wealthy but neglected its other entrances. I could go on and on, but one thing they all had in common was that all of them were one step away from crumbling. The war made that abundantly clear, even to the average person.


    Scholl has been trying to fix what they could while the war was stalled, but you could only do so much with what you have. But, they were more interested in agriculture and didn¡¯t have many hands to spare on architecture.


    The wall in front of me might not stretch up into the sky, but it looked sturdier than the ones I was used to passing through. The last time we were here, there wasn''t much to look at, but they had already built maybe a hundred feet of wall in only a month. They still had a long way to go before it looped around the entire village, yet not one of the workers looked put off by that idea. I couldn¡¯t spot a single person with a frown on their face.


    The people constructing the wall were putting their all into the project, and it showed in their work. While last time the village¡¯s entrance looked like a chaotic mess, this time, everything looked streamlined. The workers looked more confident in what they were doing and radiated pride, while the foreman was able to stand back and watch his people do their jobs without constantly having to bark orders at them.


    Looking up at the growing wall, I realize this village will never be the same. Even after Aaliyah leaves, it won¡¯t stop growing. It was past that point, and once word gets out, they''re able to spare the resources to construct such a thing and do it¡­.


    I shake my head; I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if people from the surrounding villages flocked her by the droves. It was only a matter of time.


    "Are we going in, or will you have us stand here all day?" Reel complains, bringing me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Quit your complaining,¡± I snap back. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t impressed by this even a little.¡±


    Reel rolls his eyes and scans the village¡¯s progress with a judgmental look. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re only going ten feet high; I could scale that in two seconds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because they¡¯re building it to stop you,¡± I respond sarcastically. Cracking my reigns, I usher my cart forward towards the gap in the wall where the front gate had yet to be built.


    ¡°Just saying,¡± Reel grumbles, walking alongside the cart. ¡°I just figured with Aaliyah involved; it would be something crazy like a hundred feet tall or something.¡±


    Lurte and Ryiba chuckle at Reel''s joke, and I find myself smiling along with them. I know Reel was exaggerating, but I have to admit, he had a point. That girl goes above and beyond with everything she does, to the point that I wouldn''t question it if I were told the wall would eventually be that high. Though a hundred-foot wall would be impressive, it would be overkill for such a small village. Gods, the current wall was overkill for a village this size.


    But then again, it wasn''t like she was the one building the thing by herself. There were dozens of villagers helping out, not just Aaliyah. She was the most talented person in the village, but she was far from the only one. Spotted Creek Village indeed was an outlier in that regard.


    At the moment, other villages, the same size as this one, were struggling. Scholl offering tax benefits for food helped things, but inflation took its toll on people. Before we left Drey, I had a chat with my fellow Silver Herd traders, and they went on and on about how they were having trouble getting everything people asked for. And when they did get what they needed, they had to charge five times what it was worth. Most considered themselves lucky if they made a 5% return on their trips. To a merchant, that was a horrible return!


    But while most villages were struggling, Spotted Creek was thriving, expanding even.


    And I think I knew their secret; it was their younger generation pushing this growth, and the fact that they could source most of what they needed nearby was just the icing on the proverbial cake.


    While farming villages were struggling to get replacement tools, Spotted Creek had a nearby mine with two talented smiths that could make anything the village could need. The headman¡¯s daughter learned magic in Drey, and I heard her fianc¨¦ was the one to propose the wall in the first place.


    Oh yeah, I suppose they¡¯re married now. Damn, I forgot to bring them a congratulatory gift.


    I need to maintain good relations with them, not only because they are Aaliyah¡¯s family, but because the headman¡¯s daughter was learning enchanting. An unaffiliated enchanter, that was a gold mine if I''d ever heard of one.


    Between Drey, Teeburn, Blaiton, and Yleles, there were maybe ten enchanters total, and they all kept in contact with each other. They regulated the prices between them and could demand whatever they wanted for their services. I¡¯ve been supplying Aaliyah with the materials she needs, so I know better than most that they''re overcharging for what Aaliyah called ¡®simple¡¯ enchanted items.


    Then there was the headman''s son, Nicolas; it seemed his old man was considering stepping down soon if I¡¯ve been reading the situation correctly.


    Speaking of which, "Greetings, young master," I call out to him as we pull up next to the headman¡¯s house.


    ¡°Hello, Kervin,¡± he returns my greeting with a smile and a polite nod. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be getting regular deliveries again. Do you have a manifest for me?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I reach to my side and hand him the piece of parchment I had tucked there. ¡°I got you everything we discussed last month.¡±


    Nicolas scans the list of goods I brought with me, and I notice a slight slip in his smile when he gets to the total for everything. ¡°It¡¯s quite a bit more than last month," he gives me a wary look, probably thinking I''m trying to take advantage of him.


    ¡°I assure you, that''s the best I can do; salt prices are going up by the day.¡±


    The future headman sighs while I keep my face neutral. He doesn''t know that I''m selling him everything at a slight loss. And the only way I¡¯m able to do that is because my business with Aaliyah more than covers what I lose helping out the village. So while I might be able to make a few silver off the various odds and ends I sell each month if I charged higher prices, it was more worth it to keep in good standing with the village. Nicolas doesn¡¯t know it yet, but he owes me one.


    ¡°You must be loving this,¡± Nicolas notes cynically.


    ¡°Hardly,¡± I scoff. ¡°You think Silver Herd is making piles of gold with goods at what they are?¡± Well, it sort of is, but not like what it was doing before the war broke out. I don''t mention that, though.


    Nicolas is surprised, "Are things that horrible in the city?" It doesn''t look like he can imagine what life outside his village is like.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Well, it''s certainly not like here," I gesture to the village as a whole. ¡°This place is practically a paradise compared to what¡¯s going on outside.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea!¡± Nicolas exclaims.


    I nod my head. ¡°Your village is doing exceedingly well; you must be doing a great job,¡± I throw a few compliments his way, making him feel better about spending more money than he was expecting. A simple but effective merchant tactic. ¡°I¡¯ll have my men offload everything so that you can inspect it." And collect my money later, but that was implied.


    ¡°Going to see Aaliyah then?¡± Nicolas correctly guesses my plans.


    ¡°Got to see what the golden roc is up to,¡± I joke.


    Surprisingly, Nicolas doesn''t laugh and instead gives me a concerned look. ¡°What; has something happened to Aaliyah? She isn''t hurt, is she!?" I exclaim, sweat forming down my back.


    ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Nicolas reassures me before I start having a panic attack. ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± he hesitates to finish his sentence.


    "Spit it out already," Reel growls behind me, making me cringe. I didn''t hear him approach, and apparently, neither did Nicolas seeing how he was caught off guard too.


    Nicolas flinches under Reel¡¯s powerful gaze, and I¡¯m about to intervene before he ruins our relationship with the future headman when Nicolas finally finds his voice again. "She''s been overworking herself," he spits out in a rapid mess.


    Reel and I raise an eyebrow, not understanding what Nicolas was getting at.


    ¡°The people hauling stone from the quarry have been talking. Some people think she''s preparing for war."


    ¡°A war; what do you mean?¡± I press him for further details.


    Nicolas leans in, "You didn''t hear it from me, but apparently, she''s been crafting weapons or sparring with Lady Tabitha almost every day for over a week now."


    ¡°What about the stone for the wall?¡± Reel asks, fully invested in anything regarding Aaliyah.


    Nicolas shakes his head, "Apparently, it''s all Master Del''s doing. He''s been working just as hard as she has, which is out of character for him. Of course, it all started after Lady Tabitha got a letter a few weeks ago; has anything happened between Scholl and Olebert? Is that why prices are so high?¡±


    Nicolas continued to bombard me with questions I had no answer to, raising many red flags. What does Aaliyah know that I don¡¯t? And worst of all, judging by Reel¡¯s expression, he has no clue either.


    "I''m sorry," I cut Nicolas off. "But I don¡¯t know anything. If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± I wave for Lurte and Ryiba to hurry up and finish unloading the goods. They rush to follow my orders, and soon we''re heading towards Del-Razen''s clearing at a much quicker pace than usual.


    When we do make it to the clearing, I let out a sigh of relief seeing Aaliyah standing next to Camden¡¯s daughter, looking over something on their workbench. Lady Tabitha is the first to notice our approach, but Aaliyah is a quick second.


    ¡°Kervin, you¡¯re back,¡± Aaliyah cheerfully shouts, and for a second, I think my worries were baseless. That is until she walks over to us, and I get a better look at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± She frowns at me, but I think her friend says everything I need to.


    ¡°He probably thinks you look terrible,¡± Headman Down¡¯s daughter Sandra says with an I told you so look directed at her friend.


    I have to agree with her; Aaliyah looked positively worn out. She had a smile on her face, but it had to be fake because I didn''t know anyone who could smile while looking like they were about to pass out on their feet. Aaliyah had bags underneath her eyes, and her tan skin looked paler than it should.


    ¡°I don¡¯t look that bad, do I?¡± Aaliyah looks around, hoping someone would agree with her, but no one says a word.


    No one but Reel, that is.


    "You look like shit,¡± he bluntly tells her.


    Aaliyah¡¯s mouth drops open, and I have to suppress the urge to punch Reel in the face. If he said that to anyone else, they¡¯d probably vow to never do business with us again!


    ¡°I look that bad, huh?¡± Aaliyah surprisingly doesn¡¯t get angry at Reel¡¯s blunt words and rubs underneath her eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve been trying to tell you!¡± Sandra throws her arms up in exasperation. "You''ve been working non-stop for the last week; you need to take some time off."


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± Aaliyah sighs. ¡°I¡¯ll take two days off¡­. starting tomorrow.¡±


    Sandra shakes her head like she was disappointed in her friend¡¯s decision but didn''t say anything else.


    ¡°Is there some reason you¡¯re working so hard?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What, you haven¡¯t heard?¡± Aaliyah gives me a look that says she would think I should already know.


    ¡°No, could you enlighten me?¡±


    "Peace talks have begun between Olebert and Scholl; I don''t know how much longer I have in the village."


    Of all the things she could have told me, that was not something I was considering. "Are you sure?" I ask, ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any news of such a thing.¡±


    "Really? I wonder why? I thought it would be big news."


    ¡°It is likely Lord Bullock¡¯s doing,¡± Lady Tabitha steps forward and gives us her insight into the situation. ¡°He probably wants to keep things quiet until the talks are over.¡±


    ¡°Why would he want to do that?¡± Aaliyah asks the armor-clad woman.


    ¡°To combat uncertainty,¡± she answers matter-of-factly, drawing blank looks from all of us. Luckily, Lady Tabitha sees we don¡¯t understand her and thankfully clarifies for us. ¡°If the merchant hasn¡¯t heard anything after so long, the negotiations will likely be drawn out.¡±


    "But wouldn''t people benefit from knowing there will be peace?¡± Aaliyah asks the same question I had but seeing Tabitha''s blank reaction; I realize I''m being short-sighted.


    ¡°And what if there isn¡¯t peace; what if the war is forced to continue?¡± Tabitha reminds us of the very dark possibility that Olebert and Scholl might not come to terms with each other¡¯s demands. ¡°What would happen if Lord Bullok guaranteed people peace, only to have to tell the people the war had to continue? How do you think people would react? It is better to keep people in the dark until things are resolved.¡±


    I see; if a treaty is signed, Bullok can proudly claim the war is over. If it isn''t, the war continues, and people wouldn''t have had their hopes up in the first place.


    ¡°Sound¡¯s smart to me,¡± Reel gives his two coppers on the situation.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Aaliyah yawns. ¡°But you see my problem; I only have so long to take care of the things I need to do before then. So you should be happy; I got a lot of stuff for you," she tiredly grins at me and motions for us to follow her.


    Aaliyah leads us over to the shed we emptied last time we were here and flings the door open. My jaw threatens to hit the clearing''s floor when I see the numerous kaglese weapons inside.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t as pure as the last ones. I needed to stretch my supply of kaglese. I don¡¯t suppose you were able to bring me anymore?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± I glare at the girl dumbfoundedly. ¡°You used all of it in a month?!¡± Sure, the last batch was smaller than the first one, but I expected it to last her months, not A month! ¡°How many weapons are here?¡±


    Aaliyah brings her hand up to her chin and hums. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I lost track a while ago.¡±


    This child. I want to sigh, but I keep up my professional demeanor.


    ¡°Does this mean you already finished my dagger?¡± Reel asks, grinning ear to ear.


    ¡°Dagger? What dagger?¡± Aaliyah looks confused, and I watch as all the joy washes from Reel''s face.


    "Ha! Now, who looks like shit!¡± Aaliyah playfully punches Reel in the arm, surprisingly catching him off guard, and sends him stumbling back.


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t forget?¡± Reel anxiously asks, catching himself before toppling over and rubbing his shoulder where she hit him.


    "Of course, I didn''t forget. Who do you take me for? Wait here, and let me grab it.¡±


    I don¡¯t know where Aaliyah was summoning all this energy from, but she scurried into the shed faster than any of us expected.


    ¡°Now, I didn¡¯t have time to have mom make a sheath for it, so you¡¯ll have to get one made on your own, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll mind when you see this baby!¡± I watch as Aaliyah walks out of the shed holding a dagger-shaped object wrapped in a piece of leather.


    "Tada!" She shouts, removing the covering, reviling an oddly-shaped dagger underneath. The blade looked more prominent than it needed to be compared to its handle.


    ¡°This is the dagger you made me?¡± Reel asks with a complicated expression. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like what we discussed.¡± Translation: why are you giving me this.


    Aaliyah doesn¡¯t look surprised by Reel¡¯s reaction and instead grins like a street-side vendor trying to hock a potion of immortality. ¡°What, you said you wanted a dagger to poison people?"


    ¡°I never said, people,¡± Reel points out.


    ¡°We both knew what you meant,¡± Aaliyah giggles in a way a girl her age shouldn¡¯t. ¡°But I suppose if you don¡¯t want a MAGIC POISONING DAGER,¡± Aaliyah stresses each word. ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to take it.¡±


    She moved to wrap it back up, but Reel was already rushing to her side. ¡°Wait. Wait. Wait! You said it¡¯s a magic dagger!?¡± Reel¡¯s attitude does a 180.


    ¡°I did,¡± Aaliyah cockily grins, knowing she had him where she wanted. ¡°Observe.¡±


    Aaliyah shows us the daggers pummel, where a fancy-looking 4 was inscribed. She grabs it with her hand and twists it, and to all our amazement, it unscrews to reveal a compartment inside the handle of the weapon.


    "Now, does anyone have some water?" She asks.


    I reach to my side and hand her my waterskin. ¡°Thank you." She takes it and pours it into the dagger''s handle, careful not to spill a single drop.


    She then screws the pommel back on and holds the dagger out for Reel to take. He gently takes the offered weapon and inspects it closely. "What do I do now?"


    ¡°Rub your finger against the blade.¡±


    He does and frowns. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±Aaliyah shouts.


    I''m about to recommend she take a nap and collect herself, but she cuts me off before I can say anything. ¡°Now pour a bit of mana into it,¡± she instructs and stresses, "just a bit!"


    Reel does as he''s told, and we all see blue lines erupt from underneath the binding, acting as the grip. The lines snake towards the area where the pommel screws onto the handle, and twelve small blue dots appear on the dagger''s blade.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Aaliyah instructs, and Reel stops channeling his mana, and the blade goes dark again. ¡°Now, touch the blade again.¡±


    Reel gently rubs his fingers across the shiny metal, and his eyes immediately widen with surprise. "It''s wet now! How?¡± He looks to Aaliyah for answers, and she''s standing there smiling with a huge shit-eating grin on her face.


    She holds out her hand, and Reel reluctantly hands the dagger back to her.


    "You have no idea how much trouble making this was," she stresses, holding the dagger up for us to see. ¡°There is a small compartment running down the blade''s spine; it connects to the handle where you can store any liquid you want.¡±


    I glance at Reel and see the wheels turning in his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mana absorbing rune underneath the grip,¡± Aaliyah continues to explain, pointing as she goes. ¡°I engraved a single line between the handle and down into the blade. Then, with my engraving skills, I poked twelve small holes into the blade''s surface and connected them to the internal reservoir. When you pour your mana into the dagger, it escapes those holes and drags out a bit of the liquid."


    Aaliyah rubs the back of her head, ¡°Sandra and I needed to come up with a whole new way to engrave stuff to pull it off; what do you think?¡±


    "I think it''s amazing," Reel holds out his hands in a pleading motion to have the dagger back.


    Aaliyah hands it to him with a satisfied smile on her face and gives him a bit of warning. "Remember, it''s made out of kaglese, so it''s sturdy enough, but its spine is still hollow. So be careful how you use it in battle. Also, you can sharpen it like any other dagger without fear of damaging the enchantment, but make sure you channel some mana through it afterward, so you don''t accidentally clog the openings. Understand?¡±


    Reel absently nods his head while staring at his new toy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could make your own unique enchantments already, congratulations.¡± Aaliyah blushes at my compliment but shakes her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually not an enchantment,¡± she tells me. ¡°I just used the same principles engraving pens work off of. There¡¯s only one rune, so you can¡¯t exactly call it an enchantment.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­. Will you make another one?¡±


    Aaliyah snorts mirthlessly. ¡°Not unless someone orders one. I meant it when I said it was difficult to make. In the same time it took me to make that dagger, I could¡¯ve made ten other weapons. I did this for a friend, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I watched Aaliyah as she turned her attention to a happy-looking Reel. Again she went overboard.


    I know I thought the village would continue to grow after she left, but I can¡¯t imagine this place without her here. And if she¡¯s right, she will be leaving soon. What happens then?


    Will I be reassigned, or will I go back to my old route?


    What about Reel? If Aaliyah leaves, would he still be assigned to me? She wasn''t in danger anymore, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s only still with me because Giovanni wanted someone close to him to keep an eye on her.


    I''ve been putting off thinking about it, but what happens to me after Aaliyah is gone?


    It was scary to admit, but I had no idea.


    Where do I go from here? The thought frightened me.

 Ch: 110.1

    Lights of different colors flickered around me, shifting, changing shape. To follow them indefinitely was impossible, and yet, I tried.


    But mana wasn¡¯t bound by the same laws other forms of energy followed. Instead, it shifted through some matter while getting briefly stuck in others; and only by forcefully trapping it, either by absorbing it into the body or a rune, could mortals hope to control it.


    All around me, there were countless threads of mana, currents if you will, and the world was an ocean full of them. And here I was, trying to focus on one water molecule.


    Even with my skills, I¡¯ve only been able to see the general currents of the mana around me. I could see the mana flowing through both living and inanimate objects, but only as a general outline of what was contained within.


    Regarding my mana skills, I¡¯ve grown a lot since I was a baby, but I¡¯ve reached the point that if I want to continue to improve, I''ll have to go beyond my innate mana-sensing skills.


    Making Reel''s dagger was an eye-opener. I ended up combining multiple techniques to finish it, and in the end, Sandra and I found a path forward.


    Focusing my mana into my hands, I try to replicate what I did with my engraving pen. Without a focus, it¡¯s harder to do, but I¡¯ve had plenty of experience shaping my mana into root-like structures before. I watch as my mana snakes its way out of my fingertip and burrows into the mana currents swirling around me. Keeping it small without having it dissipate is challenging, but that¡¯s the focus of my training.


    My mana disrupts the calm sea around me and starts muddying the natural flow of magic. That¡¯s the opposite of what I wanted to happen.


    My goal is to have my mana threads pierce the mana around me, not fuse with it, but cleanly cut through it and do so without damaging the flow of mana around me. Or at least as little as possible. Heck, I''d take any progress at this point.


    If I¡¯m to try to engrave higher-tier runes, I''ll need to have at least that level of control. I figured if I could sense smaller clusters of mana, it would help, but it was like I was trying to look at something microscopic without a microscope. I might even say it was impossible if I hadn''t seen what this world was capable of.


    No, I shake my head; it wasn''t impossible. Sense Mana was on the cusp of leveling; I could feel it!


    If only I could¡­


    I lose my focus as I sense Mom walking down the hallway towards my room.


    A small sigh escapes my lips as she reaches my door. ¡°Come in,¡± I call out.


    ¡°Must you do that?" Mom scolds me as she pushes open my bedroom door and enters the room. ¡°You can at least pretend you can¡¯t see me through the walls. And you couldn¡¯t have waited two more seconds for me to knock?¡±


    I force a smile while Mom leers at me with her hands on her hips. ¡°Sorry,¡± I sheepishly reply.


    ¡°Never mind, get up; dinner is ready."


    ¡°Already? But it¡¯s,¡± I look out my window and see the sun has already long dripped below the horizon. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, oh," Mom rolls her eyes. "Well, come on, your brother and Sandra are already here. Unless you want to sit on your bed all night.¡±


    I squash any desire I have to sarcastically reply to her as I swing my legs out from underneath me and stand up for the first time in what was probably hours. My legs complain about the quick movement and lock up on me, but Mana Threads and my superhuman body work together to keep me upright. Thankfully, it only takes me a few seconds to regain my posture, my high stats driving out any sense of soreness I had from sitting in one position for so long.


    Luckily, Mother didn''t see my slight stumble; she had left my room as soon as she saw me start to get up. If Sandra was here, she was probably eager to get back and fawn over her pregnant daughter-in-law. Sandra was entering her third trimester and was more than showing a tiny baby bump at this point. And like any future grandmother-to-be, Mom couldn¡¯t keep her hands off Sandra if she tried, which she didn''t.


    ¡°Nice of you to join us,¡± Brother smirks at me as I enter our kitchen/dining room.


    I search for a comeback in my mind but come up empty. I was still preoccupied with the possibility of gaining further insights into the very fabric of mana. "Shut up," I hiss as I move to take my seat. Not very elegant or thoughtful, but it works all the same.


    ¡°Leave Aaliyah alone,¡± Sandra gently scolds her husband, giving me a sidelong look that says she understood what I was going through. Sandra meditates more than I do these days; if anyone knows what it''s like to come out of an extended meditative state, it is her. ¡°I¡¯m the one who suggested we didn''t bother you until dinner was ready," my friend gives me a supportive smile.


    ¡°Thanks, but I wish I could say that it helped,¡± I say self-deprecatingly.


    "Now, none of that," Mom tells me as she drags a large pot of stew over to the table. "Sandra, you first," Mom leans over and serves my friend first.


    ¡°So, who¡¯s your favorite child, Mom?¡± I jokingly ask.


    Mom doesn¡¯t miss a beat, ¡°Sandra,¡± she quickly answers without a hint of humor in her voice.


    "Ow," I bring my hand up to my chest as if she stabbed me in my heart.


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    "Give me a grandbaby, and we''ll talk."


    ¡°I¡¯m 15!¡±


    ¡°And all you do is work all day,¡± Mom points out to me. ¡°If not that, you spend all your time in your room.¡±


    ¡°I come out to see you¡­. sometimes,¡± I blushingly answer.


    ¡°When you need me to help with your armor,¡± Mother corrects me, and again I don¡¯t have a comeback.


    ¡°Now, now, honey,¡± thank the shitty gods, Dad came to my defense. ¡°Our girl¡¯s an adult now; of course, she doesn''t want to spend time with us anymore."


    Or not.


    ¡°You too, Dad?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Dad pretends to be clueless. ¡°Let us pray,¡± he motions for us all to close our eyes after everybody has gotten a serving of stew. ¡°We give our thanks to the gods and spirits of the forest. We thank you for the food we received and the continued health of our family; may your blessings hold true."


    ¡°May they hold true,¡± the rest of us repeat after Dad finishes reciting the short prayer.


    After that, a heavy silence falls over the table.


    Well, this is awkward. We hadn''t had a get-together like this in almost a month, and it felt like we were eating at a funeral.


    In a bid to lighten the mood, I try to strike up a conversation with Sandra. ¡°So, how did your recent experiments go?¡±


    "What?" My sudden question catches Sandra off guard, but she quickly catches on. "Oh, good. The fabric mother-in-law made for me held up really well when I tried enchanting it.¡±


    ¡°Any weaknesses?¡± I ask in between taking sips of my stew.


    ¡°The same as last time. Fabric can be enchanted, but it runs the possibility of breaking if the threads around it split or come undone. What about you, any luck controlling engraving ink with your mana?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, no,¡± I sigh. It had been three weeks since I made Reel his dagger, and I was no closer to making a tier 3 rune than when I first started trying.


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s been taking up all your time?¡± Dad joins in on our conversation, and I¡¯m more than happy to oblige him.


    "It''s part of it," I tell him. "The last two weeks, I''ve been making armor for the village."


    "And fixing your gear," Dad''s eyes drift to my war hammer sitting next to our front door. Yesterday, I forged the rounded end into a proper spike for piercing; because of that, it looked newer than usual. ¡°Why the change now?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I flounder for an answer that isn¡¯t ''I plan to fight magic beasts in the forest.''


    "Tabitha recommended I change it,¡± technically not a lie. ¡°But I¡¯ve mostly been practicing my magic skills,¡± I try to change the topic.


    ¡°To make better enchantments." I''m surprised Dad was aware of what I was working on. He smiles, seeing my surprised expression, ¡°Sandra was telling us earlier that you guys had a big breakthrough, and that was why you''ve been so distant."


    I glance at Sandra for confirmation, and she too smiles at me. That makes things easier; I give her my thanks in my head. ¡°Exactly,¡± I tell Dad. ¡°We think we¡¯ve come up with a solution to make three-dimensional runes."


    Dad looks confused, so I try to relate what we¡¯re doing to something he knows. That¡¯s it, woodworking!


    ¡°Ok, Dad, you know how when you want to carve something, you have to do it layer by layer, working from the outside in?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dad nods along.


    ¡°Well, we have to find a way to do the opposite,¡± I tell him. ¡°We need to carve a design inside a material without damaging the outside.¡±


    ¡°Sounds tricky,¡± Dad notes before shoving a massive chunk of pomme into his mouth.


    ¡°It is,¡± Sandra adds in. ¡°But we think we found a way for Aaliyah to do it with her mana skills.¡±


    ¡°Really?!" Dad exclaims. "That''s my girl," he says proudly, making me blush.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal; I still haven¡¯t worked out how to do it yet.¡± Staring down into my bowl, I use my spoon to play with my food.


    ¡°She¡¯s making little of what she¡¯s doing,¡± Sandra continues to talk when I won''t elaborate further. "She''s trying to make her mana physical.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she already do that with her spells?¡± Dad is confused by Sandra¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°Yes, exactly. We use mana in our spells to crate physical changes to our world. Making fire, moving earth, purifying water, no matter the spell, we have to use mana to do these things. But it isn¡¯t raw mana that we¡¯re using. Raw mana is unruly and hard to control; Aaliyah is the only person I know who can manipulate it as she does.¡±


    ¡°Ok, but I still don¡¯t see what you¡¯re getting at." Dad is still confused, and Sandra has gone full-on teacher mode at this point.


    ¡°If she can make her mana strong enough and control it well enough, she can have it dig into whatever she is enchanting, and we can fill it with engraving ink,¡± Sandra spells out the method we came up with to those present.


    What she fails to tell everyone is how difficult our plan is to pull off. I could have my mana bore into Reel''s knife, but it took everything I had to do it, and I was only able to keep it straight. And Runes were anything but straight.


    Tier 3 runes were a mess of shapes, symbols, and lines, all intertwining and linking together. Even if I knew what I had to do, my skills just weren¡¯t enough to pull it off.


    ¡°And how do these runes factor into what you are planning?¡± Mom finally joins the conversation, but I almost wish she didn''t.


    ¡°Come again?¡± I feign ignorance.


    ¡°Do you think your father and I are fools?¡± Mom''s eyes narrow menacingly, ¡°We told ourselves you were an adult now and that you would tell us when you are ready, but enough is enough. Don¡¯t pretend like you aren¡¯t up to something. We¡¯ve been supporting you these last six weeks, no questions asked, but you¡¯ve been running yourself ragged, and you''re obviously preparing for something. You don¡¯t have to tell us if you don¡¯t want to, but don''t sit there and act like you don''t have something planned."


    The table goes silent again, and Dad lets out a long sigh. He doesn¡¯t look surprised by Mom¡¯s outburst, so she¡¯s probably been holding it in for a while.


    I suppose it was naive to think my parents weren''t aware something was up.


    I guess now was as good as any time to tell them my plans to enter the forest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I hang my head and apologize to my parents. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you guys to worry, but it looks like I did the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Just tell us what¡¯s going on,¡± Dad reaches over and takes one of my hands into his own.


    ¡°Does it have something to do with you leaving with Pacore?¡± Mom ventures a guess as to why I didn¡¯t tell them.


    ¡°A little bit, but it¡¯s more selfish than that,¡± I admit. ¡°I want to explore the forest. The deeper parts of the forest.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to go there?¡± Dad asks, having seen the same things I did when we initially scouted out the chameleon spiders.


    I muster up all my courage and decide to tell my parents how I feel. ¡°Because it¡¯s exciting; I want to see what¡¯s in there; Because I want to test myself!¡± I can feel myself trembling with excitement.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known." Surprisingly, Mom is less surprised by my answer than Dad is. ¡°I take it that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been focusing so much on your armor?¡±


    I nod.


    Mother sighs for what must be the hundredth time tonight. ¡°And you two knew of this?¡± She turns her attention to the couple sitting across from me, who were both watching this little play work itself out.


    ¡°Aaliyah asked me not to say anything.¡± Sandra doesn¡¯t flinch under Mom¡¯s gaze. Of course, I told my best friend of my plans; she''s been helping me almost as much as Master.


    But¡­.


    ¡°I thought I told you not to say anything to Richard,¡± I glower at my partner in crime.


    "He''s my husband, of course, I told him." Then, to accentuate her point, Sandra leans over and kisses him.


    ¡°Barf.¡±


    ¡°And you wonder why your mother is worried about you meeting people,¡± Sandra coyly smirks at me.


    "Are you going alone?" Mom continues her questions after Sandra and I stop childishly sticking our tongs out at each other.


    ¡°No, Tabitha is going with me,¡± I inform her.


    ¡°I see,¡± Mother nods. She is surprisingly taking this all really well. ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    My eyes go round. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re asking?!¡±


    ¡°If I said anything else, would it change your plans?¡± Mother sends me a challenging look.


    ¡°No,¡± I slink back into my seat.


    ¡°Exactly, so tell me when you plan to go on this little adventure of yours?¡±


    I take a moment to think before I answer. My weapon and gambeson were ready. I still needed to make a few adjustments to the pieces of armor I''m wearing over it, but besides that and packing a bag, I¡¯m pretty much ready.


    I was hoping I could figure out how to enchant my gear before I left, but if I¡¯ve learned anything these past few weeks, is it will take a lot of practice before I could use my mana like I needed to pull it off. And with no practical enchantments for my armor, it was better to leave it unenchanted.


    ¡°Six days,¡± I say with certainty.


    ¡°What! So soon?¡± Everyone, even Sandra, is surprised by my answer.


    I nod, ¡°I was going to wait longer to keep my plans a secret, but if everyone knows, there isn¡¯t much point in putting things off any further. Tomorrow, during my practice with Tabitha, I¡¯ll let her know when we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Holding up my hands, I count off what my days will look like. "Sparring tomorrow, then I¡¯ll make my final preparations the day after.¡±


    ¡°And the other three days?¡± Mom asks.


    ¡°Time with my family,¡± I smile at her. "No sparring, no mana practice; just you, me, and Dad. And Sandra.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Richard complains.


    ¡°And maybe Richard," I say it like an afterthought. ¡°You were right; I haven''t been spending as much time with all of you as I should. I¡¯m sorry." I not only bow my head not only to my parents but to Sandra and Richard as well.


    ¡°At least we¡¯ll finally get to spend some time together before you leave on an adventure,¡± Mom laminates.


    We all share smiles, but I notice Mother and Father¡¯s are more forced than the rest of ours. So I won''t ask them not to worry; all I can do is be strong and enjoy my time with them. Because¡­.


    I am going on an adventure, my first true one.


    These next six days are going to fly by.

 Ch: 110.2

    Like a specter, I moved through the shadows. I made sure to use Air Walk to cover my tracks and make as little noise as possible. As a result, no one could see me as I skulked through the village.


    I didn¡¯t have long before the sun rose over the village, and it came to life; I needed to be gone by then.


    When I reach the edge of the village proper, I drop my skills and release the breath that I was holding. All I had left was to pass the fields, enter the forest, and I was in the clear.


    My goal was to leave the village without being noticed by anyone, not because I needed to or anything like that, but because I didn¡¯t want to be sent off by a cheering crowd of well-wishers. There was no way I''d ever be able to live down that kind of embarrassment.


    I¡¯ve become somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, even though I don''t interact with most of the village. For a while now, people knew I was willing to put my life on the line to defend the village, and it was pretty much an open secret that my level was ridiculously high for my age. Of course, people liked to guess what it was, and it was only due to my Acting skill that I was able to keep a straight face. Some thought I had already crossed level 100, but others'' guesses were a lot closer to the truth.


    The news would eventually get out that Tabitha and I had left the village, it was even possible it might spread by the end of the day, but that was all the more reason to leave now.


    As I walked past the fields of blood maize, I once again took mental stock of my gear. Mana Threads anchoring my war hammer to my back, check. Rations in case of the off chance we couldn''t hunt anything, double-check. My waterproof poncho for unexpected weather, my waterskin, and my utility knife; check, check, and check. I had everything Tabitha said I should bring with me; all tucked away in a simple bag that I could easily unclasp in an emergency.


    With my supplies accounted for, I feel over my armor and make sure everything was buckled up tightly. My new armor didn''t cover as much as my old set, but what it lacked in size, it more than made up for with its flexibility. My kaglese breastplate covered the most, but it only guarded my front, leaving my sides and back exposed. I still had pads on my forearms and legs, but again, they only covered a fraction of my limbs. Everything was designed for ease of movement.


    My new fighting strategy was centered around striking fast and hard. I wasn''t a glass cannon by any standards, but what little armor I was wearing was more for a worst-case scenario than for me to block with.


    I wasn¡¯t a genius at deflecting like Tabitha or untouchable like Pacore, but what I was good at was using my movement skills to evade my enemies¡¯ attacks. Or at least that¡¯s what Tabitha said. Unlike her and Pacore, I didn''t try to bleed my enemies dry with multiple attacks slowly; no, my strategy was to wait for an opening and crush my opponent with a single hammer blow. If my first strike weren''t enough, I would disengage and wait for another opening.


    It was the opposite of how I used to fight, always rushing in and getting cut up, but I''ve been able to spar with Tabitha for extended periods since I refined my fighting style. I¡¯m still no match for her, experience-wise, but now I am much more confident dealing with people at a higher level than myself. I might not be able to win, but at least now, it wouldn''t be a one-sided slaughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± As I was thinking about Tabitha, she appeared out of the shadow of a tree in front of me. I¡¯m starting to think she knows when I¡¯m thinking about her. Her timing is too perfect, and I wouldn¡¯t put it out of the realm of possibilities that such a skill could exist.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± I keep my voice low as I approach her. ¡°My Mom refused to stop hugging me.¡±


    Last night I said most of my goodbyes to the people I was close with. Brother, Sandra, her family, Master; everyone who knew that I was leaving today threw me an informal going away party. Minus the party part. And while Mother and Father were there with me, they waited to say their goodbyes until right before I left the house this morning.


    Dad had me recite all the woodsman knowledge he''s drilled into me over the years, while Mother demanded I didn''t do anything too reckless. A promise I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to keep.


    I''m not going to lie; saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be, and that was knowing I would be back in a few weeks. I can¡¯t imagine what it will be like when Pacore comes for me.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Tabitha asks me with a smile, unaware that I wasn''t precisely sharing her excitement at this exact moment.


    No, that wasn¡¯t true. Even though my heart was heavy thinking about my family, I couldn¡¯t squash my growing sense of excitement. This was it; I was going on a real adventure. I wasn¡¯t marching to save the village or hunt invisible monsters; I was going to see the world¡­.


    And maybe hunt one or two monsters. Knowing Tabitha, it might end up being more than two, but I was ok with that.


    ¡°I am,¡± I reply, with a growing sense of confidence.


    ¡°Then lead the way,¡± Tabitha stepped aside so I could take point. I was to lead us to the magic-dense region, and from there, she would take over. Tabitha had the most experience dealing with magic-dense regions, and it was only wise that I followed her lead once we got there.


    The two of us left the village, and I fought the urge to look back. But, there was no time for hesitation, only adventure. I didn''t know what lay before me, but I sure as hell would find out.


    **********


    Tabitha and I ran through the forest, only stopping periodically to check our position using the sun above us. The forest terrain kept us from taking a straight path, but I kept us going in the right direction with only a few detours along the way. Neither of us spoke to the other, focusing solely on our footwork and not tripping over the thousands of roots threatening to do so.


    We covered miles in minutes, dancing around trees with the greatest ease. We spent the whole day running like that, and in doing so, I learned something, Tabitha didn¡¯t have the same stamina I initially thought she did. The woman who barely sweats during our sparring sessions was now perspiring like she was in a sauna. Multiple times I had to slow down to let her catch up to me.


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    That first day we covered over half the distance we needed to and stopped when we found a decent camping spot. While I checked the surrounding forest for something to eat, Tabitha stayed at the campsite to build a fire pit and catch a much-needed breather. She wasn¡¯t a greenhorn when it came to survival skills, so by the time I caught a horned rabbit in its burrow and made it back to camp; she already had a fire going.


    ¡°So, who cooks?¡± I ask, holding up my sizable prize.


    Tabitha glanced back and forth between the rabbit in my hands and the fire in front of her. She didn¡¯t have to say it, but I knew cooking was going to be my job.


    Fetching my utility knife out of my bag, I skin and disembowel the hare, rigging it over the fire with a few decently sized sticks. The horned rabbit was massive compared to wild rabbits back on Earth and gave enough meat for the two of us to have a decently sized meal. I seasoned my catch with a few herbs I gathered while hunting it. It wasn¡¯t anything as good as what Mother makes, but it kept us from having to dig into our rations on the first day.


    There was an awkward silence between us as we sat eating, and I could only stand it so long before I tried to get Tabitha to talk.


    ¡°So¡­.,¡± I try to think of a conversation topic. "What should I expect when we reach the magic-dense region?¡±


    Tabitha shrugs off my question and continues to nibble at her rabbit skewer.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I exaggerate rolling my shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have any tips for me? Not one?¡±


    Tabitha pauses mid-bite and looks me in the eyes. She must realize I wouldn''t stop asking questions, so she lowered her skewer and finally answered me. "I do not,¡± she tells me in her monotone voice.


    ¡°Really?¡± I say skeptically. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about what we might encounter, plants, animals: hell, do you have any idea what the weather might be like?¡±


    Tabitha shakes her head and looks in the direction we are heading. ¡°I do not.¡±


    I don''t know what I expected Tabitha to tell me, but it wasn''t that. Sure, she explained to me earlier that each magic-dense region is different, but there had to be some similarities between them. Like, what did the mana in them feel like? Was it like at the bottom of our mine where the magicite was or was it different?


    ¡°You can¡¯t make any assumptions?¡± I raise a questioning eyebrow.


    ¡°That would be unwise,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°All I can tell you is you should be ready for anything. It isn''t an exaggeration to say that anything is possible in a magic-dense region.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± I smirk. ¡°Could it rain fire?¡± I joke, but Tabitha doesn¡¯t smile. ¡°Wait, it can¡¯t really rain fire, can it?¡±


    ¡°Anything is possible,¡± Tabitha ominously reiterates. ¡°For all we know, the trees could give way to a volcanic hellscape a few miles into the zone, where fire rains down from the sky, and everything there has grown to survive such an environment. It isn''t that I don''t want to give you any ideas on what we might run into; it¡¯s that I don¡¯t want you entering your first magic-dense region with preconceived notions. That¡¯s how virgin explores die.¡±


    I swallow a nervous lump in my throat; Tabitha''s warning was more than enough to shake my confidence a bit.


    ¡°Do you¡­. do you know how magic dense regions form?" I stammer, trying to change the subject. "I asked Camden what he knew about them, but he told me he wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable and hadn''t interacted with any explorers of the region since he was a child. Apparently, during his father¡¯s time running the village, it was common to have explorers stop by the village on their way there.¡±


    Tabitha hums in thought. ¡°Hunters and explorers probably stopped coming to your village when the mountain stopped producing iron. My Master has told me that the Endless Forest borders more of Olebert than just this part. Without a reason to draw in traders, it would only make sense hunters would enter closer to a more populated area, where they could trade in their spoils for better prices.¡±


    I see what Tabitha means; if anyone tried to sell magic materials in Drey, the only people who would buy them were those who would probably want to transport them to Olebert¡¯s capital, where they would make a more significant profit. And the only way they could do so was by buying the materials at a lower margin. No one would want to come out here and risk their lives only to be underpaid.


    "As to how magic-dense regions form, there is a lot of speculation,¡± Tabitha tries to answer my initial question. ¡°Some believe magic-dense zones are the culmination of multiple mana veins converging at one point.¡±


    ¡°Veins like our magicite mine?¡± I ask for clarification.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tabitha nods. ¡°Some scholars believe it takes hundreds of these veins over a long period of time to create a magic-dense region.¡±


    ¡°What are the other theories?¡±


    Tabitha pauses for a second to consider her words. ¡°Some believe regions, like the one we are headed to, are a byproduct of great battles from ages past; battles that shaped the world today.¡±


    ¡°Is there any proof to that theory?¡± I ask on the edge of my seat. To influence an area hundreds of years later, what kind of magic could do such a thing?


    "I''m not sure about all magic-dense zones, but one particular zone in Scholl known as the Blood-Flats does. Our kingdom has records detailing a battle that happened there. It isn¡¯t clear if the battle was over possession of the Blood-Flats or if it caused its creation, but what we do know is that the fighting took place back in the warring period, before the declining ages. Back when humanity was at its strongest, unlike today.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I exclaim in aww. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know so much. I wouldn¡¯t peg you a history buff.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow menacingly, but I¡¯m not afraid and smirk at her.


    ¡°You forget that I¡¯m nobility,¡± Tabitha continues to leer at me. ¡°I have had an extensive upbringing where I learned many things," Tabitha pauses for a solid minute. ¡°Most of which I didn¡¯t bother to memorize, but I¡¯m not a simpleton!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡± I hold my hands up, gesturing for Tabitha not to stand up and calm down. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. Thanks for telling me what you know.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s scowl falls away, and I let out a small sigh. Is it just me, or is she a little on edge? We haven''t run into anything dangerous all day, not even a four-armed karhu, so I can only guess where we''re heading has her on edge. Another sign that I need to take things seriously from here on out.


    ¡°Alright, so you can¡¯t give me any specific hints on what I need to watch out for, but can you give me a general idea, please, Senior Sister?¡±


    The two of us stare each other down until Tabitha finally gives in, ¡°Fine. You still need to expect the unexpected, but I guess I can tell you about the main things you need to look out for. Of course, you already know anything can happen with the plants and animals, but equally, something you need to pay attention to is your surroundings."


    ¡°Like the terrain?¡±


    Tabitha nods but elaborates further. "Yes, the terrain, but not just your footing, or if we¡¯re on a hill or not, I mean in regards to the mana. The mana in a magic-dense region can fluctuate greatly. You can go from a dead zone where the mana is thinner than outside the region to walking into a culvert with a higher mana level than in a magicite mine. You¡¯re strong enough that you won¡¯t suffer from mana poisoning easily, but the changes in your surrounding mana will play havoc on your mana-based skills as well as my gear.¡±


    ¡°Ok, what else?¡±


    Tabitha brings her hand up to her chin and thinks. "We need to be on the lookout for people."


    ¡°You mean like other explorers?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Tabitha tells me with a serious expression. "I don''t know how popular this region is to Olebert, but there is a genuine possibility that we might run into other hunters and explorers."


    ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing?¡± I make an educated guess.


    Tabitha nods. "There is an unspoken rule when it comes to magic-dense regions: Might Makes Right.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m assuming you understand what I mean," Tabitha waits for me to nod affirmative, ensuring she gets her point across. ¡°If we do run into others, you aren¡¯t to say anything and immediately get behind me,¡± she stresses.


    ¡°Anything else I should be aware of?¡± I nervously ask. By my count, I had to watch out for the weather, plants, animals, the terrain, and other people; if that didn¡¯t cover everything, I was afraid to find out what else I was missing.


    ¡°Just one more thing,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°Of course, there is," I sigh, throwing my hands up in exasperation, waiting for Tabitha to tell me her final piece of bad news.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t regarding the magic-dense region," Tabitha tells me, drawing my full attention.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I may be here to watch over you, but this is a test you must overcome,¡± Tabitha proudly proclaims. ¡°I¡¯ll step in if need be, but you will have to make your own decisions once we enter the magic-dense region. If a magic beast attacks, I won''t step in unless you''re about to be critically injured; the same goes for any magic beasts you decide to fight. I know you rushed to come here because you fear Master Pacore will come any day now, and he may, but that means I¡¯m running out of time to train you.¡±


    ¡°I want you to show me you can survive on your own. Show me you are qualified to call me Senior Sister! Can you do that?¡±


    My heart was threatening to beat out of my chest, but surprisingly it wasn¡¯t from fear; it was from excitement. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I can do,¡± I proudly proclaim.


    ¡°You better,¡± Tabitha smirks at me like she does when we¡¯re sparring. "Hopefully, you''ll have earned your first feather by the time we make it back to your village."


    I wasn¡¯t looking forward to always having to incorporate a feather into my wardrobe, but I was excited to earn one, which meant slaying a strong beast and claiming one as a trophy.


    I had no idea what I would encounter in the magic-dense region, but I did know this¡­.


    I would prove myself to Tabitha and show her how much I''ve grown. No matter what challenges I came across, I''d overcome them. This I swore!

 Ch: 110.3

    Tabitha and I stopped in the middle of a large clearing, an oddity considering how deep in the forest we were.


    All around me, ferns and other bushes had grown to cover what used to be barren soil. Tree saplings dotted the edge of the clearing, slowly encroaching in on the open space. Inevitably, the trees would once again take over, and any passing hunter wouldn¡¯t be able to tell there was a clearing here in the first place.


    Only those like myself, who knew what once stood here and who called it home, would remember the battle that took place here.


    Looking to my side, I meet Tabitha¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s been watching me since we stepped into the clearing, not saying a word, but that was hardly new.


    ¡°This was where we fought the goblins," I inform her in a somber voice. Almost a year ago, our village marched on the goblin village, and so much had changed since then. Yet, standing amongst the last remnants of what was the goblin¡¯s camp, I can¡¯t help but imagine what it would¡¯ve been like if I was as strong as I am now? Would I¡¯ve been able to take on the goblins by myself?


    I kick a burnt piece of wood hidden underneath a patch of vines. No, that''s a stupid idea. Even if I were as strong as Tabitha, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to solo an entire goblin horde by myself. Then again, I glance at my armored companion, and I could imagine her pulling it off. Maybe it¡¯s just me putting her up on a pedestal, but I couldn¡¯t see her losing to a bunch of level 50 goblins, no matter how many there were.


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± Tabitha responds, eyes darting to various spots around the clearing. I don''t know how she did it, but she perfectly picked out the pits we dug to cremate the goblin corpses. ¡°Does your village deal with goblins often?¡±


    "Yes, but nothing like this. Ever since I was a baby, there have always been small bands of goblins roaming the forest. However, it was only last year that a horde came out of the magic-dense region. Have you seen a lot of them on your patrols?¡±


    I''ve heard the hunters mention that they''ve started to see small bans of goblins again, but not at the frequency they once did.


    ¡°A few," Tabitha tells me. But, by her tone of voice, I could tell she doesn''t consider them worth mentioning further. ¡°Are we close to the magic-dense region?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± I point north. ¡°At the speed we¡¯re going, we¡¯ll reach it in two hours. Do we stop here for the night, or do you want to get closer before we break for camp?"


    ¡°Here will be fine,¡± Tabitha says, setting her bag down. ¡°It will be better to camp now and travel two hours tomorrow rather than risk camping on the edge of the magic-dense region. So enjoy it because tonight will be the last peaceful rest you¡¯ll get until we leave.¡±


    I take Tabitha up on her advice and settle in for the night. We get a small fire going, but I don''t have anything to cook, unlike last night. It was surprising, but for some reason, we''ve encountered fewer and fewer animals the closer we got to the magic-dense region.


    Grabbing some jerky and a biscuit out of my bag, I sit down next to the fire and nibble on my rations, though it didn¡¯t take long to finish them. It was still too early to try and sleep, and Tabitha didn¡¯t look like she was in a talkative mood, so I started to meditate.


    I was still trying to create physical threads of mana, and thanks to our proximity to the magic-dense region, I didn¡¯t need to worry about regaining enough mana by tomorrow. I was already absorbing 10% more mana than usual, and that was without me pulling it out of my surroundings.


    Sitting there, illuminated by the firelight, I tried practicing my mana skills. Only¡­. I couldn¡¯t focus enough; the mana around me was far too distracting.


    I didn¡¯t notice it when we walked into the clearing, but now that Meditation was amplifying Sense Mana, I could sense the pockets of dark mana twisting underground. And all of it centered around the cremation pits.


    The mana was as dark as the void that surrounded my soul. When I looked at it, the mana sent shivers up my spine and reminded me of when I met the goddesses Ilia and Ebeon, be it to a much lesser degree. This was the first time I¡¯d seen so much death mana in one place. And that was the only thing it could be, mana that personified death.


    Although it was spine-chilling to watch, the dark mana was fascinating to observe. It was the slowest type of mana I¡¯d ever seen, churning and shifting even slower than the water mana in snow and ice. I thought the mana form of death would be corrosive or clash with the other forms of mana around us, but it didn¡¯t. Instead, the death mana seemed to follow the path of least resistance, acting like slime placed in sand. It mingled with other forms of mana but didn¡¯t mesh with it. I spent the next couple of hours watching it, even as the sun went down.


    From fiction back on Earth, I thought death mana would be more sinister and try to devour everything around it, like a virus in a zombie movie, but that didn¡¯t happen. In fact, when I focused on the borders of the mass of death mana, where it interacted with the mana around it, I saw an interesting thing happen. The other types of mana were feeding on the death mana and growing more vibrant in return. It was a slow process, but it was happening nonetheless.


    I guess it makes sense; when organisms die, they break down and become nourishment for the living; it only made sense the same was true with mana. If it wasn¡¯t for the possibility of undead spawning, I¡¯m sure death mana wouldn¡¯t be as feared as it is.


    While making a few hypotheses on the nature of death mana, I watched a small bubble of it break off from the whole and squirm its way up to the surface. I was expecting to see it disperse into the air, but instead, it started to inflate like a horrific balloon animal as soon as it broke ground. And it wasn¡¯t the only one.


    Multiple spheres of death mana emerged from the ground around us, and I watched in horror as they took on the shape of goblins. ¡°Tab- tab- Tabitha!¡± My voice cracked as I tried to get her attention.


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    ¡°I see them, don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured me as I drew my hammer and stood up. Would a hammer even work against a ghost?


    Ten feet away from me, a spectral horned hob wielding a wooden club formed and started to float towards me.


    I wasn''t going to wait for some ghost to get the drop on me, so I Flash Step next to it and swing my hammer at its head. My hammer passed right through the ghost, obliterating its head into thousands of mana wisps. I smile as the air pressure from my swing is enough to disperse the rest of it. I guess ghosts aren¡¯t as dangerous as I thought.


    My smile quickly falters when with Sense Mana, I watch, horrified, as the ghost slowly starts to reform. Nearly twenty ghosts had appeared around the clearing, and I was about to start panicking.


    ¡°Aaliyah, stop it!¡± Tabitha¡¯s voice cuts through my anxious thoughts as I am about to swing my hammer where the ghost would reform. I pause mid-swing and turn to look at Tabitha, who was still calmly sitting in her seat next to the fire. "Leave them be and come sit back down," she ordered me in a way that left no room for argument.


    ¡°But?¡± I anxiously look at the specters around us, then back to Tabitha.


    She points at the seat across from her, Sit!¡±


    Lowering my weapon, I nervously make my way back to our campsite, eying the multiple specters around us. ¡°They can¡¯t hurt us?¡± I ask tensely.


    ¡°They cannot,¡± Tabitha reassures me, going so far as reaching over and shoving her arm into another ghost goblin that was floating close to her.


    The specter doesn¡¯t so much as flinch as she waves her hand around to make a point, even as her movements disperse half the ghost. The ghost¡¯s eyes are empty, and it never even glances at us as it slowly reforms and continues to float in the direction it was initially heading.


    ¡°Are they ghosts?¡± I nervously ask.


    "Remnants," Tabitha tells me like her one-word description would answer all my questions.


    ¡°Are remnants ghosts?¡± I push for further answers while nervously looking around us, trying to track each remnant''s movements.


    ¡°Not quite; there shouldn''t be enough death energy here to support a ghost,¡± she lazily explains, calmly glancing over each apparition. "If there were a ghost among them, it would''ve been the first to appear, and it would¡¯ve lunged at us immediately. There might have been enough death energy here to support one ghost initially, but if you said it¡¯s been a year since the village¡¯s slaughter, most of the energy should¡¯ve dissipated by then.¡±


    ¡°I thought we burned corpses so things like this wouldn¡¯t happen? And energy; are you talking about the death mana underneath us?¡±


    Tabitha smirks at me. ¡°I suppose you would be able to sense it with your skills,¡± she eyes the ground underneath us. ¡°Do you sense any bodies?¡± But before I can answer her question, she starts second-guessing herself. ¡°No, if there were any here, they¡¯d have already crawled out by now.¡±


    ¡°Can you not sound so relaxed!¡± I hiss, to which Tabitha only smiles wider.


    ¡°I take it this is your first time seeing the undead.¡±


    ¡°No, I see ghosts walking around the village every day!¡± I snap sarcastically.


    Tabitha shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t know everything you¡¯ve experienced. In any army, it''s a commonplace to learn about the undead and what to look out for. What you see around us are remnants, fragments of the souls of the goblins who died here, empowered by the death energy underneath our feet. They can¡¯t interact with anything in our world, and nothing would happen even if you walked through one. So, really, you don''t know any of this?" Tabitha gives me a questioning look.


    ¡°No!¡± I scowl, cursing my lack of knowledge. ¡°I¡¯ve been to the area the village scatters people¡¯s ashes; how come I¡¯ve never seen one of these remnants before?¡±


    ¡°Probably not enough fresh ashes," Tabitha explains to me. "Remnants need death energy to exist; once it dissipates, so do they. It takes dozens of freshly dead to summon one of them.¡±


    ¡°Do they know that we¡¯re here?¡± I ask in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Tabitha remarks. ¡°I don¡¯t think they do.¡±


    Even though I¡¯m afraid to ask, I know I need to. So, I gather my courage and ask Tabitha, ¡°What about other undead? What about ghosts?¡±


    ¡°Ghosts are a step above remnants,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°Unlike remnants, ghosts can interact with our world, and like other types of undead, they are drawn to living creatures, especially those with high levels.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± I ask, having a decently high level myself.


    ¡°The higher someone¡¯s level is, the more death energy they release when they die. Ghosts and other undead need that energy to live; that''s why they are violent to anything living. But you don''t have to worry much about astral undead; they need a specific environment to move about. You can starve an astral undead by simply avoiding its territory; eventually, they''ll disperse. It¡¯s zombies and ghouls, and to a lesser extent, skeletons, that you need to be wary of. Dead flesh and bones trap and even produce a small amount of death energy, allowing undead with a body the ability to roam. That¡¯s why cremation is considered a must.¡±


    ¡°What about Drey?¡± They have to have enough regular deaths to produce remnants. Now that I think about it, what about after large-scale battles. What would it be like if remnants formed then? Wouldn''t they look like your comrades? A shiver runs up my spine.


    ¡°Priests with specific skills watch over graveyards. They help the death energy disperse faster, so Remnants don''t spawn,¡± Tabitha explains to me.


    Then they probably have priests travel with the army to keep the dead from rising. I knew there were priests in this world, but I never thought about what they did. They have to use magic to disperse the death mana, but is it the same type of magic everyone else uses or is it based around faith? I¡¯ll have to ask to speak to one when I leave the village. Though, if they worship those shitty gods, I¡¯ll have to watch my heathen tongue around them.


    Tabitha has told me a lot, but she still hasn¡¯t answered my biggest question. ¡°So, what are they?¡± I watch as a remnant floats between us and through the fire.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Tabitha looks a little exasperated. ¡°I told you they¡¯re called remnants. Do I have to explain everything again?¡±


    ¡°No, I got that part, but what ARE THEY? What are they made out of?¡±


    Tabitha shakes her head. ¡°Why must you always ask me philosophical questions? Do you think I know how the world spins or what the Gods have planned?"


    I resist the urge to explain gravity and magnetic fields to Tabitha; as to what the gods are planning, I''d rather not know. "I was just curious,¡± I smirk.


    ¡°You¡¯re always curious,¡± Tabitha tells me with a deadpan look.


    "So, you shouldn''t be surprised," I snicker.


    The back and forth with Tabitha did wonders to settle my nerves. The eerie specters were still unsettling to look at, but now my curiosity outweighed my trepidation. I saw the remnants form out of death mana, or death energy as Tabetha refers to it. Huh, death energy does roll off the lips a little easier.


    Regardless, I know they¡¯re made out of mana, but Tabitha said they were soul fragments, didn¡¯t she? If I use Sense Soul, I should be able to see if that is true or not.


    I activate my skill and struggle not to let my surprise show on my face. I¡¯ve come to trust Tabitha a lot, but that didn¡¯t mean I was comfortable disclosing my tier 5 skills with her.


    In my eyes, the remnants weren¡¯t soul fragments; they were moving chunks of experience; and not in the ¡®if I kill them, I¡¯ll earn experience¡¯ kind of way. No, the remnants were experience points shaped and animated by death energy. Using my skill on the remnants didn''t cause any feedback as living people did, so I could stare at them indefinably, meaning there wasn¡¯t truly a soul in any form there.


    I wasn¡¯t 100% sure, but I¡¯d wager these remnants were composed of the experience that naturally dissipates after something dies. Somehow the death energy must have gathered them and made the specter before me. They were the outer part of a goblin¡¯s soul; that''s why they take on their appearance. And if that was true¡­.


    I could devour these ¡®ghosts¡¯ without fear of repercussion. They weren¡¯t alive by any definition, so it should be ok. So, holding my hand out, I start to activate Soul Devourer.


    ¡°They won¡¯t bother us while we sleep; if anything, they''ll keep any local wildlife away. You, ok?¡± Tabitha¡¯s voice brings me back to the present.


    I swallow a lump in my throat. What the hell was that; I almost activated my tier 6 skill even though Tabitha is right there! It was like as soon as I justified absorbing them, I didn¡¯t think about anything else!


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I force a smile. ¡°Just getting used to their presence,¡± I add when Tabitha doesn¡¯t appear to be convinced by my lie.


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow, but she doesn''t push me more than she already has. "Alright then, you took first watch last night, so I¡¯ll go first tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I quickly wrap my rain poncho around me and use it to cover my face, so Tabitha can''t see my panicked expression. I roll on my side, facing away from her, and question why I almost did something so stupid. And perhaps worst of all, why a part of me still wanted to devour the remnants, consequences be dammed.


    Since the Grey thing, I haven''t used Soul Devourer; I thought I was above being affected by the skill, especially since Mental Resistance recently hit level 60, but I guess I was wrong.


    This was not something I wanted to deal with right before I entered the most dangerous place I¡¯d ever been in both my lives and that included the mine I lost my life in.


    I try to bury my feelings of unease, but my usual tactic of hiding my emotions deep down wasn''t helping me this time.


    Tonight was going to suck!

 Ch: 111.1

    ¡°This is it,¡± I reach out and try to touch the invisible barrier that separated the Endless Forest from its magic-dense region counterpart. There wasn''t a physical barrier there, so my hand effortlessly passed through it, but I could immediately feel the difference in mana density on the other side.


    Standing right outside the magic-dense region, I¡¯d say the ambient mana was already 2.4-2.6 times higher than usual, while on the other side, I''d estimate it to be around 3.3 if what I was feeling on my hand was accurate. That was a considerable jump in ambient mana when you consider that my hand was only a few feet in front of me.


    But if the change in mana wasn¡¯t enough of a clue that things were different on the other side, you could just look at the plants around us. There were the standard trees and bushes I¡¯ve grown up working around with my dad on this side of the barrier, and on the other side stood their bigger mana-infused cousins. The average tree size ballooned by almost 40% in a matter of feet. Not to mention, their colors looked more vibrant and healthier than anything I¡¯ve ever seen before. The only other trees that came close to the ones in front of me were the few magic trees I¡¯ve encountered.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Tabitha asks beside me.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± I smile at her.


    Tabitha looks me up and down and pauses on my face. I''m sure my eyes were a bit baggy from my lack of sleep last night, but I was ready. My adrenaline was pumping, and I didn''t need to feign excitement. "I am,¡± I reassure her.


    ¡°So be it. Be on your guard. And remember, anything could happen from here on out. If I give you an order, I expect you to follow it.¡±


    ¡°I already said I would,¡± I roll my eyes.


    Tabitha places her armored hand on my shoulder and makes sure I look her in the eyes. ¡°I mean it. If I tell you to run, you run, even if it means leaving me behind.¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re about to die?¡± I nervously ask.


    ¡°Especially if I¡¯m about to die,¡± Tabitha stresses. ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    I silently nod my head.


    "I need to hear you say it. Without any sarcasm."


    ¡°I promise to follow your orders,¡± I pause, not wanting to agree to the second part.


    ¡°Even,¡± she pushes me to finish.


    "Even if you''re about to die," I reluctantly promise. But what Tabitha doesn¡¯t know is that I have my fingers crossed behind my back, the gesture might not mean anything in this world, but it did to me. The two of us were going to survive together, no exceptions.


    ¡°Good," Tabitha''s shoulders relaxed like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. "With me then.¡±


    Side by side, the two of us step into the magic-dense region. But we don¡¯t even take two steps inside before my right hand reflexing finds its way up to my hammer¡¯s handle as I scan our surroundings. I can¡¯t help but feel a little bit jumpy after what Tabitha just made me promise. I¡¯m not sure which of us is better at detecting hidden enemies, but we were a team, and I wouldn''t let her down.


    ¡°You see anything?¡± Tabitha asks me, seeing my hand resting on my weapon.


    "No, you?"


    "Nothing, but that''s to be expected. If there were anything dangerous nearby, it wouldn''t have waited for us to enter in the first place,¡± she tells me matter-of-factly. ¡°Besides, the strongest magic beasts prefer environments with the highest mana. So unless they have a good reason to leave, we won¡¯t see any of them until we move much deeper into the forest.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve told me that sooner!¡± I growl. ¡°With the way you were just talking, I figured we would be attacked as soon as we entered!¡±


    ¡°We could¡¯ve been,¡± Tabitha points out to me.


    ¡°Yeah, but we weren¡¯t!¡±


    Tabitha shrugs at me as steam threatens to burst out of my ears. ¡°But you were ready in case we were, weren''t you?"


    ¡°Yeah¡­ but!¡± I stubble for something to say but come up blank. Throwing my hands up, I suddenly had the desire to turn around and go home. My emotions were already stressed from last night, I know Tabitha was only doing it to mess with me, and I probably deserved it, but I wasn''t in the mood for it.


    Last night I felt like someone going through detox; only my substance of choice was lazily floating a few feet from me. I almost wish we were attacked as soon as we entered; at least that way, I would''ve had an excuse to work off some of this pent-up frustration.


    Shaking my head, I cast away those thoughts. It was better not to tempt fate, even if I had it on a goddess¡¯s authority that they didn¡¯t interfere with the world.


    ¡°So, we''re here; what do we do know?" I ask after taking a deep calming breath.


    I was expecting Tabitha to make another dry remark, but she surprised me by giving me a serious answer. ¡°We have two options. One, we wander aimlessly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an actual option?¡± I raise a questioning eyebrow.


    "It is," Tabitha tells me. "Neither of us has been here before. We don¡¯t know where anything is, and we¡¯re just as likely to run into rare materials as we are at finding nothing. Option one all depends on our luck but is safer than option two."


    ¡°And what is option two?¡±


    "Option two is to head for the center of the magic-dense region, where the strongest monsters live and the mana density is highest. It will be more dangerous than option one, but we''re pretty much guaranteed to find rare materials on our way there. Of course, that is what you''re looking for, isn''t it?¡± Tabitha smirks at me, hinting at which option she prefers.


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    ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to the center of the magic-dense region then,¡± I chuckle. I didn¡¯t come here for safe and easy. Master told me how rare minerals could be found anywhere here and that they could be relatively close to the surface. I''m sure with Sense Mana, I would be able to find a few such deposits if we stick to the outer areas of the magic-dense region, but they would be at most tier 3 at best. I wanted to get my hands on something better, so in we go.


    ¡°Alright then, can you point us in the right way?¡± Tabitha asks me for our heading, leaving me confused.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were leading? And what makes you think I know the way to the center of this place?¡±


    "You can sense mana, can''t you?" Tabitha gives me a look that says the answer is obvious. "We need to head to where the mana is thickest, so which way is that?¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhh,¡± I finally get what she¡¯s implying. Blushing, I focus on the mana around us. If all the mana originates from one point or multiple points close together, I should be able to see which direction it''s originating from.


    As soon as I activate my skills, it becomes obvious which way we have to go. ¡°There,¡± I point towards the northeast. We were standing in a sea of mana currents, and they were all coming from that direction.


    ¡°Good, let me know if we need to change direction. Other than that, stay a few steps behind me at all times. And don¡¯t hesitate to point out anything you find fishy around us; I''m no scout," she reminds me.


    ¡°I can do that,¡± I agree with Tabitha¡¯s strategy and take up a position behind her, off to the side a bit; that way, I could still see in front of us.


    Tabitha nods approvingly and starts moving in the direction I indicated. It might have started a bit rocky, but we were finally starting the real adventure.


    I couldn¡¯t wait to see what we encountered first!


    *********


    Two hours¡­.


    For two hours, we walked through an endless expanse of towering trees. They stretched into the heavens as if reaching for the gods themselves. There was magic in them, so much so that they practically oozed it.


    Surprisingly, no beasts attacked us. They were there, of course, scurrying just out of sight. But nevertheless, I could see their mana signatures plain as day.


    There were giant squirrels the size of cats shimming up and down the trees, looking for fruit and nuts that contained more mana than a small magic gem. They were cautiously keeping their distance from us, watching our every move from the safety of their trees.


    The squirrels weren''t the only thing silently moving around us either; there were bugs, bugs larger than any bug had any right to be. Flies the size of Ping-Pong balls buzzed around us, dripping acid out of their horrific-looking mouths. After the first one landed on my shielded shoulder, I refused to let a single one touch me again.


    Tabitha wasn¡¯t exaggerating when she said anything was possible. The flies were drawn to me, not because I smelled bad or any of the usual reasons flies were drawn to people. No, these flies were drawn towards my Mana Skin. I had watched, horrified, as that first fly landed on my shoulder and expelled a clump of acid onto my barrier of mana that protected me from the outside world.


    The fly¡¯s acid was designed to eat through magic. The small wad of green goop it expelled tore through Mana Skin quickly. It absorbed my mana and thickened it into a paste that the fly then greedily consumed.


    I crushed the inset before it could escape, only to have it pop like an overfilled water balloon when my hand connected with it. Its guts, much like its acid, ate through my mana. From that point on, I had to use a nearby stick as a makeshift weapon to defend myself because I sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to test how my hammer would hold out against the disgusting creatures.


    Tabitha was lucky; we were taking our time moving through the forest, so she didn¡¯t need to activate her armor¡¯s enchantments. Hence none of the flies were attracted to her.


    There were other bugs two, but they weren¡¯t as annoying as the flies. I picked out various spiders hidden in the underbrush; they ranged in size, with the smallest of them being coin-sized, while the largest one was the size of a medium-sized dog. The dog one was some sort of magic trap door-spider, we avoided its burrow, but we still saw it pop out for a moment when a two-foot-long centipede moved past its hidden opening.


    I was on the lookout for its larger siblings, the chameleon spiders, but we¡¯d yet to run into anything bigger than your average pet. So for my first big adventure, it was a little lackluster, all things considered. But I didn''t care; I was still enamored with my surroundings.


    I was picking up various sticks, not only for defense against the annoying flies but also to examine them for their magical properties. Unfortunately, most were similar to their non-magical counterparts and had only grown used to holding more mana. The stick currently in my hands was one such variant, and it was from a tree I was familiar with, a blacksmithing tree.


    The stick was only a few feet long and wasn¡¯t that thick, and yet it held the same amount of mana as the logs I usually used to power the forge. I had mentally memorized where the tree this stick originated from was located. So even if we didn''t find anything else, which was highly unlikely, I could bring back some quality firewood. And who knew, depending on how this trip went, I might come back again later just for that tree.


    If the supercharged blacksmithing logs worked like their standard counterpart, they would be hard to light, but the heat they would give off would be tremendous once it was. Since I started working with magic materials, I''ve required stronger and stronger flames; these better blacksmithing logs could be a big help for me.


    If I could find trees this helpful only two hours into our journey, what would the trees in the deeper parts be like?


    Everything around me was new, and that''s what was exciting.


    The trees weren¡¯t the only things changed by the mana, each animal and insect we¡¯ve passed by has had its own unique mana signature. For example, the annoying flies were a bright blue, showcasing their water affinity. The trap-door spider had a deep brown mana signature and manipulated the earth around it to the point its burrow was indistinguishable from its surroundings. Hell, even the giant ass squirrels radiated wind mana, even though I¡¯ve yet to see what they can do with it.


    The point was, if the squirrels started to shoot laser beams out of their eyes, I wouldn''t be surprised at this point. Everything around us was magical, from the plants to the smallest of insects.


    Though one thing I had trouble understanding was why was it so bright?


    Mana explained why the trees and animals were bigger than usual and had unique properties, but how was it possible that we could see the forest around us?


    The trees around us were massive, towering hundreds of feet. It was the middle of the day, but almost none of the sun''s rays could pierce the dense forest canopy above us. So, by logic, the forest should be dark and hard to see, but that simply wasn''t true.


    There was a small amount of light seeping through the branches, but the forest still glowed, almost like it was caught in an eternal sunset. My first thought was that the trees were giving off small amounts of light in some form of bioluminescence. But if that were the case, the forest would be brighter than it was, so it had to be something else.


    It had to have something to do with mana, the cause of anything weird in this world almost always traced back to mana somehow.


    Using Sense Mana, I tried to see if I could spot a difference in the surrounding mana. A daunting task, considering our environment.


    I was still getting used to the higher ambient mana that was constantly flowing past me. The veil of mana slightly reduced the range of my skill, and other than stationary targets and animals, it was almost impossible to sense the specifics of the mana flowing past me. Even if the mana was doing something to the light, I had no hope of seeing it.


    While I was trying to unravel the mana around me, I saw it. "A break in the trees," I point out a hole in the canopy to Tabitha. And luckily, it didn¡¯t look to be that far of a detour.


    ¡°I see it,¡± Tabitha nods in understanding and changes direction.


    The forest became brighter the closer we got to the break in the tree line, but what I thought was a slight detour turned out to be a longer trek than I expected. We walked for over thirty minutes, and the hole in the sky leaking sunshine only got bigger and bigger. What I thought was a small hole in the canopy turned out to be a massive opening. And it didn¡¯t take long for us to see why.


    Laying on its side was one of the massive trees. It was covered in moss, vines, and other plants, all of which were slowly devouring it, turning the slowly rotting skyscraper into nourishment.


    Tabitha and I followed the downed tree to a clearing in the forest, where we could find the rotting remains of the tree¡¯s stump, and it was massive. Measurement put it at a massive forty-two feet and seven inches in diameter.


    The downed tree had left a gaping hole overhead, but one look around the clearing and it was apparent it wouldn''t stay open for long. Dozens of smaller trees had already sprung up around the stump and were racing each other to reach the top. Even with all this mana around them, the trees weren¡¯t immortal.


    How long would it take these new trees to reach the same height as the one that previously stood here?


    100 years? 200? Who knew? Would I live long enough to see it?


    Time would only tell, but it was better to focus on the present. "I''m going to look for any interesting plants nearby; care to join me?" I ask Tabitha.


    "No, I''ll rest a moment." Tabitha sat down on the massive stump. "Be mindful of your surroundings.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± I tell her as I start exploring the wide-open area. With the tree gone, plants that usually had to fight for the sunlight were growing rapidly. I wasn¡¯t a herbologist by any means, and I was just looking for anything that had a higher than usual mana signature.


    The most eye-catching plants in the clearing were some nearby ferns, the tips of which were purple. Rubbing the leaves left my fingers covered in tiny spores. Luckily, Mana Skin kept any of it from touching my actual skin. Judging by how tightly they clung to my mana, I¡¯d say the spores were covered in microscopic hooks. Whether the spores were poisons or not didn''t matter to me, I was interested in the plant for another reason.


    I grab a small trowel out of my bag and use it to dig at the base of the fern, where I uncover its red roots, the part of the plant that contained the most mana. I didn¡¯t care what properties they had; all I knew was that I could probably sell them to Kervin for some extra money.


    Smiling to myself, I cycle Mana skin to remove any spores attached to me and pocket the cluster of roots in my bag.


    That was when I heard it, rustling in the distance. I move to draw my hammer and turn to warn Tabitha. But it turns out I didn¡¯t need to because she was already moving next to me with her sword drawn. ¡°Don¡¯t take your eyes off your target,¡± she quietly berates me.


    By this point, the rustling had turned into rumbling. Whatever was approaching was a lot bigger than a dog or cat.


    And here I thought we would go the whole day without fighting anything. Luckily, I was wrong.

 Ch: 111.2

    ¡°What do we do?¡± I hastily ask Tabitha.


    Tabitha gives me a reproaching look. ¡°That is up to you. Remember I said this was your challenge to overcome. You need to decide; do you fight, or do we flee?¡± Tabitha grins sadistically, appearing to be enjoying the situation we were in. ¡°Better decide quickly,¡± she reminds me, pointing her unsheathed sword in the direction the noise was coming from.


    I stared wide-eyed at the woman in armor; she was doing this now!?


    The rumbling was getting louder, and I could feel vibrations through the ground. Whatever was approaching us was big.


    I looked to Tabitha for guidance, but all her attention was on the tree line. Glancing around the clearing, I rush to try to develop some semblance of a plan. I had no idea what was coming and whether or not we would need to run. For all I knew, the monster approaching us was speed-oriented or excelled at tracking; running might not even be an option.


    A million possibilities flooded my mind, making it even harder to concentrate. What was the right move!?


    As I started to stress visibly, Tabitha called out to me, pulling me out of the rabbit hole I was falling into. ¡°Calm down; what did I teach you?"


    Memories of my training sessions with Tabitha come to mind. There was no use trying to come up with a strategy for an enemy you knew nothing about. Any detailed plan I would likely come up with would need to be changed. Simplicity was the only way to go.


    My eyes land on the large stump in the middle of the clearing, and a simple yet effective strategy comes to mind. ¡°Hide!¡± I yell, rushing for cover.


    To her credit, Tabitha doesn¡¯t second guess my orders, activating her armor¡¯s enchantments and following me behind the rotten stump without a single word. And a good thing, too, because I hear the crashing sound of one of the smaller trees on the edge of the clearing being knocked over as soon as we''re out of sight.


    Time to see if I made the right decision or if I screwed up already. Tabitha said we wouldn''t run into anything too strong this early, so I doubt we were in any real danger, but you never know.


    Peaking around the tree stump, I try to see what entered the clearing without giving us away. And when I do, I get my first look at an impressive magic beast.


    Technically, my first encounter with magic beasts was the chameleon spiders, but I wasn''t counting those because I fought them before we entered the magic-dense region. And though I¡¯ve seen plenty of magical animals and insects since we entered, they didn¡¯t elicit the same wonder as the beasts in front of me.


    Standing thirteen feet tall, maybe two hundred feet away from me, was a living, breathing dinosaur¡­. Rhino; Dinosaur-rhino thing? It was as tall as I would imagine a triceratops to be, but instead of having a shield-shaped head, it looked closer to a rhinoceros'', a rhinoceros with a lot more horns. There were seven of them, running up its face, with the most prominent horns on its snout.


    The creature''s ebony horns stood out against its light brown hide and naturally drew my attention. There was a lot of mana in those horns, a type of mana I''ve only seen once before in a tree. And just like an arc tree, I watch as a bolt of electricity jolts from the creature''s biggest horn to its other smaller ones.


    I wanted those horns, but I was reluctant to rush the massive creature, mainly because it wasn¡¯t alone. Three other beasts followed the first into the clearing. One was slightly smaller than the first, but it had more horns running up its face; only these were even in size and a lot smaller overall compared to the first. The other two were smaller versions of the bigger ones, a family group.


    My target was the first one, the bull; I knew it was male because it was the biggest of the four. That, and it was pretty hard to miss the rather sizeable fleshy appendage dangling between its hind legs.


    ¡°Tabitha, can you distract the other three while I fight the big one?¡± I ask in a whisper.


    Tabitha sneaks a quick glance at the situation before turning to me, shaking her head, no.


    ¡°What; why not?¡± I frown.


    ¡°How many times must I tell you?¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°This is your fight. If you want to take them on, you have to do it yourself. They aren¡¯t that strong,¡± she tells me with confidence. ¡°I¡¯ll step in if something goes wrong, but you should act as if I¡¯m not here. Now, what will you do? They don¡¯t look like they would follow us if we ran.¡±


    Though Tabitha suggested the possibility of running, her eyes say differently. She expects me to rise to the challenge, and quickly scanning the group with Sense Soul reveals that she''s right; they aren''t that strong. Level wise that is. The bull is around level 65, while the female is in the low 60''s. I don''t even bother trying to calculate the two little one¡¯s levels due to how small their souls are.


    The four beasts were inching their way further into the clearing. They looked to be foraging for food, hooving the ground with their massive feet, looking for gods know what. I watch, interested, as one of the little ones stumbles over to the blue-tipped fern I partially dug up. In one bite, the dinosaur-looking thing swallows the plant whole, not caring in the slightest that it was covered in spiked spores.


    While the first baby eats, the second moves over towards its sibling, probably noticing that it had already found a source of food. I expect the two to start fighting over the surrounding plants, but the one who first stumbled onto the magic plant was surprisingly gentle regarding its sibling joining it. While it chewed the fern in its mouth, it moved aside so its sibling could better access the area.


    I watch as the second baby digs up the ground and starts snacking on the parts of the fern¡¯s roots I didn¡¯t dig up.


    It was amazing to be so close to such giant beasts. I had to fight back the urge to get closer and try my hand at petting one of them. However, I¡¯d already seen that movie and knew how doing something like that would end. And needlessly pissing off their parents wasn¡¯t something I wanted to do.


    Or was it?


    If I wanted to fight the bull, I¡¯d need to figure out how to split them up. While the two littler ones were eagerly foraging around the clearing without a care in the world, the bigger two were keeping an eye on their surroundings. They took turns foraging for food, with one of them constantly scanning the area around their children. It was only a matter of time until one of us was spotted, and I lost my chance at a sneak attack.


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    The dino-rhinos were bulky and probably hit like a runaway truck. I''d have to keep on my toes, but that was normally how I fought; the problem was their lightning horns. I had no idea if they acted like tasers or if they could discharge stored electricity at will. I could doge a stampeding beast; I, however, couldn''t dodge lightning, no matter how fast I was.


    As I was trying to form a quick strategy, I saw the bull and his lady''s nostrils start to flare up. Then, both of their heads snap to attention, and they let out a low growl that sounded like a foghorn, signaling for their young to regroup with them.


    They must have realized we were hiding nearby, but how? I glanced at Tabitha to see if she was perhaps spotted, but she was still entirely hidden behind the stump. Then how did they?


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see the trees in the clearing rustle. I scan them to make sure nothing in them spooked the dino-rhinos, but when my search comes up with nothing, it¡¯s then that I realize what gave us away. The wind had changed direction.


    I couldn¡¯t feel the breeze with Mana Skin up, so I rarely thought about it and didn¡¯t notice when it shifted. Unfortunately, it was currently blowing at our backs, and though Mana Skin should theoretically help with masking my sent, Tabitha had no such thing.


    The dino-rhinos smelt Tabitha and knew they weren''t alone; it was now or never!


    Throwing my bag next to Tabitha and leaping out of my hiding spot, I use Air Walk to quickly close the distance between myself and the bull before he could try and escape.


    The big boy sees me coming and lets out a threatening growl, and doesn¡¯t hesitate to start charging me. Luckily the other three don''t follow in the big one''s charge and instead turn to flee. I couldn''t have asked for a better outcome; with the other three gone, I only need to focus on the one.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I curse and kick the air, dodging out of range of the dino-rhino¡¯s horns. While I was looking at the other three escaping, I almost missed the bull speeding up. His horns were mere inches from turning me into a pincushion. I didn¡¯t expect such a big boy to move so fast.


    I draw my hammer mid-dodge and prepare to swing at the beast''s exposed flank. Its hide looked thick enough to stop most blades, but unfortunately for him, I specialized in a different form of damage.


    My opponent was wide open, and I wasn¡¯t going to waste my chance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you handle this!?¡± I yell. Exhaling during my swing gives it a little more kick, much like how martial artists exhale during their strikes.


    My hammer cuts through the air like a wrecking ball, but I feel something wash over Mana Skin just as I''m about to connect with the dino-rhino''s side. As a result, I''m again forced to use Air Walk to change my trajectory. However, I was already mid-swing, so I have to wrap my hammer in Mana Threads to leverage it better and keep it from pulling me closer to the beast.


    I retreat a few feet from the dino-rhino, before I turn and see what I was hit with, already pretty sure I knew what the culprit was. And just as I expected, when I look at the magic beast, I see electricity discharging from its horns. There wasn¡¯t any control behind the electricity, thank god. The dino-rhino was simply discharging it in every which direction.


    If I didn¡¯t have Mana Skin activated, I probably would¡¯ve been subjected to a powerful zap, but luckily, it didn¡¯t do too much damage to my skill, and I only needed to pour some more mana into it before it was good as new. I would''ve been in trouble if the dino-rhino had better control of the electricity and hit me with it all at once rather than blanketing the area with it. I need to be warry of such attacks in the future.


    Dropping Air walk, I land on the forest floor and ready myself for another attack. The dino-rhino isn''t done either; it skids to a stop, nimbly changing direction, and charges me again. From there, the two of us play a deadly game of cat and mouse, one where the dino-rhino charges me, and I dodge to the best of my abilities. But it was strange¡­.


    No matter how close the magic beast came at times to skewering me, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to muster any fear. I recognized that there was a genuine possibility that I could be hurt, but I was calm, exceedingly so for some reason.


    As I danced around the charging bull, dodging its horns and the occasional electrical discharge, I couldn''t help but draw parallels to my training with Tabitha.


    The bull wasn¡¯t parrying my strikes, and there was never a point I felt overwhelmed by it.


    Swinging my hammer, I land a hit on the dino-rhino¡¯s neck, sending it stumbling into the dirt. But he doesn''t stay down for long and quickly shakes off my attack before getting up and charging me again.


    No matter how I dodged it or counterattacked, the bull didn''t change its attack strategy¡ªanother difference between it and Tabitha.


    Again, my hammer finds purchase on the dino-rhino''s neck, and again it gets back up after my strike, all be it a little slower than last time. Then, on shaky legs, the bull continued its mad charge.


    It was then that I realized the outcome of our fight had already been decided. I wasn''t looking down on the beast or anything like that; it was just that I realized it couldn''t challenge me as I wanted.


    I was used to being pushed to my limits by Tabitha, and now that I was fighting something ¡®easier¡¯ than her, it felt hollow and unfulfilling.


    A third strike to the dino-rhino''s neck puts it on the ground, and this time, it doesn''t get back to its feet. The giant beast whimpers in pain while trying to stand up, striking a chord in my heart.


    Despite a growing sense of unease, I raise my hammer again and deliver a swift blow to the side of the beast¡¯s head. Its eyes roll up into its skull, and it passes out. The creatures Vitality and Defense were no joke; even with multiple strikes near its spine and a blow to the head, it wasn''t dead, only unconscious.


    I didn¡¯t understand what its goals were? After the first few hits, it should''ve tried to flee, but it didn''t. Why was that?


    Looking behind the comatose dino-rhino, I see the hole its family made during their earlier escape. During all our fighting, during all my dodging, I hadn¡¯t taken a single step in that direction.


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m the bad guy here, aren¡¯t I?¡± I ask myself, replaying the fight in my head.


    The dino-rhino charged me while its family escaped, and it did everything to keep me from going after them. That''s why it didn''t stop charging me, even after I hit it so many times.


    ¡°Well done," Tabitha tells me as she steps up behind me. ¡°You barely took any damage at all, but I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from someone I¡¯ve personally trained.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I respond half-heartily, still staring at the dino-rhino in front of me. This is not how I was expecting my first win in the magic-dense region to feel.


    ¡°Are you going to finish it?¡± Tabitha asks, looking at the beast¡¯s side and seeing that it is still breathing.


    ¡°I should¡­. shouldn¡¯t I?¡± I ask with little confidence. "I mean, I did win?"


    ¡°You did,¡± Tabitha tells me like that was obvious.


    There¡¯s a silence between us.


    My prize was right in front of me. Naturally, I wanted the dino-rhino''s horns, so much so that I didn''t even hesitate to rush the beast when I thought it was about to run.


    ¡­..


    Reaching to my side, I pull out the all-purpose knife I had brought with me and channel my mana into it. The sharpening rune engraved on its blade lights up as I move next to the unconscious beast¡¯s massive head.


    Looking over the defeated creature, I make my decision.


    "What are you doing?" Tabitha asks me as I carefully start sawing off its middle horn. With Sense Mana, I make sure to cut high enough that I won¡¯t nick any of its underline nerves. If it was anything like rhinoceroses back on earth, its horn should eventually grow back.


    ¡°Taking the horn I want," I reply as I work. The ebony horn is stronger than I expected, but my enchanted knife can still slowly cut through it. "Do you think it will be able to recover?" I ask while looking at the dino-rhino''s bruised neck.


    "It should be able to," Tabitha tells me as I finish removing the horn I wanted. I chose to take the middle one because it wasn''t one of its three major ones, but it wasn¡¯t one of the smaller ones either. The horn I picked was a foot and a half long and was more than enough to craft something with.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t taking the others?¡± Tabitha notes as I re-sheath my knife and pick up my prize.


    ¡°No, it will need its other horns to protect its family," I say as I walk back to the stump where my bag was located. After stashing the horn and grabbing my pack, I turn to Tabitha. "Are you disappointed in me?"


    Tabitha looks at me, then at the still unconscious magic beast across the clearing before turning back to me. ¡°And why would I be disappointed?¡±


    I¡¯m surprised by her response. "Because I didn''t kill it," I point out to my battle-loving teacher.


    Tabitha folds her arms, ¡°And that is your decision. As the victor, you have the right to decide if you wish to finish it or not. Just beware, you won¡¯t always have this luxury, understand?"


    ¡°I do," I respond with a smile. Knowing Tabitha stood by my decision and wasn''t looking down on me for it made me feel better. ¡°Do you mind if we wait here for it to wake up?¡±


    ¡°We can do that,¡± Tabitha agrees, throwing down her pack and hopping back onto the stump, and taking a seat. ¡°While we¡¯re waiting, let us discuss your battle. You did good, but I''m sure you realized you made a few mistakes," she scolds me with a grin.


    Tabitha starts laying into me about how that first lightning discharge shouldn''t have hit me. I nod along to what she''s saying, but my mind is elsewhere.


    I was too excited at the prospect of a fight; the dino-rhino didn''t attack me; I attacked it. That went against everything I thought I believed in. Kill the aggressive monsters I run into and spare those who try to flee, that was the motto I set for myself, and I came this close to breaking it.


    Coupled with my trouble with the remnants last night, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I was walking down the wrong path, and it scared me. I¡¯ve seen what a person could turn into when they become consumed with the desire to grow stronger.


    I refuse to turn into the next soul devourer.


    Becoming stronger doesn¡¯t require I kill everything in sight.


    Looking back at the dino-rhino, I offer it a silent thank you in my head. If not for it, I might have lost a part of myself without realizing it. I¡¯ll stay here and watch over it until it wakes up and can walk again; that was the least I could do. Thankfully, that shouldn''t take too long for a creature at its level and stats.


    What a day, I let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± Tabitha narrows her eyes accusingly and asks in an icy voice.


    ¡°Yeeesssss?¡± I lie


    And it looks like my day isn¡¯t over yet.

 Ch: 111.3

    Tabitha and I waited three hours for the dino-rhino to wake up, the two of us having stood guard over the beast until it started to show signs of waking up.


    Once we saw that it was starting to come around, we grabbed our gear and hid in one of the tallest trees surrounding the clearing, making sure we chose one downwind from the beast. There was no way we were going to repeat the same mistake twice.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Tabitha remarked as we watched the massive beast struggle to its feet. It looked a little shaky, but that was expected after taking multiple strikes from my hammer.


    ¡°Thanks for helping me keep watch,¡± I give Tabitha a sincere smile without any of my usual sarcasm. Though she didn¡¯t try to keep her annoyance hidden from me, not once did she ask for me to leave the dino-rhino behind.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I could leave you,¡± she dryly notes, watching the beast in the clearing shaking off its drowsiness and what was most likely a concussion. I wonder if I could do the same; at what point did mortal injuries stop being a threat? Maybe Pacore would know?


    ¡°Still, thanks,¡± I grin.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to do this with every animal we come across, are you?¡± Tabitha casts me a nervous glance.


    I was tempted to mess with her by saying yes, but I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood. ¡°No, this was a special occasion. I shouldn''t have charged it as I did; I was hasty and didn¡¯t see that it was only trying to protect its family.¡±


    ¡°You know you still could¡¯ve killed it regardless?¡± Tabitha points out to me.


    ¡°I could have,¡± I nod in agreement. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to kill needlessly.¡±


    "Sure, but you know you would''ve gotten its other horns and hide if you finished it off?¡±


    ¡°And then what?¡± I snarkily ask. ¡°You saw how large its horns were. Were you going to help me carry them around?" We entered the forest with relatively little gear, but that was because the more we brought with us, the more it would slow our advance.


    I could grab everything around us that had a slightly elevated mana level if I wanted to, but if I did that, I¡¯d have no way of carrying it all. The same thing would happen if I had killed the dino-rhino, I only would¡¯ve been able to carry a fraction of the materials I could¡¯ve harvested from it, and I wasn¡¯t going to be wasteful.


    Plus, now that I was thinking about it, the dino-rhinos reminded me of rhinoceroses back on Earth. As an animal lover, it didn''t feel right to kill something that reminded me of an endangered animal.


    ¡°I am not a porter,¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow ominously.


    ¡°I thought so," I chuckle. Tabitha made it abundantly clear that she wasn''t going to help me unless I needed it, and it made sense that she wouldn¡¯t want to carry anything for me. Tabitha''s movement speed could be the life or death of us, so weighing her down is a no-go.


    Turning away from Tabitha, I watched as the dino-rhino stumbled out of the clearing. It was heading the same way its family had run off in. I hoped with all my being that it would find them; at least then, I might be absolved of some of the guilt I was still feeling over recklessly attacking it.


    In the future, I had to be better, for what was strength without morals. If I only wanted power, I could easily give in to the desires of my tier 6 skill. But, as soon as I did that, I would cease being Aaliyah and would only be a monster in its truest definition. And I would never let that happen!


    I was blessed with a second chance at life, and I wasn''t going to taint it by becoming a being of endless hunger.


    ¡°Time to go?¡± I ask Tabitha for her opinion. The dino-rhino had been out of sight for a few minutes now, and I was ready to return to my adventure.


    "If you''re ready?" She asks back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head out then,¡± I joyfully shout, propelling myself off the sturdy tree branch we were perched on. The bark of the strong tree easily withstood the full force of my jump, allowing me to launch myself dozens of feet into the air before I started to freefall towards the ground.


    I glanced over my shoulder and watched Tabitha take a less direct route down. Just as she had climbed up the massive tree, Tabitha hopped from one branch to another to get down. Each of her steps was meticulously calculated and made what she was doing look easy. I could do the same thing, but not as fast as she was. It was like she already had a path laid out in her head, so she was already jumping to the next branch as soon as she landed. As a result, she was descending at almost the same rate I was, and I was in a freefall.


    Not wanting to be outdone, I shifted my body downwards and used Air Walk behind me, propelling myself faster toward the ground. It isn¡¯t until I¡¯m twenty or so feet from the forest floor that I flip mid-air and use Air Walk again to stop my descent.


    ¡°Beat you," I twirl around and grin at Tabitha as my feet touch the soil.


    ¡°I thought I told you to stay close to me,¡± Tabitha berates me as she gracefully hops down from the last branch.


    "You were only a few seconds behind me; I''d call that pretty close, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Tabitha wasn''t mad at me for leaving her side; she was mad because I beat her down. She may appear stone-faced most of the time, but if I learned one thing training with her, it was that she was a sore loser.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it again,¡± Tabitha brushes off my comment with her head held high. I giggle to myself as I take up position next to her.


    I was ready to get out of the clearing; the sun was starting to get on my nerves. While the rest of the forest was decently lit, standing in the clearing made me feel like an ant under a microscope. The sun was surprisingly intense. I didn¡¯t notice it when we first entered the clearing because I thought the brightness was due to our time in the forest, but after waiting around for so long, I learned that wasn¡¯t the case.


    I was becoming more and more convinced that the forest¡¯s mana was doing something to the light, not just reflecting it as I initially thought but amplifying it. You would think such intense light would leave everything a scorched barren of a landscape, but that wasn¡¯t true. All the plants in the clearing were eagerly absorbing as much light as possible.


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    But light wasn¡¯t the only thing plants needed to survive. Everything around us was green, but it wasn¡¯t humid. We weren¡¯t in a rainforest, yet everything looked like it was getting enough water.


    Kicking the ground with my boot, I test to see if the ground had any moisture at all. Maybe there was a water source just under the topsoil?


    Sadly, my hypothesis is quickly proven wrong when my boot only kicks up dust.


    What was with this place? Were all the plants surviving solely on sunshine? If they were, that isn¡¯t a good thing for us. We only brought so much water, and though our high stats may decrease the amount we needed, that didn''t mean we could go indefinably without it.


    We filled our canteens two days ago outside the magic-dense region. Depending on how active we are, we could stretch our current water supply to three days. Max.


    ¡°Hey, Tabitha,¡± I call for my partner''s attention as we exit the clearing. As soon as we pass the tree line, the temperature noticeably drops by a few degrees.


    "What is it?" Tabitha briefly looked over her shoulder to ensure I was still following her.


    ¡°Was the sun this bright in the magic-dense regions you¡¯ve been to?¡± I motion behind us at the clearing.


    ¡°No,¡± Tabitha pauses briefly to shake her head. ¡°The weather has varied in each magic-dense region I¡¯ve been to, but this weather is a first for me. Be happy it isn¡¯t as hot as the Inferno Sands.¡±


    ¡°I take it the Inferno Sands is another magic-dense region in Scholl. Does everything in your country have such an ominous name; Inferno Sands, Blood-Lowlands; I mean, come on?"


    Tabitha doesn''t smile at my joke, but I do get a raised eyebrow, so I''ll take that as a win.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Blood-Flats, not the Blood-Lowlands; that''s an entirely different place," Tabitha corrects me with a straight face.


    ¡°That¡¯s a real place!?¡± I purposely pretended to forget the name of the magic-dense region Tabitha told me about, but I didn¡¯t think my made-up name would actually exist.


    Tabitha stares me in the eyes, and a grin slowly spreads across her stony face.


    ¡°Wait, was that a joke?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Tabitha coyly turns around so I can¡¯t see her face and continues to lead me deeper into the forest. Who knew Tabitha had a sense of humor because I sure didn¡¯t?


    ¡°Funny,¡± I let out a fake chuckle. ¡°So, tell me about the Inferno Sands. I take it by the name; it''s pretty hot there."


    ¡°That would be an understatement," Tabitha answers my question but doesn''t look back at me this time. Instead, her head was on a swivel, on the lookout for hidden threats.


    I, too, kept my eyes peeled for any enemies or rare materials, but that didn''t mean I wasn''t going to ask Tabitha about another magic-dense region.


    ¡°Cool. Cool. How hot are we talking?¡± I press for more details.


    ¡°Extremely hot, the Inferno Sands is a desert and acts as Scholl¡¯s western border. It''s miles of scorching sand filled with magic beasts specializing in camouflage and sneak attacks. It¡¯s a fun place to train.¡± I could practically hear Tabitha smiling.


    ¡°Sounds like it,¡± I respond sarcastically. But if she¡¯s trained in a desert before, then hopefully¡­ ¡°What did you guys do for water? Did you drink cactus juice or something?¡± I was curious not only because of our current situation but because I had a feeling one day I, too, might be taking a trip to said magic-dense region.


    "Cactus juice just makes you thirstier," Tabitha explains, reminding me that not everything I''d learned from movies was true. She then went on to tell me how you find water in place there appears to be none. ¡°One way you can find water is by looking for animal trails. Unless they''re golems or the undead, everything needs water to survive. It would be best if you also kept an eye out for crevasses and lowlands where water can collect. There are also magic tools that help gather water from the air.¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you have one?¡± I ask excitedly; I would love to get my hands on another magic tool and was a little peeved that Tabitha didn''t mention such a device earlier.


    "Not on me," Tabitha quickly bursts my bubble. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would need it while staying in a village. If Master told me I¡¯d have the opportunity to explore a new magic-dense region, I might have come more prepared.¡±


    It was rare to hear Tabitha complain about anything related to Pacore; I wonder what he would think about where we were?


    ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re keeping an eye out for water then.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Tabitha tells me like that was obvious. ¡°There¡¯s an animal trail to our right; we can follow it until we find water. But more importantly, we need to start looking for a place to shelter for the night.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not even getting dark yet?¡± I glance up at the canopy towering over us. Though few and far between, plenty of spots leaked the sun''s rays down into the forest. We had hours before the sun started to set, and I would think finding a water source would be more important. But then again, it gets dark in a forest fast.


    ¡°We can find water tomorrow,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°Our main priority should be finding shelter for the night and some food, in that order. We don¡¯t know what this forest will be like when the sun goes down, so we need a defendable position before then.¡±


    She makes it sound like everything will transform once the sun goes down, but I suppose it could. There are a lot of animals that only come out at night, and I''m sure it''s the same with magic beasts. ¡°We need a cave then," I note.


    ¡°Precisely, so keep your eyes open,¡± Tabitha instructs me.


    So, while the two of us followed the beast trail, we kept an eye out for suitable shelter.


    Once we started looking, it wasn¡¯t hard to find spots that would make a decent temporary shelter¡ªnothing game-changing, but decent nonetheless. The roots of the nearby trees were massive, and it was pretty common to find cavities one could hide in near the base of them. A few were even big enough for the two of us, but each appeared to have a tenant already.


    One particular crevice housed a lizard the size of a cow. It hissed at us as we approached, but I convinced Tabitha to leave it alone since it didn''t do anything other than that. It wasn¡¯t like the forest was lacking in hiding spots, and it was only a minor inconvenience for us to keep looking. And if the sun started to go down without us finding a spot, we could always double back and evict the lizard. With extreme prejudice, as Tabitha put it.


    At least while we were looking for a place to stay, Tabitha''s advice about game trails was accurate, and we came across a small pond as we cut through the forest. It was closer to a large puddle than anything else, but it gave us a chance to fill up our canteens. With one less thing to worry about, we continued to look for shelter, but it wasn¡¯t long until Tabitha started to become irritable.


    ¡°We should go back.¡± Tabitha wasn¡¯t frowning yet, but I could see a crease forming on her forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been like an hour,¡± I remind her. ¡°We still have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°We should¡¯ve killed the lizard,¡± Tabitha¡¯s voice drops an octave, and I start praying for the lizard.


    ¡°Yeah, or we might find a better spot.¡±


    ¡°I never had this much trouble in the Blood-Flats,¡± Tabitha grumbles.


    Sensing a chance to distract my companion, I ask her to elaborate. "What, was there like a bunch of camping spots everywhere?" I make sure to use an extra sarcastic voice that I''m sure she''ll respond to. ¡°Sounds like you had it easy.¡±


    That last part is what gets me a response. "It was not easy; I merely stated that it was easier to find a defensive shelter. The Blood-Flats is nothing but rocks and caves; you couldn¡¯t go more than a few feet before running into one.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve walked past a few large burrows; what about one of those? Would that make you comfy?¡± I suggested to her and immediately regretted my decision.


    "Are you not thinking?" Tabitha goes into full-on lecture mode. ¡°Any number of beasts could dig in or overturn one of those, or did you not notice they were empty? We need someplace strong¡­. out of the way¡­. has a good line of sight.¡±


    She continued to lay out everything we needed, and the more I listened, the more I thought such a place didn''t exist. The lizard''s nest checked many of the boxes but not all of them.


    Was Tabitha overacting, or was I underestimating the night that was about to come?


    Maybe she should pray to the gods for help? Looking up, I chuckle to myself, and in doing so, I see a flash of color for a brief second up in the trees.


    ¡°Tabitha, hold on!¡± Before I even finish calling out to her, Tabitha is next to me with her hand on her sword. It didn''t matter if we were bickering a moment ago; as soon as she heard the change in my voice, she closed the distance between us and went on high alert.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She whispers in a calm voice.


    ¡°Three trees to our left, up high. It was red; I only saw it for a second,¡± I tell her. We were still far away from whatever it was, but if I could see it at this distance, it was big. Not to mention anything with bright colors was certainly strong enough that it didn''t need to hide.


    "We move slowly," Tabitha directs me to follow her.


    Silently, we circle the tree I pointed to until we arrive at a better vantage spot. And that¡¯s where I see it, the most enormous bird I''ve ever seen in my life!


    It only took a glance at its soul to see that its level was in the high 70''s, a strong beast.


    ¡°Tabitha, I think we should¡­." I was about to suggest we leave it alone but stopped when I saw the manic look on her face.


    "On, no!"


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tabitha grins at me. ¡°Do you see what I see?¡±


    ¡°A big ass bird,¡± I answer bluntly.


    ¡°That too, but look where it is,¡± Tabitha points at the colorful monster, and I see what she meant.


    The bird¡¯s nest was in a large hollow in the tree. It had a great vantage point, the trees¡¯ bark was as strong as metal, and it was definitely out of the way, the perfect place for us to spend the night. Now, if only there weren''t a giant bird guarding it!


    ¡°Alright, go get it,¡± Tabitha slaps my back, gesturing me forward.


    ¡°By myself?!¡± I looked at the armored woman like she was crazy.


    ¡°This beast is perfect for you," she ignores my pleading eyes. "Not only will we gain a place to sleep, but you¡¯ll earn your first feather too. Lucky you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, lucky me,¡± I roll my eyes. Then, craning my neck up, I size up the bird and let out a sigh before making up my mind. Turning back to Tabitha, I quickly lay down some grown rules instead of rushing in like earlier today. "If it''s protecting babies, I''m not going to fight it; the same thing if it flees.¡±


    Tabitha rolls her eyes but surprisingly agrees to my terms. ¡°Fine, but hurry; I want to be up in the tree by the time the sun starts to fade."


    ¡°No pressure then,¡± I roll my shoulders and crack my neck. Then, drawing my hammer, I prepared to fight the large colorful bird.


    Well, I did say I wanted to fight something stronger.

 Ch: 111.4

    How the hell am I going to do this? I mean, I highly doubt I can just walk over to the colorful chicken and bonk it over the head.


    There was almost zero chance I would be able to sneak up on it. The bird had an almost 180-degree view of its surroundings from its nest, and there wasn''t a single branch close to it that I could stand on. So no matter how I thought about it, I would need to use Air Walk to get close to it unless I wanted to scale the tree like a cliff face and leave myself exposed.


    Taking the long way around, I loop around the tree the bird is nested in and sneakily approach it from the other side, then I get to climbing. I could use Air Walk to get to the top of the tree faster, but I didn''t want to accidentally catch the bird''s attention. Plus, I needed to save my mana for the fight to come, I had already used a bit of it during my scuffle with the dino-rhino, and I was going to need the rest of it if I wanted to match a bird in the air.


    Climbing the tree takes time and is shittier than I imagined, mainly because of all the bird crap all over the place. The lowest branches on the tree are practically dyed white due to all the bird excrement strewn across them. I also catch sight of bones scattered inside and outside the bird droppings and wedged in branches. Whatever type of bird I was closing in on, one thing was sure; it wasn''t a vegetarian.


    It took me twenty minutes to climb up the tree, making sure I did everything to stay directly behind the bird''s nest and out of sight. But now that I was up here, I was again reminded that I lacked any semblance of a plan.


    I didn''t want to rush in as I did with the dino-rhino, but I couldn''t think of any other way. Now that I was using it in a real-world situation, I realized my fitting style wasn¡¯t one for subtlety. I needed to hit hard and fast, with no room for hesitation. However, that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t include a bit of stealth here and there.


    Peaking around the tree, I glance at where approximately the bird¡¯s nest is. I can¡¯t see the opening from this angle, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m looking for. There aren¡¯t any branches around the opening leading to the bird¡¯s nest, but there is one that sticks out far above it. If I go higher and walk along that branch, I could drop down to the bird¡¯s nest below.


    Smiling and patting myself on the back, I congratulate myself for thinking ahead for a change.


    I climb higher and higher until the ferns and other foliage on the ground look like grass by comparison. ¡°I¡¯m really high up,¡± I mumble to myself as I look down below at the distant ground. I had to be at least 350 feet in the air. I''m not sure how that equates to the tallest trees on Earth, but I''m guessing it''s close, and I''m not even at the top of the tree. Just eyeballing it, the tree went up another 100-150 feet or so.


    ¡°Marvel at the trees later, Aaliyah,¡± I tell myself, realizing I was getting distracted by my surroundings.


    The tree limb I spotted above the bird''s nest was stretching out in front of me. It was over two feet wide and thicker than some of the trees around our village. Yet, despite its size, I carefully inch myself onto the branch and walk out maybe 40 feet.


    From my new position, I could peek over the side below me and directly see into the magic-beast¡¯s lair and the creature within it. Now that I was closer, I could see the red bird in all its glory. It looked like a bird of paradise</a>, like the actual birds, not the plants that share the same name. It had red feathers on most of its body, except on its wings, where black feathers clashed with the red and gave the illusion its wings were catching fire.


    The magic-beast bird had long tail feathers stretching behind its body, but its talons and beak were what grabbed my attention. Its beak stretched out into a point that looked sharper than any rapier I¡¯ve seen, and its talons looked capable of cutting through steel.


    All that would¡¯ve been manageable to deal with if the bird was smaller, but the monster in front of me wasn¡¯t the size of an owl or hawk. It was the size of a horse!


    It stood almost 9 feet tall, perched on the edge of its nest, and probably had a wingspan many times that size.


    Swallowing a nervous lump in my throat, I tried to look behind the large avian to see if it had any eggs or babies with it.


    To my luck, or maybe unluckily, the humongous bird was alone. So there went my only excuse for leaving it alone. But who knows, maybe it¡¯ll be like the dino-rhinos and will want to escape when it sees me coming.


    Pulling back from the edge of the branch, I stop watching the colossal bird and take a deep breath. Then, swinging my hammer off my back, I was ready to make my move.


    ¡°Fast and hard, fast and hard,¡± I repeat to myself, trying to physic myself up. ¡°Ha, that¡¯s what she said!¡± One terrible joke later, and I feel my nerves begin to settle. I switch my stance and ready myself to jump off the branch I was perched on. I was going to freefall down to the bird''s nest and hopefully catch it off guard.


    Leaning over the side again, I confirm my target''s position only¡­.


    ¡°Where is it?!¡± The bird was gone!


    Just then, directly behind me, I feel a mass of mana enter my perceivable range.


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    It was coming in fast, and I had no time to look behind me, let alone react, so I tucked and rolled off the branch. As I¡¯m somersaulting through the air, I see two sets of talons cut through the space I was just occupying.


    My heart threatened to burst out of my chest as the bird I was secretly targeting soared over me, utterly silent.


    I could see it flapping its wings and feel the wind pressure it created by doing so, but even though I was less than ten feet away from it, the bird didn¡¯t make a sound as it flew through the air.


    Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I made eye contact with the silent bird. Its eyes were the size of dinner plates and were a deep amber, with a circular pupil as black as the void; there was surprise there. It hadn¡¯t expected me to dodge its sneak attack.


    At that moment, I threw out all notions of retreating or escaping. This wasn''t an animal defending its home or family, it was a predator, and it saw me as prey.


    Ignoring the fact that I let my target get the drop on me, something I¡¯m sure Tabitha is going to give me hell about later, I ready myself for a fight to the death.


    Using Air Walk, I stabilize myself mid-roll and take a proper stance, never taking my eyes off the silent beast circling me in the air.


    It was frightening to watch the bird as it flew around me. The bird¡¯s wings were even bigger than I expected, each one clocking in at 27 feet, giving the beast an absolutely ridiculous 54-foot wingspan. I''d be admiring its majesty if it currently wasn''t trying to eat me.


    Launching myself forward, I try to close the distance between us, testing to see how it reacts. But rather than fleeing when seeing me rushing it, the bird angles towards me rather than trying to keep its distance. I am ready to swing my hammer in case the beast gives me an opening, but it does something I didn''t expect as it nears striking distance.


    The giant bird of paradise folds in its wings and does a half-barrel roll. Then, it shoots at me like a silent rocket, with its talons stretched out.


    I try to Flash Step out of the way of the bird¡¯s outstretched claws, but the bird was hiding a pair of long legs under its plumage and had a surprisingly long reach. It only needed to outstretch its talons to nick my armor. The foot-long razorblades on its feet easily shred through Mana Skin. Thankfully my skill does its job and buys me a fraction of a second to angle myself, so the attack brushes up against my breastplate and not my gambeson. My new armor eats the attack, with only a few sparks and a line across my front to show for it.


    I didn''t have time to swing my hammer in a counterattack fully, but I wasn''t going to waste an opportunity when the bird was this close to me. So, I drive the bunt of my hammer into the bird¡¯s side with both hands. It might not be the same as an attack with my hammer''s head, but it still does the trick.


    The bird¡¯s beak opens, and it lets out a silent scream. Then, with a single flap of its wings, it knocks me back and retreats. I worry it might be trying to flee for a second, but my worries are quickly proven unfounded when the colossal bird continues to circle me.


    This thing is fast; faster than me. At least judging by its reaction to getting hit, it doesn¡¯t have the same defenses as the dino-rhino. If I could get off one good hit, I might be able to bring it down. But I need to hurry, though; maneuvering in the air eats up a lot of mana, and at this rate, I''ll only be able to stay airborne for ten more minutes or so.


    Thankfully, the bird doesn¡¯t look like it intends to wait around. Using Air Walk again, I dodge another divebomb attack, only this time I¡¯m aware of the bird¡¯s range. I¡¯m still on the defensive, but that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to fighting Tabitha, who attacks consecutively, meaning if I want to win, I''ll need to do what I usually do; dodge as best I can and wait for an opening.


    The bird continues to try and pluck me out of the air, but after its previous two strikes, I better understand how it moves. And as soon as the bird tucks in its wings, I¡¯m already Flash Stepping away.


    "Stupid bird, this will be easy if you keep using the same attack!¡± I grin as I track the bird¡¯s trajectory as it dives at me.


    But then, before I have time to use Flash Step again, a wall of feathers slams into me. Mana Threads isn¡¯t strong enough to anchor me in place, and I''m sent spiraling into the trunk of a nearby tree. As the bird was diving past me, it opened its massive wings and swatted me with them.


    My back is the first thing that makes contact with the tree, followed quickly by the back of my head. Everything goes blurry for a moment, and it¡¯s only thanks to Sense Mana that I can tell the bird is taking the chance to fly straight for me.


    My lungs are on fire, screaming at me to stop and take a breath, but I don¡¯t have time for that. Pushing off the tree, I launch myself up and over the bird¡¯s outstretched claws. I narrowly avoid being impaled, but the bird isn¡¯t finished with its attack. Like a spear, the bird thrusts its beak at me.


    I swing my hammer on pure instinct as the bird¡¯s razor-thin beak tip is about to puncture my neck.


    The bird sees my attack aiming at its head and thankfully pulls back at the last second. If it hadn¡¯t, it would¡¯ve killed me and I him. It would''ve been mutual destruction for both of us, and I think the bird realized that.


    This bird was more intelligent than I was giving it credit for. Maybe that was why I was having such a hard time?


    Maybe this bird was more like Tabitha than I previously thought?


    They might not share the same stat spread or physique, but there was one thing Tabitha and the bird had in common. They both acted like they were untouchable.


    The bird has been on the offensive ever since it snuck up on me, and I only get a second to gather my whits before it''s charging me yet again.


    Again and again, I¡¯m forced to dance through the air as the ginormous bird does everything it can to pluck me out of the sky. Twice I think I have an opening to attack, and twice, the bird peels off at the last possible second.


    The only good thing about all my dodging is that I get a close-up look at the magic-beast, and I think I see why it isn''t making any sound. Unfortunately, I didn''t have the time to get a deep scan of the bird with Sense Mana, but with it being so close, I eventually noticed the thin layer of mana wrapped around it.


    The barrier wasn¡¯t like my Mana Skin skill, it was thinner than that, and it didn¡¯t impede my strike when I connected earlier. It could be what¡¯s helping the bird fly, but my money was on it having to do with sound dampening. That was an exciting discovery, but it didn''t exactly help with my current situation.


    Judging by how much mana I had left, I was down to 40%. I thought it would''ve made a mistake by now with how aggressive it is, but I''d yet to land a decent blow on it. It was too fast, and combined with my inexperience in fighting in the air, I spent all my time trying to dodge it as it attacked from every conceivable angle.


    I needed to get close and stay close.


    What if?


    A crazy idea pops into my head. It would be dangerous, but the bird wouldn''t stand a chance


    if I pulled it off.


    I re-holster my hammer to my back using Magic Threads as I continue to dodge its attacks. I was going to need both hands for this.


    Strikes rain down on me from all directions, but I keep my cool, looking for the opening I need to execute my plan.


    And then it happens.


    After dodging for what felt like hours, I evade a particularly close strike from my opponent. Its talons came so close to grabbing me that there was less than an inch between us, but that was what I needed.


    Instead of trying to gain some distance as I have been, I jump closer to the bird while it''s so close to me. Arms outstretched, I channel a good deal of my remaining mana into my hands and form hundreds of threads of mana. I then dig my mana into the bird''s mana barrier. My arms are nearly pulled out of their sockets as I latch onto the bird like a tic.


    The bird immediately starts to freak out and tries to shake me off. Sadly for it, my Mana Threads had already glued me to its side, and with each second, I was anchoring more of myself to the bird. The bird''s mana was actively fighting against me doing so, but the bird didn''t have the same mana manipulation skills to combat my own. I also grab the birds¡¯ feathers with both of my hands for good measure, further keeping me in place.


    Wait for it¡­.


    The bird quickly realized it wasn¡¯t going to be able to nock me off by doing what it was doing, so it took a more direct approach and tried to grab me with its beak.


    Now was my chance; the bird needed to slow down to turn its head and peck at me. In doing so, I no longer feared being thrown off. Most of my body was connected to the bird''s mana with Mana Threads, so holding on using only my left hand, my right grabbed my hammer.


    As the bird went to pluck me, I one-handedly swung my hammer and clocked it upside its beak.


    I couldn''t kill it with a single blow, but my hit staggered the creature, and I wasn¡¯t letting up. Activating Double Strike, my hammer blurs and delivers a second blow to the creature''s exposed head.


    The mana barrier surrounding the bird pops like a bubble, and I hear the sickening crunch as my hammer pulverizes the magic-beast¡¯s skull.


    And the next moment, I¡¯m falling.

 Ch: 111.5

    I was falling, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care. I had won, and the corpse of the giant bird falling with me was proof of that. Besides, I had time before either of us hit the ground; we were hundreds of feet up in the air, after all.


    I watched below me as the last remaining bits of the bird¡¯s soul left its body. And once the leading soul was gone, the experience once cradling the soul started to dissipate into the surroundings.


    For a brief second, I hesitate to activate Soul Devourer. I was still wary of using my skill after running into the remnants the other day and wanted to make sure I was activating my skill on my own accord and not just being manipulated into doing so.


    It hurt to see my hard-earned experience fading into nothing, but I had to be sure. Better safe than sorry.


    I don¡¯t know what I expected to happen; maybe I''d have a nearly uncontrollable urge like with the remnants, or hear a sinister voice in my head, perhaps?


    But after a second, I¡¯m surprised to feel nothing. There was no urge to devour the world or sith-like voices telling me to follow my instincts. So was there something different about the remnants, or was it because I was expecting something and overcame the urges without realizing it?


    I had no idea, but what I did know was that I was in control at this moment, and that meant I could use my skill. Of course, I would still be careful, but that was no reason to hesitate.


    Three Ghostly hands spring from my body as I activate Soul Devourer and greedily begin plucking strands of experience points out of the air. The hands couldn¡¯t grab all of it, but I was still absorbing many times the amount of experience I would''ve initially gotten for the kill. The hands were manifestations of my soul, so Tabitha wouldn''t see them even if she was watching me. I couldn''t use it on the remnants because Tabitha would''ve noticed them disappearing.


    There is, however, still one conscience of using my skill. I¡¯m forced to grit my teeth to keep myself from audibly moaning. I could feel myself blushing as the pleasure of absorbing tens of thousands of experience points washes over me.


    Momentarily, I want to devour all that I can, but Mental Resistance quickly helps me squash those feelings before they can grow and fester. I would absorb what I could and nothing more.


    This internal dispute only lasts a few seconds, and it isn''t long before I''ve either absorbed all the bird''s experience or the rest has dissipated completely.


    Perfect timing, too, because I see the ground growing closer past the bird''s corpse. I''d fallen almost 300 feet in four seconds, and it was time for me to activate Air Walk. I could use this moment to test how I¡¯d fare against fall damage, but something told me doing that when I¡¯m falling at roughly 150 feet a second wasn¡¯t the best idea.


    Using my Mana Threads still deployed from holding onto the bird, I spread them out to catch the mana in the air around me to slow my descent. Then when my velocity had dropped to something less strenuous on my legs, I pushed off the air with Air Walk, reducing my falling speed to almost nothing.


    Below me, the bird''s corpse crashes into the forest floor with all the momentum of a runaway truck. I expected it to turn into paste, but I saw it was primarily intact as I drop-down next to it. Its wings were now crooked, but the body was in one piece other than them and its skull. So even if it didn''t have the same defense as the dino-rhino, it seems that it could still take quite a beating. Too bad for it; my hammer did more damage than the crash landing.


    Still feeling the glow of absorbing experience, I stand next to the dead bird clasping my hands and offering a short prayer. It isn''t to the gods; I just ask the universe to peacefully guide its soul to its next life. It may have chosen to fight rather than flee, but that''s life. It made its decision, and I made mine.


    "Now, where is Tabitha?" I ask myself after delivering the bird its last rights. I glanced around where we landed, but my guardian was nowhere in sight. I stare at the spot we were initially hiding, expecting to see her pop out of hiding at any moment, but she never appears. ¡°Where in the hell?¡±


    ¡°Looking for me!?¡±


    Startled, I try to pinpoint Tabitha''s location by following her voice, but I don''t see her.


    ¡°Up here!¡± Tabitha calls out, giving me a clue where she is.


    ¡°What are you doing up there?!¡± I finally spot Tabitha making her way down the nearest tree.


    I don¡¯t know why she was up there, but I don¡¯t particularly care at the moment. As soon as her feet touch the ground, I fall backward onto my ass. The total weight of my fight with the bird had finally caught up to me. Once I knew Tabitha was close by and I could safely catch my breath, my legs went out on me.


    Seeing me fall, Tabitha rushes over to my side with a worried expression.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± She asks me, her stone-faced expression nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Where was all this concern while I was fighting? I¡¯m fine, by the way. Did almost die at one point,¡± I sarcastically snap at her.


    "I know; I was there," Tabitha smiles down at me. "You asked why I was up in the tree; obviously, I was up there watching your fight. I started to rush in when you were flung against the tree, but you reacted better than I expected, and I decided you could handle yourself at the last second. It was a wise choice to counterattack when you did rather than try to flee. If you had tried to dodge in your position, I would''ve needed to step in and help you, but you got it to back off by yourself.¡±


    Tabitha revealing that she was close to me the entire time left me speechless. I could only guess that I didn''t see her because my vision was blurry during that part of the fight. Apparently, she doesn¡¯t realize my counterattacking was completely improvised and was in no way planned. But hey, I wasn¡¯t going to correct her.


    Hearing Tabitha praise my battle decisions was bittersweet. After absorbing all that experience, the pain in my head had started to fade, but my back was still killing me. I know I won, but I knew more than she did about how bad I messed up. ¡°You followed me?¡±


    Tabitha rolls her eyes at me. ¡°Did you expect me to send you up against your first real opponent by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± I admit. I mean, that sounded like something Tabitha would do.


    Tabitha¡¯s smile slips, and she frowns, ¡°Don¡¯t be getting a big head just because you won. You may have done a few things right, but don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you making multiple mistakes. You were creative in your approach, yet let your target get the drop on you.¡±


    "How was I supposed to know it didn''t produce any sound?¡± I grumble, trying to come up with at least some semblance of an excuse, not wanting to admit I took my eyes off my target.


    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Tabitha¡¯s readiness to change subjects doesn''t bode well for me. "What about after you dodged the bird¡¯s initial attack? You rushed it without evaluating properly. Didn¡¯t you tell me your new armor would last longer than your old set?¡±


    Tabitha points at my breastplate and makes an excellent point. Three large scratches were marring the surface of my new armor. They weren¡¯t deep, but they starched from one side of my armor to the other.


    ¡°I told you to expect anything; how did you interpret that to mean rush in?¡± Tabitha berates my decisions one after another, but I can see the concern she¡¯s trying to hide behind her lecturing. Even if she thinks I counterattacked when I needed to, she probably realizes that things could¡¯ve turned out differently.


    ¡°I almost died,¡± I whisper under my breath.


    Tabitha must have heard me because she stopped pointing out everything I did wrong and lets out a tired sigh. ¡°You could¡¯ve, but you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And if I didn¡¯t swing when I did?¡± I ask in a hollow voice.


    ¡°Then I would¡¯ve had to save you,¡± Tabitha confidently tells me.


    ¡°Save someone with a hole in their neck?¡± I raise an inquisitive eyebrow.


    ¡°It would¡¯ve never come to that. I had a skill ready if you dodged or froze. You would¡¯ve been heavily injured, but you wouldn¡¯t have died.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about that?¡± I ask skeptically.


    Tabitha and I locked eyes, and I note there wasn''t a hint of deceit there.


    ¡°You know, you could''ve told me you would follow me,¡± I groaned, trying to get back to my feet. I couldn''t stay sitting forever, no matter how much my body wanted me to.


    ¡°And stifle your first big hunt, not a chance," Tabitha responds, sounding proud of herself.


    No matter how much I was trying to appear annoyed at her for not telling me her plans, I understood why she did it, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how happy she looked that her plan had worked out for the better. Tabitha may be a little crazy, but then again, I just rushed a giant magical bird, and for what, a place to sleep? I¡¯m pretty sure that makes me just as crazy, arguably more so.


    ¡°So, what happens now?¡± I ask after stumbling to my feet, now knowing how that dino-rhino felt earlier today. ¡°My mana¡¯s down to 20%, and I need to rest."


    ¡°You can rest in a moment," Tabitha tells me before turning to the massive bird corpse. "First, the important part.¡±


    I watch Tabitha examine the corpse, and I admit, it took me a minute to realize what she was doing.


    She plucked out multiple feathers, examining them for some hidden quality I didn¡¯t understand. In doing so, I got to see the various types of feathers, from the wedge-tipped flight feathers that made up the bird¡¯s wings to its long rounded tail feathers. Tabitha even pulled out a few downy feathers, which kept the bird insulated.


    Tabitha examined and discarded one feather after another until eventually, she found her prize, or should I say, my prize. Finally, she settles on a single feather from the very tip of the bird¡¯s right wing, where the red and black colors meet each other.


    Thankfully, the feather Tabitha picked out for me was one of the smaller ones. The more giant feathers are impressive to look at, but most of them were over a foot long. Heck, one of the tailfeathers Tabitha examined was over three feet in length; to say it would''ve been challenging to wear a feather that size was putting it mildly. Something that size would stick out too much, so I¡¯m happy about Tabitha¡¯s decision on a relatively smaller feather.


    ¡°Here,¡± Tabitha offered me the beautiful quill, which I gratefully accepted. Half the feather was black while the other side was red. The feather radiated wind mana, and it was so good at catching the breeze. Just holding it allowed me to see which way it was blowing. The large trees around us acted as giant wind barriers. Though it was quite windy up in the canopy, there was minimal airflow down here on the ground. So, the fact that the feather can catch an almost nonexistent gust was impressive, to say the least.


    ¡°Do I have to wear this now?¡± I hesitantly ask while memorizing every inch of my prize. Ideas of what I would do with it flooded my mind. I could turn it into a hair ornament like Tabitha had, or maybe have mom sow it to my sleeve. From what Tabitha told me, as long as I displayed it, I was free to do with it as I liked.


    ¡°If you want,¡± Tabitha shrugs. ¡°Though I don¡¯t recommend it.¡±


    "That''s surprising; I thought you''d want me to wear it immediately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t,¡± Tabitha clarifies. ¡°I¡¯m just saying if you wear it now, you¡¯re likely to drop it, or worse. Think of the feather as a new piece of armor. Sure, you can throw it on, and it''ll do its job¡­.¡±


    ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to use it properly without practice,¡± I finish Tabitha''s sentence, demonstrating I understand what she was getting at.


    ¡°Exactly; for now, I suggest you put it in your bag. You can start wearing it during our sparring session when we get back to the village. Once you''re used to it, you can wear it all the time.¡±


    For once, I followed Tabitha''s instructions to the letter, stashing my feather in my pack by wrapping it in the material I brought with me should I need to make a tent. Of course, it wasn''t as fragile as a regular feather, but that didn''t mean I would chance bending it.


    Once my feather was secure, I turned my attention to the rest of the bird. There were a few bald spots from where Tabitha ripped feathers out, but there were still thousands more. Tabitha may have looked through the feathers for a trophy to claim, but I saw something more; crafting materials!


    I had never worked with wind-attributed materials before, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to realize the bird¡¯s tailfeathers would make great fletching for arrows. While the feathers on the wings caught the slightest breeze, the tailfeathers were utterly still.


    Reaching down and picking one up, I smile at how easily I can wave it through the air. ¡°Yeah, I can work with these.¡±


    Now the only question was, how many do I take?


    I could stuff my bag full of them, and it wouldn¡¯t weigh me down that much, but then I won¡¯t have room for anything else. Maybe¡­.


    ¡°Hey, Tabitha, if I stashed some feathers for later, what do you think the chances are they¡¯ll be here when we get back?¡± If I could tie a bindle of tailfeathers together and stash them somewhere, like up in the tree where we¡¯ll be staying tonight, I could retrieve them on our way out of the forest. Even if I have a full bag by then, carrying a bundle of feathers wouldn¡¯t be that much of a stretch.


    ¡°Anything is possible," she shrugs.


    By her expression, I¡¯m guessing she doesn¡¯t think they¡¯ll be here when we get back. But it doesn¡¯t hurt to try. I¡¯ll bring ten feathers with me, so I''ll still have some to play with later if she''s right.


    While I start collecting feathers, Tabitha uses her sword to butcher the bird. I was looking forward to dinner tonight, and since magic-beast meat lasts longer than its non-magical counterpart, we can take some extra with us and not worry about it spoiling right away.


    We both work together to get everything done, and it isn¡¯t long until we¡¯re both sitting by a small makeshift fire, and I''m grilling us skewers with a bundle of feathers sitting next to me. I tied them together by weaving together some tree fibers. All and all, I had maybe twenty pounds of feathers, more than enough to make some quality arrows.


    Soon, we were going to climb up to the nest after we were finished eating; that was where I decided I was going to stash my feathers. Then, hopefully, if another beast comes across them, they won''t seem out of place in a nest that smelled exactly like them.


    You could hardly notice it, but the light in the forest was growing dimmer.


    So, before we set out, I secretly pull up my status page while flipping the skewers around and pretending to focus on cooking. And there was a lot to unpack:


    LV: 74 Experience: 914,441/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,164.83/2,450


    Stamina 593.77/1,666


    Mana: 308.86/1,030


    Vitality: 245.06


    Endurance: 100.20


    Strength: 155.10


    Dexterity: 155.15


    Senses: 62.59


    Mind: 65.49


    Magic: 103.20


    Clarity: 79.14


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV68), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV50), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV42), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV23), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV9), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV66), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Hammer Arts (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV32), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV9), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Weighted Strike (LV44), Precise Strike (LV43), Double Strike (LV43), Flash Step (LV34), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV10)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV60), Mana Skin (LV59), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV39), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV21), Air Walk (LV20), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV19)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV7)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Cooking (LV42) 2,100exp


    Sewing (LV32) 1,600exp


    Dancing (LV24-26) 3,750exp


    Double Step (LV66) 6,600exp


    Hammer Arts (LV49) 4,900exp


    Steady Hands (LV32) 3,200exp


    Gourmet (LV8-9) 1,700exp


    Double Strike (LV43) 6,450exp


    Flash Step (LV33-34) 10,050exp


    Enchanting (LV10) 1,500exp


    Mana Skin (LV59) 14,750exp


    Extract Mana (LV39) 9,750exp


    Magic Blacksmithing (LV36) 9,000exp


    Magic Threads (LV22-23) 11,250exp


    Air Walk (LV20) 5,000exp


    Soul Devourer (LV5-7) 18,000exp


    Skill Experience: 109,600exp


    Crafting Experience: 47,395exp


    Fighting Experience: 228,135exp


    Total experience Gained: 385,130exp


    When I pulled up my status page, the first thing I noticed was my missing health points. That one strike from the bird that sent me spiraling into the tree cost me nearly 300 Health points. Of course, I was still able to move during the fight, but that was still over 10% of my health gone in one hit.


    Luckily, I was already starting to heal and would probably be back to full health by the end of tomorrow, but that''s only because I was hit once. The more damage a person suffers, the slower they are to heal.


    I shudder to think about what would¡¯ve happened if someone of Sandra¡¯s level and build were hit the same way. Her physical skills were nothing compared to mine, and she would''ve lost a lot more than 300 Health.


    Shaking my head, I cast away those thoughts. It did me no good to imagine everything that could go wrong in the world, so I focused on the here and now and continued to look over my status.


    My Stamina and Mana were practically empty, but I already knew that. At this point, I''m used to feeling tired after my sparring sessions with Tabitha, and this wasn''t much different. My Stamina would refill on its own, albeit with some soreness. And I only need to absorb the mana around me and wait for my body to convert it before it¡¯s fully recharged.


    The skewers were helping in that regard; the bird meat was practically jam-packed to the brim with mana. It tasted like the best chicken I''d ever had and had the benefit of helping me recover faster. What else could I ask for in a meal?


    The answer to that was skill levels, and the bird offered me those too. After a long time, my cooking skill finally leveled again while roasting the skewers. And after we started eating, I felt Gourmet level as well. And those two skills weren''t the only ones that improved after my fight with the magic bird.


    It had been two weeks since the last time I checked my status page, and a handful of my skills had already leveled in that time, but my desperate fight with the bird seemed to fuel the growth of my skills even more. Dancing, Double Step, Double Strike, Flash Step, Mana Skin, and Air Walk all leveled during my fight at some point.


    Then there was Soul Devourer.


    My tier 6 skill gained three levels after sucking up as much of the bird''s experience as possible. I only naturally absorbed around forty thousand experience for killing the bird. That was a lot for other people, but it was not worth risking my life over at my level. If I hadn''t used Soul Devourer, I''m not sure it would''ve been worth the fight, even with the increase to my skill levels.


    In the end, I did use my skill, and because I did, I got an extra hundred and eighty thousand experience points. That kind of payoff was worth risking my life, if only slightly.


    But the amount of experience I got was interesting. The bird was around my level, which meant it had over fourteen million experience shielding its soul. I only managed to get two hundred and twenty of that. So even if I factored in hesitating to activate my skill, that means I only absorbed 1.5% of the bird''s overall experience. That was absolutely nothing!


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Tabitha suddenly asks me, making me flinch. ¡°You were making a pained face.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, just a little sore,¡± I rub my shoulders and arms in a massaging motion, pretending like that was the reason why my expression was the way that it is.


    ¡°Are you still able to climb?¡± She asks, probably wondering if she would need to drag me up into the tree.


    As fun as that would be to see, I had no desire to be manhandled by Tabitha. ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± I flatly tell her.


    Tabitha sighs in relief. ¡°Good; we should get climbing. We''ve been on the ground long enough. It will soon get dark, and the bird''s corpse will surely attract scavengers.¡±


    Closing my status page, I groan as I climb to my feet. I was already tired, and now I had a stomach full of magic-beast meat. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and fall asleep.


    Tabitha and I gathered our belongings. I grabbed my bundle of feathers while she grabbed some of the magic bird meat wrapped in some large leaves for storage. We kicked dirt onto the fire and made sure to stomp out any embers that remained. Neither of us wanted to start a forest fire, especially when we would be sleeping in a tree.


    For the second time today, I climbed a large tree whose bottom layers were covered in bird feces. Of all the times to be low on mana, it had to be when I desperately wanted to clean myself.


    It took longer to scale the tree than my first time, and while I was climbing, I thought about the last bit of experience my status page said I had gained.


    I got a tidy sum of experience points for making Reel''s dagger. Unfortunately, my creation wasn''t enough to push Blacksmithing to level 76, but that would''ve been too easy. I did, however, finally get Enchanting to level 10, so that was a bonus. But, again, I worked hard on my crafting, and it showed in how much experience I was rewarded for going above and beyond with my designs.


    While I climbed the tree, I thought about what I would make going forward. And by the time we climbed up to the bird''s nest, only the faintest of light was seeping through the canopy. It was getting dark fast, so Tabitha and I rushed to inspect the hole in the tree while we still had the chance.


    Thankfully, unlike regular birds, there wasn''t any crap mixed into the bird¡¯s nest. Instead, the hovel in the tree was lined with sticks, stones, and, surprisingly, dried out pieces of various animal hides. It smelt like a chicken coop, but at this point, I could sleep on a pile of trash if I had to.


    I fished out the small piece of canvas I brought with me, careful to take my feather out first, and laid it on the ground. I then placed my bundle of feathers under the tarp on one end, making an impromptu pillow. Last night I was the first to take watch, so that meant I got to sleep first tonight. Lucky for me, because if something did approach us while I was in my current state, I¡¯m not entirely sure what I could do about it.


    Even if I was only going to get five or six hours to rest, that should be enough to get me back to a state where I can defend myself if need be.


    The last thing I saw as my head hit my pillow was Tabitha chuckling at how dead I looked. And with that, my tiring first day in the magic dense region came to a close.

 112.1

    ¡°Five more minutes, Mom,¡± I grumble when I feel Mother trying to shake me awake. She should know how tired I am after forging all day yesterday. My arms, back, head, everything hurts at the moment. All I''m asking for is a little more time to rest. Is that too much to ask for?


    ¡°I am not your mother,¡± a cold voice whispers next to me.


    My eyes snap open, and I bolt upright. My tired muscles complain about the sudden movement, but I now have a bigger problem. I accidentally confused Tabitha with my mom! And the sad thing was, I was stuck wondering if it was ruder to compare Mom to Tabitha or vice versa.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± I quickly apologized in the direction I heard Tabitha¡¯s voice come from, unsure if she would take offense to my slip-up. Rubbing at my eyes, I try to spot Tabitha¡¯s silhouette in the darkness, but I struggle to do so and only manage to see her outline and nothing else. The forest that held a surprising amount of light during the day was veritably pitch black.


    Feeling around the darkness, my hand lands on my hammer resting at my side, and I¡¯m reminded where I am. If Tabitha was waking me up, it must be my turn to take over the watch.


    "I''m sorry for mistaking you for¡­."


    I don¡¯t see Tabitha¡¯s hand as she covers my mouth, cutting me off. ¡°Shhhh," I hear Tabitha hiss close to my ear. "You''re too loud. You''ll draw unnecessary attention towards us."


    A small wave of panic washes over me when I realize there is a second possibility as to why Tabitha could be waking me up. "Are we in danger?" I ask in a hushed voice after she lowers her hand. Were we under attack!?


    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Tabitha quietly reassures me. "We aren''t in any danger¡­. for the moment.¡±


    That was unnecessarily cryptic. Could Tabitha see me frowning right now? ¡°What does that mean?¡± I make my confusion known through the tone of my voice.


    But instead of answering my question, I feel Tabitha grab my wrist. She gently pulls me to my feet, and I have just enough time to grab my hammer before she pulls me to the front of the tree hollow. And the world that greets me when I get there isn¡¯t the one I remember from before I fell asleep.


    It was still incredibly dark, but that only served to make the flickering molts of lights around us stand out that much more. For a brief second, I forget that I¡¯m looking at a forest and question if we''ve been teleported to outer space, for millions of little stars surround us, twinkling in the darkness.


    But they weren¡¯t stars. Instead, one of the lights drifts mere feet from the opening of our hollow, and I see what is producing the soft glow. It was a dragonfly that was eight inches long and had six wings instead of the usual four. The insect was producing light from its long abdomen, just like a deep-sea fish would. This was the first time I''d seen bioluminescence in person, and it was breathtakingly spectacular to witness.


    I wanted to hold out my hand and see if one of the insects would land on it so I could get a better look at them, but I only needed to remember my encounter with the bird earlier to remind me that probably wasn¡¯t the wisest idea. Most likely, they were harmless, but then again, for all I knew, they could explode when touched.


    I lean closer to Tabitha, standing next to me, and whisper, ¡°Are they dangerous?¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    My eyes were slowly adjusting to the level of darkness, but I still couldn''t make out Tabitha''s facial features, so I had to wait for her to respond verbally.


    "It''s not the bugs you need to be wary of," Tabitha ominously points out. ¡°Look below us,¡± she instructs me.


    Glancing down, I don¡¯t understand what Tabitha is getting at. I could barely see her standing right next to me. How was I supposed to see anything on the forest floor?


    Staring down into the abyss, I strain my eyes, trying to pick out whatever hidden foe Tabitha was warning me about. Then I saw it.


    Well, I didn¡¯t exactly see it; more like I saw its outline shifting below us. And once I saw the first one, I began to pick out the others looming in the darkness. Parts of the forest floor appeared to be moving below us. A shiver runs down my spine, and my hair stands on end as I struggle to keep track of the everchanging masses.


    At this height, I couldn¡¯t make out any of the beast¡¯s features, so naturally, my overactive imagination started to conjure images of eldritch horrors prowling the base of the tree.


    ¡°They¡¯re feeding on the bird you killed,¡± Tabitha explains.


    She was right, as usual, while there were plenty of figures moving below, most of them seemed to be drawn to where we left the bird carcass.


    ¡°If you stay quiet, they should continue as if we aren¡¯t here and leave us alone," Tabitha notes before turning around and moving to get comfortable. "Wake me in a few hours when the sun rises.¡±


    ¡°A few hours; that''s it?¡± My eyes widen in surprise. "How long was I asleep for?"


    ¡°Eight hours, or so,¡± Tabitha lazily tells me as she positions herself and tries to find a comfortable spot. As expected, she doesn¡¯t take off any of her armor, choosing to sleep in her gear rather than put herself into a vulnerable position.


    ¡°What happened to switching places halfway through the night?¡± I ask.


    Tabitha tilts her head in my direction and looks up at me. ¡°You needed more rest than I did. A few hours will be enough for me.¡±


    Of course, she would; once again, I was reminded Tabitha was more compassionate and considerate than she let on. Then it occurred to me that Tabitha was sacrificing her sleep for me, and it was my fault she couldn''t trust me with an entire shift.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I tell her as she settles down. "Sleep on my tarp; it will be more comfortable for you." My makeshift pillow might not do much while she¡¯s wearing a helmet, but at least she could use it to help with her posture. Admittedly, it wasn''t much, but it was all I could offer her in our present situation.


    Tabitha¡¯s head moves in the dark, and I interpret it as her nodding in appreciation.


    While she grabs my sleeping gear and changes positions, I too make myself comfortable near the hollow''s entrance. It is challenging to find a spot that lets me see our surroundings while mainly remaining hidden, but I eventually settle in for my half-shift.


    Last night I learned Tabitha could fall asleep almost at will, so by the time I truly got comfortable, I was sure she had already fallen asleep.


    I was on my own now, and if something were to attack us, it was my job to protect Tabitha. That thought honestly made me a little nervous. I could barely handle the bird yesterday; would I be able to protect Tabitha if it came down to it?


    Pulling up a smaller section of my status page, I check to see how much I have recovered since my battle.


    LV: 74 Experience: 914,441/ 1,004,619


    Health: 2,356.17/2,450


    Stamina 1,581.64/1,666


    Mana: 784.93/1,030


    Not bad; I knew I wouldn''t be back to full strength immediately, but my recovery was progressing faster than I thought.


    My mana was recharging quickly. I absorbed a great deal of mana from my surroundings and all the magic-beast meat we ate for dinner. While I was sleeping, my body processed all that excess mana and was again drawing in a normal amount of ambient mana to fuel my regain.


    To get things progressing faster again, I activate Extract Mana and pull in more ambient mana. Again, I carefully absorb just enough to push the limits of what my body can handle without overly straining my mana network. If I keep up this pace, my mana should be fully charged in another eight hours or so.


    Until then, the only magic skill I would use is Mana Skin. It may hinder my regeneration rate, but there was no way I was going to drop it while I was guarding Tabitha. I kept it activated after my fight when my mana levels were dangerously low, only finally dropping it after I passed out, so it wasn''t that taxing.


    Speaking of which, I reactivate my skill, seeing how I forgot to activate it in the spur of the moment when Tabitha woke me up.


    A sigh of relief escapes my lips after my skill flickers to life. It¡¯s calming to feel my mana wrapping around me. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve surrounded myself in a weighted blanket; only this blanket could save my life in a pinch.


    I''m like Tabitha in that way, she doesn''t like taking off her armor, and I don''t particularly appreciate dropping Mana Skin unless I¡¯m safely home. Maybe without realizing it, I¡¯ve developed a phobia of exposure. It''s not to the same degree as Tabitha''s, but if I¡¯m not careful, it might eventually evolve into something like Tabitha¡¯s anxiety. I sit pondering this possibility while constantly scanning our surroundings.


    The mana signatures of some more large bugs show up in Sense Mana, but thankfully nothing truly perilous makes itself known. Everything of significant threat is below and well out of my skill''s range, and I planned to keep it that way.


    With nothing to do other than watch the dragonflies dance about, I enter a semi-meditative state. Of course, I can''t focus everything inward because I need to keep my eyes open, but activating Mediation helps boost Sense Mana¡¯s efficiency, and I get a clearer picture of our surroundings.


    I wasn''t about to let anything sneak up on us. Not again!

 112.2

    The veil of darkness cast over the forest was slowly lifting.


    One by one, I watch the glow of the dragonflies drifting through the trees slowly putter out and disappear completely. The forest would return to how I knew in a few minutes, meaning it was time to wake Tabitha up, which was arguably the most dangerous part of my job.


    With the light increasing, I could better see Tabitha asleep on my tarp, and I didn¡¯t miss how her hand was resting on the pommel of her sword. Even with her eyes closed, she looked ready to leap into action at the slightest hint of danger.


    ¡°How should I go about this?¡± I quietly mumble to myself. I had the first watch last night, meaning I¡¯d already woken her up once, but that was before we entered the magic-dense region. She wasn''t nearly as tense back then. In fact, according to her, the creepy remnants guaranteed we could get a peaceful night¡¯s rest before we entered the magic-dense region without worrying we would be ambushed.


    Of course, even though she said that her guard wasn''t entirely lowered, and when I went to rouse her from her sleep, she still drew her blade halfway from its sheath before she recognized it was me doing the waking. Unwilling to get within stabbing distance again, I did the only thing I could and started to call out to her.


    ¡°Tabitha. Hey, Tabitha.¡± Though I was calling her name, I wasn''t exactly being loud about it. Instead, I sounded like I was trying to get someone¡¯s attention in a library.


    ¡°Tabitha!¡± I call out in my normal voice when she doesn''t so much as twitch, still not wanting to get any louder than that. After all, who knew if any of those mysterious beasts were still hanging around?


    And as if the universe wanted to prove my point, I hear a roar outside. That sounded like it originated from the base of our tree.


    Oh yeah, if the sun was rising, I might be able to see whatever beasts were still nearby! Of course, I might only see one or two new species, but even then, it might give me an idea of what we might encounter going forward.


    So, I choose to let Tabitha sleep for another few minutes. Then, using my left hand, I grip the edge of the hollow with all my strength before leaning out. But, first, I quickly scan our surroundings. Before looking down, I had to ensure nothing wasn''t hiding in the nearby tree branches.


    I spot a few birds stretching their wings, preparing for the new day, and one decently sized snake slithering in the distance, but neither looks to be of the giant murderous variety. I mean, come on, the snake didn''t even look twenty feet long for heavens snake. Compared to the massive creatures I saw yesterday, the snake looked tiny by comparison.


    When I don¡¯t spot anything hazardous close by and directing Sense Mana outwards doesn¡¯t reveal any hidden enemies, I am free to turn my attention below me; that was where the actual monsters resided.


    Sadly, I didn¡¯t see much on my initial scan. While we were getting a lot of sunlight up here in the branches, it had yet to entirely filter down to the forest floor below. Instead, the light struck the large tree trunks, casting a maze of deep shadows across the forest floor. It was one such shadow that obscured the base of our tree.


    I could still see creatures shifting in the darkness, so I knew they weren¡¯t all gone yet, but I still couldn¡¯t get a clear view of them.


    All I could do was wait, hoping the creatures wouldn''t flee before the sun revealed them.


    ¡°I thought I told you to wake me when the sun rises.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± I yelp and reflexively let go of the tree after Tabitha successfully sneaks up behind me.


    Thankfully, Tabitha doesn¡¯t let me fall out of the hollow by grabbing the back of my gambeson. If I had fallen, I could¡¯ve used Air Walk, but that would¡¯ve forced me to tap more into my mana than I wanted.


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    "You let your guard down. Again," Tabitha pulls me back into the hollow with a look of disappointment.


    Shit, I only stopped watching her a second ago! ¡°You just got lucky," I hyperventilate, holding my hand to my pounding chest. "I was focusing on outside the tree.¡±


    ¡°Ah-huh,¡± Tabitha rolls her eyes, not impressed by my excuse.


    I grit my teeth in frustration, not because Tabitha scared me; I was okay with that. Instead, I was frustrated because I messed up again. I was focusing all my senses outward, and because of that, I failed to notice Tabitha waking up and sneaking up on me.


    ¡°Not all threats are external,¡± Tabitha warns me.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I hang my head in defeat.


    Tabitha steps forward and places her gauntleted hand on my shoulder. "You''re young; you''ll learn. That''s the point of this little trip of ours."


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this trip was supposed to be about me exploring," I sarcastically remind Tabitha. ¡°A certain armored woman turned it into field practice.¡± I joke to try and hide my negative feelings, but it doesn''t take away from the disgrace I feel from messing up again so soon.


    ¡°Then you should thank her,¡± Tabitha grins at me with a predatory smile. ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re learning a lot.¡± She nudges me in a way I assume is her trying to say stop pouting.


    I was learning a lot, mainly how much I was out of my depth, but I wasn¡¯t going to give Tabitha the satisfaction of admitting that. ¡°Maybe my teacher isn¡¯t doing enough." I snarkily snap and regret my comment as soon as it leaves my mouth.


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow, and she stops talking in third person. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right; maybe I haven¡¯t been pushing you as much as I should. But don¡¯t worry,¡± Tabitha steps in close to me. ¡°That will all change going forward.


    Once again, I¡¯ve successfully shoved my foot into my mouth.


    ¡°Now, what were you looking at?¡± Tabitha steps beside me and peers over the edge.


    ¡°I was trying to see the beasts below us,¡± I grumble, following her example, being careful not to lose my grip again.


    ¡°Oh, they haven¡¯t left yet?¡± Tabitha asks curiously.


    "I don''t think so; I was waiting for it to get brighter,¡± I point out.


    And it was slowly getting brighter. By now, most of the shadows had receded, and I could more clearly see the forest floor below us for the first time since yesterday. My eyes scan for and zero in on the spot we briefly camped yesterday evening, and I catch my first glimpse of what remained of my defeated foe.


    Once in my past life, I saw my father accidentally run over a dead bird with our lawnmower; the scene below us was eerily similar. Feathers were scattered all over the place, some still connected to chunks of bird flesh. Most of the bones were picked clean, minus the head, which was missing. If I didn¡¯t know what the bird initially looked like, I wouldn''t be able to distinguish it from any other pile of bones in the forest. I could hardly believe the bird¡¯s corpse had been reduced to such a state in only one night.


    The only meat left on the carcass looked to be part of one of the bird''s wings. And it was that wing that was casing the commotion I heard earlier.


    Standing over its feathered prize stood a lion. The oversized feline put Earth¡¯s lions to shame, standing taller than me at almost seven feet and was at least double that from head to tail. Instead of sporting a golden mane around its head, the fur around its neck was a brilliant silver, while the rest of its coat was a more washed-out grey. It was baring its teeth, trying to scare off its challengers.


    Surrounding the oversized cat with clicking mandibles were seven ginormous beetles who wanted what the lion had. The beetles were half the size of the tiger and were varying shades of green and brown, blending into the forest floor. I could hear their angry hisses and clicking mandibles from all the way up here.


    Tabitha and I watch as one of the beetles charge the grey lion, challenging it for its food. Unfortunately, that was not smart on the bug''s part; the forest lion easily sends it flying with one swipe of the cat''s paw. The beetle hits the ground hard and flips a few times before landing on its back. Its legs claw at the air while it struggles to right itself, but one of its buddies comes to its rescue. The nearest beetle rams its overturned ally, flipping it upright as turtles do.


    After the beetle was flipped back over, I could see scratch marks on its carapace from where the lion hit it, but other than that, the bug looked utterly unharmed by the attack.


    Sense Soul clues me in on the levels of the beasts Tabitha and I were watching. All of the beetles were between levels 50 and 60. While the grey lion was¡­.


    ¡°Level 96!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ¡°Tabitha, it¡¯s around your¡­.¡± I turn to gauge Tabitha¡¯s reaction to the beast, only to pause when I see her staring at the lion with hungry eyes.


    Tabitha¡¯s hand trembles around her sword¡¯s hilt with what I suspect is yearning.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to try and fight it, are you?¡± I nervously ask. I still wasn¡¯t back up to 100% yet, and if Tabitha wasn¡¯t absolutely sure she could handle it by herself, I might need to step in if things got dicey. And unlike the beetles, who seemed willing to push their luck due to their numbers, I had no intention of fighting the cat who had 22 levels on me.


    I start to get worried when Tabitha doesn¡¯t answer me. ¡°Tabitha!¡± I lean in, speaking directly in her ear.


    Tabitha jolts at my voice and seems to realize what she is about to do. Her hand slides off the handle of her sword, and she lets out a small sigh. "No, you''re right," Tabitha reluctantly agrees with me. ¡°It just looked like it would make a good opponent,¡± she remarks just as the lion sends another beetle soaring through the air with a well-placed swipe of its paw.


    Those beetles must be defense-oriented to survive such powerful strikes, meaning it would only take a single hit for the lion to knock someone like me out. A small part of me wanted to see Tabitha go all out for the first time, but my rational side outweighed those thoughts by far.


    Just as well, the grey lion seems to have decided it was overstaying its welcome. Before other beetles can charge it, it bends down and grabs the bird''s wing in its razer-like jaws. The bugs let out a screeching noise like nails on a chalkboard and rush the cat as one, seeing their prize about to be taken away from them. But made for speed, the beetles were not.


    With food in hand, the grey lion leaps over the angry insects and rushes deeper into the magic-dense region. The beetles didn¡¯t even come close to stopping it.


    Tabitha and I watch the disappointed beetles scour the area for any scraps left behind. A few of them find a bit of food, which is funny because as soon as one of them did, it would immediately try and flee before any of the others realize it.


    It doesn¡¯t take long before the last of the bugs scuttles out of sight, and almost as if they timed it perfectly, the rays of sunlight peeking down from the canopy return to what they were yesterday. Finally, the sun was fully up, which meant it was a new day; time to get ready!

 112.3

    Is this good enough? If I put this there. ¡°And that there,¡± I mumble to myself. Circling the pile of branches in front of me me, I can¡¯t seem to make up my mind if I did a good enough job hiding my feathers or not.


    ¡°Are you done yet; we¡¯re losing daylight?¡± Tabitha asks, standing slightly behind me with her hands on her hips, judging me with her eyes and radiating impatience.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I turn away from my work and ask the frowning woman for her honest opinion, wishing she''ll put my worries to rest.


    ¡°It looks like a pile of sticks,¡± Tabitha dryly remarks.


    I don¡¯t know why I expected anything different. "I know that," I roll my eyes. "I mean, can you see the feathers at all? I want them to be out of sight in case another beast moves in after we leave.¡±


    To her credit, despite her apparent reluctance and wanting to leave, Tabitha moves next to me and looks at my handiwork. It was hard to do, but I think I¡¯ve successfully hidden my red and black beauties out of sight and away from any would-be curious animals.


    I used the various sticks and stones that were already a part of the bird¡¯s nest to build my own little hidden cache. Weaving the branches was tricky, but something possible. I could even lean my total weight against the cache without it moving, so I was 90% sure it wouldn¡¯t cave in under normal circumstances. But then again, that wasn¡¯t what I was fussing over.


    I was worried about how well I blended my cache in with the rest of the nest. I think I did a good enough job, but¡­.


    The more I questioned myself, the more I doubted my handiwork. I wanted to ensure everything ran smoothly after the bird yesterday and Tabitha a few minutes ago.


    If I just piled a bunch of crap in a corner, that would be suspicious. I knew little to nothing about magic beasts in general, and though most weren¡¯t known for their intelligence, that didn¡¯t mean I was going to underestimate them a second time.


    The bird whose nest we commandeered showed a frightening level of intelligence during our fight, even managing to catch me off guard during our scuffle, a fact I was still kicking myself over. If I treated magic beasts like any old animal, it would bite me in the ass later.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Tabitha hums in thought. ¡°But it does look a little too unnatural,¡± she tells me after a brief pause.


    "Unnatural, how?" I ask, scanning my work for the hundredth time.


    ¡°It looks too perfect,¡± Tabitha points out to me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the rest of the nest. See what I mean?¡±


    I didn''t, and I could only shake my head disappointingly. To me, it looked like any other pile of sticks. Was Tabitha just messing with me, or could she really see a difference?


    ¡°It should be more like this.¡± To my horror, Tabitha kicks the stack of twigs concealing my feathers. She doesn''t hold back either, and I scream internally as my well-constructed pile collapses in on itself. ¡°There, like that,¡± she smiles at the mess she caused.


    ¡°You ruined it,¡± I complain, as now you can see a few feathers sticking out of the side.


    ¡°No, I improved it,¡± Tabitha confidently states with her hands on her hips, sporting her sadistic smile.


    ¡°And how is that?¡± I roll my eyes, more than a bit angry that I would need to fix it again.


    Tabitha gestures around us, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Up in a tree?¡± I flatly reply to her, not in the mood to play twenty questions.


    ¡°We¡¯re in a bird¡¯s nest,¡± Tabitha corrects me, waging her finger like she was disciplining a stubborn child while taking no responsibility for messing up my hard work. ¡°And what do you find in bird¡¯s nests?¡± She looks past me at the feather sticking out of the pile.


    ¡°Feathers?¡± I dryly reply, falling into her rhythm despite my reluctance too. But, unfortunately, Tabitha has a frightening way of sucking others into her rhythm, a fact I should be more aware of after our hours of sparring together and generally hanging out with one another.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Exactly!" Tabitha''s smile shifts from one of boasting to the one she gives when I answer a question correctly, unperturbed by my sour expression. From an outside perspective, her new smile would still look like she was gloating over me, but I¡¯ve since quid into the subtle shifts in her demeanor. I could tell she was about to give me a lesson, whether I was ready for it or not. ¡°If it¡¯s one thing I know about bird-type magic beasts, they love to use their feathers as building materials. How many feathers do you see mixed in with everything?¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, I glance around the nest, comparing my cache to its surroundings.


    She was correct; there were feathers crammed all over the place. Old and newer-looking ones were visible everywhere you looked. Having a few feathers showing wouldn¡¯t look out of place in the slightest. I loathe to admit it, but the pile looks a tad more natural now¡ªonly a tad, though.


    I''m still trying to figure out if kicking it was the most helpful response, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time Tabitha¡¯s proven me wrong with brute force. She may be unorthodox sometimes, but I''m not vain enough to pretend she hasn¡¯t been insightful on multiple occasions.


    Letting out a sigh, I decide just to count this as a learning experience and move on, not wanting to dwell on the subject any longer. Of course, I could spend the better part of the day stressing out whether my feathers were hidden well enough, but in the end, they were just that, feathers.


    Sure, I wanted the feathers to be here when we came back, but they weren¡¯t the reason we came to the forest in the first place. And if they were still here by the time we made it back this way, all the better. But now that I was thinking about it, I shouldn¡¯t waste my time overly stressing about them. I had many more important things to stress about. Like making sure I didn¡¯t screw up during my next fight. And there would be many more fights shortly; that was almost guaranteed.


    ¡°Ready to go now?¡± Tabitha asks me as I reach down and grab my bag with an exaggerated huff.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± I respond with only a fraction of my usual energy. I still hadn''t had enough time to recharge my mana pool fully, and my health was recovering even slower, but both were slowly getting there.


    Tabitha pauses, hearing my lackluster response, and scans me with a critical eye leaving me feeling exposed under her gaze, almost as if she could see my status page even though I knew she couldn¡¯t. She was probably making sure I was ok to set out, though I don¡¯t know why I wouldn¡¯t be, I may have gotten knocked around and had my ass handed to me yesterday, but I wasn¡¯t that injured after all.


    To show I was ok and ready to continue our journey, I puff out my chest and square my shoulders, trying to convey confidence even though it was something I was sorely lacking at the moment. I can tell Tabitha is evaluating my physical condition, and I let out a sigh of relief when she gives me a simple nod before motioning for me to follow her. Tabitha only spares me a slight glance over her shoulder before leaping out of the tree hollow.


    I take one last moment to ensure all my gear is appropriately secured, and then I jump out right behind her.


    The wind rushes past my face as I enter a freefall, but I only bask in the feeling for less than half a second before I reach out with my hands to grab the nearby tree trunk. The bark feels more like stone than wood against my gloved fingers and is as strong as iron. Against the rough surface, my fingers easily find purchase almost immediately. My arm muscles tense, and suddenly I¡¯m no longer falling.


    It would be faster to let myself drop and use Air Walk when I get closer to the forest floor; however, I was still in mana-saving mode, so I follow Tabitha¡¯s example and take the long way down for a change.


    Like a couple of spiders, the two of us scurry down the massive tree in no time at all. Of course, Tabitha was more graceful than I was, but by mimicking her movements, I was only ever a few steps behind her.


    Tabitha reaches the bottom first, and surprisingly, she pauses and turns to watch me take my last few steps before I land behind her. She always kept to her own pace yesterday, so seeing her stop and wait for me seemed odd and out of character.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I ask, scanning our surroundings with Sense Mana. I still couldn¡¯t sense anything other than some larger-than-normal insects nearby. They were big, but nothing close to the size of the ones we saw devouring the bird, and I didn''t see anything while we were descending the tree, so I wasn¡¯t exactly sure why we hadn''t immediately set out.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± For a second time, Tabitha asks if I''m good to go in as many minutes, and now I''m starting to worry that I missed something crucial.


    Did I walk into some trap? Would Tabitha knowingly lead me into something dangerous to make a point? Who am I kidding; of course, she would.


    We weren¡¯t surrounded, not unless the enemies were really far away. Am I caught in some illusion, a genjutsu perhaps? A quick scan of my soul shows nothing amiss, and I''m not picking up anything magical¡­. at least not more than anything we¡¯ve already seen in the magic-dense region. Well, except for one thing.


    That could be what Tabitha wanted me to notice. ¡°Yeah,¡± I hesitantly respond to Tabitha. ¡°Just give me a second to grab it." Maybe she knew I forgot about them last night?


    Tabitha raises an eyebrow which might mean I made the wrong assumption, but now that I noticed them, I wasn''t going to leave them behind. She doesn¡¯t say anything as I walk over to the pile of bones that once made up the magic bird.


    The bones themselves had a decent amount of mana contained in them, but sadly they were hollow like a typical bird¡¯s. I wouldn¡¯t want to use them in my weapons or armor, and I couldn''t think of anything else off the top of my head that would justify my taking the time to hide them for later.


    However, while the bones didn¡¯t interest me, that didn''t mean there weren''t a few gems hidden amongst the rubbish¡ªfour gems, to be precise.


    Close to what used to be one of the bird¡¯s legs were four claws that shined like obsidian under the newly risen forest light. Each claw contained a degree more mana than the bones they once connected to, which was what drew my attention to them. While the difference in mana was slim, which was probably why I missed them last night, there was a huge difference in durability. Every single bone in sight, from the largest wing bone to the smallest vertebra, had bite marks or cracks from where flesh was ripped from the bone. Everywhere except the claws, that is.


    Each claw was the size of my hand, and examining the tips revealed that they were quite sharp despite no longer having a source of magic to pull from. I knew from dealing with the chameleon spiders that magic beast materials always lost some potency after their host died, yet the claws looked the same as when they were coming at me during our fight.


    Scanning our surroundings, I try to find the other four claws from the bird¡¯s other leg, but Sense Mana turns up nothing. It would be pointless to search for them, considering they could¡¯ve been dragged away hours ago, and I knew Tabitha was more than ready to go by now.


    Speaking of Tabitha, looking up from stashing the bird claws in my bag, I see she''s watching my every move like a hawk. Her watching me wasn''t anything new, but her expression was. Tabitha looked at me like she was unsure of something, and it was making me nervous. I wanted to show her how much I¡¯ve grown thanks to her training, but so far, I''ve been coming up short.


    Tabitha only shares this new look for a few seconds before her face shifts to one of stony resolve. ¡°The same as yesterday.¡± Tabitha waves her hand, reminding me I''m supposed to lead us deeper into the forest.


    I thought she was going to tell me something, but it looks like I was wrong again. Silently, with the weight of what is to come resting on my shoulders, I take my position and start following the denser mana streams in the air. Finally, we were leaving our first camp in the Endless Forest behind.

 Ch: 112.4

    Tabitha and I walk in silence with our heads on a swivel, each step taking us deeper into the Endless Forest. We had been walking for hours and had progressed less than I thought we would.


    To the naked eye, everything looked the same with large trees as far as the eye could see, but Sense Mana revealed an entirely different world to me.


    The mana around us was increasing at a visible rate, and as the ambient mana grew denser, it was easier for me to see where it was coming from. Also, where it was converging.


    My job was to guide us down the path of least resistance, lest we disturb something we shouldn''t in those mana-heavy areas. At least, that''s how we started.


    I have often compared currents of mana to ocean currents; some were small, some were big, and sometimes those currents classed with each other and swirled together, trapping the mana in a single region. The resulting areas were filled with significantly more mana than the rest of their surroundings, forming pockets of highly dense mana that looked oddly like a whirlpool to my eyes.


    I ensured we didn''t accidentally wander into one of those areas without knowing it. The problem is that the deeper we made it into the forest, the more frequent and more extensive these areas became.


    We came across the first mana whirlpool roughly an hour after we set out this morning. The area was only a hundred feet across, meaning it was small enough to see from one side to the other. So we could tell there weren''t any strong magic beasts around, and other than some overgrown berry bushes, the chunk of woodland looked the same as any other, so we didn¡¯t have to divert for that particular whirlpool.


    That first whirlpool actually helped me; the denser levels of mana were perfect for trying to recover my mana as fast as possible. However, I couldn''t stop and absorb too much mana, because our goal was to leave the area as soon as possible.


    We might not have seen anything dangerous, but one look at the ground and the hundreds of crisscrossing tracks littering it, even a child could tell the area was frequented by many beasts. And some of those tracks were quite big. So, we made sure to hustle through the area.


    Now, if all the mana whirlpools we came across were the same as the first one, everything would be grand. But, sadly, they weren¡¯t.


    Twenty minutes after we left the first whirlpool, Tabitha and I ran into our second one, which wasn''t nearly as small. The second whirlpool stretched far into the distance, and the mana density was near twice that of the smaller one.


    We had to stop and discuss what we were going to do. Tabitha wanted to push into the whirlpool and circle its core, saying it could be fun. On the other hand, I reminded her I wasn''t fully recovered yet, and that chances were good that multiple strong magic beasts might be living near or around the center of the whirlpool.


    Many of the trees we passed on our way to the whirlpool had deep scratch marks around their bases. I wasn¡¯t an expert on lions, but I was willing to bet the grey cat we saw this morning lived somewhere close by or something even stronger.


    Thankfully, I was able to get Tabitha to come to my side, all be it by promising we would enter another similar whirlpool after we got used to the forest, and I fully recovered. So, instead of risking life and limb so soon, I led us around the whirlpool by following the most potent current of mana feeding into it. It took us two hours to circumvent it, but we eventually made it to the other side, unmolested by a single magical beast.


    I wish that were the end of our problems, but that would just be me lying to myself. From then on, we ran into one mana whirlpool after another and were left following the currents between them like we were in some labyrinth.


    It¡¯s hard to quantify, but because of all the roundabout paths, we factored in that we''re only moving at a rate of around 40% of what we were yesterday, which led us to where we are now.


    ¡°We must change course,¡± Tabitha states in a commanding tone. ¡°Are you planning on spending months in the forest? Because that will happen if we keep doing what we are doing and stay on the path we are on now."


    Biting my lower lip in frustration, I listen as Tabitha makes her point. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised she waited this long to air her grievances. She hasn¡¯t said anything since I got her to agree with me on initially avoiding the mana whirlpools.


    ¡°You¡¯ve fully recovered your mana, haven¡¯t you?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes cut deep into my soul, daring me to lie.


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    My mana levels fully recharged thirty minutes ago, more than two hours faster than I thought they would, mainly because I didn''t think to factor in the increased ambient mana around us. But I didn''t want to say that, so I only nod my head in confirmation.


    Tabitha¡¯s lips slowly curl up into a slight smile. ¡°Good; what about your health?¡±


    I have to summon part of my status page to answer that question, but doing so reveals some positive news.


    Health: 2,394.39/2,450


    Stamina 1,317.24/1,666


    Mana: 1,001.72/1,030


    I had regained almost half of my missing Health already! Of course, my Stamina was depleted from all the hiking we''d been doing, but as long as it stayed above 1,200, I wouldn''t feel that much of a difference.


    "I''m doing surprisingly well,¡± I glance up from my status page with the first genuine smile I¡¯ve had since yesterday. And I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s all in my head, but since seeing part of my Health recover, the little aches and pains I thought I''d been feeling all day start to fade. I''m not back to 100% yet, but I feel better.


    ¡°Are you prepared to fight?¡± Tabitha asks me seriously.


    I don''t want to let Tabitha down, so I want to say yes immediately, but I hesitate before I muster up the syllables. And that single pause speaks volumes to Tabitha.


    ¡°Can you run?¡± Tabitha changes her question to one she knows I''ll respond positively to.


    ¡°I can," I state with confidence. If it''s one thing I''m good at, it''s running, and Tabitha knows that.


    ¡°Then you have nothing to fear,¡± Tabitha smiles at me. ¡°I won¡¯t force you to fight anything dangerous like I did yesterday. And if we run into anything above your level, I¡¯ll handle it for the two of us. But we can¡¯t continue as we are; this isn''t exploring; this is hiding. And a student of Master Pacore the Deathless never hides.¡±


    Ouch, Tabitha can cut deep when she wants to. I let out a reluctant sigh, ¡°I understand.¡± I know I¡¯ve been letting my fear get the better of me, and I know I have an extremely talented guardian by my side, but it¡¯s hard to move past what happened with the bird yesterday.


    Tabitha nods at me with a pleased smile, unaware I still have doubts. "Good, then pick which way we are to go,¡± she motions left and right. We are smack dab in the middle of two giant mana whirlpools and have been so for the last thirty minutes. ¡°I can¡¯t see mana as you can, so you still need to guide us."


    With how insightful Tabitha can be, I sometimes forget she can''t see mana as I can. To her, it must look like I''ve been leading us down some imaginary path that makes no sense. And yet she followed me this long and hadn''t complained once.


    Now again it was my job to pick which way we were going. I glance at Tabitha to see if she has a preference, only to see her focusing most of her attention on me. She had her usual stony look plastered on her face, which left little to read, but I knew that was her just being confident in my decision. She trusted me to lead us or at least trusted her ability to kill anything we might encounter.


    So, with no help from Tabitha, I take a second look at our surroundings. The whirlpool on the right roughly contained 17% more mana than the one to our left, but the terrain spoke of a different story. The forest floor was flat to our right, while the left whirlpool was situated over a series of small hills and valleys.


    Did I pick the side with rougher terrain, banking on the fact the stronger magic beasts were to our right or did I go with the opposite?


    I mull over the question for a minute before making up my mind. "Let''s go right," I tell Tabitha. "The mana density is higher, but the terrain offers us a better field of view." I know I don''t have to, but I feel the need to justify my decision.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Tabitha lazily replies. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    I can only grin at the noticeable pep in Tabitha''s step and nod. "Let''s pick up the pace."


    **********


    "Shit, they got us,¡± I curse our luck as I Flash Step to the side of an arrow coming at me from above. Why didn''t I pick left?


    ¡°It appears so,¡± Tabitha casually agrees with me. ¡°It isn¡¯t like they¡¯re much of a threat though,¡± she says, swinging her sword shattering two more arrows with a single swing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how thirteen horned hobgoblins aren¡¯t a threat,¡± I growl in annoyance. I was pissed that they got the drop on us, but also oddly a little impressed.


    Tabitha and I never let our guard down, so that went to show how clever our adversaries were to get the drop on us. The goblins had been hiding in the treetops well outside Sense Mana¡¯s range, wearing homemade ghillie suits of all things. Once we got close enough to the specific trees they were hiding in, they rappelled down on ropes made from tree vines like in a goddamn Mission Impossible movie.


    Three of the hobs were archers who tried to catch us off guard on their descent, but Tabitha and I could easily avoid getting hit in our own ways.


    The goblins shriek in displeasure seeing us dodge and deflect their attacks; however, they don''t seem deterred by our evident skill and choose to form up rather than run as soon as their ugly feet touch the ground.


    I will hand it to them, they had a decent formation going, but they needed more goblins to box us in completely. The forest is too large, and even if the trees looked close together on a map, there was still a great distance between them.


    ¡°So, do we run?¡± I ask Tabitha without looking back. From my position, I could see all the goblins, and I wasn''t going to take my eyes off any one of them for even a second.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that will be necessary. As I said, none of them are that strong," I hear Tabitha tell me in a light voice from behind me.


    ¡°What about not making me fight,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°I said I would fight anything dangerous or above your level,¡± she clarifies. ¡°None of these goblins are even close to your level.¡±


    And, of course, Tabitha was right. A quick scan of all thirteen goblins reveals the highest is only level 63, putting them eleven levels lower than me. The rest of them were in the mid to latter 50¡¯s, making them only a tad stronger than the horned hob I faced during the goblin subjugation. Though, these goblins appear to have much better gear than the one I previously fought.


    "Well, here we go again," I sigh.


    "You Take the seven up front, and I''ll handle the six coming in from the sides,¡± Tabitha instructs me, taking a few steps back before taunting the ones she said she would by making a come here motion with her arms and shouting.


    I''m curious if the goblins are stupid or overconfident, but either way, Tabitha''s taunting works, and the goblins break up exactly how she intended. Does she have a crowd-control skill?


    Shaking my head, I clear all outside distractions and prepare myself for battle.


    There was just enough space between Tabitha and me that we could react if something went wrong, yet we still had enough distance to fight our own battles. Technically there were now six goblins behind me, but I wholeheartedly trusted Tabitha to handle her part, so I focused on the goblins closing in from the front of me and my sides.


    The only hobgoblin who didn¡¯t move was the level 63 one. Instead, he stayed at the base of the tree he rappelled from, choosing to bark orders rather than engage me. At least, I think he''s barking orders.


    It sounded like the large goblin was hissing and growling at his comrades, but seeing them subtly shift their positions after each noise he made, was more than enough proof that they were communicating on some level.


    These weren''t seven screaming goblins charging me; I was facing a team.

 Ch: 112.5

    Why do I always end up in these kinds of situations? Is my luck truly that bad? These are the thoughts buzzing around my head as I use Flash Step to dodge an arrow that nearly stuck my unprotected neck. I was going to have to focus on the archer first.


    Currently, I was facing down six of the seven hobgoblins Tabitha left to me. Two goblins were rushing me from the front, two from my left and one from the right. The sixth hob was also to my right, but it stayed a ways back, taking potshots at me with its bow.


    Only three of the thirteen goblins had bows. Thankfully, I only had to deal with one, while Tabitha handled the other two.


    Ducking, I doge another arrow surprisingly well-placed arrow. This asshole was getting old, fast.


    It wasn¡¯t like I was afraid that he''d hit me. The goblin''s bow had a bit of mana in it, but it looked more like a tree branch with a string tied to either end than a real bow. The arrows weren¡¯t anything better, they were more sharpened sticks than anything else and not the most aerodynamic things, so they weren''t reaching the speeds they could be if they were adequately fletched. All I had to do was keep him in sight, and with my superb reflexes, I could easily dodge every arrow he shot at me.


    The fight would be over in seconds if this were a one-on-one situation. But, sadly, the group I faced were not your typical garden-variety goblins. Instead, these were a hunting party of hobgoblins that lived in a magic-dense region.


    A level 50 goblin would spell doom for a small village, but out here, they were some of the weakest things around. So it only made sense that they would have developed better coordination if they managed to survive here.


    The hobs were moving in formation, and I only had a split second before the closest one was on me, so I tried to gleam any tidbit of information before that happened.


    The first thing I notice is their armor. We saw the ghillie suits as they repelled from the trees, but now that the goblins were close, I could see that wasn¡¯t the only thing they were wearing. Obscured by their camouflaged suits but still somewhat visible, each goblin wore some form of fur or leather armor underneath.


    I didn''t need to use Sense Mana to know they were wearing magic-beast hide. Again, the materials didn¡¯t look processed correctly to bring out their best properties, but that didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t allow the goblins to take a glancing hit.


    I need to land a solid hit to take them out. Good thing I specialized in blunt force trauma; dishing out solid hits was kind of my thing.


    I grin as the first goblin reaches me, waving a crudely made spear tipped with a bone of some kind. I raise my hammer like I¡¯m going to meet the goblin''s strike head-on.


    Sorry, buddy, but you¡¯re not the one I¡¯m after, I chuckle to myself.


    At the last second, I pivot my feet and rush towards my right. The four goblins behind me screech when they realize I¡¯ve duped them but are slow to react to my change of course.


    The goblin archer is just as surprised as its friends to see me change direction so suddenly, but despite the look of surprise on his face, the hob doesn¡¯t hesitate to draw and nock another arrow.


    There were roughly fifty feet between us, and I was closing the distance fast. The archer tries to deter me by firing another arrow at me.


    Instead of dodging like I did the others, I used my hammer to deflect the arrow, so I could continue sprinting toward my target and judge just how much force was behind the arrow.


    The wooden arrow practically shatters into a thousand pieces on impact against my dellinium hammer, confirming that I would take no damage if I were hit anywhere covered by my armor. There was enough force behind the arrow that it would be able to punch through Mana Skin, but like hell I was going to let that happen.


    I was now within twenty feet of the archer. I planned to use Flash Step again and finish it off quickly, but the other goblins didn¡¯t seem to want that to happen.


    Ducking quickly, a large wooden club passes right over my head. The hob that repelled from the same tree as the archer wasn¡¯t going to let me approach its friend without a fight.


    Swinging my hammer, I try to get the goblin to take a step back, but instead, the veins in its arms bulge, and it matches my swing with its own. Club and hammer meet, and now it''s my turn to look surprised when the chunk of wood doesn''t immediately disintegrate upon contact.


    He must have a Strength increase skill of some kind. I want to kick myself for not considering the goblins'' skills earlier, but I was preoccupied at the moment.


    I can push the goblin back, but at the cost of shifting stances, bringing me to a halt. Nevertheless, the move was enough to buy the goblin a few seconds and allowed its friends the chance to catch up and join the fight.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I watch the archer make a hasty retreat as his comrades quickly surround me. I¡¯m forced to use my Dancing skills to their fullest as all the goblins try their best to tag me with their various weapons.


    The spear user was trying to stab me from the left. Two of the other goblins were wielding swords made out of three-foot-long serrated fangs and were constantly trying to circle to my blind spot. But the fourth was the worst. He used a primitive axe constructed from a sharpened stone embedded in a tree branch to attack me from the front and kept me focusing on him.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    While those four goblins were working together to stop me, the fifth club-wielding goblin positioned himself between the archer and me to make sure I couldn''t suddenly break off and charge him again. They were covering all their bases, and it was starting to make me worry.


    Whenever I think I have an opening to hit one of them, I flounder at the last second, thinking one of them is about to activate some killer skill if I¡¯m not careful.


    ¡°What are you doing; why are you hesitating like that!?¡± The goblins and I freeze as Tabitha¡¯s angry shout echoes amongst the trees.


    I couldn¡¯t turn around to face her; luckily, she was barely within Sense Mana¡¯s range, giving me a cloudy but full-bodied view of her. Still, I could see the outline of her facing me with her hands on her hips, surrounded by six bodies. Tabitha¡¯s sword was already sheathed, and judging by the corpses by her feet, I¡¯d say she beheaded all six of them simultaneously.


    I¡¯m only reassured of this because, during the brief lull in the battle, I could snag a glance at the head goblin who was scowling and baring his teeth threateningly at Tabitha. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. The other hobs were too busy dealing with me to notice Tabitha cutting down their friends, but now that they did, all their attention was on her for the moment.


    Not to let my chance go to waste, I Flash Step behind the goblin with the spear and swing my hammer with everything I have.


    There was a sickening crunch as my weapon connected squarely in the middle of the goblin''s back. Neither the branches that made up his ghillie suit nor his armor underneath were enough to keep me from shattering the goblin''s spine in one blow.


    My sudden attack reminded the rest of the goblins that I was still here and still a threat. The battle continued, but I could still hear Tabitha behind me.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you do it,¡± I could hear the approval in her voice. ¡°You need to get out of your own head. You¡¯re used to sparring with me; how can a few goblins possibly match up to you?¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s motivating words give me a sense of resolve and push me to do better. So instead of trying to escape my opponents and worrying about everything that could happen, I go on the attack.


    Using Precise Strike, I swing my hammer at the nearest sword-wielding hob. He tried to move out of the way in time, but I was faster and more agile. When he finally realizes he can¡¯t doge me, he no longer has the chance to counterattack and raises his sword to try to defend himself the best he can.


    My hammer is an unstoppable wrecking ball at this point and can¡¯t be blocked by a meager weapon such as his. So the second goblin goes down and doesn¡¯t get back up.


    Leaning my head to the right, an arrow soars past my cheek. It was time I finished what I had started.


    Jumping in the air, I activate Air Walk, to the surprise of the remaining goblins. I said I was going to take out that annoying archer, and I meant it.


    Running through the air, I quickly reach the hobgoblin holding the bow. He looks up at me in fear as I twist in the air, pointing my feet above my head and kicking off my footholds, rocketing myself toward the ground and my foe with my hammer raised. And just for good measure, I even use Intimidating Shout, paralyzing my target with fear.


    I was coming in at the force of a ballistic missile. Ok, maybe not that fast, but I certainly wasn¡¯t holding back. I was going to pulverize this goblin.


    Or that was the plan at least, but even though I desperately wanted to take out the archer, I hadn''t let my guard during my reckless charge¡­. not ever again. That was how I noticed a goblin rushing towards me in patchwork metal armor holding a broadsword. Damn, and I was so close too.


    I swing my hammer downward early without anchoring myself with my skills. The force of my swing drags me off target but helps me dodge the incoming goblins swing. It seems the head hobgoblin had decided it was time to get in on the action.


    I was tumbling through the air, but using Air Walk again helped me regain my balance. Though, the maneuver inadvertently increased the distance between myself and the goblins, giving them time to regroup.


    The leader of this little band of goblins was barking orders as I landed about a hundred feet away from them, and he did not look happy. I could see the gears turning in his head as he looked between me and Tabitha, who had moved slightly closer to our battle. She still looked like she intended on having me finish things by myself, but the goblins didn¡¯t know that.


    From the original thirteen, only five goblins remained. The four I was fighting looked ready to run at the drop of a hat, and no matter how much their leader hissed and howled at them, their fear-ridden faces stayed the same.


    I debated the pros and cons of immediately attacking, but before I could decide, the goblin leader locked eyes with me before spitting in my direction.


    He growled once more to his men, and the five of them slowly retreated as one.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s wise to let them go?¡± Tabitha asks, walking towards me, sporting a sly grin. Together the two of us watch the goblins disappear behind one of the massive trees.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t slaughter needlessly,¡± I rolled my eyes in exasperation after being sure the goblins were gone.


    "Yeah, I know," Tabitha reaches over and puts her hand on my shoulder. "You did well."


    ¡°Only because you called out to me. I¡¯m sorry for being such a disappointment lately,¡± I frown and lower my gaze. I¡¯m about to apologize for all my recent failures and for taking too long, but Tabitha stops me before I can even begin.


    ¡°Stop, none of that,¡± she shakes her head. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for; I do.¡±


    It takes a whole three seconds for me to digest Tabitha¡¯s words. ¡°What could you possibly have to apologize for?¡±


    ¡°It was my fault you were injured against the bird.¡±


    I open my mouth to refute Tabitha¡¯s claim, but one pointed look from her has me swallowing my words before I can vocalize them.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± she repeats. ¡°I did not properly prepare you to face magic beasts, and for that, I apologize.¡±


    Shockingly, Tabitha bows her head to me in remorse.


    ¡°You¡¯ve trained me plenty,¡± I wave my hands, trying to get her to raise her head.


    Tabitha shakes her head again. ¡°I¡¯ve trained you to fight other people, not magic beasts.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference?" I stupidly ask without thinking. Of course, there was a difference between fighting someone like Tabitha and a magic beast like the bird yesterday. Despite my stupid question, Tabitha raises her head and gives me a proper answer.


    ¡°There is. I¡¯ve been training you to observe humanoid opponents, judge their armor and weapons, and predict their fighting styles.¡±


    ¡°Yeah," I nod along to show that I am listening.


    ¡°You can use the same skills to identify how a magic beast will attack, but I forgot to impose upon you the fundamental differences between fighting other humans and humanoid monsters compared to magic beasts.¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± Tabitha leans in. "Though every living being can grow and gain levels, they don''t develop the same way. Take humans and stone kin, for example; we level, distribute our status points, and gain skills.¡±


    ¡°And magic beasts don¡¯t?¡± I guess.


    ¡°Not in the way we do,¡± Tabitha educates me. ¡°Magic beasts, and to a lesser effect, animals, level as we do, but it¡¯s theorized their status points are distributed automatically into the categories that best fit the creature. And when it comes to skills, animals and magic beasts are usually born with them. Of course, they can still unlock some skills as they grow, but nothing like humans do.


    Your basic villager might have a dozen skills; a magic beast might only have upwards of three. That might make them sound weak by comparison, but it''s actually the opposite. Because magic beasts only focus on a few skills, they''re comparable to ours when they reach level 100.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± I exclaim.


    Tabitha nods thoughtfully. "Combine those skills with a body and stats designed to compliment them, and you can see how magic beasts are so deadly.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s gaze softens, and she sighs. ¡°I was teaching you to expect a variety of skills and different fighting styles, not to face someone who¡¯s only spent time maximizing a single skill set. And for that, I''m truly sorry. I''ve failed you as a teacher, and because of that, you were hurt and started to doubt yourself."


    For what feels like a long time, Tabitha and I stand facing each other, letting everything sink in. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had Tabitha apologize to me like this before.


    While I understand why she feels responsible, and knowing more about magic beasts would¡¯ve been nice to know before she put me up against a random one, I also feel like she¡¯s taking on more of the blame than she deserves. Tabitha may have forgotten to teach me about magic beasts, but it isn¡¯t like I ever considered asking her about them, either. Again, it was simply knowledge, I didn¡¯t know I was missing.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re both to blame. You can¡¯t know everything I¡¯m ignorant about, and I can¡¯t know every question I¡¯m supposed to ask you. At the end of the day, in the short time I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯ve taught me almost as much as my master has. And I want to keep learning from you," I tell Tabitha with a smile. ¡°Can you keep teaching me, even if I mess up sometimes?¡±


    For the first time, Tabitha smiles fondly at me like she does when talking about Pacore. ¡°I would like that very much,¡± Tabitha holds out her hand.


    Reaching out, I firmly shake Tabitha¡¯s hand.


    I know I didn¡¯t come to the forest with the intention of this being a training trip, but I recognize that''s still what I need¡ªmore training.


    I¡¯ve been improving, but you can only do so much with nothing but sparring.


    I''m still not going to go around looking for trouble, but I''m not going to shy away from it, either. I''m going to meet it head-on and learn from it.


    This is where our adventure truly begins.

 Ch: 113.1

    Breath in.


    Breath out.


    With each breath, I draw in more mana from my surroundings, pushing my mana network to its limits. I feel like a balloon about to pop, but progress is never easy.


    I hold the extra mana within me for thirty seconds before channeling it into my right hand with part of my own mana pool. Then, slamming my hand down against the large log I¡¯m meditating on, I release all the stored mana in one quick burst. Pushing so much mana into the long-dead branch tears apart its inner structure, causing fractures to radiate from where my fingers meet wood.


    ¡°Having fun?¡± Tabitha asks, jumping fifteen feet up next to me.


    ¡°So much fun,¡± I mirthlessly chuckle. Since deciding to treat this excursion as an adventurer and a training exercise, I''ve started to work small bouts of magic practice into my daily schedule whenever possible.


    Every time we stop for our mid-day break, I try to work through my mana exercises, like just now when I was testing how much mana my body could hold. It¡¯s hard because I don¡¯t have much time to practice, but that only means I need to get creative.


    I''ve found one of the best ways I can practice using Mana Manipulation is while we walk by trying to divert the mana currents in the air without touching them or letting them brush up against Mana Skin. Unfortunately, I can only cause small ripples a few feet around me, but one day I hope to be able to control the mana around me like the magic tool Reel used to spy on me.


    ¡°They still watching us?¡± Tabitha asks, offering me a drink from her waterskin.


    I take the water and take a sip. ¡°Probably,¡± I tell her before handing the water back.


    Tabitha and I both look south. Closing my eyes, I stretch my mana senses as far as they will go in one direction, while Tabitha keeps watch. It takes a lot of concentration, but I filter through the abnormal ambient mana and search for mana signatures related to animals. I can''t sense anything below a specific size, but even then, the forest lights up like a Christmas tree.


    Focusing southward, I scan for anything hazardous, but in the end, I land on seven signatures roughly 1,400 feet away, near the edge of my perceivable range in this state. The seven goblins were huddled closely together, roughly a quarter of a mile away from us, just as they had been for the last few days.


    We''ve been dealing with them nonstop since we ran into that group of goblins a week ago. They¡¯ve tried to ambush us four times since we first sent them packing, and it was only recently that we learned that this small group has been tailing us.


    The group of goblins watching us made sure to stay well hind us the entire time, so it wasn¡¯t until I tried to quantify Sense Mana¡¯s range with Tabitha¡¯s help that we realized we were being shadowed.


    With Sense Mana at level 79, I''ve long known its effectiveness at certain ranges. But after missing the goblins in the trees, I decided I needed to know exactly how far I could sense things and to what clarity. And thankfully, Tabitha seemed keen to help me.


    She was instrumental in helping me judge distances by acting as a human beacon, and with her help, I learned the base range I can sense things is 94 feet in every direction. However, I can only sense minute things like an item¡¯s internal mana structure if it''s within 12 feet of me. And once she moved outside of 95 feet.... things started to get fuzzy.


    I can still trace large mana currents and find hidden life signs of medium-sized creatures up to 237 feet, but things only get vaguer after that. Once Tabitha moved 238 feet away from me, it became clear I could only sense her because of her mana pool and all of the enchanted gear she was wearing, which is why I couldn¡¯t sense the goblins when they first attacked us. Despite living in such a mana-rich environment, all the goblins I''ve seen so far have had little to no mana. But I digress.


    I could follow Tabitha''s movements up to 582 feet, upon which I lost her and could no longer pinpoint where she was. That was the extent of Sense Mana¡¯s capabilities when not boosted by Meditation.


    Though, when I did use them together, my output was stretched by a whopping 280%, and I could track Tabitha all the way up to 1,630 feet. Or something like that; we had to guesstimate the exact distance, but we were confident we were close.


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    To no one¡¯s surprise, my skills worked best in combination with each other; however, there was one big drawback I had to be aware of. To reach those far distances, I had to limit which direction I was focusing on rather than covering a radius, leaving me open to attacks. Therefore, Tabitha and I had to take great care of our surroundings while testing my limits, and the only reason I could do that in this environment was that I trusted her with my life.


    It was a good thing that I did because while tracking Tabitha with my skill, she stumbled upon the evidence that we were being followed. The goblins had already fled, so she didn¡¯t see them herself, but once we suspected they were there, we only had to wait for me to use my newly quantified skill to determine that, indeed, we were being trailed by a goblin scouting unit.


    Tabitha and I have tried to take them out multiple times since we discovered them, but each time we move to do so, they scatter like roaches, and we only end up killing two or three of them. Then the goblins would reform, seemingly with more scouts. Finally, it became apparent that we were wasting our time backtracking, so it was my job to check in regularly on their positioning.


    ¡°Any more of them?¡± Tabitha asks me while I¡¯m still in a meditative state. Her voice messes with my concentration, but I would¡¯ve needed to divert my focus anyway to let her know they were still maintaining their distance.


    ¡°Nope, still seven of them,¡± I tell her. ¡°Though¡­?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tabitha shoots me a curious look.


    "I can''t be sure, but I think two goblins are different from this morning. It¡¯s hard to tell at this distance, but I think they''ve switched guards since last I checked."


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t seem all that surprised by the news. ¡°They have to switch guards at some point, or how else will the village know where we are.¡±


    ¡°Village!?¡± My eyes widen.


    Tabitha nods to me before glancing again in the goblins'' direction. ¡°There has to be one nearby.¡±


    She makes sense, the groups attacking us have been increasing in number. The first four times we were attacked, the goblins numbered between ten to fifteen at most, but yesterday they numbered twenty-four.


    Tabitha handled the majority of them, but needless to say, I''ve been getting a lot of chances to redeem myself lately. They have yet to try attacking us today, but it was only a matter of time before we ran into another group.


    ¡°Check the other directions; see if any more are set up nearby," Tabitha instructs me.


    Closing my eyes, I reenter my meditative state and start scanning. Starting from where I know the goblin scouting party is, I slowly start sweeping the area around them. It¡¯s challenging to do, the best I can describe it is like I¡¯m looking through binoculars, but instead of seeing a clear image, it''s nothing but shapes and colors, much like looking into a kaleidoscope.


    I also need to focus on a much smaller area to see that far, so it isn¡¯t like I can scan quickly, either. Plus, it takes time for me to decode what I¡¯m seeing. The trees are my biggest hurdle, they¡¯re practically pilers of dense mana and are good at obscuring anything hiding in their branches, forcing me to take my time.


    ¡°No extra goblins,¡± I bring my hand up to my head and massage my temples after twenty minutes. Scanning that much area for that long leaves me with a severe headache. If I didn''t have Mental Resistance, there was no way I''d be able to hold out for as long as I do. But at least once I stop, my skill helps me recover quicker than I would otherwise.


    ¡°Nothing of significance?¡± Tabitha questions me.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that; I spotted a few things,¡± I tell her while holding out my hand.


    Tabitha takes my hand and helps me up. The first thing I do is shake out my legs. I had been sitting for almost forty minutes cross-legged without moving, and while my stats keep my legs from falling asleep, doing some light stretching after sitting still for so long is still beneficial.


    Once I feel lessened enough, I start pointing out everything major I saw in a 1,600-foot radius. ¡°The goblins are 1,400 feet south of us. There¡¯s a pair of forest lions in a den 1,050 feet southwest of us. They appear to have three cubs with them, so best to avoid them. Then, there''s a flock of blood bats sleeping in a tree to the east and another silent falcon in another tree to the west."


    Tabitha follows along as I point out the exact location of everything, using the code names I¡¯ve come up with to identify the various animals we¡¯ve encountered so far. Admittedly, my codenames were a little on the nose, but that ensured we wouldn''t accidentally confuse anything if we were to run into a similar but different animal in the future.


    The forest lions were the same as the one we ran into a week ago, the morning after my fight with the silent falcon. I decided to name the bird as such. After all, it was silent and well because it looked sort of like a falcon. But, hey, I never claimed to be good at naming things.


    The blood bat swarm was honestly the most concerning thing I saw, even when compared to the goblins, but not for reasons one would think.


    The average blood bat was the size of a fox and had a ten-foot wingspan. I call them blood bats because the red fur on their chest makes them look like they¡¯ve been dripping blood on themselves.


    Funnily enough, blood bats don¡¯t actually drink blood, or at least we¡¯ve never seen them. Instead, like most bats, blood bats feed on insects, and their favorite food is star dragonflies which are the bioluminescent dragonflies that come out each night. So the bats were harmless to Tabitha and me; however, it wasn''t their physical attacks that were worrying.


    Blood bats were similar to regular bats in many ways but also magic beasts. Like the silent falcon, the blood bat''s abilities were sound related, but while the silent falcon concealed itself with its abilities, the blood bats used theirs as an attack.


    Blood bats release a sound wave in the form of an ear-piercing screech. The sound stuns their prey allowing the bats to swoop in and pluck up their meal with little hassle.


    Tabitha and I could deal with a handful of them hunting around us, but hundreds? Thousands? There was no way we could get any sleep with a colony of blood bats nearby.


    ¡°The bats sound like a pain,¡± Tabitha frowns.


    I wait a moment, trying to read Tabitha¡¯s face to see if she made the pun on purpose, but her poker face skill is too high. Coughing awkwardly into my hand, I decide now would be a good time to tell her the only good news I have.


    "Yeah, we need to watch out for a lot of stuff, but I think I spotted a water source to the northwest, away from the bats.¡±


    Finding water was essential. We had found a small stream early on in our journey and followed it for two days, but then the goblins started to attack us, and eventually, the stream led straight into a highly dense mana region. We were forced to pick our battles and the amount of mana even gave Tabitha pause, so we changed directions at the cost of leaving our source of water behind.


    We could source small amounts of water here and there thanks to the survival skills my father taught me, but we needed to fill up our waterskins if we wanted to move faster.


    It was time to make a much-needed supply run in the deadly jungle. What will we find?

 Ch: 113.2

    ¡°Anything dangerous I should be made aware of?¡± Tabitha asks me as we run through the forest.


    ¡°Not that I could pick up. Nothing in the area up ahead had any significant amount of mana. But that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t anything there,¡± I remind her.


    ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re not letting your guard down anymore,¡± Tabitha smiles in approval at me.


    ¡°Not if I can help it,¡± I lightly joke back.


    The two of us were running quite fast, but even then, we could converse while still moving in unison. As usual, I was in the lead, with Tabitha trailing just a few feet behind me to my right.


    Together, we circumvent rocks, hop over fallen branches the size of regular tree trunks, and crest the rolling hills that make up the forest floor. Thanks to Sense Mana, I can read the mana currents around us, making me aware of any roadblocks, even if they''re out of sight.


    Glancing over my shoulder, I try to sneak a look at Tabitha without her noticing. I wanted to compare my footwork to hers, but my plan immediately goes awry when I don''t see her, and I hear Tabitha¡¯s mocking voice from my left. ¡°Maybe I spoke too soon.¡±


    Tabitha really was amazing; if I didn''t see what she did through Sense Mana, I might have thought she teleported into my blind spot. But that wasn¡¯t what happened. In truth, as soon as I thought to look over my shoulder to steal a quick glance, Tabitha sensed my intent and shifted to my left. It happened so quickly I was already looking over my shoulder before I could react to what I was sensing. And when I turned my head, it formed the perfect blind spot for Tabitha to take advantage of.


    Fine, if she wants to play, I can play. So, huffing superiorly, I springboard off a boulder in front of me and twist in the air upside down like a gymnast while Tabitha runs around the large rock. Of course, I''m only in the air for a second, but for people like Tabitha and me, it''s more than enough time for us to lock eyes with one another.


    "For your information," I finish my twist/frontflip and land gracefully on the other side without losing momentum. "I saw how you did that."


    "Then maybe next time you''ll be able to react,¡± Tabitha taunts, to which I only chuckle.


    If it was a week ago, I might¡¯ve gotten angry at a comment like that, but now I smile, having long acknowledged Tabitha¡¯s superior skill. At least for now, I''d reach her level one day, and then we''ll see who has the upper hand.


    Of course, I say that with no malice in my heart; the two of us have grown closer this past week, after all. This wasn''t the first time we''ve tried to one-up each other in a friendly manner, and it won¡¯t be the last. Tabitha pushes me to do better, and I like to think I keep her on her toes.


    Sadly, our tomfoolery has to come to an end. ¡°I sense the small body of water on the other side of this hill," I inform Tabitha. But the water isn''t the only thing I sensed. As we get closer, I can pick out dozens of lifeforms in and around the water using Sense Mana. Of course, the signatures have little mana, but it''s better to tread carefully until we know what we''re dealing with.


    As we near the top of the hill, I raise a fist to indicate we need to stop and that we should move silently from here on out.


    Tabitha reads me loud and clear. She silently moves next to me, and we crest the hill side by side to get our first look at the pond below us. Whatever was down there, we could handle it.


    I take that back.


    ¡°No,¡± I hiss disappointingly through my teeth, seeing the state of the water below us. Tabitha wrinkles her nose in disgust, proving we were of one mind.


    You couldn¡¯t call the cesspool in front of us a pond. The entire area was one immense spawning ground for an army of toads. The amphibians were a mix of shades of green and brown, much like most animals we¡¯ve come across in the forest, and ranged in size from a single foot to one massive bastard that was the size of a wild boar. And the sound!


    I wanted to raise my hands to my ears so badly that my training with Tabitha was the only thing that kept my hands at the ready should we suddenly be attacked. The sheer amount of croaking produced by the colony could give blood bats a run for their money.


    Worst of all was the water. The only thing I could see that was close to liquid was located at the center of the mud pit, where a giant pile of toad eggs was being guarded by the most prominent members present.


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    ¡°Well, fuck,¡± I curse with all of the elegance of a sailor. "What do we do now?"


    ¡°It depends, ¡°Tabitha tells me, staring intently at the army of toads in front of us.


    ¡°On what?¡± I ask curiously. Tabitha has improved since our heart-to-heart, but I''ve learned that I should just ask if I want to know something.


    ¡°On whether or not they¡¯re poisonous,¡± she explains. ¡°If they¡¯re not, we could collect some water along with their eggs.¡±


    I visibly recoil at the thought. I was open to trying a lot of things, but the idea of eating toad eggs sounded disgusting. ¡°Have you ever tried them?" I ask, wondering if I even want an answer.


    To my horror, Tabitha nods. ¡°They aren¡¯t my favorite, but I¡¯ve tried them before. They''re quite slimy on the tongue,"


    I pantomime barfing. ¡°They aren¡¯t a delicacy in Scholl, are they?¡±


    Tabitha rolls her eyes as if I asked her a stupid question, but as always, she diligently answers my question anyways. "No, they aren''t. I''ve only had them once, and it was during survival training under Master Pacore. Besides, we need the water,¡± she reminds me.


    My hand slides down to my waterskin hanging off my belt. A few taps reveal that I¡¯m almost out, and if I remember correctly when Tabitha gave me some of her water, she wasn¡¯t much better.


    Letting out a reluctant sigh, I steel myself for what¡¯s to come. ¡°So how do we tell if they¡¯re poisonous? I only know to look out for brightly colored animals. What do we do in this case?¡±


    ¡°Most toads are poisonous to some degree,¡± Tabitha educates me. ¡°The trick is, how poisonous? It''s hard to tell. If there were dead animals around the clearing, that would be a good indication, but I can''t see any. So I think there''s only one thing we can do."


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to like this, am I?¡±


    Tabitha ignores my question, which isn''t a good sign and points down the hill. "Your Mana Skin can stop liquids, so you won''t be affected if they cover themselves in poison. I need you to run down there and grab one of the smaller toads without killing it."


    ¡°Is that all?¡± I reply sarcastically.


    ¡°It is,¡± Tabitha counters drily.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I agree to do Tabitha¡¯s bidding, knowing I¡¯m faster than she is. Taking off my bag, I think about how I should best go about this. I want to avoid approaching from this side and giving away our position. Instead, I should circle them and approach them from another side before I make my move. But first¡­...


    ¡°Give me a minute to scan the area,¡± I tell Tabitha. I don¡¯t wait for a reply before entering a meditative state, having asked her the same question a dozen times over the last few days.


    First, I check for goblins. A quick scan of the greater area reveals nothing; the scouting group wasn''t even in range yet. They probably couldn¡¯t keep up with Tabitha and me. But they would eventually catch up; they always do.


    Once I can rule out goblin attacks, I look for other dangerous animals. With how deep we are in the forest, I always get a few hits, but thankfully nothing in our immediate surroundings.


    That leaves the last thing; I drop Meditation and Sense Mana and instead activate Sense Soul to get an idea of the toads'' levels. ¡°47, 39, 42, 33¡­..., nothing too dangerous," I mumble. ¡°Any tips?¡± I ask Tabitha right before I leave.


    Tabitha takes a second to hum in thought. "They''re probably more agile than you think, so stay away from them," she cautions. "Also, watch out for their tongues. I''ve never run into this species before, but amphibious magic beasts have been known to shoot out their tongues at speeds that can rival an arrow in flight.¡±


    ¡°So, superhuman frog stuff. Got it, thanks,¡± I wave to Tabitha before running back down the way we came.


    I circle the mud pit and climb to the opposite peak. It isn¡¯t as tall as the other one, but I can still see Tabitha from my new position.


    Scanning the muddy valley below me, I search for a toad close enough for me to grab quickly and not in a group, a task that is harder than one would think.


    I stay perched atop the hill for a few minutes watching the toads hop around, and in that time, I get to see how aggressive they are. The little toads fight in front of the larger ones by slamming and biting into their opponents. I don''t know which god gave these little slimeballs teeth, but it was a mistake.


    I was curious as to why they were fighting so violently until I watched one of the little winners hop onto the back of the enormous toad and precede to¡­... fertilize her. I¡¯m cool with nature, but it loses some of its magic when you realize you¡¯re watching a frog fight pit/orgy.


    Thankfully, I don¡¯t have to wait that long until I see my opening. Two of the smaller male frogs were squaring up to fight it out near the edge of the mud pit closest to me. Oddly enough, watching the toads throw down is exhilarating, and I find myself rooting for the little guy. Well, the smaller little guy.


    Too bad for him, though; the larger toad wins, and once the battle is decided, I just have to wait for the winner and female to hop away before I make my move. While the little toad is still disoriented from losing its fight, I book it down the hill and grab the amphibian with both hands before it even lets out a croak of surprise.


    I move so fast that it isn''t until I''m halfway out of the valley that the other toads realize one of their own was taken. The croaking of the toads rises in pitch, and I consider the possibility that an army of toads might chase after me. As funny as that sounds, I wasn''t interested in being hunted down by an army of angry kermits.


    I use Double Step to flee the valley faster, and within seconds I¡¯m on top of one of the neighboring hills. Glancing over my shoulder, I¡¯m prepared to see a wave of toads hopping after me, only to pause when I don''t see a single one behind me. Almost all the toads were staring angrily at me at this point, especially the larger females, but not a single one was chasing after me.


    ¡°Well, that was easy,¡± I smile to myself. The toad in my hands was struggling to break free from my grasp, but the little guy didn¡¯t have the strength to pull off a daring escape.


    I move to start heading back to where Tabitha is when I see movement out of my peripheral vision. Glancing back at the mud pit one more time, my eyes widened seeing the alpha female of the group nearly three times larger than she was. She was gathering mana in her mouth for an attack; too bad for her, it gave away what she was doing.


    I could Flash Step out of sight at this point, but I wanted to see what the level 47 toad could do.


    She doesn¡¯t make me wait long. The giant toad opens her mouth and launches a ball of brown water at me. There¡¯s enough mana in the water to keep it together as it rockets towards me, but not enough to be life-threatening.


    It¡¯s child¡¯s play to dodge the water missile, and I watch as it impacts where I originally stood. That was some pretty good aiming for her part. The magic attack tears up the ground a bit, but that''s all. Even if I were to take her attack head-on, Mana Skin would block most of the damage.


    Seeing all that I needed to, I start my trek back to Tabitha, who I know is patiently waiting for me.


    On my way back, I think about how easily I handled my task. Since Tabitha started instructing me on how to deal with magic beasts, I''m not as worried as I once was


    when confronted with something new.


    As Tabitha explained it to me, magic beasts were their most dangerous when encountering them for the first time. However, once you know their physical capabilities and what skills they possess, dealing with them could be almost trivial.


    Take the chameleon spiders as an example. They were scary ambush predators, but once you knew how they acted and could spot them, it was easy for Del, Ronald, and I to hunt them to extinction. Of course, you still had to be careful of outliers, but those were rare and far between.


    If this toad isn''t that poisonous, then collecting those eggs will be a breeze.

 Ch: 113.3

    ¡°Buurrrrrrr- eeeppppppp!¡± I watch the toad croak threateningly up at Tabitha.


    ¡°Huh, I thought you would grab a bigger one," Tabitha remakes at the angry toad in my hands.


    ¡°You told me to grab one of the smaller ones,¡± I remind her with a hint of frustration.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t say grab the smallest one possible,¡± Tabitha tries to poke the toad in between its beady eyes. The toad doesn¡¯t take kindly to Tabitha¡¯s attempt and tries to bite her gauntleted finger, but she quickly pulls it back before it has a chance to catch her, much to the toad¡¯s displeasure.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to torture it,¡± I pull the toad away from Tabitha. The poor thing was already struggling to free itself from my grasp. There was no need to add to its fears.


    ¡°It¡¯s a toad,¡± Tabitha remarks with a stony expression, seeing me try to shield the amphibian from her.


    ¡°A toad who just had his heart broken,¡± I puff out my lower lip and make a sad face at Tabitha. In my past life, I knew what it was like for a man to give his all to attract a woman only to watch her choose another guy. ¡°You¡¯ll get your second chance,¡± I affectionately pet the back of the toad.


    I don''t know if the toad sensed that I wasn''t hostile to it or if it just gave up on struggling at this point, but it calmed down hearing my reassuring voice. Of course, I wasn''t going to loosen my grip or put my hands anywhere near its mouth, but at least now I could easily hold the ten-inch toad in only one of my hands.


    ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble, but it won¡¯t,¡± Tabitha interrupts my inner musings.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, not liking where this is going.


    "How did you think we would determine if it¡¯s poisonous?¡± Tabitha asks me, drawing her dagger while looking at the toad in my hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I hug the toad closer to me. ¡°I thought maybe you¡¯d examine its skin, something non-invasive like that.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Tabitha flatly tells me. ¡°The best way to tell how poisonous it is, is to dissect it. Those lumps on either side of its head are most likely where it produces its brand of toxin. So I''ll cut it open and extract the glands; we can use those for our tests.¡±


    Tabitha reaches for the toad, and I can physically feel it start trembling in fear. ¡°Hold on, can¡¯t we do this another way?¡± I plead. The toads were no danger to us, and we were already considering stealing some of their eggs. Did we have to add mutilation on top of it?


    Tabitha looks at me like she didn''t understand why I was going to such lengths for a single toad. I¡¯d hunted plenty of innocent magic beasts for food until this point, so why was this one any different?


    I knew it was only a single toad, but what did its species have to do with anything? Needless killing was wrong, and though it would make our lives slightly easier to just filet the amphibian and move on, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.


    ¡°Please?¡± I try to give Tabitha the largest puppy dog look I can manage.


    Tabitha considers my plea for a second before audibly sighing reluctantly. ¡°Fine,¡± she relents. ¡°I can¡¯t stand here all day convincing you anyways.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you know me so well," I quip. "So, how do we do this without hurting him?" I again hold up the toad so that Tabitha can get better access to him.


    ¡°Simple, I¡¯ll simply ingest what I need,¡± Tabitha tells me in the blandest tone of voice possible, as my brain fails to comprehend what she is saying.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to eat him!?¡± I yell in disbelief.


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    Tabitha rolls her eyes and begins taking off her right glove. ¡°Just hold him still,¡± she orders me.


    The toad begins thrashing again as Tabitha reaches out toward him, but I let her place her hands on him this time. She agreed she wouldn''t harm him, so even if I didn''t know what she was going to do, I trusted her.


    Like a snake, Tabitha''s left-hand lashes out and grips the toad''s head in a vice-like grip. My heart starts to break when the toad starts whimpering like an injured puppy, a sound I didn''t know they could make. The poor thing was probably assuming it was about to die. I try to pat the toad on the back to reassure it everything will be alright, but nothing stops the whimpering.


    While my heart is shattering to a thousand pieces, Tabitha doesn¡¯t second guess her actions for a minute, and with her right hand, she starts pinching the sides of the toad''s head like an overly affectionate grandparent.


    ¡°Is this necessary?¡± I frown as Tabitha tries to pop the lumps on the toad''s heads like they were zits.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Tabitha remarks. ¡°I need him to be afraid. The more scared he is, the more toxins he¡¯ll release.¡±


    ¡°Is that really how it works?¡± I ask nervously.


    Tabitha shrugs and continues her work. I¡¯m about to suggest she take a break when I don¡¯t see anything different with the toad, but just as quickly as she starts torturing the animal, she stops.


    ¡°That should be enough,¡± Tabitha holds up her hand for me to see. It wasn¡¯t much, but there was a clear brown mucus covering her fingers, and then I realized what she was planning on doing. Tabitha did say she would ingest part of the toad, didn''t she?


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to¡­.?¡± I start to ask, but Tabitha does the unthinkable and starts licking her slimy digits.


    I don''t need to fake being sick this time because I gag for real. The toad and I watch in horrid silence as Tabitha licks her fingers clean.


    ¡°Why did you do that?!¡± I finally find my voice after she finishes.


    Tabitha tries to play it cool, like what she did wasn''t the most disgusting thing I''ve ever seen, but I can spot the crack in her normally stony face. Her eyes turn misty, and I can see her throat convulsing like she is trying her best to keep it down.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tabitha lies through her teeth. ¡°I have the Poison Resistance skill, and if it is truly too strong for me, I have a strong detoxifying potion in my emergency satchel.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way a bit of water was worth that.¡±


    Now Tabitha scowls at me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had to do it like this if someone would''ve let me dissect the toad like I wanted to. I could''ve used its glands on another small animal and seen how it reacted, but someone insisted otherwise."


    ¡°We can find other water sources,¡± I remind her, and Tabitha fixes me with a serious look.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about the water,¡± Tabitha starts to tell me but pauses and brings her ungloved hand up to her face and starts slowly flexing her fingers.


    ¡°You, ok,¡± I ask.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Tabitha answers slowly. ¡°The toad¡¯s toxins are kicking in. It seems to be a mix between a psychedelic and a paralyzing agent. My limbs feel heavy, and the colors of things are subtly shifting."


    Did Tabitha just tell me she¡¯s tripping balls on toad slime?


    "Are you sure you''re ok?" I felt the need to ask again to ensure she was ok.


    Tabitha snorts and grins like what she¡¯s experiencing is no big deal, but I can¡¯t help but notice that she¡¯s started leaning to the left a bit. ¡°My Poison Resistance skill is already nullifying the symptoms. I''ll be back to normal without any side effects in a minute."


    Well, at least she¡¯s coherent enough to see the worry on my face and reassure me that she¡¯s ok. But I still need clarification on what she said earlier; if we weren''t doing this for the water, why were we going to all this trouble to rob a couple of toads?


    ¡°Why put yourself through this?¡± I step next to Tabitha and place a hand on her shoulder to steady her, carefully keeping the toad as far away as possible.


    Tabitha shakes her head, and I can see some of the fog clear from her eyes. ¡°I thought it was obvious,¡± she drolls on. ¡°As soon as I saw the toads, I knew what you needed.¡±


    "I''m not following," I admit, earning another sigh from Tabitha.


    "For a girl with such a variety of skills, I would think you would¡¯ve figured it out by now. I want to collect the toad eggs because I think they''ll help you earn the Poison Resistance skill. The eggs should contain a weaker version of what the toads have, which will be perfect for you. The effects will be minimal for someone at your level, and it¡¯s even better because it¡¯s a toxin meant to incapacitate, not outright kill.


    I can watch over you like I do when you meditate. And before you say you don¡¯t need it, every warrior worth their stuff has at least a few levels in Poison Resistance. I thought we¡¯d run into a creature that used poison earlier, but we only saw those giant centipedes, and I couldn''t chance them having too strong of a venom that you couldn''t handle.¡±


    ¡°So, all this is for a skill?¡± Tabitha nods and straightens herself out. True to her word, it appears that the toxin had almost entirely run its course.


    "One of the most important," Tabitha stresses. "Don''t mistake Poison Resistance for its stronger variant, Poison Immunity. Getting the skill doesn''t mean you can shrug off poison with no effects. You saw with me that I still experienced what the toxin was meant to do; Poison Resistance just reduced the effects and helped me purge it from my system faster than I would¡¯ve otherwise. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell you why that¡¯s important.¡±


    She didn''t. Even if Poison Resistance didn''t give me immunity to anything, having it would be vital against opponents like Reel or magic beasts that use poison.


    Still, I wasn¡¯t looking forward to how I was going to unlock the skill. I already have Mental Resistance, and I vividly remember the pain I had to endure to unlock it. Tabitha made it sound like obtaining the skill was relatively easy, but if I want to level it, I''ll likely need to subject myself to more robust and potent toxins.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groan.


    ¡°It¡¯s your choice,¡± Tabitha tells me.


    I give her a look that says we both know that isn''t true. Even if we left the forest at this very moment, I''d eventually come across someone or something that uses poisons. Whether that was now or a few months when I was in Scholl, it didn''t matter; I needed to be prepared.


    "Alright, let''s get this over with quickly," I grumble.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you see it my way," Tabitha grins.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I sigh. ¡°I¡¯m still not letting you kill the toads.


    Tabitha¡¯s smile falters for a split second before it returns as an evil smirk. ¡°Fine, then you can distract the toads while I gather their eggs. After that, we''ll see how well you stick to your own words.¡±


    "Fine," I try to sound confident in front of Tabitha, but on the inside, I''m panicking. I¡¯ve learned a lot about fighting magic beasts this last week, but enough to keep an army of toads away without killing any of them?


    ¡°Good, this should be fun.¡± Tabitha''s remark feels like salt in my wounds, but you know what they say, no pain, no gain.


    And I had a lot to gain at the end of the day.


    Look out, toads, Aaliyah''s coming back for round two! So please don''t be too angry.

 Ch: 133.4

    The toads were, in fact, not happy to see me again.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting the warmest of welcomes, but I definitely didn¡¯t expect to be swarmed as soon as I entered the valley. They must have been on high alert after I stole their buddy. That, or they just assumed I would return.


    I could barely find time to drop my captive off at the edge of the mud pit before I had to Flash Step away to avoid the first wave of oncoming water missiles directed at me by the smaller females. Individually, the mana-infused water couldn''t hurt me, but that didn''t mean I could stand there and let them hit me. Each bolt of water that touches me eats away from Mana Skin. If I get hit too many times, I''ll run out of mana, and then the water could do some real damage at that point.


    "Back off!" I yell, kicking a male toad jumping at me and trying to bite my leg. I made sure not to use all my Strength in hopes that I wouldn''t accidentally kill the thing.


    Tabitha threw my challenge back at me, and I would do my best to pull it off. And that meant I couldn''t kill a single toad¡ªa challenge the toads were making extremely difficult.


    Thankfully I held back just enough to send my attacker flying, but not hard enough that when it landed, it could get back up, all be it a little wobbly on its feet.


    For the first time in forever, I make use of Pugilist Skills. Unfortunately, I can''t use my hammer for fear of killing the squishy amphibians, so instead, I use my hands and feet to defend myself.


    I quickly find myself falling back into old stances, a kick here, a chop there. The only difference is the amount of fighting experience I''ve had since the last time I fought with my bare hands. It''s almost effortless to switch between attacking and defending to suit my needs, and soon a tiny mound of toads is croaking in pain around me.


    Their attacks may be pointless, but I''ll give the toads one thing, they did not quit. No matter how many of them I knock down or how many I send flying, there''s always another wave hopping toward me.


    The males were throwing themselves at me with no regard for their own lives. It was interesting to see the clear dynamic between the two sexes. While the males were essentially living cannonballs with teeth, the females stood back, continuing to try and hit me with their pressurized water blasts with no regard for their smaller mates.


    More than once, I''m forced to sidestep a blast of water, and a male toad is hit by a female''s attack in my place and is blasted away. The little guys are still twitching afterward, so I''m assuming they''re alright, but I don''t exactly have time to worry about them.


    I already had all the toads focused on me, but that was only the first part of Tabitha''s and my plan. While the male toads were charging me, the females were still clustered around their eggs.


    I needed to get them to move from their position so Tabitha, who was hiding just over the ridge, could sneak down and grab the eggs.


    Tabitha made it clear that if I couldn''t get the females to move, she''d resort to plan B, eradicating the females and any other toad in her way. Meaning I was on the clock. I was going to need to approach the females and fast.


    I would rush them as it is, but I was only on the outer rim of the mud pit, and my feet were already getting caught in the slop. With each step I took, I needed to dislodge my feet from the muck, kicking up a lot of mud and releasing a god-awful smell that seemed to stick to the inside of my nose. The water blasts from the females weren''t helping the situation either. With each salvo, they were making the already soft ground even mushier.


    So, reluctantly, I activate Air Walk, as it''s the only way to get out of my predicament. With each step, I burn through precious mana as I rush the large females at the center of the mud pit.


    "Crap!" Sadly, I only get to take two steps before being forced to Flash Step away in a mid-air maneuver. "That one almost got me," I frown at the alpha female. So, even toads can have tricks up their sleeves.


    I was aware that she was charging up her attack again, but instead of shooting a ball of water the size of a beach ball at me like she did last time, the alpha female shot a projectile half that size at a much faster speed. It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t drop my guard.


    Though, knowing she could attack quicker was a massive disadvantage for me. I needed to hurry, and depending on how fast she could recharge, I might waste too much time dodging. My mana was already trickling away, and once I used half my mana pool, I would need to cut my losses and be forced to kill rather than injure.


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    This is different from back home, where I can use up all my mana and safely recharge in my room. This was just a single part of my day, and I needed to have enough mana for later.


    I have a split-second decision to make; did I stay in the air where I have better maneuverability at the cost of my mana? Or did I drop dawn, where I''ll be exposed to both the males'' and females'' attacks to save mana for later?


    "I choose mana," I physic myself up as I turn off Air Walk and drop to the ground. But, then again, I''m not actually turning my skill off all the way. Instead, as the alpha female did, I''m changing how I use my skill, so it doesn''t use as much mana.


    As my feet are about to touch mud, I form a thin mana barrier under my boots. The barrier doesn''t need to be as thick as when I run through the air to stand on mud, so I''m not using as much mana as I usually do. To further lower my mana usage, I deploy my Magic Threads.


    It sounds counterintuitive to use more mana rather than less, but Magic Threads offer me even more support where there was non in the first place.


    I might not be in the air anymore, but I was maintaining my mobility with a fraction of the mana I''d be burning if I was.


    Dodging a handful of male frogs leaping at me, I run across the top of the mud pit like its solid ground. The females croak louder as I approach them, and as soon as I reach the first one, I lash out with a swift kick. The females are higher leveled than the males and were easily quadruple their size, so I don¡¯t need to hold back as much either.


    My boot connects right under the toad''s open mouth, and as it soars through the air, it makes a sound akin to a squealing pig. Now I could finally get on to the next phase of our plan.


    I want to celebrate, but that would be premature. Because no sooner than the female toad I kicked crashes down into the mud, the rest of the toads surrounding me change. All the croaking around me stops at once, and suddenly I feel like I¡¯m in danger.


    ¡°Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!¡±


    The noise started small, a gentle humming in the ears. Then it began to grow.


    ¡°RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!¡±


    The noise became louder until the combined humming of all the toads was defining!


    ¡°RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!¡±


    ......


    Then the noise stopped, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I have just enough time to Flash Step away before every toad around me dove at me at once in a frenzied rage.


    A few minutes ago, they were jumping at me in packs of four or five, but now dozens of toads were flinging themselves at me with mouths open, not caring that they were mostly slamming into one another rather than me.


    Even the females who were once content to stay back were now bounding after me, shooting water at me as soon as they could gather it in their mouths.


    I grimaced; I might have gotten their attention a bit too much.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Tabitha taking the chance to sprint toward the unguarded eggs, but I can''t watch her long before I must entirely turn my attention to the attacking toad army.


    At this point, I''m forced to punch and kick at my full Strength. Too many toads were getting close to me and trying to bite through Mana Skin, and I needed to make sure they wouldn''t get back up when I knocked them down.


    I feel a few wisps of experience waft up from my feet, signaling that I did indeed kill a few, but I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the fact.


    To my left, the alpha female was gathering her mana in her mouth again, and this time there were so many toads around me I didn''t have a safe space to escape to.


    Reaching behind me, I''m finally forced to draw my hammer. I have just enough time to ready my weapon before another condensed water bolt is shot at my head.


    I use my superior reflexes to cover my hammer in mana and swing for the bleachers. Water missile meets hammer, and the resulting explosion of water sends reverberations through my bones. The toads around me were less prepared for the clash, and the water explosion actually helps me by scattering the amphibians around me.


    ¡°I got it!¡± I hear Tabitha call out.


    I don''t hesitate after that and immediately activate Air Walk and jump straight up. A few toads were now turning their attention to the second human in their valley, but most were still locked on me.


    Dodging multiple smaller water missiles, I break in the opposite direction Tabitha was fleeing. No matter how much leg strength they have, none of the toads can keep up with me when I can run unimpeded, and soon, I''m outside the valley.


    I''m not in the air long, and I appreciate the solid ground I land on, but I only stop running once I take a curving route to the base of a tree six hundred feet away from the mud pit where my bag is waiting for me. Leaning against the tree, I try to catch my breath.


    Tabitha and I picked this tree to stash our bags because there wasn''t anything dangerous nearby. Still, I only allow myself to relax once I see Tabitha jogging up from the opposite direction, holding both mine and her waterskins in her hands.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Tabitha congratulates me with a smile.


    Taking a few deep breaths, I stand up straight and give Tabitha a half-hearted grin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t avoid killing a few,¡± I freely admit my defeat.


    I expect Tabitha to gloat, but surprisingly she walks over to me and gives me a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°Yeah, but only a few. It was impressive how well you did when they went berserk. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d last as long as you did.¡± I don¡¯t know how to feel about that, but it¡¯s nice to have Tabitha acknowledge me in her own way.


    In the end, I decide it¡¯s better to focus on the good, and I¡¯m able to give Tabitha a proper smile in return. ¡°So, you got them?¡± I motion to our waterskins.


    ¡°Sure did,¡± Tabitha holds them up and gives them a light shake, where a sickening sloshing noise comes from inside. ¡°Enough eggs to get you the Poison Resistance skill. I think.¡±


    "Goody," I cheer sarcastically, not bringing up how she didn''t sound very sure at that last part. Leaning up against the tree, I take a few more shallow breaths to even out my breathing.


    "Need a moment?" Tabitha asks concerningly. She looks me up and down for any signs of injury, but in the end, the toads were unable to break through Mana Skin with any of their attacks.


    ¡°Just a sec,¡± I reply, taking a seat on the soft forest floor.


    Tabitha nods in understanding before turning around to watch our surroundings. Knowing she would guard me, I take a second to enter a meditative state again and draw in as much raw mana as possible to speed up my regain. Sunset was still five hours away, and we still had ground to cover before we looked for a new campsite.


    After meditating for a few minutes, I''m about to deactivate my skill when I remember I should check up on the goblin scouting party. The whole toad egg thing took us roughly an hour, so they should be back in range by now.


    I scan in the direction they would be in if they were following our tracks, and¡­. I go pale.


    "We need to go now!" I yell, springing to my feet. I reach over and grab Tabitha''s backpack next to mine and throw it at her as she turns around, hearing the fear in my voice.


    "What''s wrong?" She asks as I stumble to secure my bag while trying to run simultaneously.


    ¡°Goblins; lots and lots of goblins,¡± I tell her as she catches up next to me.


    "How many?" Tabitha gave me a look that said she was ready for battle and wanted a more concrete number.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I tell her. ¡°I lost track after I counted a hundred!¡±


    A whole goddamn horde was after us, and they weren''t far behind.

 Ch: 113.5

    Run; I have to run faster!


    ¡°Aaliyah.¡±


    If we slow down, they¡¯ll catch up to us!


    ¡°Hey, Aaliyah?¡±


    The goblins chasing after us were nothing like the group the village had to deal with, and now there were only two of us!


    ¡°Stop!¡± A hand reaches out, grasping my shoulder with enough force to pull me off my feet. Skidding to a stop, I reach for my hammer, only to come face to face with an annoyed-looking Tabitha who''s sweating from all our running.


    ¡°Good, are you finally listening to me?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow questioningly at me as she tries to catch her breath.


    ¡°But we need to keep moving,¡± I stress, urging her to keep running despite her troubles. Tabitha didn''t see what I saw; this wasn''t a small hunting party after us anymore. When I scanned the group of goblins, I pinged multiple strong responses in multiple groups.


    ¡°Even more reason you need to calm down,¡± Tabitha orders me in a strong yet reassuring voice. ¡°Collect yourself. We''ve been running like mad for the last half hour. We have a minute to catch our breaths.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask nervously. I can¡¯t help but scan our surroundings for any hidden foes, even though I had Sense Mana stretched to its limits.


    ¡°See, this is why you need to collect yourself,¡± Tabitha tells me in a firm voice. ¡°You would know better than I if there were any goblins nearby. So catch your breath, and use your skills to scan back the way we came. I¡¯ll make sure nothing gets close to you,¡± she reassures me with an oddly caring smile.


    Collapsing to the ground, I¡¯m forced to follow Tabitha¡¯s advice, as I couldn¡¯t enter a meditative state in my current mindset. Like Tabitha, I was having trouble breathing. It''s hard to do, but by regulating my breathing, I force my body to relax. It takes twice as long as usual, but I eventually get my skills to work as they should, and I can start scanning our new surroundings.


    Even while being chased, I had led us deeper into the forest by following a current of dense mana. The ambient mana was now many times what it was outside the Endless Forest, meaning there were an increasing amount of powerful magic beasts around. And not just from all sides of us either; I was picking an increasing amount of flying magic beasts near the tops of the trees and even a pack of what I suspect are magical mole rats nearly a hundred feet below us.


    Thanks to Sense Mana, I had diverted us around anything remotely dangerous while fleeing, but it got trickier the deeper we got. So, I force myself to ignore the magic beasts that were technically surrounding us and focus on the path we took to get here, praying we had managed to put some distance between us and the horde on our tail.


    Thankfully, my initial scan doesn''t pick up anything, but I make sure to go over everything twice before I''m confident enough to tell Tabitha the goblins were no longer in my range.


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense them anymore,¡± my eyes flutter open to see Tabitha standing guard over me. I was worried she might be taking the goblins too lightly, but I scrapped those thoughts seeing she had her hand on her sword¡¯s hilt and looked ready to jump into motion at any second.


    Tabitha doesn¡¯t visibly react much to the good news, she still retains her combat-ready stance, but she does nod once like she is confirming something to herself. "That''s good; it would''ve been annoying if they managed to keep up with us.¡±


    ¡°If they did?¡± I ask.


    "If a group that size could keep pace with us while we were running at max speed, it would mean they most likely out-leveled us. Instead, we bought some time to think. That''s why I needed you to stop running. We¡¯re in a precarious situation.¡±


    "Can''t we just outrun them?" I throw the idea out there, hoping Tabitha would agree, but her headshake says it all.


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    ¡°If it were humans chasing after us, I¡¯d say yes. But goblins¡­.,¡± Tabitha pauses dramatically. ¡°Goblins are vicious scavengers. They also have excellent night vision. We may be able to outrun them now, but once the sun sets¡­...¡±


    Tabitha leaves the rest unsaid. And for a change, Tabitha doesn¡¯t need to spell it out for me. I could only imagine what would happen if we were surrounded in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Damn it, why are they even chasing us?" I curse and kick at the ground. "I mean, why are they so dead set on us? It can¡¯t be easy for them to keep tracking us. Unless, of course, their village was nearby?¡± I look to Tabitha for guidance, but she is reluctant to answer that question.


    Tabitha and I stare at one another until she lets out a tired sigh. "I can think of two reasons they''d track us this far," she tells me somberly. "They''re most likely after our gear," she starts.


    ¡°What?¡± That wasn¡¯t the explanation I was expecting.


    Tabitha sees my confused expression and elaborates. ¡°You remember the goblin leading the hunting party we ran into our second day in the forest?¡±


    I nod along, and Tabitha continues. ¡°Then I¡¯m sure you remember it was wearing actual armor, not something crafted here in the forest. As I said, goblins are scavengers, the most ruthless in the world. Normally they¡¯re food driven, but in places like these where food is abundant when you¡¯re strong, it¡¯s only natural their needs shift to what they can¡¯t acquire naturally.¡±


    I look down at my armor and over my shoulder at my dellinium hammer. "They would risk their lives for some armor? They have to know a lot of them will die.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re counting on it,¡± Tabitha says darkly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how quickly goblins can reproduce; the one thing they aren''t lacking is bodies. So to them, death is just weeding out undesirables."


    ¡°Even if it takes them a few years to grow strong enough?¡± I ask, remembering the lesson Del gave me on goblins. Young goblins are weaker than the average villager but start growing exponentially after they reach two years of age. We call goblins that live that long hobgoblins, and they are comparable to an adult at level 30.


    And if a goblin makes it to five years old, they start growing horns, like the hobgoblins attacking us who were around level 55. The point is goblins need to survive long enough to reach their higher forms. Is Tabitha telling me there are so many of them that they don''t care if horned hobs die?


    "Goblins like humans mature faster in a high-stress environment like the Endless Forest,¡± Tabitha explains. ¡°They still need to survive a few years, but that¡¯s not hard for a thriving village.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I interrupt Tabitha because I need an important question answered. "If the goblin tribe can pump out so many horned hobgoblins, why did a horde attack our village? Is there a second tribe nearby?"


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there would be another tribe so close to one so large. They were probably expelling the weaker members of the tribe, the goblins that weren¡¯t improving as fast as the others," Tabitha gives me her best-educated guess. ¡°Again, it¡¯s all about resources for them. They don¡¯t care if a hundred goblins die so long as one of the strongest members gets better gear out of it.¡±


    ¡°And the second reason.¡± If they were willing to field a small army just for some gear, I hesitate to ask what the other reason could be.


    I¡¯m only surer of this when Tabitha visibly frowns and tightens her grip on her sword. "The second reason they may be hunting us so rigorously may be because we¡¯re both women.¡±


    And like that, I¡¯m suddenly reminded why people hate goblins as much as they do. ¡°Oh,¡± I can barely squeak out.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tabitha sneers in disgust, but she quickly gets ahold of her emotions and goes back to speaking to me in her usual emotionless voice. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t care that we killed a handful of goblins, so we have to assume they¡¯re either after us or our gear. Maybe both. Either way, if they¡¯ve come this far, it¡¯s safe to say they aren¡¯t going to give up.¡±


    Tabitha pauses to allow me to ask any more questions, but I was still digesting everything, so there was just an awkward silence between us.


    Realizing I wasn¡¯t going to say anything, Tabitha informs me what we must do. "The goblins aren''t going to stop hunting us, and we can''t chance them finding us after sundown. So the only thing we can do is fight back.¡±


    ¡°Tabitha, I don¡¯t think¡­.," I start, but Tabitha holds up her hand to stop me.


    "I''m not suggesting we take them head-on," she immediately clarifies. "I couldn''t guarantee your safety, and I promised you I wouldn¡¯t put you in another situation like that.¡±


    She was talking about how I almost died fighting that bird. Tabitha had been pushing me this last week, but she¡¯s been much more careful in what challenges she sets for me. If anything seemed too out of my league, Tabitha would immediately step in. But if we were to attack a group of goblins of this size, there was no insurance that she could save me if things got complicated.


    ¡°There may be a lot of goblins, but we¡¯re both strong individuals,¡± Tabitha tries to reassure me. ¡°I¡¯ve been in worse situations and came out on top,¡± she boldly proclaims.


    ¡°Really; you have?¡± I perk up hearing Tabitha tell me she¡¯s been in this kind of situation before.


    ¡°Well, not with this many enemies,¡± she backpedals a bit, but then I see her eyes light up, and I¡¯m not surprised by what she says next. "But Master has told me many stories of overcoming such challenges. So I''m sure the two of us working together can do the same," she confidently states with her hands on her hips in a heroic pose.


    ¡°We¡¯re doomed,¡± I hang my head in fake despair to hide the smile threatening to creep up on my face. I was still scared, but damn it, if Tabitha''s positivity wasn''t making me feel better.


    ¡°You should be more positive,¡± Tabitha huffs and folds her arms in front of her chest. "After all, you''re our ace in the hole."


    ¡°Huh?¡± I crane my head back up in confusion. How was I more influential than Tabitha; she could probably kill most of the goblins by herself?


    ¡°The goblins may have numbers, but you have the most important skill of all.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± I raise an eyebrow in confusion.


    Tabitha rolls her eyes at me. ¡°Your ability to sense them at long range," she scolds me like the answer was apparent, and if I weren''t nervous about the future, I might have figured it out for myself. In time.


    "Thanks to your skill, we''ve already avoided them once," Tabitha reminds me. ¡°If we play our cards right, we can use ghost tactics to whittle down their numbers into something more manageable. We play to our strengths; we hit them, then retreat and repeat. We''ve already established they can¡¯t keep up with us on foot.¡±


    "Ghost tactics? Don''t you mean guerilla tactics?"


    ¡°Gorillas aren¡¯t sneaky,¡± Tabitha looks at me like I knew nothing about animals; to be fair, she wasn''t exactly wrong. But it didn''t matter because she was happy to correct me. "No, we swoop in like ghosts, reap as many lives as possible, and disappear before they know what hit them. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re crazy,¡± I let out a long sigh. ¡°But you¡¯re right. We need to do something about the goblins.¡±


    Tabitha grins manically, hearing that we are finally on the same page. Crazy battle junkie.


    ¡°So, how do we do this?¡±


    ¡°I have a few ideas,¡± Tabitha motions for me to move in closer as if someone was going to overhear us in the middle of the forest.


    Well, here we go again.

 Ch: 113.6

    ¡°They¡¯re in range again,¡± I slowly open my eyes and inform Tabitha.


    "Alright," Tabitha nods thoughtfully. ¡°What are we looking at?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s more than a hundred,¡± I inform her, trying hard not to let my nervousness show.


    ¡°How many exactly?¡± Tabitha either didn¡¯t notice the twinge in my voice, or she was being considerate and chose not to bring it up. Either way, I¡¯m thankful.


    ¡°A hundred and forty-seven.¡± Just saying the number is enough to make me break out in goosebumps. But I have a job to do, and I wasn¡¯t going to let Tabitha down, so I push on with the debriefing. ¡°They¡¯re divided amongst thirteen groups, following the exact same path we took to get here.¡±


    ¡°Any sort of formation?¡± Tabitha questions.


    "Sort of," I tell her. Then, using my dagger, I start carving X¡¯s into the tree branch we¡¯re standing on to give her a better idea of how they were marching. "As I can tell, they''re all clustered around this central group,¡± I point at the largest X I carved in the middle of all the others.


    ¡°Anything special about that group?¡±


    ¡°That would be putting it mildly,¡± I snort and wipe a bit of sweat threatening to fall into my eye.


    ¡°I take it that¡¯s where their leader is?¡± Tabitha''s guess is more right on the money than she knows.


    ¡°It¡¯s where the biggest mana signature is,¡± I give her a worried look. ¡°I¡¯ve never sensed anything like it. When I use my skill to scry goblins, they look almost empty to me; their gear gives them shape. But this guy," I point at the center X, which I deliberately made bigger than all the others. ¡°This guy is on a whole other level!¡± I try to stress.


    ¡°How so?¡± Tabitha¡¯s face hardens. Like a hunter asking about their prey.


    ¡°Well, for starters, he¡¯s taller than me.¡± Standing up straight, I raise my hand over my head to show that the goblin towered over me by almost half a foot. I was a tall girl; this was the first time I''d ever seen a goblin taller than myself.


    "Any distinctive markings, specifically around its head?" Tabitha asks me as if she already knew what was chasing us.


    ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡± I cock my head to the side in confusion. ¡°The goblin had more mana in its body than any I''ve seen before, but most of it was contained in its horns. It looked like they were sprouting around its entire head, almost like it was wearing a spiky crown.¡±


    I watch as Tabitha takes a deep breath as if she is trying to collect herself, but anyone can see she is excited for some reason. She absolutely knew what we were up against.


    From our high vantage point up in the trees, Tabitha glances down at the forest floor in the direction the goblins were approaching. I beefily consider asking her to educate me on what was heading toward us, but she starts explaining all on her own.


    "An arch goblin, fascinating,¡± Tabitha grins like a feral cat. ¡°I¡¯ve never had the chance to face one.¡± Tabitha stares longingly into the distance for a full minute before she turns and addresses me directly.


    Knowing my limited knowledge, Tabitha thankfully starts explaining what an arch goblin is. ¡°Arch goblins are the next evolutionary line in goblin biology after hobgoblins. You can tell the difference between the two by their horns.¡±


    "What makes them different than any other horned hobgoblin?" I''ve never heard of goblins having a fourth form before.


    ¡°Horned hobs are merely what we call hobgoblins in the middle of becoming an arch goblin,¡± Tabitha educates me. ¡°Hobgoblins continue to grow horns until they form a crown, at which point they¡¯re considered a new subcategory.¡±


    ¡°And I take it arch goblins are extremely dangerous?¡± I grimace.


    "Bigger, meaner, and rarer," Tabitha almost giggles in excitement. ¡°They only start appearing when a goblin tribe is left to grow unchecked for decades. There hasn¡¯t been one reported in Scholl in over 200 years. I will have to apologize to master when I see him again; I''m fortunate he chose me to oversee your training."


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    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy,¡± I respond sarcastically. Tabitha isn¡¯t perturbed by my sour expression in the slightest, leaving me to sigh in resignation. "If hobgoblins start sprouting horns at level 50, what level would an arch goblin be at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Tabitha shrugs her arms to my disbelief. "I''ve only ever heard stories about them. Some say they''re equivalent to a worrier around level 80; others say even higher. There just aren¡¯t enough examples to pull from. Sorry.¡±


    That means, chances are, it''s a higher level than I am. Nervously, I rub the back of my neck. We were outnumbered, and there was also a goblin, possibly as strong as Tabitha leading the attack.


    ¡°Anything else you can tell me about it? Was it wearing enchanted gear? What weapon was it carrying?¡± Tabitha bombards me with questions as if I was setting her up with my best friend.


    I wish I could say I didn¡¯t know, but the arch goblins gear was part of the reason why his presence showed up so clearly to me despite the range. "He has a claymore, a decent one, too," I point out.


    Tabitha glances at my hammer, and I immediately know what she¡¯s about to ask, so I beat her to the punch. ¡°It¡¯s hard to compare the two because they¡¯re so different, but I know the sword is at least tier 3, possibly tier 4, like my hammer. The same goes for its armor,¡± I add.


    ¡°Any enchantments?¡±


    ¡°Not that I can tell from this range. Once they get closer, I can better scan their gear, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have time once they¡¯re that close.¡±


    Tabitha hums in thought before nodding in understanding. Now that I could sense the goblins, it meant they were within 1,600 feet of us and our time was limited.


    ¡°Anything else I should know?¡± Tabitha prods for more information.


    ¡°Their leader was my biggest concern, but there was something else that might pose a problem to our plan,¡± I tell her. "While most goblins are on the ground, four two-goblin cells are moving through the trees.¡±


    ¡°Scouts then,¡± Tabitha has the same idea as me.


    ¡°I think, well need to take out at least one of the teams if we¡¯re to pull off our plan,¡± I remind her.


    Tabitha nods in agreement before turning her undivided attention toward me. "Speaking of which, do you think you can pull it off?" Tabitha¡¯s gaze pierces me as she questions if I can follow her crazy plan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got this,¡± I reassure her with a fiery look. For all that I worry about, I refuse to be a burden to Tabitha.


    Tabitha smiles at my confidence and offers me a reassuring pat on my shoulder. ¡°You really are something. You¡¯d give that old hag, Untouchable, a run for her coin.¡±


    ¡°Who?" I ask Tabitha to elaborate; I was curious if Tabitha was trying to praise me or badmouth somebody else.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Tabitha shakes off my question. ¡°What matters is if you are ready; did you recover from the toads?¡±


    ¡°I recovered as much mana as possible while strategizing, but I¡¯m not back to 100%.¡±


    ¡°But you have enough for the plan?¡± Tabitha questions again.


    "We''ll see, won''t we," I try to joke, but Tabitha doesn''t laugh. Instead, she fixes me with a gaze that has me coughing awkwardly into my hand. "That was a joke; I have enough mana." Tabitha must be on edge, or else she would¡¯ve ignored my joke rather than gotten angry at me.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re nervous, but now isn¡¯t the time for jokes,¡± Tabitha warns me. For a brief second, I consider pointing out how she shouldn¡¯t be looking forward to battling the arch goblin but decide against it. Tabitha may be looking forward to this fight, but she certainly wasn¡¯t taking it lightly; the amount of planning she came up with was proof of that.


    Tabitha had been so thorough in covering how we should deal with different situations that our strategy would only need to be altered slightly now that we know about the scouts and arch goblin in the mix.


    ¡°Sorry, I understand,¡± I look down, feeling bad for my moment of childishness. There was a time and place for everything, and this wasn''t it.


    ¡°As long as you understand,¡± Tabitha lightly says, as if she¡¯s already put it behind her. ¡°Can you check where they are?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I nod. Then, sitting and throwing my legs over the side of the thick tree branch to let them dangle, I close my eyes and enter a meditative state while Tabitha keeps watch and starts stretching. I''d never seen her stretch before our other magic beast encounters, further cementing the danger we were up against.


    I wish I could say it took me a while to find the army of goblins, but they were closer than I expected. They were only 700 feet out, and if it weren¡¯t for all the massive trees around us, we¡¯d be able to see them already.


    "In another 120 feet or so, I''ll be able to passively sense them," I open my eyes and inform Tabitha.


    "They''re moving fast then," Tabitha blandly states while rolling her shoulders.


    I flinch as she abruptly takes a fighting stance and draws her sword in one quick motion. Tabitha then sheaths her weapon and repeats the exercise three times, preparing for what comes next.


    While Tabitha is making her preparations, I complete my own. Focusing on my mana, I strengthen my Mana Skin to the best of my abilities. Tabitha made it abundantly clear I was to leave the dangerous stuff to her, and I was only supposed to play a supporting role in this battle. And I¡¯ll quote, ¡°Be in a world of trouble if I take any significant damage.¡±


    I¡¯m halfway through my own stretching routine when I feel it. ¡°The first scouts just entered my range, 580 feet that way and closing steadily,¡± I point east of us.


    ¡°Still following our trail?¡± Tabitha turns to me with a look of stony resolve.


    "Give me a sec," I tell her as I wait to see if the other goblins are following behind the scouts. "They are," I inform her as more and more signals enter Sense Mana''s range. ¡°They haven¡¯t noticed us yet.¡±


    "Remember," Tabitha walks next to me, facing our targets. "Goblins have an amazing sense of smell; we only have a minute to pull off our first sneak attack before they become aware we''re there. Ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready,¡± I parrot.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Tabitha calmly states.


    Together, Tabitha and I push off the tree branch we¡¯re standing on and start parkouring through the canopy.


    As we were leaping from tree branch to tree branch, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if our surprise attack would go as planned. We circled back the way we came without retracing our steps on Tabitha''s suggestion. As far as the goblins were concerned, we were long gone, but in fact, we were off to the side, waiting for them to pass us.


    The goblins thought they were sneaking up on us when in reality, we were using them following us to our advantage.


    We were quickly approaching our targets, and I was already locked onto the closest scouting duo to us. Tabitha was right as usual; my skill was going to give us the upper hand.


    Silently, I move next to Tabitha, hold my hand, and slowly start lowering my fingers without us exchanging a single word.


    At four fingers, I lead us around the trunk of a tree so we remain out of sight.


    On three, Tabitha¡¯s hand shifts down to her sword.


    When I¡¯m down to two fingers, I slowly pull back to give Tabitha room to work.


    One, I count in my head as we round the tree and come face to face with two horned goblins.


    The two goblins freeze in place, utterly baffled by our sudden appearance. Tabitha was not.


    A flash of steel separates the goblin''s heads from their bodies. Tabitha acts fast, and before the goblin torsos start falling, she grabs them.


    But with her hands full, she can''t do anything about the severed heads already in freefall. So that''s where I come in; using Air Walk, I dash forward and grab the heads before they can draw any attention toward us.


    Tabitha and I have just enough time to stash the bodies higher in the tree before the procession of goblins starts to pass directly under us.


    Phase one is complete. Now on to stage two. Murdering as many goblins as possible.

 Ch: 113.7

    Damn, there were a lot of goblins below us. Of course, there weren''t as many as the group that came to attack the village, but every goblin below me was at least a hobgoblin, most of whom were horned hobs. The level difference between the two groups was night and day.


    And the arch goblin¡­.


    Looking to my right, I see Tabitha struggling to hold back her killing intent. She was focusing on the arch goblin in the center of the group, and if she let out even a sliver of her intent, I¡¯m sure he would sense us and give away our position.


    I nervously swallow a lump in my throat. Utilizing Sense Soul had given me a clear picture of what we were dealing with, and it wasn¡¯t what I was hoping for. Before I saw him, I was praying that the arch goblin was only in the high 70s, maybe low 80s like Tabitha told me, but this.


    I grimace as my skill estimates the arch goblins level to be in the low 90s, ten levels higher than I expected. Meaning only a few crucial levels were separating him and Tabitha.


    Facing something on the same level as Tabitha sends shivers down my spine.


    Get a hold of yourself; you have a job to do, I remind myself. We were on the clock, and every second counted. One last time, I turn to Tabitha, and she turns to me. The two of us don¡¯t say a word and only nod to one another.


    Tabitha leaps out of sight, to move into position, while I turn back to the goblins below. My job was to cause the biggest distraction possible while incapacitating as many goblins as possible. Once there was sufficient panic amongst their ranks, Tabitha would swoop in like death incarnate. However, her main goal was to be the arch goblin.


    We needed to teach these pests that it wasn¡¯t worth it to hunt us, and to do so; we''d need to take out their leader, or else he might come back with a second group.


    Holding out my hands, I start to focus my mana.


    <hr>


    One Hour Earlier


    ¡°Will ambushing be enough?¡± I nervously ask Tabitha after she finishes explaining her plan to me.


    ¡°If executed properly, then yes,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°We won¡¯t have exact numbers until they¡¯re back within your skills range, but our goal remains the same even if there are thousands of them. We need to kill their leader,¡± she stresses.


    ¡°And if we can¡¯t identify him?¡± I point out. Tabitha knew I didn¡¯t get a good chance to scan them before we started fleeing. "What if their leader is hiding?"


    ¡°I think you¡¯re giving the goblins too much credit,¡± Tabitha snorts in amusement, but her eyes narrow seriously. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, we target the one with the highest level. Depending on where they are in the group, I¡¯m going to need you to cause a distraction. I''ll pick off as many as possible in the chaos, but I need an opening.¡±


    ¡°And how am I supposed to do that?¡± I frustratingly complained, not because Tabitha asked too much of me but because I couldn''t help her as she needed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we need to figure out,¡± Tabitha supportingly places a hand on my shoulder, something she''s been doing a lot more as of late.


    ¡°What about dropping a tree branch on them?¡± I suggest. The trees around us were ginormous, and their branches weighed at least tens of thousands of pounds. Imagine the chaos it would cause if we managed to drop one into the center of their group. At worst we would be able to split them up.


    ¡°It would be difficult,¡± Tabitha shuts down my idea before it can fully take root. ¡°It would take a while to cut through a branch of that size, and we would need to be too close to them to set it off reliably. They''d smell us and know something was up.¡±


    ¡°This sucks,¡± I slam my fist into the tree we were strategizing under. ¡°If only I knew a siege spell.¡±


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    Again, Tabitha shakes her head. ¡°Sige magic takes more mana than you currently have. So even if you could somehow cast it, I''d leave you with nothing to defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°Then any attack magic,¡± I grumble, unhappy that even my hypothetical plan was turned down.


    ¡°And how would that help us?¡± Tabitha rolls her eyes. ¡°You are unused to casting anything other than basic magic. Even if you knew an attack spell, it wouldn¡¯t be a big enough distraction.¡±


    ¡°I could use Empowered Spell," I jokingly throw out, more to prove I wasn''t useless than actually suggesting anything.


    "You have such a skill!?" Tabitha''s eyes widen in surprise.


    That''s right, Tabitha knew about all my physical and defensive skills, but I have yet to tell her about my lesser-used ones like Chanting and Empowered Spell, which I rarely use. Tabitha knew I only had three tier 1 spells available to me and primarily focused on freeform magic, so we never talked about my other magic skills at length.


    ¡°I do,¡± I tell her. ¡°I use it on occasion to boost my weaker magics. It''s how I make my self-cleaning spell work on my surroundings. I can also empower my little flame spell to cause an explosion, but it requires me to be at the center of it."


    ¡°That is unacceptable," Tabitha flatly tells me before I get any funny ideas.


    ¡°I figured,¡± I hang my head.


    Even if I poured all my magic into it, I doubt I could make an explosion strong enough to kill over a hundred goblins and survive.


    While sulking, I hear Tabitha hum in thought, causing me to look up. Tabitha was looking at me like a puzzle that needed solving. ¡°Suppose I could tell you the incantation for an attack spell. Is it possible you could learn it before the goblins arrive?"


    ¡°You know a spell?!¡± I exclaim. "Why hadn''t you taught it to me sooner?"


    Tabitha scoffs as if I said something offensive. "Do I look like a magic teacher to you? I only know cantrips like yourself and have no experience in teaching magic. So why would I waste my time when I could improve your fighting technique?"


    "But you just said?" I start, but Tabitha holds up her hand.


    ¡°I said I could give you the incantation, not teach you how to use the spell. I only know the words because I¡¯ve heard them used so many times. I must stress that you''d need to learn how to cast it by yourself, with no help from me. Do you think that''s possible?" Tabitha fixes me with an intense look.


    ¡°What¡¯s the spell?¡± I lick my lips in anticipation.


    ¡°Fire javelin,¡± Tabitha answers, and I have to hold myself back from leaping into the air and shouting.


    "I can do it; you can count on me," I assure her without even thinking.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t, you¡¯ll just be wasting precious time,¡± Tabitha looks at me like she wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± I¡¯m practically begging at this point. As excited as I was to learn a real fireball spell, I was still aware of why it was so important in the first place. If I couldn''t decipher how to use the spell correctly all on my own, I¡¯d be extremely limited in helping Tabitha. So I needed to make this spell work to help her.


    "Fine," Tabitha sighs, seeing my determined expression. ¡°But if you aren¡¯t making progress in thirty minutes, I need you to tell me so we can think up another plan.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± I nod in agreement.


    "Alright, listen closely," she waves me closer as I struggle to hold back a manic smile.


    <hr>


    Now


    Gathering nearly 200 points of mana into my hands, I start my chant.


    ¡°Hinsung gab bas ri he dymntn, o silf wer yemki por faestt.¡±


    After I say the first line, a growing sphere of fire forms in front of my hands. Unlike my other spells, Fire Javelin was a tier 3 spell, so it had multiple parts to its incantation, and I had to be extremely careful as I correctly recited each.


    ¡°Ir metbels bnieght eforem em meyme, es weth firmesnu molh acose.¡±


    As I finish reciting the second verse, the sphere starts to compact and elongate. At this point, the goblins below had already noticed me. It would be hard for them not to, considering my spell was excessively flashy.


    Dozens of goblins were already crawling up the nearby tree trunk, so I needed to hurry.


    ¡°Dat ruenghtl fys trai, ight nurrbb!¡±


    I finished reciting the spell, but I wasn¡¯t done just yet. Before the bolt of fire can leave my hands, I activate Empower Spell and forcibly cram another 200 mana into it. I have very little time to adjust the spell how I want, and most of the mana just goes into making it bigger and more deadly, but my skill does its job.


    The bolt of fire launches from my hands with the force of a ballista aimed straight at the arch goblin.


    Hundreds of feet may separate us, but I can see it grinning at my oncoming attack. The arch goblin readys its claymore, I¡¯m assuming to block it with some sort of skill, but now it¡¯s my turn to grin.


    A hundred feet from the ground, my fire javelin spell suddenly, and to the shock of all the goblins, breaks apart into hundreds of smaller fire arrows. The goblins have almost no time to react as I literally rain fire down upon them.


    I wish I could watch my spell''s effect on the horde, but the first wave of goblins climbing toward me was almost here. The only thing that told me my spell did its job was the hundreds of goblins screaming below me and the smoke wafting up into the canopy.


    I sense a few whisps of experience points drifting up toward me, so I know I killed at least a few, but that wasn¡¯t what my spell was meant for, though I¡¯m happy for the results.


    Tabitha would emerge and start slaughtering any second now, but I had other things to worry about. I count forty-three goblins climbing up after me, including the other six scouts rushing through the treetops toward my position.


    I had completed my main objective but still had more to do. To help Tabitha, I needed to keep as many goblins focused on me as possible, so though scary, it was a good thing a third of them were converging on me. She said I only needed to keep their attention, but I wasn¡¯t only going to settle for being a distraction.


    Each goblin I killed was one less Tabitha needed to worry about. So, instead of Flash Stepping away as the first goblins reach my position, I draw my hammer and stand my ground.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill all of you,¡± I growl and raise my hammer threateningly.


    I didn''t bother to check the level of the goblins rushing me because it didn''t matter; I was going to turn them into meat paste anyway.


    The goblins snarl at my challenge, holding their weapons at the ready. They move to rush me, but I¡¯m faster.


    I Double Step in close, dodging a spear thrust to my face, and initiate my counterattack. My hammer slams into the first goblin''s chest before it can react. I can feel its chest cave in under my strike, but I don¡¯t let up. Activating Double Strike, I add a second blow to the already dying goblin, sending him flying into his teammate standing behind him, catching him off guard and knocking him off the tree branch.


    Two down, another forty-seven to go.

 Ch: 113.8

    Tabitha¡¯s Point of View:


    What was this feeling in my chest? Was it doubt; or fear of what was about to happen next?


    No, Master taught me there was no place for doubt during a battle. A warrior always needed a healthy sense of fear; not all battles were glorious after all, and whenever a person stopped fearing death, it usually meant they were soon to be embraced by it. But doubt? Never.


    Maybe I was worrying about Aaliyah? I had just enough time to look over my shoulder and get one last look at her before I disappeared out of sight. She wasn¡¯t facing me, already preparing to start her chant, so I could no longer see her expression, but I was sure it was one of resolve.


    I would be a horrible mentor if I didn¡¯t notice she was using her mask of resolve to hide her fear, but again, fear was needed in a situation like this, and I wasn''t going to fault her for trying to hide it, no one wanted to appear weak.


    We were up against a force with superior numbers, and I dare say the goblins below us were higher leveled than a human battalion of their size would typically be. If she were an average person, she''d be running for the hills, and with her skills, that was a valid tactic.


    And I could not help but think that this situation might be more manageable if I was by myself, and I didn''t need to worry about Aaliyah''s safety. Then I could.....


    I almost miss my footing as I realize what was eating at my nerves. I wasn''t worried for myself; if I died here, it would be a glorious death that would make Master proud. But when I think of something happening to Aaliyah, I feel a pain in my chest, one I¡¯m not used to feeling.


    I didn''t want anything bad to happen to her, not because Master ordered me to watch over her or because she was my junior, but because I genuinely cared about her. At some point, I¡¯d grown attached to her as if she were my little sibling.


    No, that was a bad comparison, I had siblings, and none of them elicited the same feelings. On the contrary, my family was always distant towards me, especially after I pledged myself to Pacore rather than return home after my initial service to the kingdom was up.


    Every person born to a noble family in Scholl was expected to serve a few years in the military to level and learn how the world worked. But I was different; I was the black stain of my family. I never enjoyed politics and always felt detached from others. But when I crossed swords with Master for the first time, I knew exactly where I needed to be.


    That same day I had pledged myself to Master Pacore the Deathless and written home to my family that I¡¯d be staying in the military indefinitely.


    I received angry letters from my family to no end, but thanks to Master''s clout, they couldn¡¯t formally renounce me or do anything publicly.


    In the end, it has been years since I last saw a family member outside a formal setting, and it didn¡¯t bother me in the slightest.


    But here and now, I was nervous, not for myself, but for another.


    At what point did I start caring more about Aaliyah than I did about my family? How did she work her way into my heart the way only Master has done before?


    Was it because I wanted her to succeed for the sake of Scholl? For Master? For myself?


    As I swiftly descend the tree we were hiding in, these questions fill my head. But just because I was experiencing emotions I wasn''t familiar with, it didn''t mean I¡¯d forgotten our plan.


    Stealthfully, I take up position away from the tree Aaliyah was still hiding in. Fire javelin was a flashy spell, usually only used when a mage had sufficient cover; the fire would draw in the goblins like flies are drawn to shit.


    And on cue, almost as soon as I find a decent hiding spot, I spot a sphere of fire forming in the treetops. As planned, the goblins immediately notice Aaliyah, and part of them break from the group to charge the tree she¡¯s hiding in.


    It was time to see if she could pull the spell off. All I gave her were the words, but if anyone could learn a tier 3 spell in under an hour, it would be Aaliyah. The kid had more talent than Master and I combined. So much so that I often have to remind myself she''s only fifteen.


    The sphere of fire in Aaliyah''s hands elongates, signaling she is almost finished with the spell, so I draw my sword in anticipation.


    Roughly a third of the goblin horde was climbing up into the trees while the rest were closing ranks, which was good for us. Fire javelin wasn¡¯t an area-of-effect spell, meaning depending on where she launched it, she¡¯d only take out one or two goblins max, but I was okay with that.


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    She was already drawing more away than I was comfortable with, but with her movement skills, it shouldn¡¯t be hard for her to avoid them. Originally, Aaliyah suggested she take a more hands-on approach in creating a distraction, but I wasn¡¯t going to allow her to put herself in that much danger. Even if I fall here, Aaliyah''s more than capable of leaving the forest alone, so I''m sure she''s okay. She''s shown great promise this last week, making me proud to call her my student.


    Though I would never say that to her face, the kid already had a big head when I first met her, the same problem many high leveled people suffer from. Reaching a high level requires a lot of success, so a person over level 50 can often be arrogant. Honestly, it''s a miracle that Aaliyah is as grounded as she is, reaching her level at such a young age. It must be why Master favors her as he does.


    Part of me was happy she had a hard time against that first bird we ran into; it reminded her she wasn''t invincible, a lesson we all have to be reminded of sometimes. I grit my teeth, remembering the water dragon and the crushing defeat we suffered that day. Shaking my head, I cleared those thoughts from my mind; they had no place here.


    Losses build character, but we weren¡¯t losing today!


    I was ready to rush in, knowing Aaliyah should be firing her spell any second now. But my pulse races when instead of launching the spell, it rapidly grows in size and magnitude.


    Damn it, I curse and mash my teeth. She¡¯s using more mana than she¡¯s supposed to. I¡¯m thankful for her wanting to help, but now she¡¯ll have less to draw on while defending herself.


    I want to shout at her to hurry up and launch it, but that would ruin everything we¡¯ve prepared for, so I''m forced to silently watch as Aaliyah pushes her limits while dozens of goblins converge on her.


    Finally, she launches her magic at the arch goblin, a good choice on her part. He looks like he¡¯ll try and deflect it, but doing so will harm those immediately around him, making targeting him more manageable in the long run.


    Once again, I prepare to sprint toward my target, and once again, I¡¯m forced to stop as my Danger Sense skill warns me against it. I trust my skill, and it''s a good thing, too, because no sooner than my skill goes off does Aaliyah''s fire javelin spell explode midair into a hail of smaller attacks.


    Gods help me; I almost wanted to complain that the girl was too talented. She should¡¯ve been born in the past when things were greater and not in this waning age. To augment any spell is challenging; to augment a spell learned less than an hour ago is impossible!


    My mouth drops in surprise as pandemonium breaks out amongst the unprepared goblins. I counted four dead from the initial barrage, but that wasn¡¯t where the modified fire javelin spell excelled. The fire arrows pelted every group but the one containing the arch goblin.


    Some goblins were running around on fire, while others were trying to regain order. The arch goblin was looking up at the tree that Aaliyah was fighting in with a scowl of unbound rage. I watch as she sends two goblins flying over the edge with a single beautiful swing empowered with one of her skills.


    Instead of fleeing as I told her to, she''s standing her ground, leaving me both proud and frustrated simultaneously. When this is over, I¡¯ll have to remind her who¡¯s in charge and that she promised to follow my orders to the letter, not bend them how she likes.


    I should¡¯ve seen this coming, but I can do nothing now.


    What am I thinking? Of course, there is! I can kill all these foolish goblins, and we can continue with our journey. Like Aaliyah, I wanted to see what the Endless Forest offered. There hasn¡¯t been a danger zone such as this in Scholl for a long time, the nobility having long turned them into training grounds. There were still dangers to be had, but nothing unexpected such as a goblin tribe of this magnitude.


    But that didn''t matter; as usual, Aaliyah went beyond my expectations and produced the best distraction possible, and I wasn¡¯t going to let it go to waste.


    Not needing to conceal myself any further, I rushed at the closet group of goblins who were busy trying to put out their comrade who was on fire.


    Immediately a handful of goblins in the greater group turn towards me despite not looking in my direction. I note each of them, as they most likely have a form of Danger Sense. But though they can sense my approach, they can¡¯t act fast enough to keep me from beheading two hobgoblins and stabbing a third through their chest. The fourth I leave on fire.


    The hide armor they''re wearing is challenging to cut through but not enough to stop my enchanted blade. I carve through another three goblins before they''re able to mount an effective defense. Surprisingly the goblins formed ranks instead of blindly rushing toward me, proving they were much more intelligent than I was giving them credit for.


    Goblins with spears level them at me to keep me from rushing in, while goblins with handmade and human-made weapons flank them.


    Swinging my sword, I easily deflect seven arrows aimed at my chest, then sidestep a goblin¡¯s overhead swing with a human¡¯s axe. Then, with a flick of my blade, I disarm the goblin, literally. He howls in pain as his two arms fall to the forest floor.


    Not one for letting a creature suffer, I stab the goblin in its throat, silencing its screams of agony and taking its life in a single movement. Unfortunately, I only have time to count seven before I dance backward to avoid a revenge swing from another hob.


    The goblins do their best to try and pin me down, but a few minutes later, the count in my head reaches twenty-three.


    By this point, all the goblins still on the forest floor were focusing on me, including the arch goblin, who was staring at me while hungrily licking its lips. The regular hobs were doing a good job keeping me away from him, but I was slowly closing the distance, waiting for my chance to strike.


    While moving around, I could sneak a few glances up at Aaliyah, who''s valiantly fighting in the treetops. She was being swarmed but still holding her own. Though the best sign she was still holding her own were the thumping noises of goblin corpses as they crashed into the ground.


    Using Flash Step, I circle the group of goblins in front of me, but instead of attacking from the back, I shift my attention to the goblins beyond them, the ones flanking the arch goblin. Besides the arch goblin, there were four other hobs wearing armor that were probably looted from human adventurers.


    I single in on the one holding a halberd of all things. I try to disguise my attack as me targeting the hob next to him, but the halberd-wielding goblin still takes a defensive stance rather than an attacking one¡ªpesky danger sense skills. Tied with Poison Resistance, Danger Sense was the most versatile skill.


    I had hoped I could help Aaliyah obtain it or one of its offshoots by playing with her sneak attacks and retaliating suddenly, but that was a bust. The problem was the girl was too vigilant for her own good.


    Danger Sense heightens a person¡¯s ability to sense minute changes in their surroundings, especially the ones they aren''t aware of. After being ambushed a few times, that¡¯s how people usually obtain the skill. But Aaliyah, even when I catch her off guard, she isn¡¯t truly off guard thanks to her particular skills. Making it nearly impossible she obtains it.


    The halberd wilding hob stabs at my exposed neck. I guess I killed enough of them at this point that they aren''t going to try and take me alive for fun later. I dodge to the left and move to cut off his predominate arm, but surprisingly he guards against my strike by twirling his weapon.


    For a brief moment, we''re locked together, and now that I''m close enough to look at the hob in his beady red eyes, I can see the horns on his head. They hadn¡¯t yet sprouted in a full circle, but they weren¡¯t far off. A glance over my shoulder lets me spot one of the other four rushing at me from my blind spot, and again I see that its horns, too, are close to forming a full crown.


    All four armor-wearing hobs were coming up on level 80, close to becoming arch goblins of their own.


    And the real deal, he was standing off to the side grinning at me, content to let his men test the waters, examining me. There was a dark intelligence behind those red eyes that I did not like.


    Well, I wanted a battle, and it looks like I got it. I grin back at the arch goblin causing his smile to slip.


    He won¡¯t be grinning in a second when I show him what I¡¯m capable of!

 Ch: 113.9

    Tabitha¡¯s Point of View:


    Raising my shield in front of my face, I block the halberd-wielding hob from stabbing me in the chest. At the same time, I use my sword to parry a strike from my right.


    A second hob with a curved longsword was trying to catch me off guard during my scuffle with the halberd wielder, but he would need to do better than that if he wanted to score a hit on me.


    Dancing backward, I twirl around and stab a third goblin who was also trying to sneak up on me in her right shoulder. Unlike the two hobs I was just facing, the third hob was only a typical hobgoblin that wasn''t close to becoming an arch-goblin. She was just one of the many goblins watching my duel with their leaders, looking for an opening to attack. She wasn¡¯t the first to try, but I knew how to deal with her kind.


    The goblin tries to backpedal while holding her shoulder with her good arm, but at this point, they should know I wasn''t going to let that happen. Instead, I slash the goblin across the chest, cutting deep into her flesh and exposing her insides for all her pals to see.


    The surrounding goblins hiss, seeing me slaughter yet another goblin, but not a single one of them turns to flee. Nor do any of them try to check on their fallen comrades, even if it is futile. Unfortunately, I don''t have time to contemplate the peons¡¯ actions before the two quasi-arch hobs are on me again.


    This time the longsword hob takes the lead. Again, I move to raise my shield, aware that the second one will attack as soon as I show an opening when my Danger Sense goes off. So without hesitating, I use Instant Parry. Just in time, too, because the goblin''s long sword curves around my shield like it was alive, and if I didn¡¯t use my sword to block it, I might have been hit.


    The goblin sneers, seeing me block his strike. I maliciously grin back and kick him in his armored stomach. The force of my kick made the goblin stumble back a few steps, but that wasn¡¯t why I did it.


    Using the force of my kick, I leap back and avoid another would be hit by the halberd-wielding goblin. I''m impressed with how well these goblins are using their weapons. I doubt they just happened to come across their weapon of choice, yet they''re wielding them better than most trained warriors would. It just went to show a goblin¡¯s frightening capacity for growth in any situation.


    I switch targets and try to close the distance between me and the halberd hob, but he uses a footwork skill to keep his distance. He maintains the exact distance needed to stab at me with his longer weapon, while I can''t touch him with my sword, all while the longsword hob circles the both of us, looking for an opening.


    At least the other three weren''t joining in. The arch-goblin, and the other two quasi-arches, were standing close by watching me, but not close enough that I could shift to them without giving them time to react.


    I would need to finish these two before engaging the other three, but how did I do that?


    Their teamwork is astounding, and they handle their weapons like it''s second nature. We were going skill for skill at this point, and though I''d outlast them in the long run, it would leave me vulnerable when I took on the others.


    As I thought, if I want to end this fast, I¡¯ll need to be extra creative, like Master would be.


    First, let''s get some distance from the three hobs'' content to sit out. It was counterintuitive to my original plan of rushing the goblin leader, but that plan changed as soon as I realized the levels of his underlings. I may be good, but I couldn''t take on an arch-goblin as long as he had the backup of four goblins stronger than Aaliyah. So, to ensure the other three don''t interfere when I make my move, I slowly inch backward while dodging and paring the two hobs in front of me.


    If the three goblins watching noticed the distance between us growing, they didn''t show it. I cut down a few normal hobs to make it appear they were my target, but I keep most of my senses on the longsword and halberd hobs.


    Again, I need to use Instant Parry to block another weird slash from the longsword hob. This time he swung his sword downwards, and when I went for what I thought was an opening, his sword curved upward at the last second and came inches from stabbing me in the chest.


    Aaliyah told me their weapons were of decent quality, so there was a possibility that they might be able to cut through my armor, leaving me to treat every attack as if it could be fatal. Sure, my armor would activate if I¡¯m at death¡¯s door, but doing so would be a death sentence for myself and Aaliyah. And I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    With her personality, she would undoubtedly try and save me, at which point she would die to the arch-goblin and his gang. My armor would be able to protect me for a time, but we were too deep in the forest and too far away from my comrades to do me any good. My armor would only keep me alive until it ran out of mana, at which point, I''d die an excruciating death at the hands of whatever was close by.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I want to think Master would charge towards my location, should my armor activate, but I knew better than anyone that he couldn¡¯t leave the front while negotiating the ceasefire. Doing so would doom Scholl further, and despite my loyalty and Aaliyah''s potential, it simply wasn''t worth it.


    Clearing those negative thoughts, I decapitated another regular hob who drifted too close to our fight. With its death, that was thirty-one goblins I¡¯ve killed so far. I couldn''t count all the thuds from the goblins falling from the treetops, but I''d estimate Aaliyah and I had killed roughly fifty goblins by this point. But it wasn''t enough, not yet.


    Time to really make these goblins bleed; I grin in excitement.


    I''ve mainly used defensive skills until now; let''s go on the offensive¡ªfirst, the annoying halberd''s hob.


    Analyzing both the hobs movement patterns, I wait for my opening. Then, finally, the opportunity presents itself after I dodge a combo attack from the two, and in the brief moment they need to collect themselves after their skills fail to find purchase, I make my move.


    Sheathing my sword, I jump into the air and grab my shield with both hands. Then, combining the basic Throwing skill with a modified Power Slash attack, I throw my shield with incredible force while activating the enchantment that covers it in mana.


    My shield turns into a spinning blade, and thanks to my timing, the halberd hobgoblin can¡¯t react in time.


    I don''t watch my shield decapitate the hob; instead, I land with a flourish and run at the hobgoblin with the curved longsword.


    The goblin''s face cycles through a wide range of emotions in quick secession. Disbelief that I killed his ally, anger towards me, shock that I was charging him barehanded, so many emotions, all visible as he raises his sword to cut me down.


    Sorry, you were a decent opponent, but it''s time I move on. Using Flash Step in conjunction with Quick-Draw, I appear to the side of the enraged goblin, my sword already drawn.


    On instinct, the hob tried to turn towards me to defend himself, but my attack was already complete. The goblin''s eyes start dimming as he collapses to the ground, bisected cleanly in two at his waist. His Vitality keeps him from dying immediately, so I raise my sword to pierce his skull to finish it.


    I¡¯m about to follow through when my Danger Sense screams at me like a wailing banshee. I Flash Step to the side as a dagger sores past where my neck just was, while a second dagger implants itself into the head of the top half of the dying hob.


    Turning, I make eye contact with one of the quasi-arch hobs who was snickering while flipping another dagger in her hands. Stupid creature, I doubt she killed her friend to end his suffering; instead, she was probably hoping to steal some of my experience points by landing the final hit¡ªan offensive gesture if there ever was one.


    Though it''s rare to see so many female goblins participating in a hunt, especially one of this level. Usually, female goblins stayed in their village, tending to the numerous young. If this many females were allowed in the hunting party, then there had to be countless more back at the village.


    When we eventually leave the forest, I''ll need to contact Master and inform him of the danger. Even if they¡¯re likely to stay in the mana-rich environment, it was never a good idea to leave such a group alone for long. Especially if they periodically cast out the weaker ones. If they did, it would be a considerable danger to Spotted Creek Village, and culling would need to be carried out.


    ¡°You¡¯re next,¡± I mouth to the cocky goblin. She immediately scowls at me, but while she¡¯s distracted, I can sneak a quick glance at my surroundings. The regular hobs look to finally be afraid of me now that I have killed two of their strongest warriors. Of course, they won''t flee with the arch goblin standing there, but now they¡¯ll think twice before trying to stab me in the back.


    Speaking of stabbing, I lean my head to the side as another dagger zips past my face. That''s right, throw all your toys while you can.


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t get me with her daggers, the female hob moves to draw the short sword at her side. I purposely smile wider, hoping to draw her in and make my life easier, but the arch goblin growls, causing the female hob to freeze. She lowers her hand from her weapon and takes a step back. The last of the four quasi-arch hobs does the same as the arch goblin takes a step forward.


    It looks like he''s seen all that he needed to. And lucky me, he''s having his subordinates step back, cocky bastard.


    Good, his horns will make excellent gifts for Master.


    The arch goblin casually starts walking toward me with his large claymore balanced on his shoulder, and I him. He doesn¡¯t try to stop me from picking up my shield, though I had a plan to recover it if he did. We stop thirty feet from one another, both sizing each other up.


    He was tall, much taller than me. Goblins were typically spindly creatures, but the arch goblin in front of me was built like a warrior who¡¯s spent countless hours honing their body. He looked like he had more muscle than brains, but I knew for him to reach this level, that wasn''t the case.


    With sword in hand, I take up my stance with my shield out in front of me, ready to dance with death.


    The arch goblin takes up his own stance. At first, he wields his large sword single-handily, showing off his massive strength, before slowly bringing up his second hand, properly gripping his sword.


    Much like I taught Aaliyah, there was no signal for us to start. Only a tense silence until one of us made the first move, which turned out to be him, and what a swift attack it was. Too bad for him, I was a Dexterity fighter and was more than capable of dealing with raw speed.


    It feels like I¡¯m trying to deflect a mountain when his claymore smashes into my shield, confirming he was your classic Strength build. With how much force is behind his swing, I can tell his Strength stat easily eclipsed Aaliyah¡¯s. Of course, if he were using a hammer as she does, then I wouldn''t be able to deflect his attacks, but with his current weapon, it was still possible, all be it difficult to execute.


    His sword slowly slips off my shield and crashes into the ground in front of me, and I¡¯m forced to steady my legs as a small shockwave is released from the impact.


    The arch goblins eyes widen in surprise, seeing me brush off what he must have thought was a surefire one-hit-kill.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to be surprised!¡± I shout in excitement as I aim my sword at his exposed face. Because of their many horns, arch goblins can¡¯t wear helmets looted from adventures, giving me a large opening I wasn¡¯t afraid to exploit.


    To his credit, the arch goblin doesn¡¯t take my attack lightly. Using his superior strength, he easily repositions his massive sword, but he slashes at my chest instead of moving to block my attack.


    I try to use my shield to guard my midriff, but without the proper stance, I can''t contend with the force of his attack. His claymore forces its way past my shield and slams into my armor like a rampaging beast.


    Stumbling back, for the first time since we entered the Endless Forest, I taste blood in my mouth. A glance down shows that his sword couldn''t pierce my armor, but that didn¡¯t mean much when he could cause internal injuries through force alone. However, the arch goblin didn''t come out of our clash unscathed, either.


    On the arch-goblin''s left cheek, an inch under his eye, there was a large bleeding gash from where my sword almost took his head.


    We both drew blood, but this was merely the opening act, two worriers still sizing each other up.


    Things would only get more intense from here on out.

 Ch: 113.10

    Aaliyah¡¯s Point of View:


    Damn, Tabitha was going all out¡­. was what I wanted to say if the noises below me were anything to go off of.


    With all the goblins recklessly charging me from all angles, I had little time to look down. But it sounded like a war was going on down there, and here I was, missing it. I couldn''t even direct Sense Mana that way because it is the only reason one of these horned bastards hasn''t caught me unawares yet.


    In all the chaos, I lost count of how many I''d killed at this point, but I''d put it close to a couple of dozen.


    Using Air Walk, I flip over a hob charging me with his spear. Then, while I''m directly over him, I momentarily fix myself in place using Magic Threads and swing my hammer catching the goblin in the back of his unguarded head, splattering blood and other chunks of gore against Mana Skin.


    The goblin''s lifeless body starts to slide off the tree branch, but before it can, I land and stop it from tumbling over the edge with my boot. Unfortunately, I only have a short time before the next goblin reaches my side, so I work fast and use Soul Devourer.


    A jolt of ecstasy shoots up my spine, but the feeling is short-lived as I need to stop using my skill as a hob wielding two swords made out of bone screams and jumps at me.


    "Not enough yet," I growl as I dodge the goblin''s hail-marry attack. I needed a considerable amount of experience points to reach level 76, and I wasn¡¯t going to get it while constantly being interrupted.


    I had just leveled up to 75 a few days ago during my week of training with Tabitha and had initially planned on saving my skill points for an emergency. This was that emergency.


    I had already distributed 8 points into Vitality and split the other two between Strength and Dexterity. My goal was to jumpstart my healing factor, having already taken a few blows since the fighting started. It helped enormously, and though Tabitha might call it cheating to use a one-time boost as I did, I was already prepared to get an earful from her when this was all over for not following her plans and running like I was told to.


    The boost did its job and gave me a slight second wind, and it was the only reason I was still in the fight in the first place. Sadly, the effects I was feeling were dwindling fast; hence my being reckless and trying to absorb as many experience points as I could, consequences be damned. The only thing that mattered was keeping this group of goblins focused on me.


    If they didn¡¯t, then¡­.


    Suddenly, I feel a spike of mana below me, followed by an unnerving silence. The chorus of goblin cries and hisses below me had gone silent, and I feared the worst, but I still couldn¡¯t look down.


    "Curses," biting my lip, I use Air Walk multiple times to dash through the air and away from the many goblins hounding me. Of course, I can''t stay airborne for long, thanks to my mostly diminished mana pool, but my escape doses give the reprieve needed to look below me and see how Tabitha was doing finally.


    The first thing I spot is the many dead goblins littering the forest floor, some were from me, but most of them had sword wounds. So that''s where the small whisps of experience I¡¯ve been randomly getting came from. Hitting them with that spell at the beginning of the battle must have entitled me to part of the rewards for their death.


    You won''t catch me complaining; I needed everything I could get. All these horned hobs were relatively high-level. Still, I could only absorb a fraction of their total experience, and it would take a lot to level up again so soon.


    Ignoring the many bodies, I scan for Tabitha and spot her standing between two dead hobs, one cut in half, Darth Maul style, while the other looked like he had his head removed with Tabitha¡¯s shield. I didn¡¯t know she could use it like that.


    Judging by the massive amount of experience points diffusing into the surroundings, they weren¡¯t weak hobs and were significantly stronger than the ones I was fighting with. They must have been a big deal because most of the hobs were slowly backing away from her and looking at Tabitha like she were a monster.


    I¡¯m too far up to see everything going on below, but I nearly scream a warning when one of the hobs standing next to the arch-goblin tries throwing something at Tabitha. She quickly dodges, to my relief, but that doesn''t stop my anxiety from rising afterward when Tabitha picks up her shield and starts walking toward the arch-goblin. He does the same, and I can practically feel the tension in the air rise when the two stand in front of each other.


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    The only good thing about the situation was that the other strong hobs were backing away from the pair. It looks like the arch-goblin wanted Tabitha all to himself, something I imagine she¡¯s smiling about right now.


    The tense standoff between the two doesn¡¯t last for long, and the battle starts in the blink of an eye. The arch-goblin''s first attack is so fast I almost miss it, and yet Tabitha expertly deflects it with her shield. I struggle to keep up with their movements as the two shift at inhuman speeds and immediately launch another wave of attacks.


    I wish I were closer, as they again separate so I can see who came out on top after their initial clash, but that would be unwise.


    Touching down on a different branch, I duck under an arrow aimed at my face. Noting the goblin who shot at me, I steal one last look at Tabitha''s and the arch-goblin''s fight before I''m forced to look away.


    The battle was so fierce it sounded like they were clashing a few feet below me, when in fact I was over 500 feet above them. Unfortunately, however, that''s all the information I could gather at this time.


    Flipping my hammer around in my hands, I jump up and swing the pike side of my weapon into a pile of leaves nestled on a branch directly over me. There was a high-pitched squeal as my hammer punctured the chest of the hidden goblin within, nailing him to the tree trunk behind him.


    With his death, there was only a single scout goblin remaining. Since the battle began, this particular goblin only moved when he thought he was in my blind spot, but I¡¯d been keeping an eye on him with Sense Mana from the very beginning.


    Tough luck for him; I was an assassin''s worst nightmare. Several ethereal hands extend from my back and greedily start scooping up as much experience as they can.


    Even though it felt great to absorb experience points rapidly, I was gritting my teeth in frustration because the twin-bone-sword hob was again rapidly closing in on my position.


    I swing my hammer at the spot I know he''ll appear, but the bastard somehow predicts my attack and ducks under my swing. I barely have enough time to pull back my weapon and block his first strike aimed at my face.


    The cocky hob grins as his second sword finds purchase between my armguards. Mana Skin helps minimize the damage, but his sword still draws a lot of blood.


    ¡°Fucker!¡± I shout and try to kick him away, but again, he somehow predicts my exact movements and narrowly twists away from me. He was close to my level at 69, but even if he was a pure Dexterity build, he shouldn''t be able to read me like this.


    I raise my hammer, planning to bulldoze my way through him, but he disengages and lets a second goblin come between us just as I do.


    When I raised my hammer for a brief second, his eyes flashed brighter. Did he see the future, I question as I slam my hammer into the side of the new hob. Again, I try to absorb extra experience points, but my new best friend comes back and again cuts me off.


    No, that would be too overpowered, I think, as I use my weapon as a makeshift shield to block a series of quick jabs. I watch his eyes as he attacks, but they don¡¯t light up until I decide to try and counterattack. It¡¯s then that the glow of his eyes intensifies, and he starts positioning himself to best dodge my swing.


    Halfway through my swing, I halt my attack and watch as his eyes dim back to normal. He stumbles in surprise, but I decide to stay in place rather than recklessly charge him.


    This guy has either a high level in Danger Sense or a stronger variant of it, either way, it only activates when I commit to an attack. How annoying.


    How was I supposed to attack without meaning to?


    I try to clear my mind and wildly swing at the goblin, hoping that wouldn¡¯t trigger his skill, but that doesn''t work. His eyes still lit up because I was consciously swinging wildly, and while he looked like he had a more challenging time dodging my nonsensical attacks, I couldn''t touch him in the end. Though seeing him struggle did give me another idea.


    Breathing deeply, I ready my stance. The goblin cockily grins at me as his eyes start to light up, but his joyful look quickly falters, and he turns pale green.


    "What, didn''t you like what you saw?¡± I shout while activating several skills at once. Flash Step, Weighted Strike, Double Strike, Precise Strike, Intimidating Shout; My Stamina plummets as I put everything I can into a single attack. Who cares if he can see where I''m going to strike; I just have to be fast enough that he can''t react.


    He manages to dodge my initial swing, but my second one, layered on top of the first, catches him before he can reorientate himself. I wanted to celebrate, but I wasn''t done yet. I may have tagged him, but not hard enough to kill. Pushing past my limits, I manifest a third swing right after the initial two.


    I feel a rush of excitement as a familiar skill forms in my soul, the tier 4 skill Multi-Strike.


    My third hit lands clearly against the sword-wielding goblin''s chest, and I watch the light fade from his eyes with an uncomprehending look on his face.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I pant over my defeated foe. ¡°Thanks to you, I unlocked one of Master¡¯s best skills.¡± The core of the goblin¡¯s soul quickly dissipates, and once it¡¯s gone, I don¡¯t hesitate to try and absorb the rest.


    I expect to be interrupted, but as I gather myself and look around, I see the stunned faces of the goblins around me. They were looking at me like how the goblins below looked at Tabitha. Huh, did I just kill the strongest goblin among them? Using Sense Soul, I look each goblin in the eyes, causing them all to flinch back in abject fear.


    Of the forty-nine goblins who climbed into the trees after me, less than half remained. I wanted to pat myself on the back for the accomplishment, but I had something else I needed to do.


    ¡°Come at me!¡± I roar with Intimidating Shout, causing the remaining goblins to hesitate further. Good thing, too, because I was running on empty and didn''t actually want them to charge me. I was doing my best to appear fine, but the gash in my arm hurt, my Stamina was below 20% and recovering at a snail¡¯s pace, and worst of all, my mana was down to 212.


    Soon, I would need to deactivate Mana Skin or risk using too much and passing out due to mana exhaustion. I¡¯d been fighting for over thirty minutes straight at this point, and it was taking everything I had not to keel over in exhaustion.


    I''ve trained with Tabitha for longer periods, but training and a life-or-death situation were different. Who knew, I self-deprecatingly smirk.


    I very much consider running at this point but wasn''t sure how far I''d get as I am. So, the only thing I could do was bluff my ass off. Unfortunately, I was still short on experience and hadn''t reached level 76, and at this point, it was painfully obvious I wasn''t going to be able to force myself over the threshold.


    Straightening my back and holding my hammer high, I meet the gaze of every goblin, including the remaining scout, that was doing his best to hide from me in a nearby tree. If even one of them charged me, I''d be able to dodge, but nothing else. The goblins would realize how weak I was, charge me as one, and I''d be finished.


    One goblin hesitantly steps towards me, and I worry my cover is blown. I had to think of something fast, but with no good options left available, I decided to try something extremely smart or incredibly dumb.


    I grin at the goblin and fake snort in contempt. Then to the goblin''s surprise, I turned away from him and looked down, exposing my back as if saying I didn''t need to worry about him in the slightest. I acted as if he and his buddies were of no danger to me and that I was more interested in the fight below us. In reality, I may be looking down, but Sense Mana was focused solely on the goblins around me; if any of them twitched, I''d know about it.


    Come on, Tabitha, hurry up and kill the bastard, I plead in my head. Unlike me, who was at death''s door, Tabitha was still going strong against the arch-goblin.


    I couldn¡¯t keep up my act all day, and if she didn¡¯t kill their leader soon¡­. I didn¡¯t want to think about it.


    Come on, Tabitha, hurry, please!

 Ch: 113.11

    Acting was working overtime at the moment. It had been years since I needed to use it in any significant capacity, and now that it was the only thing keeping me from certain death, I was kicking myself for not training it further.


    My skill helped me project an air of confidence when I had none by reminding me to keep my movement to a minimum and to maintain my posture, despite wanting to collapse in exhaustion. My overall size and the death of the level 69 hob were enough to scare the goblins momentarily, but I knew if I showed even a speck of weakness, the remainder of them would swarm me.


    But in the darkness, there was hope. Every second my skill kept them from charging me, the more my Stamina would recover, the better my chances of survival were. Unfortunately, I''d overdrawn my Stamina, so it was recovering at a snail¡¯s pace, but it was recovering, be it so slowly.


    It also helped that a few goblins were distracted by the fight below us, and I could understand why. It was hard for me to take my eyes off it as well. The fight between the arch-goblin and Tabitha was one of the most exciting things I¡¯ve ever seen. It blew the time Master and I challenged Pacore out of the water. This was a proper duel between two monsters close to each other¡¯s level. Hell, the massive trees were trembling from the shockwaves their fight created.


    I¡¯ve always wondered what Tabitha would be like when she went all out, and now I knew. Her footwork was mesmerizing as she danced narrowly between the swings of her opponent, and her sword technique was downright beautiful as she utilized every opening she was given. I¡¯d need another two dozen levels and improve multiple skills if I wanted to match Tabitha as she was now.


    If she were up against anyone else, the fight would be long over, but sadly Tabitha¡¯s opponent was just as eye-catching as she was.


    The berserking arch-goblin¡¯s attacks were simple and straightforward, and he didn¡¯t seem to react to the many shallow cuts Tabitha was inflicting on him. However, where he lacked creativity, the arch-goblin made up for it with overwhelming strength and tenacity.


    Each swing of the goblin leader¡¯s massive arms sent Tabitha stumbling backward, whether she blocked his strike or not. And despite his many wounds, he hadn¡¯t slowed in his assault in the slightest.


    I desperately wanted to give Tabitha the benefit of the doubt and proclaim she was winning the fight, but the more I watched them clash, the more I started to worry.


    Tabitha was being forced to constantly use her skills, mainly the one she uses, to change her stance instantly. I knew from our many sparring sessions that she could use it instantaneously and that it barely used any Stamina, or at least that''s what I thought.


    Unlike when she spars with me, Tabitha was using the skill back-to-back with no cool-down time to both defend and attack simultaneously against the arch-goblin. Even if it was a tier 2 skill, using it multiple times a second has to be incredibly draining. How long could she hold out like this?


    Tabitha''s shield and the arch-goblin''s claymore clash again, and I feel another powerful shockwave pulse through the tree I was in. Again, I have to steady myself without the goblins noticing. Sadly, my act fools all but one goblin, who slowly starts creeping toward me.


    Still looking down, I prepared to defend myself as he inched closer to my position.


    The other goblins quickly notice him slowly approaching me and do a surprisingly good job of not making any noise. The group does its best not to alert me to his approach, which makes my sudden head turn all that more impactful.


    The goblin flinches back in shock, but I wasn''t done. For a brief moment, I glance directly at the goblin¡¯s soul, long enough to elicit an attack response but not long enough to receive a backlash. It works, and in a fearful rage, the hob raises the spear in his hands and moves to charge me.


    I¡¯ll use what Stamina I have left to bash his brains in while he¡¯s impaired.


    He moves to take his first step, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s luck, but a particularly strong termer runs through the tree, causing the branch he''s standing on to vibrate uncontrollably. Most of the goblins, along with myself, were able to steady ourselves because we had our feet planted, but the goblin close to me wasn¡¯t so lucky.


    Between my sudden glancing at him and using Sense Soul, the goblin was already off balance, and with only a single leg for support, he lost his equilibrium and started to fall over the edge.


    For a second, I thought the goblin was straight up going to fall off the tree branch, but that was just a bit of wishful thinking on my part. After all, he was a horned hob, and even if it takes him a second to recognize that he''s falling, he still has the stats to react in time.


    As he¡¯s tumbling over the edge, he lashes out with his spear, lodging it into the tree''s hard bark, stopping himself from plummeting 500 feet to his doom. I watch as a relieved smile blooms across his face as he struggles to pull himself up.


    Yeah, no.


    Flash Stepping in front of the goblin, I ruthlessly kick him in the face and watch him, arms flailing wildly, screaming in horror, as he tumbles to his death.


    After the goblin slams into the forest floor, and I¡¯m rewarded with a pitiful amount of experience for how I killed him, I slowly turn to the rest of the goblins with a smile on my face. The smile hid the pain from using Flash Step when I shouldn¡¯t have, but it was necessary to sell the lie that I could still fight.


    My smile has the desired effect on the remaining goblins; some start running as soon as I look in their direction, while others look around in fear.


    Wait, that didn¡¯t make sense?


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I feel another tremor, stronger than the last, and even more goblins panic. The shaking felt a little much to be caused by a fight, even if both participants were over level 90.


    The goblins started fleeing in every direction, all heading for the nearest tree trunk, confirming that I was missing something important.


    Glancing down, Tabitha was still fighting the arch goblin, but his two bodyguards were busy barking orders to an increasingly worried group of goblins. It was then that I noticed the termers were increasing in frequency and didn¡¯t match up with the clashes between Tabitha and the arch-goblin.


    "Oh, fuck!" I curse, remembering a popular dinosaur movie from my past life. Those weren''t shockwaves from the fight I was feeling; they were footsteps, and whatever was causing them was getting closer by the second.


    Whatever it was, it was enough to spook a group of goblins that still numbered over sixty strong. Of course, with my skill, I couldn''t sense anything in the immediate surroundings, which meant it was still at least 600 feet out, but the way the goblins were reacting, that knowledge wasn''t making me feel any better.


    I wanted to rush down the tree like the goblins, but now that I was alone¡­


    I couldn¡¯t help but fall to my knees and start panting. There was simply nothing left in my tank.


    Then, I felt it; a massive concentration of mana stepped foot into Sense Mana¡¯s range, and what a foot it was. Whatever was walking in this direction was absolutely massive in size. It was hard to determine what I was seeing, but whatever it was, it contained enough mana to blind its surroundings to Sense Mana and alter the natural mana currents of the forest.


    The best way I could describe it was that a magicite deposit had crawled out of the ground and was now walking toward us, if that was even possible.


    The shaking intensified as it rapidly approached our location. It covered a span of fortyish feet every couple of seconds, meaning we had less than a minute before whatever I sensed was upon us.


    "Tabitha!" I tried shouting down at her


    to give her a heads-up on what was approaching us. And I immediately see the folly of my actions.


    The arch-goblin was still pressing his attack, even though he had to have felt whatever was coming. Tabitha was trying to distance herself from the goblin, but he refused to let that happen. So even if she could hear me over their fight, my calling out to her was pointless.


    ¡°Get up, damn you,¡± I urged myself to move, but my body wasn''t having it.


    It was agonizing, being forced to watch everything happen without being able to help.


    The giant beast was closing in, and when it finally came into view, my jaw threatened to slam into the branch I was crouched on.


    Waves of mana so thick they threatened to push me off my perch rolled over me as a 240-foot mountain on feet walked into the clearing.


    All the goblins except the arch and his two buddies immediately turn and flee at the sight of the¡­. Golem? I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what I was looking at.


    The titan looked made of stone, but countless plants were growing out of it. Chunks of moss grew out of every orifice, and vines and other ivy were crisscrossing across its surface, but what stood out was its eye, or what I thought was its eye.


    Right in the center of the mass of moving stone was a green gem the size of which I''d never seen in any lifetime. The rough stone looked to have a diameter of eight feet and had to be tens of thousands of carats.


    Looking at the gem made me want to throw up, with how much mana was contained within. It was so bad that I had to deactivate Sense Mana lest my brain oozed out my ears.


    I quickly grip the branch I¡¯m kneeling on as the massive titan takes another step into the clearing. If the shaking was that bad as it approached, what would it be like now that it was almost under me?


    And there is shaking as its foot touches down, and I do need to hold on to keep from falling out of the tree, only not as much as I imagined.


    As countless leaves rain down around me due to the rumbling, I look back at the way the giant came, expecting to see its craterous footprints.


    You can imagine my surprise when I see no such thing. Somehow this thing, the size of a literal mountain, didn''t leave so much of an indent on the forest floor.


    While I was trying to understand how that was possible, the giant stopped directly under me, and I could see it turn and focuses on Tabitha and the arch-goblin, who, despite the current company, had yet to settle their fight.


    To my abject horror, the titan raised its rocky fist far above its head, knocking down countless tree limbs and almost reaching where I was.


    "Watch out!" I scream as the giant brings his colossal fist down on the still-fighting duo.


    The size of its fist blocks out my line of sight, and I barely have time to grip the branch I''m on with all my worth before it crashes into the ground.


    The giant''s stomp did nothing but its fist¡­. When the giant¡¯s fist slammed down, it was like a nuclear bomb went off. No, like a meteor struck the earth.


    The shockwave alone tore branches from the trees stronger than stone. Dirt and gravel peppered the air like shrapnel and ripped apart what remained of Mana Skin like it was paper. I could see nothing through the cloud of dust, and without Sense Mana, I was effectively blind.


    I''m forced to wait for the dust to settle, hoping and praying Tabitha somehow made it out alive. I wasn¡¯t even sure her armor could withstand something like that.


    Slowly, the dust in the air settles, and what I''m greeted with when it does, is a crater like no other. The earth in front of the giant was gone; the only remaining substance in the pit were fragments of the massive tree roots that once snaked their way through the ground.


    I start hyperventilating when I don¡¯t immediately see Tabitha.


    On the edge of the destruction, I could see the two horned hobs that stayed behind with the arch-goblin, huddling in fear. And On closer inspection, I noticed that they were standing over a body.


    ¡°Screw it,¡± I grit my teeth in frustration and once again activate Sense Mana. My eyes start to water as the mana put off by the stone giant burns my vision, but I push through the pain and zero in on where the goblins are standing.


    To my relief, it isn''t Tabitha they''re standing over, but the arch-goblin. Surprisingly he was still alive and conscious, so logic would have it.


    I continue to push Sense Mana past the giant and do my best to scan its surroundings for my senior sister.


    I nearly collapsed in relief when I find her a few feet to the side of the giant, and she was..... Meditating!?


    Tabitha was calmly sitting on the forest floor, dirty but alive. And for some reason, she had her sword sheathed and her eyes closed.


    ¡°Tabitha!¡± I shout. The forest had gone completely silent after the giant¡¯s attack, so my voice finally managed to reach her.


    I start to stand up, intending to rush to her side, but pause when I see her raise a hand in a stopping gesture.


    But why?


    Suddenly, the giant starts to move again by slowly retracting its enormous arm. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I also see the arch-goblin being hauled to his feet by his two friends. The female even offers him his sword, which he takes.


    The arch-goblin snarls up at the towering giant, but his head quickly shifts to Tabitha, sitting next to it with her eyes closed again. Dude, you haven''t had enough yet?


    The arch-goblin shakes off the arms of his companions, who were obviously trying to hold him back, and starts running towards Tabitha with clear hostility. Tabitha has to hear him running at her, so why is she not moving?


    I again considered trying to help her, even though I didn''t know what I could do in my state, when the stone giant started moving again. This time, it raises its other hand and makes a swiping motion at the goblin charging Tabitha. It has to lean forward to reach the arch-goblin, and insane as it sounds, the crazy goblin raises his large claymore to meet the giant''s hand head-on.


    For a split second, the arch-goblin manages to fight back against the colossal hand of stone, but he doesn''t last long before being swatted away like a fly into the forest. The two hobs run after their defeated leader as he soars into the distance, leaving Tabitha and me alone with the murderous construct.


    Once the goblins are entirely out of sight, the giant turns its attention to Tabitha, who still hasn''t moved despite its second attack, further tearing up the terrain close to her.


    I wait with bated breath as the golem stares down at Tabitha, but the attack I expected never comes. Instead, it looks up at me, and my heart threatens to jump out of my chest.


    Why is it!?


    "Calm yourself!" I hear Tabitha shout up at me. "Show no hostility!¡±


    What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I nervously grip my hammer tightly.


    At this point, the giant was winding up its hand like it was reading itself to throw a punch. Could he reach me up here?


    What was I thinking; of course, it could! I needed to move, find a place to run to, and look for an opening to save Tabitha. I¡¯ll find a way if it kills me, even if I have to kick this walking mountain''s ass!


    I move to start sprinting away when Tabitha¡¯s words finally register. Glancing down at the giants¡¯ feet, I spot Tabitha still sitting there with her sword put away, though now looking up at me with concern.


    It finally dawns on me what she wants me to do and why the giant continued attacking the arch-goblin and not Tabitha. I hurriedly drop my hammer and raise my hands above my head in a non-threatening gesture.


    But it isn¡¯t until I clear all hostile thoughts from my mind that the stone giant begins to lower its arm. Again, I stare into the humongous glowing gem for what feels like an eternity. And finally, after the worst staring match of my life, the golem turns away and continues walking in the direction it was originally traveling.


    I don''t move a muscle until the vibrations from the giant''s footsteps fade entirely into the distance, and once I do, I bring my hands up to my face and wipe away the tears that start to form there.


    Somehow Tabitha and I were still alive, and I couldn¡¯t be happier.

 Ch: 113.12

    It took me longer than I liked to admit to climb down the massive tree I was in. And it took me even longer to drag myself over to the crater''s edge, where Tabitha was sprawled out on the ground.


    The ground was soft from all the upturned earth, and I was without the mana to keep myself from sinking into it. With the weight of my hammer dragging me down into the soft loam, it was like I was walking on sand, further taxing my already starved Stamina pool.


    ¡°You, ok?¡± I groan as I come up on Tabitha. She looked like she was about to make a dirt angle with her arms and legs spread out in every direction.


    ¡°Never better,¡± she responds blandly, not so much as twitching a muscle upon my approach. Her armor was dented in multiple places, and extensive scratches crisscrossed her shield.


    ¡°Really? Because you look like shit,¡± I feebly point to the corner of Tabitha¡¯s mouth where some dried blood was smeared. It looked like she had already tried wiping it away but missed a spot in her hurry.


    Tabitha tiredly huffs and aggressively wipes the last traces of blood away with her sleeve. It was good to see she could still move her arm, but it was evident that she was trying hard not to move unnecessarily. ¡°I thought I told you to run,¡± Tabitha asks me, closing her eyes like she didn¡¯t want to look at me.


    ¡°And leave you with all the fun. Please, you should''ve known I couldn''t do that.¡± Slowly, I lower myself down and take a seat next to her. Now that I was closer, I could see the bruises already forming across her exposed skin, making me question how bad it was underneath her armor. The bright purple welts made me wince in pain; I didn''t want to imagine what she was going through.


    ¡°It was stupid of you to stay,¡± Tabitha starts to scold me before pausing, then her eyes slowly flutter open. She then slowly turns her head toward me and locks eyes with me. ¡°But I¡¯m thankful that you did.¡±


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re going to make me tear up again,¡± I start saying jokingly, trying to hide the concern in my voice, but I turn away halfway through to wipe at my eyes before Tabitha can notice me doing just that.


    I was still riding the waves of emotions that came along with serving something impossible, and I didn¡¯t need to add even more emotions on top of that. So, to distract myself and keep from breaking down in front of an injured Tabitha, I try changing the subject. ¡°So, how¡¯d you know the golem wouldn¡¯t attack us if we weren¡¯t hostile?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a golem,¡± Tabitha tells me in her teacher''s voice, though she still doesn¡¯t move. ¡°It was an elemental, a living embodiment of magic."


    Well, that explained the ridiculous amount of mana it had, but other than that, correcting me answered none of my thousand questions. "How many times must I remind you I know next to nothing of the world," I say, flopping down next to her. I was conflicted, was it better to let her fall asleep, or did I keep her awake? I was almost positive she had a concussion and had no idea if magical healing would take care of it or not.


    ¡°Must have skipped my mind,¡± Tabitha tells me in a deadpan voice, as she usually does when she tries to make a joke.


    "Don''t joke; It hurts to laugh," I lightly poke fun at her, even though neither of us was laughing.


    ¡°Sorry, I know how funny I am,¡± Tabitha once again opens her eyes and slowly turns her head toward me.


    Tabitha and I blankly stare at one another until we both smile. ¡°I think that might be the best joke you¡¯ve ever told,¡± I tell her with a genuine smile. Ok, she definitely had a concussion.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a bit delirious after dodging the elemental. So try not to hold it against me,¡± Tabitha tells me as if she''s self-aware of the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± I chuckle and immediately clutch my ribs. Apparently, laughing really did hurt. ¡°So, how many goblins did you kill,¡± I smirk and give Tabitha a challenging look, knowing she killed more than me. I wanted to keep her engaged for as long as possible.


    Tabitha''s brow scrunches up as she thinks over my question, but she quickly comes up with an answer. ¡°Forty-Seven; I killed most of them before the main horned hobgoblins stepped in, but I managed to slay a handful more while I was dealing with them and the arch-goblin," she tells me with a smile on her face.


    Even though she almost died and was a little loopy, I could tell Tabitha was enjoying the post-battle bliss that came with winning. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive; I only killed like twenty-six. And mine weren''t anywhere near the level yours were. I had trouble with this one that could predict my movements using a Danger Sense skill, but other than the rest swarming me, that was about it.¡±


    ¡°Did you overwhelm him with pure power?¡± Tabitha asks me with a concerned look.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m standing here, aren¡¯t I?¡± I again try to downplay the situation with a joke.


    Tabitha nods in approval. "High-level Danger Sense skills can be annoying to deal with. The best thing to do is determine your opponent''s weakest stat and use that to catch them off-guard. Users with skills like those usually become complacent, and once you can break past their skill, they crumble easily," she tells me with a sage-like expression.


    ¡°That would¡¯ve been nice to know thirty minutes ago,¡± I snicker and shake my head at the timing.


    "Sorry," Tabitha responds quietly, blaming herself for not teaching me that lesson earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± I tell her, kicking myself for my choice of words. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your teachings, I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve come up with a solution as quickly as I did.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    After that little exchange, the two of us lay there silently. It wasn¡¯t awkward by any means; we were both just so exhausted. It was hard for me to stay awake, let alone come up with things to say that would keep Tabitha talking.


    Left to my thoughts, I do some quick math. If Tabitha killed forty-seven goblins, and I killed twenty-six, then together we defeated seventy-three goblins, all of which were at least horned hobs. So that meant of the original hundred and forty-seven, we killed almost 50% of them.


    I thought we got more than that, but it wasn¡¯t like I could check. The elemental''s attack didn''t just destroy the forest; it completely obliterated most of the goblin corpses.


    Speaking of which, it was starting to smell. Small chunks of flesh were everywhere, and I was sure there was much more just under the surface. The large dust cloud buried a lot of it, but the smell was slowly breaking through the shield of dirt.


    ¡°At least we killed half of them," I mumble, smiling.


    ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Tabitha agrees with me with a wide smile. "Too bad we were interrupted before I could complete my objective.¡±


    "Wait, what?" I sit up in shock, painfully grabbing my stomach, and look down at Tabitha, who has a wishful expression plastered across her face. ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t complete your objective? I saw the elemental slap the goblin into oblivion, right?¡± I anxiously ask for clarification, but my hopes are dashed when Tabitha lazily shakes her head no.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± she informs me without a hint of doubt.


    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± I nervously swallow a lump in my throat. There was no way I was in any state to protect Tabitha if the goblins returned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get any experience points for the kill," she tells me.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask again, hoping she just missed it in all the excitement. "Maybe you didn''t get that much because the elemental got the finishing blow?¡±


    Tabitha continues to shake her head. ¡°I did the same amount of damage he did to me. So even if the elemental were the one to kill the arch-goblin, I would¡¯ve gotten a significant amount of experience for my part in his demise. However, I got nothing. He¡¯s still alive, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± I curse. ¡°Does that me we can expect another ambush?¡± I nervously glanced around our surroundings; there was nothing in Sense Mana¡¯s range, but we knew how quickly the goblins could move when motivated.


    Finally, Tabitha gives me some good news that partially sets my mind at ease. ¡°I doubt it. As you said, we killed half their number. They may be able to get reinforcements from their village, but they''ll be hesitant after losing to us. Also, I don¡¯t think the arch-goblin will recover as fast as you think he will. He was already severely injured before being sent flying by the elemental. He isn¡¯t dead, but I don¡¯t expect him to be coming after us any time soon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely sure?¡± I lock eyes with Tabitha, earning me a firm nod in return. "Well, at least there¡¯s that,¡± the tension finally leaves my shoulders, and I''m again able to catch my breath.


    ¡°So, about the elemental, you never did explain how you knew it wouldn¡¯t attack us,¡± I remind her, finally thinking of something that would get her talking.


    Tabitha sighs at my question, but it turns into a cough. She brings her hand up to her mouth, and to my horror, she coughs up a lungful of blood. I crawl next to her and help her sit up, where she continues to cough up a disturbing amount of blood.


    ¡°Oh gods, what do I do?¡± I ask in a panic.


    "Calm down," Tabitha tells me between coughing and trying to catch her breath. "It''s only some light internal bleeding. That arch-goblin got in some good hits.¡±


    "I don''t think now''s the time to compliment him," I admonish her, trying and failing to remain calm.


    Tabitha shrugs and again wipes the blood away from her mouth. ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. Of course, I''ll need time to recuperate, but if the elemental is like the ones back home, we should be fine here for at least a little while.¡±


    ¡°Says the woman coughing up blood,¡± I frown in concern.


    ¡°I thought you wanted me to explain elementals,¡± Tabitha raises an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°That can wait,¡± I tell her. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you use one of those tonics you said you had? One of those would help you recover quicker, right?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too important to use on an injury of this magnitude,¡± Tabitha shakes her head. "Now, be quiet, and let me answer your earlier question.¡±


    Biting my lower lip, I slowly release Tabitha from my nervous grip and reluctantly sit back and give her space. Her coughing had stopped, and she showed no outward signs of pain, but who knew with her? I listen to her explanation, but I only hear every other word because I''m too worried that she¡¯s about to pass out. Or worse.


    "Elementals can only live in mana-rich environments. If, for some reason, one were to leave or be taken out of said zone, they would eventually crumble away and die. They¡¯re considered alive but don''t act like any other creature, even magical ones. They roam their environments, attacking anything that shows them hostility; they can¡¯t be directed or controlled, at least not in this day and age.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you know a lot,¡± I nod as if I¡¯m following along, but all I want now is for Tabitha to lie back down.


    Thankfully, she lets me direct her back down; all be it, while still explaining elementals to me. "I was forced to learn about them from Master when he took me into my first mana-rich zone. They''re important in keeping the ecosystems running or something like that. Sorry, I can''t remember exactly what Master told me. The point is everything aggressive flees an elemental''s path. As long as we stay here, we¡¯re safe. For now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best news I¡¯ve heard all day,¡± I nervously respond while looking up into the trees.


    The sunlight drifting through the thick canopy gradually started to fade. We had maybe an hour before it started to get dark, and we were still out in the open without any of our gear.


    One of us needed to return to the tree we stashed our stuff in, and I didn''t think it would be Tabitha.


    I know it¡¯s risky, but I slowly shift into a meditative position and activate my skill. Tabitha wasn''t standing over me, protecting me this time, so I had to hurry, but I couldn¡¯t just run into the forest halfcocked in my condition. I needed to know if there was anything remotely close by that could pose even the slightest threat to me or Tabitha, who I¡¯d need to leave behind if I were to fetch our gear.


    Pushing Sense Mana to its limits, I start my scan and immediately notice a difference in our surroundings. I''d grown used to seeing thousands of mana signatures when I used my skill, but this time, the forest seemed devoid of almost all life.


    In a 1,600-foot radius, there wasn¡¯t a single significant mana signature. Moreover, the forest was so devoid of strong magic beasts, for once, I could easily pick out the weaker lifeforms around us, but even those were few and far between.


    Almost everything I sensed was busy hiding in the various nooks and crannies of the forest, and it didn''t look like they were preparing to leave even though the elemental was long gone. As soon as I realized this was my best chance, I quickly deactivate my skill and slowly crawled to my feet.


    Looking to my side, I see Tabitha had fallen asleep while I was scanning our surroundings. I briefly considered moving her to a more secure spot but quickly decided otherwise after giving it some thought. I didn¡¯t have time to move her, and the longer I took to go and grab our gear, the higher the chance something could move in without my knowing.


    I had an opening, and it was clear I had to take it despite the risks. So I take one last concerned look at Tabitha before jogging toward the tree that held our gear.


    At full speed, it would only take me a couple of minutes to reach the tree, but that wasn¡¯t happening. I only circle the crater and take a few steps before my leg muscles start protesting all the extra movement.


    Yet I push on because what use were skills if they didn''t let you overcome your limits? For example, I might not be able to run, but I can jog, and my jogging was equivalent to most people¡¯s running.


    Still, it was weird moving through the forest on my own. Without Tabitha by my side, every shadow stretched that much farther and was more menacing, even though I knew nothing was there. Moreover, the forest was unnaturally still in the wake of the elemental''s march, to the point not even an insect could be heard.


    But despite all my fears, I make it to the tree unmolested. Of course, it takes entirely too long to scale the tree and grab our bags, and I curse leaving our stuff so high up all the way down, but I successfully retrieve our supplies.


    When my feet touch the soft forest ground again, I move to grab my waterskin to take a sip, only to pause at the sloshing sensation I feel when grabbing it.


    ¡°Ugg,¡± I scoff, remembering we no longer have regular water. But then again¡­.


    Tabitha did say the toad¡¯s poison was a powerful muscle relaxant; maybe it could help with the pain I''m sure she''s feeling.


    I make my way back toward Tabitha as fast as possible with renewed purpose. And even though I had faith she would be ok, I cannot help but sigh in relief when I¡¯m once again standing over her sleeping form. I wanted to collapse then and there, but my struggles weren¡¯t over yet.


    While balancing all our gear on my back, I bend down and gently pick Tabitha up. I consider taking a sip of toad eggs when all my muscles start screaming from overexertion, but I didn''t have the Poison Resistance skill yet, and I couldn''t risk both of us being incapacitated at the same time.


    The fact that Tabitha didn''t immediately wake up upon my touching her was a good indicator of how tired she was. Meaning I was the only thing standing between her and danger, should danger come knocking.


    With Tabitha in my arms, I turn towards the direction the elemental departed. If I follow the same path it took, then I should be able to avoid any dangerous beasts. But I needed to hurry, the light was dimming by the second, and we couldn''t camp here where it smelled of death.


    I would find us a safe place to camp for the night. Tabitha would do the same for me; it was only fitting I return the favor.


    "Let the journey continue," I chuckle as I find my legs shuffling forward.

 Ch: 114.1

    I can¡¯t describe the joy I feel, seeing the first rays of sunlight puncturing through the forest¡¯s canopy.


    It had been a long sleepless night left alone in the dark. Thankfully, what Tabitha told me about hostile magic beasts avoiding where an elemental has been turned out to be true.


    I went the night without seeing anything other than the usual star dragonflies. In fact, there were more beautiful insects than usual because I guess blood bats were considered aggressive beasts and were nowhere to be seen.


    Last night was the quietest night I¡¯ve had since entering the Endless Forest proper, and lucky me, I couldn¡¯t enjoy it in the slightest. Mainly because lying next to me was the unmoving form of Tabitha. She hasn''t stirred much since passing out the other day. I checked her multiple times to ensure she was still breathing and thanked the annoying gods every time she was.


    Tabitha had been asleep for almost twelve hours, and I was praying she would wake up soon. I was nearly at the end of my rope here. For the first time in my life, I learned what happens when you push your body beyond what it''s capable of.


    I had dragged Tabitha and our gear for almost a mile before I was forced to give up and claim this little divot as our emergency campground. We were positioned up against a large tree root that had grown out of the ground, it offered little cover, but it was better than nothing.


    After that, I stumbled around in the quickly fading light, trying to set up a makeshift camp. I managed to wrap Tabitha in my canvas and force down some dried jerky, but at that point, it was becoming harder and harder to move. It was then I settled in next to Tabitha and waited for her to wake up.


    At least I had managed to drag us far enough away from the battlefield that I wasn¡¯t subjected to the stink of rotting goblin flesh all night. Admittedly, it wasn¡¯t much of a win, but I was trying to focus on any good news I could.


    I could barely move my body; it was so sore. If I had gotten a chance to rest after our fight with the goblins, I might have been ok; but because I pushed to get our gear, move Tabitha, and stay up all night, I had nothing left. So for the last three hours, I''ve been leaning against the root, unable to move.


    Things were so bad that my Stamina pool refused to go over 15%.


    The only thing I could do to stay awake was scan our surroundings with Sense Mana and repeatedly check my Status Page:


    LV: 75 Experience: 499,970/ 1,054,850


    Health: 1,984.58/2,530


    Stamina 229.73/1,697


    Mana: 476.61/1,030


    Vitality: 253.00


    Endurance: 100.31


    Strength: 156.00


    Dexterity: 156.00


    Senses: 62.66


    Mind: 65.53


    Magic: 103.27


    Clarity: 79.19


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV80), Running (LV79), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV70), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV51), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV43), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV35), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV26), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV11), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV80), Double Step (LV67), Charm (LV50), Hammer Arts (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Intimidating Shout (LV34), Writing (LV32), Steady Hands (LV33), Mathematics (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV10), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Double Strike (LV45), Weighted Strike (LV45), Precise Strike (LV44), Flash Step (LV36), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV10)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV61), Mana Skin (LV60), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV39), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV24), Air Walk (LV21), Empowered Spell (LV16), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3), Multi-Strike (LV1)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV19)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV10)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Meditation (LV80) 4,000exp


    Running (LV79) 3,950exp


    Hammer Skills (LV69-70) 6,950exp


    Chanting (LV51) 2,550exp


    Cooking (LV43) 2,150exp


    Acting (LV34-35) 3,450exp


    Dancing (LV24-26) 3,750exp


    Pugilist Skills (LV10-11) 1,050exp


    Sense Mana (LV80) 8,000exp


    Double Step (LV67) 6,700exp


    Hammer Arts (LV50) 5,000exp


    Intimidating Shout (LV33-34) 6,700exp


    Steady Hands (LV33) 3,300exp


    Gourmet (LV10) 1,000exp


    Weighted Strike (LV45) 6,750exp


    Precise Strike (LV44) 6,600exp


    Double Strike (LV44-45) 13,350exp


    Flash Step (LV35-36) 10,650exp


    Mental Resistance (LV61) 15,250exp


    Mana Skin (LV60) 15,000exp


    Magic Threads (LV22-24) 17,250exp


    Air Walk (LV21) 5,250exp


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    Empowered Spell (LV15-16) 7,750exp


    Multi-Strike (LV1) 250exp


    Soul Devourer (LV8-10) 27,000exp


    Skill Experience: 195,350exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,247exp


    Fighting Experience: 393,551exp


    Total experience Gained: 590,148


    I knew staring at my Status Page wouldn¡¯t help my Health, Stamina, or Mana recover any faster, but it was either that or I went over my gains in my head for the thirteenth time.


    Ah, hell, I might as well make it lucky number thirteen; I had nothing else I could do. And there was a lot to go through; of my fifty-eight skills, twenty-five leveled up, not including the new tier 4 skill I unlocked.


    While a few of my skills only leveled up because they were relatively low leveled, and it had been a long time since I used them, most of the increased skills were the most important ones I used daily. I''ve been struggling to improve some of them for months, and our run-in with the goblins was just the catalyst I needed to break through.


    So much changed that the only way I could process everything was to go through each tier individually.


    For tier 1, there were so many skills I was happy to see level. Meditation, Running, and Hammer Skills were the big three, but the most incredible skill to level was, in fact, Chanting. Surprisingly, I hadn¡¯t noticed when it broke through the first bottleneck, but it probably happened when I learned and recited the tier 3 spell flame javelin in under an hour.


    The Acting, cooking, and Pugilist skills levels were excellent, but I was more interested in the levels I got in Dancing. According to Tabitha, my footwork was the biggest thing I still needed to work on, so seeing it shoot up three whole levels was more than welcome.


    Usually, I''d be happy with just those skills improving, but things got even better when I looked at the tier 2 ones. All the skills were essential in combat, except for Gourmet, which leveled thanks to all the magic beast meat I¡¯ve been cooking.


    But again, there was one skill that drew a majority of my attention, Sense Mana. It leveled when I pushed through the overwhelming mana radiating off the elemental, and since it was one of the only skills I could still use in this situation, I had plenty of time to test it out.


    It was hard to determine the exact distance without Tabitha¡¯s help, but it was apparent the broad range I could sense things had increased across the board. The mana signatures of everything around me were clearer, and when I activated Meditation to boost my range, I could see almost 500 feet further than I could when it was at level 79. Of course, Meditation¡¯s rising level must have played a part in that, but that still gave a considerable boost in the area I could cover.


    Doing the math in my head takes a minute, but after calculating it out, I used to be able to cover 8,346,898 square feet. Now with the help of Meditation, I can scan 14,132,898 square feet. Saying that was a massive difference would be putting it lightly, and that was only half of the skills that leveled up!


    All my tier 3 strike skills went up; Flash Step leveled twice after using it so much, and things only got better in tier 4.


    Mental Resistance, like Chanting, was another skill I was surprised to see go up. I¡¯d been trying to break past its second bottleneck for what felt like an eternity, and again, it leveled without my realizing it. It could have been the stress of dealing with the goblins, or I overcame it by pushing Sense Mana to its limits so many times.


    Both could''ve done it, but I was reasonably sure it only leveled again, thanks to the elemental. Like with Sense Mana, I''m 99% sure Mental Resistance leveled up when it felt like my brain was about to leak out of my ears. Either way, it broke through, which meant when we left the forest, and I was safely back home, I could try and break through Sense Soul, which had also been stuck at a bottleneck for just as long.


    And while Mental Resistance leveling was massive, it didn''t take away from the other tier 4 skills. Mana Skin had officially reached its second bottleneck, which I would also need to work on. Then there were Magic Threads, Air Walk, and Empower Spell, all crucial skills centered around mana manipulation.


    Each time I looked at my status page, it felt like I found something else to be excited about. The second to last skill was one such reason for this. Naturally, I wanted nothing more than to try it out, but as I am, I could only speculate on how Multi-Strike would come in handy in my everyday life. From fighting to crafting, the possibilities were endless.


    There was so much to be happy for, so much excitement! If I could get up and dance with joy, I would!


    And then I looked at the last skill that leveled, and all the joy I felt was tempered down. I was still happy about my success, but seeing how Soul Devourer leveled three times in only an hour sent shivers up my spine. No skill should level that fast, especially a tier 6 one.


    I didn''t regret using it against the goblins; I was just afraid of how addicting it was. It was so easy to level. Too easy.


    It was like I was standing on the edge of a cliff. The danger was exhilarating and enticing, yet one wrong step¡­. A single lapse in judgment, and I would plummet to my doom.


    I struggle to swallow a nervous lump in my throat. Fuck, even doing that was hard in my current state.


    Just then, I feel a shift in Tabitha¡¯s mana. Her highly enchanted gear acts as a shield and makes it difficult to focus on her mana current, but because she¡¯s so close to me, I¡¯m able to pierce through it, so I notice when her mana subtly starts circulating faster.


    Struggling to turn my head, I look down at my unconscious ally just in time to watch her eyes snap open. I would''ve flinched backward, but I was too tired even to do that. Tabitha''s eyes dart in every direction, taking in everything around her before zeroing in on me.


    Under the canvas, I can see her hand shift to her side where her sword would usually be, and for a split second, she looks concerned when she realizes her weapon isn''t there.


    Her expression quickly returns to a neutral one, but I immediately recognize her discomfort at not having her weapon. Tabitha slowly sits up and moves out from under my canvas, again scanning our surroundings, this time specifically looking for her sword.


    "Your sword is on the other side of me," I explain in a tired voice before she really starts to worry. ¡°Sorry, but I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d wake up after falling unconscious.¡±


    Tabitha slowly stands up before looking me over with a critical eye. ¡°Understandable," she remarks, to my relief. "How long was I out for?¡± She asks as she grabs her sword and reattaches it to her side.


    I want to laugh at her cavalier attitude, seeing how she woke up in a new location after passing out, but I can¡¯t muster up the energy to do so. ¡°Twelve hours,¡± I inform her.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Tabitha focuses on me after securing her weapon. "I thought it would''ve been longer," she off handy comments like it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    ¡°What do you remember?¡± I ask, wondering if she forgot anything due to the concussion.


    ¡°I remember telling you about elementals. Then I tried warning you that I might be out for a few days, but you didn¡¯t answer me before I passed out.¡± Tabitha cocks her head to the side and looks at me like I¡¯m the one with brain damage.


    Of course, she would remember everything because why not? At least I no longer had to worry about that. ¡°Sorry about that; I was engrossed in scanning our surroundings for hostiles, and when I was done, you were already asleep. But wait, a few days?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she confirms like it was obvious. ¡°You watched over me all night?¡± Tabitha glances around us while rolling her shoulders. "In that condition?"


    ¡°What else was I supposed to do? You were unconscious; someone had to keep watch,¡± I tiredly grumble. "And how were you expecting me to stay up for three days?"


    "I didn''t." Tabitha moves directly in front of me and proudly smiles. ¡°I''m proud of you; I expected you to pass out alongside me. But you not only got our gear but moved me to a better spot and kept watch by yourself, not knowing when I would wake up. It¡¯s impressive.¡±


    To my growing embarrassment, Tabitha continues. ¡°I figured we would be safe for at least a day after the elemental''s rampage. I thought we would both be out, but I figured you''d wake up sooner than me and would be able to handle things while I recovered. Again, thank you. As your senior sister, I should¡¯ve been watching over you, and yet you were the one to care for me."


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I could¡¯ve done anything if we were attacked,¡± I try to downplay my contribution so Tabitha would stop looking at me with that satisfied smile of hers.


    I wanted nothing more than to turn my head to the side to hide my increasingly reddening cheeks. It was times like this I missed Tabitha''s previous stony expression because when she hit you with a compliment, she bashes you over the head with it.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Tabitha casually brushes off my attempt to downplay what I did, and seeing how I couldn''t move, I could only dodge her smiling visage by closing my eyes. I know it''s childish, but it was my only option.


    "You''re right; you should get some sleep," I hear Tabitha say right in front of me. Good, not only could I dodge her excessive praise, but I''ll finally get some much-needed sleep.


    Almost immediately, I start to feel my conciseness start to drift away¡­. That is until I feel my world shift as two arms scoop me up in a princess carry.


    "What the hell!" I shout as my eyes snap back open and come face to face with a still-smiling Tabitha. "Why are you carrying me?" Again, I snap, half from anger, half from embarrassment.


    "You can''t move on your own," Tabitha replies like that magically explains everything.


    ¡°Yeah, and?¡± I fume.


    ¡°How else was I supposed to shift you to your canvas?" Tabitha twirls in place and softly sets me down where she was initially sleeping.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize what you were doing,¡± I awkwardly cough to try and hide how embarrassed I was.


    I think my Acting skill might have leveled too much because Tabitha mistakes my fake cough for a real one. "Hold on, give me a second," Tabitha moves over to her bag, grabs her waterskin, and brings it over to me. "Here, drink this."


    I stick out my tongue in disgust. ¡°Yeah, thanks, but I¡¯m not that thirsty," I lie. I hadn''t drunk anything since midday yesterday, and I was incredibly thirsty after the jerky I had last night. Just not for toad eggs.


    Tabitha looks confused by my refusal until her face lights up in understanding, and I¡¯m treated to one of the few times I¡¯ve ever heard her snicker. ¡°It¡¯s regular water,¡± she uncorks the top and holds the waterskin to my lips.


    As soon as the cool water touched my lips, I greedily started to guzzle all I could. Eventually, I had to come up for air, and when I did, I confronted Tabitha. "I thought you filled both our canteens up with toad eggs?"


    ¡°Correction, I filled your canteen up with toad eggs. As for the water still in your waterskin, I poured it into mine before I contaminated it. So what, did you think I¡¯d poison both our waterskins?¡± Tabitha asks me with a straight face.


    ¡°Wa¡­. I¡­.. Kind of,¡± I stammer.


    ¡°Would you like more?¡± Tabitha holds up the waterskin again.


    I wanted to say yes but knew I shouldn''t drink what was left of it all in one go. "I''m good, thank you."


    Tabitha nods and puts the stopper back on her waterskin. ¡°Feeling better.¡±


    ¡°Yeeessss,¡± I let out a long yawn. Now that I was no longer parched and lying down, staying awake was becoming increasingly challenging. "Is it ok if I rest my eyes?" I tiredly mumble.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I hear Tabitha say, my eyes having fallen shut.


    "You faithfully watched over me; now I''ll do the same for you," was the last thing I heard before I slipped into blissful sleep.

 Ch: 114.2

    I was awake, yet I refused to open my eyes. All I wanted to do, was slip back into blissful sleep, but my mind was not having it.


    Slowly, I open a single eye and am confronted by the soft light of the Endless Forest. I immediately shut it and groan as I use my arm to shield my face.


    My body felt better than it did when I fell asleep, but that wasn¡¯t exactly setting the bar very high. Everything still felt sore and oddly stiff; at least I could move again. A quick scan of myself and a glance at my condensed status page reveals why I feel like I do:


    LV: 75 Experience: 499,970/ 1,054,850


    Health: 2,387.34/2,530


    Stamina 1,479.95/1,697


    Mana: 877.61/1,030


    Vitality: 253.02


    Endurance: 100.33


    Strength: 156.01


    Dexterity: 156.01


    Senses: 62.67


    Mind: 65.54


    Magic: 103.29


    Clarity: 79.20


    Status Points: 0


    I didn¡¯t know how long I was out for, but it couldn¡¯t be long if Stamina still hadn¡¯t recovered completely. Though my Health and Mana were higher than expected, that could be due to many different factors, like the points I invested during the fight and the high level of environmental mana.


    The point was I was still injured, and a nap wouldn''t change that. But it did change some things.


    It was subtle, but every one of my stats went up by at least .01. My stats raising wasn¡¯t anything new, but seeing that much growth after I just checked my status page was unprecedented.


    Did I unlock a new skill while I was asleep? Maybe something that increased my growth while I was out because that would be amazing. A quick scan of my soul reveals, no, I had not, in fact, unlocked yet another overpowered skill. Too bad.


    I wanted to put off getting up a little bit longer, but the world around me was making that hard. Sense Mana was making it abundantly clear what was happening around me, and I couldn¡¯t let the disaster continue.


    The disaster in question is Tabitha cooking or preparing to cook.


    With Sense Mana, I watched Tabitha prod at a fire entirely too big to cook over. The heat the flames were giving off were cooking my feet inside my boots, and I was over a dozen feet away. With most of my mana recovered, I quickly reactivate Mana Skin, which helps with the temperature but doesn''t entirely block it out.


    I felt safer with my skill back up, but I knew I needed to end this madness before it got even more out of hand.


    ¡°Are you trying to start a wildfire?¡± I groan to get Tabitha¡¯s attention as I climb to my feet.


    Now that I was up and moving, I took a moment to take in everything around me. We were still camped next to the same root we were before, and my gear, including my hammer, was sitting next to me within arm''s length. All that was the same as I remembered; the only new thing in sight was the circle of large stones struggling to contain the bonfire within.


    Tabitha was standing next to the fire, using her beautiful sword as a fire poker, of all things. If I didn¡¯t have Mana Skin up, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to approach her; the fire was so hot. All the wood around here was practically overflowing with mana and was feeding the flames, making them almost as hot as my forge back home. So why on earth would Tabitha think she needed a fire that hot to cook something that small!?


    "Oh, you''re up," Tabitha barely reacts to me walking over to her, too busy enthralled by the fire. "Do you think this is enough to cook this properly?" Tabitha gestures to the corpse of a medium-sized beetle lying next to her.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s already cooking.¡± I enjoyed sarcasm as much as the next person, but I wasn¡¯t joking this time. I didn¡¯t know how long Tabitha had the fire going, but there was a real chance the bug was already cooking inside its shell even though it wasn''t directly over the flames.


    "You think?" Tabitha looks questioningly between me, the dead bug, and the roaring fire. "My skill doesn''t say it''s safe to eat yet,¡± she frowns in confusion.


    Sighing, I rub my tired eyes. ¡°Move one of those smaller logs off to the side, and push the rest of the fire back,¡± I tiredly direct Tabitha. The skill she was talking about was Survival Cooking, and I learned firsthand what it did after I stupidly agreed to let Tabitha cook for a night.


    Apparently, Survival Cooking was a skill she picked up once she joined the military. As a noble, Tabitha had never cooked for herself before, and while most would unlock Cooking rather quickly, she unlocked a divergent skill instead. Both sounded like they did the same thing, but that couldn''t be further from the truth.


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    Your basic Cooking skill helps a person replicate a dish they are familiar with or have an idea of what they need to do. It also hints at when a dish is completed but doesn''t outright tell you if what you cooked is safe to eat.


    Survival Cooking was the opposite; the skill didn''t help with flavor, and the person didn¡¯t need to know how to cook whatever they were cooking. What the skill did do that regular Cooking couldn¡¯t was clearly inform the user of when the food in question was safe to eat.


    But just because something was safe to eat didn''t mean it would taste good. After all, some foods were safe to eat raw, while others could be burnt into charcoal before the skill pinged that it was safe to consume them. So the two skills worked best together; sadly, Tabitha only had the one. Meaning Tabitha''s skill was a great help in determining if the magic beast meat I cook is safe to eat, but not much else.


    ¡°And really? Is this the only thing you could get?¡± I lightly kick the dead beetle missing its head, before squatting down to inspect it.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s grumpy,¡± Tabitha lazily remarks as she shifts the burning wood like I asked her to. ¡°You should be happy I could catch it at all. It was the only thing I¡¯ve seen since I passed out two days ago.¡±


    ¡°I take it everything else is still avoiding this area, then,¡± Wait a minute! Two days? I slowly turn my head towards Tabitha. ¡°How long was I out for?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    Probably hearing the concern in my voice, Tabitha finally gives me her full attention. ¡°Well, you fell asleep yesterday morning. It¡¯s noon now, so twenty-eight hours, give or take."


    ¡°But my Stamina hasn¡¯t fully recovered!¡± I say in disbelief.


    Tabitha nods, ¡°And it probably won¡¯t for another day. Mine still hasn¡¯t fully recovered, either. But it''s normal after pushing yourself as you did. So give it time, and you''ll be fine. Moving around should be fine; we just can''t do anything strenuous."


    ¡°Then we aren¡¯t heading out after we eat?¡± I stupidly ask, earning a smirk from Tabitha.


    ¡°And you complain I¡¯m compulsive,¡± Tabitha goes back to poking at the fire. ¡°No, we¡¯ll rest here until tomorrow. Animals are slowly moving back in, but the strong ones will hesitate to return so soon. Now, if you aren¡¯t going to let me cook, can you? I¡¯m starving.¡±


    At that exact moment, my stomach joined the conversation and let out a large growl, perfectly mirroring Tabitha¡¯s sentiments.


    ¡°Yeah, ok,¡± I blush and rub at my stomach, trying to get it to be quiet. It was like as soon as I was aware that I hadn¡¯t eaten in over a day, my stomach had become a black hole of insatiable hunger.


    Looking around, I spot a pile of sticks that Tabitha had prepared to throw into the fire. Using the different-sized twigs, I fabricate a spit to rest the oversized bug. As I put the bug over the coals, Tabitha separated for me; I took one last look at the insect before I chared it to a crisp.


    It was the size of a small dog and weighed many times that. The beetle was a smaller version of the tank beetles we encountered our first night in the forest. We¡¯ve seen them a few times since then, but this would be the first time we tried eating one.


    Surprisingly, the idea of eating the giant insect didn''t bother me that much. I was so hungry that I¡¯d eat just about anything at this point, and I''ve already had a giant spider, so why not try a beetle? Of course, Cooking doesn''t help me much, considering I was flying blind, but Gourmet would send a sensation down my arm whenever I left the beetle on one side for too long.


    With the heat of the fire, it doesn''t take long for me to char the outside evenly. I then remove the beetle from the flames and let it sit for a moment. The bug''s exoskeleton acted as a pressure cooker, and I knew its insides would be steaming hot.


    ¡°What does your skill say?¡± I turn to Tabitha for the final verdict.


    Tabitha moves next to the still-steaming creature and gives it a good sniff. I watched her visibly swallow a lump in her throat, which was a good sign.


    ¡°My skill says all good. Should I?¡± Tabitha gestures at our lunch.


    ¡°Let me,¡± I move next to her and start butchering the cooked beetle. First, I remove the hard outer shell concealing its wings before removing those too. Tabitha had already beheaded it, so I skipped that part and moved on to removing its spindly legs one by one. I taste-test some of the meat contained within the removed appendages, but it was too rubbery for my liking.


    With all that done, I carefully crack into the insect¡¯s exoskeleton to get at the meat within. And as soon as I break through its hard outer shell, a faint smell of roasted nuts wafts up, making me want to drool. Tabitha smells it too, and I see her lick her lips out of the corner of my eye.


    I still have to remove the beetle''s long and weird-looking organs, but 70% is pure meat. With the guts gone, Tabitha and I both reach in simultaneously and rip out a chunk of meat with our bare hands. Unfortunately, we didn''t have anything fancy like dipping sauces, so we were forced to eat it ¨¤ la carte. Typically, I''d have gathered some wild spices during the day, but for obvious reasons, we had none with us at the moment.


    But that didn''t matter because Tabitha and I were both starving, and hunger was the best seasoning of all. Tabitha and I nod to each other, and together, we throw our heads back and shove the beetle meat into our mouths.


    When the soft meat touches my tongue, I¡¯m forced to hold back a soft moan. ¡°So good,¡± I smile.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tabitha comments before reaching for another chunk. I follow her example and shove another piece into my mouth.


    The meat was sweet and just a bit salty, although I didn''t mix anything into it, and it had a wonderful nutty aftertaste. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to need to keep an eye out for more of these,¡± I chuckle.


    "Most definitely," Tabitha wholeheartedly agrees.


    Like starving animals, Tabitha and I quickly tear into the beetle carcass and pick it clean of every speck of meat. Afterward, I sit back down on my canvas to digest my meal while Tabitha picks up the beetles¡¯ legs and starts cracking them open with her hands. She didn¡¯t seem to care that the meat within was tough. Then again, after seeing the food she would eat if she had to cook, I¡¯m not surprised she could stand the rubbery texture.


    While she continued eating, I used Meditation to scan our surroundings with Sense Mana to make sure Tabitha was right and there weren''t any strong magic beasts around.


    Oh?


    Almost immediately, I start getting hits. Nothing overly strong, but there was more life around us than there was a day ago. I ping hundreds of signals from different birds, small mammals, and giant insects. In fact, there was a great deal of them moving nearby.


    Opening my eyes, I looked in the direction I sensed a lot of life signs converging. It just so happened that the direction I was facing was where we fought off the goblins.


    "What is it?" Tabitha walks over to me, happily licking her fingers.


    ¡°Still hungry? I think I know where we can grab another beetle if you are.¡±


    Tabitha follows my gaze. ¡°I could still eat,¡± she turns and toothily smiles down at me. Tabitha offers me a hand to help me up, which I take.


    I grab my weapon, and we leave the rest of our gear behind at our campsite before heading back the way we came.


    ¡°Did you sense anything dangerous?¡± Tabitha asks me as we jog together, reminding me in her own way that we should avoid trouble for the moment.


    ¡°Nothing within range, but I can only see 2,100 feet out," I tell her.


    Tabitha raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Since when could you see that far?¡±


    Oh, yeah, I forgot. ¡°Sorry, I got so caught up with the food, I forgot to tell you. A bunch of my skills leveled up after the fight, including Meditation and Sense Mana. I can see 500 feet farther than when you helped me test it."


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes widen in surprise, but her expression quickly shifts from one of shock to one of hunger, and not the type of hunger for food. "Did your combat skills also level."


    ¡°Of course, they,¡± I start and immediately choke upon realizing what I was doing, but it was already too late.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Tabitha grins at me like a predator seeing fresh prey. "After recovering, we''ll have to test what you''re capable of."


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary,¡± I start, but Tabitha quickly cuts me off.


    ¡°Nonsense, in fact, I insist.¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t give me a chance to protest.


    At least she wasn¡¯t suggesting we start sparring now as we are, so there''s that.


    The two of us swiftly make it to where we fought the goblins the other day, and when it''s 700 feet in front of us, I signal for Tabitha to stop. ¡°Something wrong?¡± She asks me in a quiet voice, instantaneously going from a crazy yet caring teacher to trained warrior mode.


    "Nothing strong, but there are many magic beasts up ahead. What should we do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one guiding us,¡± Tabitha softly points out to me. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Tabitha gives me the biggest supporting smile I¡¯ve ever seen, and I know as long as the two of us work together, we can overcome everything. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out,¡± I grin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Tabitha repeats with a smile of her own.


    So, we move forward, side by side, ready for anything.

 Ch: 114.3

    Silently, Tabitha and I creep closer to our destination. Just because I could vaguely sense what was ahead of us and knew there weren¡¯t any strong magic beasts ahead didn''t mean we would recklessly charge forward.


    Both of us were still recovering, and while Tabitha was dangerous in any condition as long as she was on her feet, that didn¡¯t mean we needed to exacerbate our wounds for a little more food. If we were honest with ourselves, this little trip was primarily to kill time and relieve some of our boredom.


    I had been asleep for over twenty-four hours, leaving me quite stiff, and I¡¯m sure Tabitha was bored out of her mind watching me the whole time, unable to do anything but watch me sleep. Both of us needed this; we had to have some form of excitement to keep us going. The possibility of more food was just the excuse we needed to stretch our legs.


    Creeping around one of the massive trees, Tabitha and I get our first look at the battlefield we left behind and are both floored at the amount of life present.


    Birds the size of dogs were swooping down from the tree branches fighting with the various giant insects present over scraps of goblin flesh. There were centipedes and millipedes the size of snakes, buzzing everywhere were flies the size of ping pong balls, and hordes of beetles similar in size to the one we just ate scuttling everywhere.


    The birds and bugs I could understand, but why were there packs of rabbits hopping everywhere? And why were they white?


    For a species that made its home in a forest, you would think they would have dark coats to blend in, but these rabbits were the complete opposite. They were as white as snow and stayed in groups ranging from five to nine members.


    They were as big as the horned rabbits the farmers chased from the village''s fields; only these guys were distinctly missing their horns. Though, there was one massive difference between the two species. While they looked similar, horned rabbits had almost no mana and were simple pests; the white rabbits in front of me, not so much.


    The white fluffballs looked normal at a glance, but focusing on them revealed the truth. These rabbits were hiding fangs behind their fluffy demeanor. I watch as one of them paws at the ground unearthing a hobgoblin arm, and viciously bites into it, tearing away a chunk of flesh. But that wasn¡¯t the only secret they were hiding.


    Focusing Sense Mana on the closest group of rabbits, I almost gasp at what I find. To the eye, the small group looked to be made up of six individual rabbits, each one moving independently with different ticks and mannerisms, while, in fact, only one of them was real. The other five were illusions, wads of mana projected in the shape of a rabbit and controlled by the real one.


    ¡°Hey, Tabitha,¡± I whisper while nudging her. "Do those rabbits look funny to you?" I motioned to the group, seeing if she could spot the difference.


    Tabitha gives me a confused glance before focusing on the illusionary rabbits. She doesn''t look too interested initially, but the longer she looks at them, the more her eyes narrow and the more confused she looks. ¡°They are¡­. weird,¡± Tabitha struggles to put her thoughts into words.


    So, she does notice something but can''t pinpoint what. "You can¡¯t tell,¡± I smirk and playfully nudge her side again, much to her frustration.


    "Give me a moment," annoyed Tabitha swats my arm away before I can continue elbowing her.


    She glares daggers at the group, so much that she lets out a sliver of her killing intent. Then, as one, all the rabbits in the group look up with their hair standing on end, and to my astonishment, the group scatters in every direction. One by one, the fake rabbits pop like bubbles and wink out of existence once they¡¯re a hundred feet from the real one, which expertly blends in with another nearby rabbit and its illusionary company and starts reconjuring new illusions.


    Turning toward Tabitha, I bring my hand up to my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Tabitha¡¯s eyes were the size of dinner plates, seeing the group of rabbits disperse and disappear entirely. "Only one was real?" Tabitha mumbles, disbelievingly gawking at the real one hiding in the other group. Even in all the chaos, she hadn¡¯t lost track of the only remaining rabbit.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I point to each group of rabbits. ¡°There¡¯s only one real one in each. It¡¯s honestly impressive.¡± This was the first time I''d seen the magic beast equivalent of a mage. Sure, I¡¯ve seen stuff like the silent falcon using mana to cancel out sound or the chameleon spiders using it to blend into their surroundings, but this was the first instance I¡¯ve seen a magic beast use mana other than to enhance their bodies in some way.


    And they really were amazing illusions. The hair on each of the rabbits moved with the wind; they looked and reacted to the other magic beasts around them and even kicked up small amounts of dirt when they hopped around. So it''s no surprise Tabitha couldn''t see anything wrong with them.


    So much mana in such a small body¡­. I wonder how they would taste? I feel a shift in my soul, and every group of rabbits hopping around the crater suddenly froze, looked up at once, and bolted every which way.


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    ¡°Aww, no,¡± I wanted to run after the closest one, but it was gone before I could move. Apparently, they didn¡¯t just have skills involving illusions; to move that fast at their level, they had good movement skills.


    ¡°Nice one,¡± now it¡¯s Tabitha¡¯s turn to give me a hard time. ¡°Way to throw your killing intent right out there; you didn''t even try to hide it," she elbows me in the side harder than I did to her.


    ¡°What?¡± I groan out as I double over and clutch at my side. "I only have Intimidating Shout, and if you weren''t listening, I didn''t make a sound."


    Tabitha rolls her eyes. ¡°Killing intent isn¡¯t a skill; it¡¯s a manifestation of your will. Was that your first time using it?¡± Tabitha curiously cocks her head to the side before pulling me to my feet.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize I was doing it,¡± I tell her, making sure to leave out the part about feeling my soul shift beforehand. ¡°Killing intent isn¡¯t a skill?¡±


    ¡°As people level, they naturally grow stronger; your will is much the same. Or at least that''s how Master explained it to me when I first manifested mine. Now that I think about it, you¡¯re around that level now, aren¡¯t you? I think I was level 73 back then,¡± Tabitha looks off into the distance with a smile on her face as if she was reliving a fond memory.


    ¡°Ok, so how do I control it,¡± I ask, bringing her back to reality.


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t,¡± Tabitha flatly informs me.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It takes years of practice for a person to gain control of their will. Most don¡¯t gain a semblance of control until they cross level 80. Until then, you''ll have to keep a strict watch over your emotions,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°And if I do, things like this won¡¯t happen again?¡± I gesture to where the rabbits were.


    "No, that''ll still happen," Tabitha looks just a little too happy to burst my bubble. ¡°It will happen less frequently, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Why did this happen now?" I curse.


    Tabitha just shrugs. ¡°Could be any number of factors. My best guess is all the fighting you¡¯ve been doing. You told me you''ve been mostly crafting until this last year, yeah? People who reach our level by crafting usually take longer to unlock their will, if they ever do at all.¡±


    In my head, I immediately picture Master Del and the time he used his killing intent on me. He doesn''t like to talk about it, and I don¡¯t ask. But it made me wonder if Master could control it or if he just used it naturally when he was mad at me.


    "It doesn''t look like you''re listening to me," Tabitha pulls me out of my thoughts and back to the present.


    "Sorry," I quickly apologize for getting sidetracked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she brushes off my apology and continues explaining. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve manifested your will, it will randomly activate when your emotions run high.¡±


    ¡°But they weren¡¯t just now,¡± I point out to Tabitha.


    "What were you thinking about?" She questions me.


    "I was wondering how the rabbits would taste," I say, blushing a bit.


    Tabitha nods, ¡°That will do it. You might not have thought much of it at the time, but in your head, you were working yourself up to kill one of the rabbits. Killing intent is the easiest emotion to materialize, and animals, magic beasts specifically, are highly sensitive to it. Once you gain control of it, you''ll be able to direct it as I can, but until then, you¡¯ll need to be prepared to move fast when you¡¯re hunting.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± I sigh, earning me a puzzled look from Tabitha.


    "Most would be happy to unlock their will; it''s a sign a person is strong.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I frown. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­. I have so much to work on, now this? I have too many awesome skills; I don''t know which to prioritize."


    There is a long pause where Tabitha and I stare at one another.


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°You¡¯re messing with me," she says flatly.


    My frown slowly morphs into a big smile. ¡°You caught on quick this time,¡± I tease.


    Tabitha huffs in annoyance. ¡°What a problem to have. I would¡¯ve given anything to be where you are at your age.¡± Tabitha looks like she¡¯s considering punching me for real, but her attention quickly shifts to the crater left behind by the elemental. "Well, if you need to work on your skills, there''s no time like the present. Go catch us another beetle,¡± she orders.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Go. Catch. Us. Another. Beetle,¡± Tabitha repeats slowly, poking me in the chest after each word. There was enough power in her finger that each time it came into contact with Mana Skin, she forced past it to tap her finger against my armor underneath. "And don''t let out your killing intent," she adds.


    ¡°Uh, ok,¡± I stammer, taking a step back out of poking range from an obviously annoyed Tabitha.


    Drawing my hammer, I slowly walk out from behind the tree we are hiding behind. A few nearby magic beasts immediately notice me, but almost none flee.


    Of course, when I get too close to a nearby bird, it grabs the meat it was tearing into and flies away, but as long as I kept a respectable distance, most were content to pretend I wasn''t even there. A five-foot-long centipede crawls a few feet in front of me, but other than turning its mandibles to me for a second, it continues on its merry way


    without sparing me a second glance.


    Obviously, they weren''t seeing me as a threat, but that was about to change. Tabitha gave me a task, and if I wanted to smooth over her sour demeanor, I needed to complete it. But which one?


    There were dozens of decent-sized beetles in sight; all I needed to do was pick one. The highest leveled one was only level 43 and came up to my knees in height, so it wasn''t like they were dangerous.


    I pause for a second; since when did I consider something at level 43 weak? That was close to Sandra''s level, and I would never consider Sandra weak. A level 43 beetle would pose an actual danger to a regular villager, but now I brush their existence off like nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed, haven¡¯t I?¡± I mumble to myself. Even if it was just a week ago, I would¡¯ve been hesitant to walk into the middle of this many magic beasts, but after surviving the battle with the goblins, the beasts around me might as well have been puppies to me.


    While considering my change in worldview, I spot the perfect beetle. Nice and plump, shiny carapace, looked healthier than most of the insects around, perfect to roast over the fire.


    No sooner than that idea crosses my mind, I feel another shift in my soul, and my prey turns and starts scuttling away.


    ¡°Nope, try again,¡± I hear Tabitha shout from where I left her.


    Looking back the way I came, I see Tabitha watching me like a hawk with her arms folded in front of her chest.


    I see, so she wanted to turn this into a training exercise. At least this time, I didn''t scare off all the beetles, just the one I was focusing on. It hadn¡¯t even gotten that far. If I wanted to, I could jog and still catch up to it, but I''m assuming that would go against what Tabitha was trying to get me to figure out.


    Fine, I''ll pick another one then.


    I approach another beetle from behind. I raise my hammer, and¡­. There¡¯s a shift in my soul. This time the beetle doesn¡¯t even turn around and look at me before trying to run away on its stubbly legs.


    I pick a third target, and the same thing happens.


    It happens again.


    And again.


    And again.


    So many times, I make it within spitting distance of multiple beetles, but once I decide to follow through and strike, something in my soul shifts, and I release a burst of killing intent.


    No matter what I do, it activates on its own when I commit to an attack. And unlike when I fought the hobgoblin that could predict my strikes, I couldn''t just bulldoze my way through it. Well, I could, but that wouldn''t help me in the future.


    I try swinging my hammer without the intent to kill, but that doesn¡¯t work either. I wasn''t sparring with these animals, and I knew if I hit them, they would die; and if they didn''t, it would be needlessly torturing them.


    I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be eating anytime soon.

 Ch: 114.4

    ¡°AAAAAAHHHHHHH!¡± I scream, slamming my hammer down in frustration, causing a large plume of dirt to erupt around me.


    Through the dust, I watch a beetle trip over its legs as it rushes to get away from me. I couldn¡¯t hold back my emotions and was constantly leaking killing intent.


    The first beetle was a learning experience; the fourth was annoying to watch scuttle away. The tenth¡­ was soul-crushing at that point.


    Now I was past all those emotions, and watching the twenty-sixth flee, all I could feel was rage. No matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t control my soul and keep it from projecting my anger. I had thought I would get the hang of it, considering how much experience I had regarding my soul, but every attempt I made at controlling my will, up until this point, had blown up in my face.


    I¡¯ve spent countless hours inside my soul, and yet, it seemed impossible to keep my soul from doing whatever it is that it''s doing. I had spent the better part of the last hour trying to figure out what was causing my soul to shift and had come up with absolutely nothing!


    It didn¡¯t help that I had surprisingly little experience manipulating my soul outside of my dream realm. I hadn''t realized it until now, but I only use Soul Manipulation in the real world to shift my status page into a much neater format. Other than that, I¡¯d never tried using Soul Manipulation for anything else.


    I could find out what was happening if I entered my soul, but I couldn''t exactly do that now in front of Tabitha. Speaking of which, I turn and glare at the woman standing nearby with a smug look on her face.


    For a brief second, I direct my killing intent at her, but she easily shrugs it off and retaliates with her own. Tabitha''s killing intent is leagues ahead of mine, and like a tsunami against a sandcastle, easily overpowers my measly will. I momentarily froze under the brunt of her will, but after a second, I could overcome it as she did mine, only slower, and now my back was covered in sweat, and my knees were trembling underneath me.


    The one good thing about having Tabitha smothering my killing intent with her own is that it briefly lets me get a hold of my emotions. And when I do, I realize what I just did.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I apologize to Tabitha. For however brief it was, I genuinely wanted to kill her for a second, and it made me feel awful.


    Tabitha laughs at me in a good-natured way. "It''s fine; I understand what you''re going through. I did the same thing dozens of times to Master Pacore. I know you didn¡¯t mean it, just like I didn¡¯t mean it when I used my killing intent to smother yours.¡±


    I''m relieved to hear she wasn''t mad at me, but now that I know that, it was hard not to feel annoyed. Of course, the emotion was primarily directed at myself; still, a small part of me couldn''t help but blame my glorious teacher for throwing me in the deep end without knowing how to swim and expecting me to become an expert instantly.


    "Can I please, stop now?" I grit my teeth in frustration.


    Tabitha keeps smiling as she walks over to me. Thanks to losing control of my emotions, only a handful of animals were left, despite the abundance of food still around. So as Tabitha walked toward me, she didn¡¯t need to worry about a single magic beast in her way.


    ¡°Well, at least your normal for once,¡± Tabitha remarks as she walks up next to me.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I eye Tabitha suspiciously.


    ¡°I wanted to see if your ridiculous comprehension speed would affect your ability to control will.¡±


    ¡°You said it takes years,¡± I remind her.


    "I did, and so do most of the things I try to teach you that seem to pick up instantly. But, honestly, I''m a little happy to see you fail for a change. I was starting to think you weren¡¯t human,¡± she quips.


    ¡°Ha-ha,¡± I sarcastically laugh.


    ¡°No, seriously,¡± Tabitha continues with a straight face. ¡°I was considering writing Master about my doubts.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I flinch back, with a concerned look plastered across my face.


    Slowly Tabitha begins to grin at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± I pout.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little funny,¡± Tabitha insists.


    ¡°So, does that mean I can finally kill one of these blasted beetles, and we can leave?" I ask, hoping Tabitha will permit me.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to continue practicing?¡± Tabitha continues to poke fun at me lightly.


    ¡°Tabitha,¡± I whine.


    She sinkers and glances around. ¡°You can, but there aren¡¯t many left,¡± she observes.


    The two of us were standing at the edge of the crater left behind by the elemental. Up here, there were almost no magic beasts left, but down in the crater, there were still quite a few foraging for goblin flesh.


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    ¡°Alright, give me a moment,¡± I tell her, having already picked the beetle I was going to whack upside the head with my hammer.


    The beetle senses my killing intent and starts to make a break for it, but this time, I wasn¡¯t just going to let it crawl away. Hopping over the edge, I use my weight to slide down the loose soil of the crater¡¯s walls.


    While sliding down, my prey tried to climb up the opposite side. Its lower center of gravity meant it could scale the steep edge, but not before I could reach it. After trying to kill over two dozen of the shiny bastards, I was familiar with how fast they could move. They only had two speeds, slow and slower. And this particular one was slower.


    I had all the time in the world, so when I pick up something odd underneath my feet with Sense Mana, I don¡¯t think twice to stop and see what it is.


    While using one hand to balance my hammer on my right shoulder, I use my left to dig into the soft dirt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hear Tabitha shout above me.


    "Give me a second, and I''ll tell you," I holler back.


    The object I was sensing was only eight inches under the ground, so it wasn''t hard to dig it out. In fact, it was suspended in the soft dirt, which meant it was kicked up in the explosion that was the elemental¡¯s fist and wasn¡¯t there previously.


    ¡°What in the?¡± In my left hand, I hold up a brownish-black rock the size of a marble, only jagged and not spherical. It looked like an ordinary rock you''d find anywhere; only this rock wasn''t your everyday stone.


    The rock in my hands gave off no mana, which was incredibly odd. Even if it was small, everything gave off mana. People, plants, and even the ground beneath me radiate small amounts of mana. Mana was always moving and shifting, so finding a rock with no mana bleed should be impossible, but here it is.


    Because it wasn¡¯t radiating any mana, I hadn¡¯t sensed it until I was right over it, and even then, I could only spot it because Sense Mana was so strong. Using my skill to look inside the stone, I marvel at the tight mana network contained within.


    Out of curiosity, I try to inject a bit of my mana into the stone. But unfortunately, the mana membrane separating the outside mana from the stone¡¯s mana is incredibly dense and hard to bypass. Still, eventually, I burrow my way through, and when I do, I¡¯m almost knocked on my ass.


    The small stone explodes in my hand, releasing a small wave of concentrated mana. Mana that I was very familiar with. I had felt mana exactly like that not long ago when the elemental walked through our battle with the goblins.


    No way, that pebble was a fragment of the elemental, and it must have fallen off when it attacked!


    And I made it blow up!


    I swear I could feel myself tearing up at the thought that I had wasted such a precious material. I''m about to break down when a thought pops into my head. If there was one, then couldn¡¯t there be more?


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Tabitha calls down to me, having seen the small explosion.


    "I''m fine," I quickly shouted back to her in response to hearing her voice, but my mind was elsewhere. When the pebble exploded, it mainly released mana which did almost nothing to my defenses. The randomness of it caught me off guard, but that was it. But my safety was the last thing I cared about at this moment.


    Dropping everything else, I immediately start walking in a grid pattern, praying there were more elemental fragments nearby. I had no idea what I could use them for, but that never stopped me in the past.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hearing the dirt shift, I look up from my frantic search to see Tabitha coming down into the crater with me. ¡°I thought you wanted to grab another beetle and leave. Instead, you rush into the pit, start digging, cause an explosion, and scare off everything that was left. Are you messing with me again?" Tabitha''s eyes narrow menacingly.


    ¡°I found something even better than food,¡± I excitedly inform her as she slides down next to me.


    ¡°The small explosion of mana?¡± Tabitha quirked an eyebrow at me, seemingly interested in what I had to say.


    ¡°I think there are fragments of the elemental left behind. Imagine what I can craft with them!¡± I¡¯m practically shaking with excitement at this point.


    Tabitha''s interest in the subject evaporates as soon as I mention crafting. "So, rocks are more important than food?" She deadpans.


    ¡°In this case, yes,¡± I smile back at her, knowing she wouldn¡¯t fault me for my priorities. Tabitha may periodically joke about the significance I put on crafting when I was such a talented fighter. Still, she''s never once belittled my work or tried to convince me to give it up outright.


    ¡°Then they¡¯re important?¡± Tabitha kicks at the loose ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit with a chuckle, earning me a flat stare from her. "They''re like mana gems but aren¡¯t,¡± I try to explain their significance to her.


    ¡°Oh!?¡± Once again, I manage to draw Tabitha in by mentioning mana gems. Even if she didn''t care about crafting, Tabitha was aware of how essential mana gems were, and finding one of significant size was every person''s dream. Mana gems grew exponentially valuable the bigger they were, so to say, I found something similar warranted at least a slight reaction from Tabitha. ¡°And you think there are more?¡±


    I smile at how Tabitha scans the ground around us like there is gold just beneath the surface. That was a bad comparison; gold was still expensive in this world but nowhere near as important when placed next to various magic metals.


    I was happy to see Tabitha willing to help me look, but I had to burst her bubble before she started tearing everything up for no reason. I had a lot of ground to cover without needing to backtrack because she shifted something to someplace I had already checked. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to sense them. The one I found gave off almost no mana, and I had to be directly over it to sense it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± at that, Tabitha loses what interest she had. "So much for finding a mana gem," she pouts.


    "Are you that hard up for money?" As I slowly scan the ground below me, I keep the conversation going to kill time.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, why else would you be interested in finding a mana gem?¡± I ask. ¡°Don¡¯t you get everything you need from Scholl?¡±


    I have to pause my search and turn around because Tabitha breaks out into laughter. She¡¯s even holding her sides which is rare for her. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡±


    Shaking her head in disbelief, Tabitha eventually calms down. ¡°You think Scholl provided me my gear?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± I hesitantly answer.


    Tabitha snorts in amusement, but at least this time, she doesn''t laugh herself to death before answering me. ¡°I picked out and bought all my gear,¡± she clarifies. ¡°With some help from Master Pacore, of course.¡±


    "But you''re a part of Scholl''s military; how can they not supply you with gear?" I question while reaching down and fishing out a pebble from the earth. It felt amazing to be proven right that more elemental fragments were strewn about, but Tabitha was dropping some important information, so I had to wait to jump for joy until later. "I thought the country supplied your armor as they did for Pacore?"


    "Yes and no," Tabitha cryptically tells me. "I could use my and Master¡¯s position to commission my armor, which was done through the military, but I still needed to pay for it.¡±


    Seeing that I wasn''t comprehending the reasoning behind it, Tabitha continued. ¡°Scholl only distributes armor and weapons to the rank-and-file troops and people like Master Pacore, who are the best of the best. For the rest of us, it''s up to us to decide what gear we carry."


    ¡°That sounds incredibly unproductive,¡± I counter, to which Tabitha gives me a knowing smirk.


    ¡°Then how would you do it?¡± She sends me a challenging look. "For soldiers below level 60, standard arms and armor are fine, but how would you distribute gear for people above that level? You should know a warrior¡¯s gear is very personal, and as they level, it only becomes more so. How would you expect the military to manage every person''s gear when everyone needs something different? It¡¯s impossible, so to make things easier, we''re paid according to our level and must equip ourselves as we see fit. That¡¯s why I¡¯m interested in mana gems.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± I admit I couldn''t see what she was getting at.


    Tabitha shrugs like it''s no big deal. ¡°If I can get ahold of a large enough mana gem, it will be easier for me to commission better gear. Unfortunately, large mana gems are the hardest to find and are, more often than not, auctioned off or given to soldiers who merit them.¡±


    ¡°But what about Pacore''s armor?" I ask as I reach down to grab another sliver of the elemental. This third one was only the size of a grain of rice, but I would take whatever I could find.


    ¡°Master Pacore the Deathless is the highest-leveled individual in all of Scholl and the king''s most loyal retainer. So, of course, the country will do its best to outfit him with the best gear possible. They do the same for the other two pillars, though to a lesser degree. Master Pacore is the best after all,¡± she stresses that last part.


    Where does that put me? I''m above level 60, but am I considered a part of Scholl''s military? I was technically under Pacore, but did that automatically make me a soldier, or was I merely a citizen of Scholl?


    As I consider my current place in Scholl¡¯s hierarchy, I loop the crater multiple times while maintaining small talk with Tabitha. I found sixteen elemental shards while doing so, and I was delighted with my luck. Altogether, it was only a few pounds of stone, but that was more than I expected.


    Placing all the shards in a small pouch on my belt, I move next to Tabitha to show off my haul when I feel a ping 650 feet out and closing fast. Make that multiple pings. Six, to be exact, and they weren''t magic beasts.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Having traveled with me for so long, Tabitha quickly recognized that I picked up something with my skill.


    ¡°Six people are rapidly approaching our location," I point out the direction they were coming from as we climb out of the crater.


    We were about to have company.


    Were they friends or foes?

 Ch: 114.5

    The six mana signatures were moving swiftly toward our location, but as they drew nearer, they slowed down. They either knew we were here or sensed something was different about our location.


    ¡°They¡¯re being cautious,¡± I inform Tabitha, wondering at what distance their skills could pick us up. Of course, if one of them had a visual skill, they would''ve been able to spot us from much farther back, but that''s only if they got a clear view through the many trees.


    Stretching her arms in front of her chest, Tabitha rasps softly, "Smart of them. I still can¡¯t sense them yet.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re coming from the direction the elemental was walking from. Do you think they''re following it?" I direct Tabitha¡¯s senses in the direction they¡¯re approaching from. Was it just a coincidence that they were coming from the same way the elemental was? I didn¡¯t think so.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Tabitha keeps her answer short, staring into the distance like a badass instead.


    ¡°Are you expecting a fight?¡± I hesitantly ask her, seeing how she was stretching as she does before a battle. Unfortunately, she and I were still injured from our fight with the goblins, adding her dodging the elemental attack, and depending on the levels of the people approaching us, this could be bad.


    Tabitha stops stretching and slowly turns to face me with her hand on her sword. She had a firm readiness about her; she was ready to kill should she have to. ¡°No, but we must be prepared for the possibility that they are approaching us with less than honorable intentions. We¡¯re currently in a magic-dense region; the only law here is the law of the strong. You said you faced other people before, right?¡±


    ¡°I," I stammer, remembering my run-in with the bandits less than a year ago like it was yesterday. The fire. The charred bodies. All of it. ¡°I have once before,¡± I finally manage to spit out.


    Tabitha reaches over and gently touches my shoulder, making me smile. It was hard not to. Sure, it was comforting to have her stand next to me and see that she was supporting me, but I always smiled regardless, mainly because of how funny it looked, though I would never say as much.


    Tabitha was only 5¡¯ 4¡¯¡¯, maybe a few inches taller in her armor, but I towered over her even then. So, every time she put her hand on my shoulder, it looked like I was being comforted by a younger sibling instead of the crazy strong fighter that she was.


    ¡°Are they here yet?¡± Tabitha asks after affectionately patting me on the back twice and turning back toward the direction the six were approaching us from.


    ¡°They¡¯ve spread out,¡± I inform her. ¡°Four of them are there,¡± as soon as I point out where they¡¯re hiding, the group starts to shift forward again after seemingly pausing in their approach. Did one of them know I knew they were there? Did they know that I knew that they knew?


    ¡°The other two have split off and are hiding nearby, but I think the main group may have noticed that I spotted them,¡± I inform Tabitha while massaging my head as a headache forms.


    ¡°I can tell. They¡¯re no longer hiding their presence,¡± Tabitha grins as the four people round one of the large trees and come into view.


    Now that was a motley crew if I¡¯ve ever seen one. An older gentleman that looked to be in his late forties was leading the group. He had disheveled red hair fading due to age, but it still stood out against his dark grey metal armor.


    In his hands were two short swords made with decent materials but didn''t glow in Sense Mana as if they were enchanted. In fact, between the four, only two of them, one being the old man, had anything enchanted on their person, and both items were the boots they were wearing.


    While the older gentleman looked between Tabitha and me, sizing us up, I focused on the other three as they drew closer. The others weren¡¯t as old as their leader, but calling them young wasn¡¯t right either. The three looked to be in their mid to late thirties, which with proper stat distributions, could mean they were in their fifties for all I knew.


    The person closest to the leader was a woman holding a bow who looked slightly older than mom. She wore hide armor like the last two, but she had an arrow nocked, yet she still needed to draw it back. Not an outright threat, but it was apparent she wasn''t taking any chances. None of them were.


    All four had their weapons ready; the last two gentlemen held spears with spare bows on their backs. Their weapons gave away their fighting style. Other than their aged leader, all of them were mid or long-range fighters. If they were going to attack us, they wouldn¡¯t be closing the distance like they are. At least, I hoped that was the case.


    Curious, I steal a glance at Tabitha, who''s standing next to me, and almost cringe at the smile she''s wearing. "Can you not look like you''re ready to stab somebody?" I quietly hiss at her.


    ¡°But I am,¡± she replies like that was only obvious.


    The four people approaching us briefly pause but continue walking toward us. Outwardly, they looked the same, but focusing on their hands, I could tell they were gripping their weapons tighter. They either overheard us or read our lips.


    Holding my hand up to my mouth to prevent the latter, I whisper back in a low voice that would be hard for anyone else to hear. "We''re injured; we''re not supposed to be getting into any more fights," I remind her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me do the talking?¡± I suggest.


    ¡°You?¡± Tabitha questioningly turns her head toward me, but her eyes remain focused on the group approaching us.


    ¡°Yeah, me. It''ll be less intimidating if I talk to them," I reason.


    Surprisingly, Tabitha agrees almost immediately. ¡°Fine, have it your way. But no matter what, you are to stay next to me. And if there¡¯s any trouble, I want you behind me and only help in a supportive role. Can you agree to that?¡±


    "I can do that," I quickly agree to Tabitha''s conditions.


    ¡°Alright, here they are,¡± she tells me.


    The group of four stopped thirty feet before us, and an uncomfortable silence fell over us all. Each group was ready to act at the slightest show of aggression.


    How was I supposed to go about talking to them? Though I offered to take over the negotiating role, I didn''t know how to go about it. How would Tabitha act?


    She would assert her dominance by force. I could try that, but it would be the same if I let her negotiate. I needed something different, but what?


    ¡°Ahem,¡± I cough into my hand to get everybody¡¯s attention and hopefully clear the air before something happens. ¡°Hello,¡± I greet the four with an Acting boosted smile.


    ¡°Ladies,¡± with a gravelly voice that sounded like he''d smoked since birth, the group''s leader nodded a greeting. ¡°I apologize for my group sneaking up on you.¡±


    "Oh, it''s no problem," I fake being aloof and wave off his platitude. "Besides, you, six, didn''t sneak up on anyone," I emphasize their party number and quickly glance in the direction the other two were hiding. "Shall your friends join us?"


    The woman and the two spear-wielding men looked surprised that I knew exactly where their teammates were hiding, but their leader just narrowed his eyes in thought. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you two, I think they¡¯ll stay where they are.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Tabitha counters threateningly.


    Still trying to project an air of indifference, I try to calm the situation down, but at the same time, I tighten my grip on my hammer. "There''s no need for violence. Tell you what, your friends can keep their distance, but they come out of hiding so everybody can see everybody.¡±


    ¡°Does that include your friends too?¡± The woman standing slightly behind the leader angrily snaps.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s just the two of us,¡± I try to tell them, but the woman cuts me off.


    ¡°Bullshit, hunting in such a small group, this close to goblin territory, that¡¯s insane!¡± She growls.


    ¡°Vanessa!¡± Their leader snaps.


    "What''s insane is coming this far with levels like yours," Tabitha''s comment adds fuel to the fire, but thankfully the old leader keeps his people in line.


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    ¡°Hold,¡± He uses his hand to slowly direct the woman¡¯s bow back down after she threateningly raised it. He then holds up his hand and makes a series of quick gestures, upon which two more bow-wielding hunters materialize a few hundred feet away.


    ¡°There, we complied with your demands,¡± the leader looks me in the eyes. ¡°Are you truly alone?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± I confidently repeat, choosing not to lie even though it would be easy. But as not to appear weak, I push back. ¡°It may only be the two of us, but our levels more than makeup for our lack in numbers.¡±


    "We can see that," the old man glances at the carnage surrounding us. ¡°You ran into a large goblin hunting party," he observes, kicking a disembodied goblin arm at his feet.


    Puffing out my chest, I grin. ¡°We killed most of them before the elemental interrupted us." Of course, I wasn''t exactly lying to them; I just tactfully omitted the part about how we were on our last breath when it arrived.


    ¡°Is that so,¡± the leader hides his emotions well enough and doesn''t look impressed by my bragging, but the other five were more transparent. The two spear-wielders were looking around as if imagining the horde of goblins rushing them and went pale. While they''re spellbound, the woman hesitantly steps back as if to put more distance between us.


    That was the reaction I was hoping for, but their leader still needed a tad bit more convincing. Despite everything I said, the old man still considered the possibility of fighting us, and I couldn¡¯t have that. Of course, we would never attack unprovoked, but he didn''t know that, and as long as he had an inkling that they could succeed, he could order them to do something foolish.


    I''ll snuff out that last spark and prove we''re stronger than them without a shadow of a doubt.


    ¡°It is,¡± I say in a lofty voice, faking looking down on the group. "But my guardian did bring up a good point; why is your group so under-leveled?" Then, using Sense Soul, I not only get the old man to twitch back in fear, but I get a good look at his and his friend''s levels. "You''re not even at my level, let alone your friends. Should any of you even be here?¡±


    I hear Tabitha snicker beside me, but I¡¯m too busy staring down the old ranger to spare her a glance.


    ¡°What do you know!?" Their leader growls, but to me, it sounds like an old dog trying to bluff itself out of a fight. Good, I can work with that.


    I force out a long pompous sigh. ¡°I know you¡¯re only level 73. And I know the levels of every one of your comrades. So why is someone at your level working with people who haven''t yet reached level 65?¡±


    "We hired him," the woman shakily speaks up; my commenting on their levels shook them more than I expected.


    ¡°Oh?¡± I motion for her to explain further, but she seems reluctant to.


    ¡°I was hired to guide them to known mirage hare feeding grounds. We came across the elemental¡¯s trail halfway through our hunting expedition,¡± their leader explains in a pained voice.


    ¡°Mirage hare; are you talking about the white rabbits that use illusions? You came this far into the forest just for some rabbits?¡± That sounded ridiculous to me.


    The old man gives me a confused look while the other three whisper amongst themselves.


    ¡°Is she serious?" One of the men starts.


    "I think she is a noble," the other man chimes in. "Maybe a mirage hare pelt is nothing to her?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± The woman adds, confused. ¡°You see the armor her knight is wearing; that has to cost some serious coin."


    Again, I heard Tabitha quietly sinker next to me, but I was busy leaning into the character they so graciously thrust upon me and decided to just roll with it. "So, their hides are expensive,¡± I butt into the conversation, making it painfully obvious we could hear them.


    ¡°I came here to level and experience a magic-dense region for myself. But, I''m sorry to say, I scared all the cute bunnies away with my killing intent.¡± Though my words were apologetic, my grin would make them believe I was bragging. Plus, it subtly increased our perceived power.


    ¡°Do you have one I can feel?¡± I was pushing my luck, but if I could get them to hand over one of their prized pelts, it would be symbolic of them giving up.


    ¡°Clarkson, what do we do?¡± The woman asks the old man for advice.


    ¡°Give it to her,¡± he growls through his teeth.


    I wanted to reassure them I''d give it back, but that would contradict everything I''ve done up until now. One of the spearmen turns his back to his friend, who fishes a rolled-up pelt out of his pack. He tosses it to me, and I grab it out of the air with my one free hand.


    Carefully, I unroll the pelt; when I do, my eyes widen when I feel how soft it is. ¡°Lovely,¡± I honestly remark. I was about to casually ask how much it went for, but thankfully, Acting reminded me to stay in character. ¡°Father usually just buys me what I want,¡± I lie through my teeth. ¡°How much would one of these cost him?¡±


    ¡°It depends on size,¡± the woman Vanessa explains to me in a meek voice. ¡°The one in your hands would be about two gold coins, but we can get up to ten if the pelt is big enough.¡±


    Holy shit, I exclaim in my head. ¡°Is that all?" I channel my best Tabitha impression, looking as uninterested as possible. However, inside, I cursed myself for frightening all the rabbits off. They were practically furry gold coins!


    Carefully, I ball the pelt back up, and to the group''s surprise, I toss it back to them. "What did you think I would steal it from you?" I sneer.


    ¡°Not at all, miss,¡± the woman hurriedly hung her head submissively, but I could still see the sweat gathering on her forehead.


    All right, I think I tortured them enough. I was starting to feel bad. However, there was something we still needed. It was fun adventuring with Tabitha without prior knowledge of what lay in the Endless Forest, but if Clarkson were a guide, then I would be foolish not to ask him about what lies further within. "Mister Clarkson, was it?" I turn to the red-haired old man.


    ¡°Yes¡­. Milady,¡± he grumbles out the last part, obviously not happy with me.


    Sorry, I apologize in my head; I needed information. ¡°My parents sent me in here blind as some sort of annoying test, but since we ran into you, I don''t suppose you can gift us some of your wisdom?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± He reluctantly replies.


    "Where are we exactly?" I ask their leader. "She said something about this being goblin territory," I motion to Vanessa.


    ¡°It is,¡± he nods. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you entered the Endless Forest, but you drifted too far west. No one knows exactly where the goblins made their camp; they just know to stay far away from it.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± I point out the hypocrisy of his statement.


    He scoffs at my lack of knowledge, to which I scowl. Still, though, he does tell me what I want to know. "We''re here because we came across the elemental''s trail. Goblins won''t go anywhere near an elemental if they can help it, so we''ll stay out of trouble as long as we stay a few days behind it. Besides, wherever the elemental goes, the mirage hares will follow."


    ¡°Weaker magic beasts love to do the same thing as us and trail an elemental for safety and free food. As a result, we''ve gathered twice as many pelts than we would¡¯ve had if we didn''t follow the elemental,¡± he explains.


    After the old man says his piece, his brow furrows, and he gives me a weird look. He still looked angry about my looking down on him, but a hint of concern was hidden there. ¡°Did your parents really send you here with so little information?¡±


    Damn it, things would be so much easier if he were an asshole, but it¡¯s starting to look like the leader is a good guy. Maybe I can dial it back a bit now that they''ve realized we aren''t going to attack him. "It was one of many stipulations, along with not revealing my identity," I lie further.


    I let my arrogant grin soften into a resigned smile. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± after a pregnant pause, I pretend to bounce back from my fake emotional backstory. "Just tell us where we are, and we can go our separate ways."


    The old man nods in understanding. "I don''t know exactly where we are due to there being no maps of the Endless Forest, at least none that are accurate. But I can tell you you¡¯re at the edge of the core region of the Endless Forrest.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± I ask for clarification.


    Old man Clarkson lets out a long sigh and, to my relief, finally sheathes his two swords and gestures for his comrades to do the same. I continue to rest my hammer on my shoulder but let the tension leave my body, seeing everybody lowering their weapons. Then, finally having a chance to, I spare a glance at Tabitha, who gives me a well-done look. Her hand still rested on her sword, but that would never change.


    Once his swords are away, Clarkson takes a hesitant step forward. He waits for me to nod in approval, and when I do, he slowly closes the distance between us while his group stays where they are.


    He stops a few feet in front of us, where he visibly flinches under Tabitha''s blank stare. When he finally catches himself, he bends down and picks up a long piece of tree root upturned by the elemental''s attack. "Excuse me," he mumbles in his husky voice, sketching in the loose soil.


    He quickly drew out a large circle and then started to draw three more circles inside one another. ¡°Again, this isn¡¯t exactly accurate, but it¡¯s the best way to put things,¡± he tempers our expectations.


    ¡°You have the outer region of the Endless Forest, which is technically not a part of the magic-dense region,¡± he points with the root in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s where you find the base camps and your small villages. Then it goes inner, core, heart," he points to the increasingly small circles. ¡°Right now, we''re straddling the line between the inner and core regions of the forest.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s where the higher-level people hunt?¡± I guess.


    Old man Clarkson shakes his head. ¡°People don¡¯t hunt in the core region; it''s too dangerous. We''re not explorers; we''re hunters. We enter the Endless Forest with specific goals in mind; the people who go that deep are treasure hunters looking for rare materials that they hope can sell for a fortune if they make it out alive.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I hear Tabitha say to my side, and looking at her, I see her sporting the biggest smile I''ve seen since¡­.. well, since she was fighting the arch-goblin.


    ¡°Sounds fun,¡± I share her sense of adventure.


    Clarkson frowns at the two of us. ¡°It¡¯s your funeral if you go there. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you," he stresses. He looks annoyed at Tabitha for suggesting such a journey. Still, surprisingly he gives me a look of genuine concern, even though I technically strongarmed him and his group into submission.


    "And what''s in the core region?" I ask, knowing that''s where we were heading after we healed up.


    ¡°Stronger beasts. Larger elementals. It¡¯s hard to say, so few people go there. And those who make it back are tight-lipped about what''s there.¡±


    ¡°So, I take it you don¡¯t know what¡¯s at the heart of the forest,¡± I frown in disappointment.


    But to my astonishment, Clarkson surprises us. ¡°Actually, I do know a bit. Only through stories, of course, but there¡¯s supposedly a lake at the center of the forest, and all the mana radiates out of it. People claim many different things, but they all agree that the lake is the heart of the Endless Forest.¡±


    Tabitha and I share a look, and wordlessly, we both agree on our end goal.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re both crazy,¡± Clarkson recognizes our wordless back and forth for what it was and looks disappointed that we weren''t following his advice.


    "Because you gave us so much information, I won''t hold those words against you, Mister Clarkson,¡± I lightly scold the man like a noble would. "You don''t have to worry about us." I dropped Acting for a moment, ensuring he understood our fate was not his concern and that he shouldn''t worry about us. ¡°We can handle ourselves,¡± I proclaim confidently.


    ¡°I hope you can,¡± Clarkson ominously replies, dropping the root having no longer any need for it. ¡°I wish the young lady all the luck in the world," he politely bows toward me.


    After that, he turns his back towards us and returns to his group. He uses a few more hand gestures, signaling his party to form up. They do, and a few minutes later, Tabitha and I are watching them leave the way the elemental left.


    "You don''t think they''ll steal our gear, do you?" I ask Tabitha, remembering our bags were in that direction as well.


    Tabitha just laughs at me. ¡°After how much you intimidated them, I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°What; you were way more intimidating than me,¡± I counter.


    Tabitha laughs even harder. "They were absolutely terrified of you, the old man less so, but the others were looking at you like you were a monster."


    Not wanting to hear that from Tabitha, I move to punch her in her arm, but she easily sidesteps my attack. "They were not," I growl, leaking the faintest amount of killing intent.


    "Watch yourself," Tabitha warns me while miming wiping a tear from her eye. ¡°You¡¯re not seeing it from their perspective.¡±


    "I was aware I was acting as an arrogant noble, but that¡¯s nothing compared to your stone-cold murder stare.¡±


    Tabitha shakes her head, almost like old Clarkson did when he thought we weren''t listening to his warnings. "I''m sure you''ve heard it before, but what two types of people must you look out for in this world?" Tabitha questions me.


    ¡°Assassins and bandits,¡± I guess.


    ¡°Then too, but not what I was going for,¡± Tabitha wags a finger at me. ¡°The two people you look out for are really old people like Master and really young people like yourself. You basically told them your level by comparing yourself to the old man, and you look young enough that you should be back home suckling your mothers¡¯ titties.¡±


    "I don''t look that young," I blush at Tabitha''s vulgar words.


    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Tabitha deadpans. "You scared them more than me because you look like you don''t belong here; I do. " We''re this deep, and you look relatively fine, especially amongst a field of dead goblins,¡± she gestured around us. "Your presence is more terrifying than anything I could''ve said. Your over-the-top acting was just overkill.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I hang my head in thought, remembering the scared looks of Vanessa and her group. I¡¯ve never had people look at me like that before. But then again, the only people who knew my actual level were my family and friends; not even the villagers back home knew my level was as high as it was.


    ¡°I guess I should get used to looks like that,¡± I mumble.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tabitha once again places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, trying to make me feel better. ¡°It¡¯s pointless to worry about what others think about you.¡±


    "Wow, that''s some excellent advice," I raise my head and meet Tabitha''s intense gaze. "Who are you, and what did you do to Tabitha?" I joke.


    ¡°Brat,¡± Tabitha uses her hand on my shoulder to push me over. I let it happen, so I topple onto my backside, where I sigh. Dealing with that group of hunters took a lot out of me. My stamina pool was the same as when they approached, yet it felt empty.


    Tabitha lets me brood for a minute before offering me a hand. "Thanks," I say as she easily hoists me to my feet. "Think we should head back to camp now?"


    ¡°Someone still needs to get us food,¡± Tabitha reminds me.


    "After all that, now that everything''s run away, you want me to find our dinner?" I give Tabitha an incredulous look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can find something,¡± Tabitha counters.


    Outwardly I groan, but on the inside, I¡¯m smiling. Even though I was tired and the last few hours had been a challenge and a half, I was looking forward to exploring with Tabitha.


    The mystery surrounding the forest''s heart just made me want to see it that much more. But before that, we needed to recover, and food would help with that.


    I¡¯ll catch us dinner, and maybe this time I''ll be able to find some herbs to go with it. Then we''ll sleep, and tomorrow we''ll continue our adventure into the great unknown.

 Ch: 114 Extra

    Master Pacore the Deathless¡¯ Point of View:


    ¡°Where is General Pitz?¡± Olebert¡¯s envoy angrily scowls at me from across the table.


    Much to his displeasure, I ignore him and instead choose to take a swig of my homebrew. I only have to reach for the container for the envoy and his two guards to raise their hands to their noses, hoping to block the smell as I unscrew the cap. Fools, as if my liquor was that week.


    The two bodyguards withstand the fumes well enough, but the envoy nearly keels over, coughing up a lung. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon,¡± I lazily tell the weak man as he struggles to breathe.


    ¡°You¡¯re stalling,¡± he growls in between breaths. ¡°If she isn¡¯t here within the hour, I¡¯ll!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± I cut off his needless tirade before he could make any baseless threats. I only need to direct a fraction of a percent of my killing intent in his direction for him to go as white as a ghost and watch him nearly fall out of his seat.


    ¡°Are you going to let him get away with that?¡± He snaps at his two guards as he tries to pretend my killing intent didn¡¯t affect him as much as it did. They subtly turn their heads away from the angry noble, refusing to make eye contact with him. Just as well, everyone but him seemed to understand the two guards were merely here for formality.


    If I wanted to kill the annoying man, two level 80 soldiers weren¡¯t enough to stop me. And gods know I''ve thought about it. I''ve only put up with the insufferable cur until now because the kingdom needed me to; otherwise, I would''ve taken great joy removing his yapping head from his fat body.


    ¡°Oh, shut it,¡± I hiss. ¡°I know little girls stronger than you, so stop your complaining and wait.¡±


    Olebert¡¯s representative, Count Olengrad Desreks, eyes budge in shock. It¡¯s hard, but I manage to keep myself from laughing. I¡¯ve used similar sayings in the past to slander and motivate equally, but now it was true, and with his skills, he knows I''m not lying.


    Desreks looks like he wants to stand up and lung at me, but despite all the anger in the world, he knows that is futile. I was over double his level, but it was mainly pointless because of the signed document sitting on the table between us.


    The magic document was signed with our blood, and one of the more minor points was that we couldn''t kill one another. But, of course, his pitiful life wasn''t worth mine, so I ensured he made an oath reinforced by their king.


    If, by some miracle, one of these three managed to kill me, not only would Desreks die a painful death, but their ruler would be harmed as well. He probably wouldn¡¯t die, but it was equally unlikely that I would either.


    It took longer than I liked to deal with the annoying count. I didn''t have any proof, but I¡¯m sure he was picked to represent Olebert to stall for time rather than actually negotiate with me. And if I were being more cynical, I would venture and guess he was selected as a martyr.


    Olebert probably thought the whiny bastard would stall me until I eventually killed him, thus giving them a better negotiating angle. But, sadly, for them, they¡¯d understated the lengths I would suffer for my king and country. And what suffering it was.


    Desreks thinks I¡¯m stalling; please, I couldn''t wait for General Pitz to walk through that door. I''ve been going back and forth with the man for far too long, and it was only the other day that we finally agreed and signed the document before us. As soon as it was signed, I sent for the general to be brought here, where I''d be personally releasing her back to her pathetic country.


    We had received word of Pitz and her escort entering the city not twenty minutes ago, so they should be here any minute. And once she¡¯s here and released from her bonds, the second document, prepared and signed by both our kings, will activate. So in a few minutes, the task I was initially sent for would be completed; I couldn''t wait.


    The sooner all this was completed, the sooner I could return home and continue preparing for the day we inevitably tried to slay the dragon again. Plus, I couldn¡¯t wait to rub my new apprentice in everybody¡¯s faces. The note I received from Tabitha over a week ago only spurred my desire to leave.


    We''re heading into the Endless Forest; don''t know when we''ll be out. -T


    I read it so many times I had the words memorized. Part of me wanted to pull it out, just so Desreks and his men could deliberately see it and worry over its contents, but I''m not that childish to put young Aaliyah''s life in danger for a moment of amusement. Not that Desreks would even understand the note should he see it.


    Tabitha was known for such short messages. She hates remembering the different ciphers she''s supposed to be using, and unless she needs to give specific information, she''d instead send vague messages only their recipient would understand. Her short penning left much to the imagination, just like all the updates she¡¯s sent me have.


    What could''ve driven her to take Aaliyah into a magic-dense region? I would''ve heard something from Giovanni if the village were under attack. The two of us had an understanding regarding Spotted Creek Village, and he assured me he''d keep an eye on it for the both of us and that I didn''t need to send my men to do so.


    So, the village wasn¡¯t under attack; what else could it be? Tabitha has been increasingly hard to read as of late. I chose her to look after Aaliyah because she would be restless without anything to fight while we were suing for peace. And when I asked my commanders who I should send on a secret project, they all suggested she do it to get her out of their hair.


    I figured as long as she was acting on my direct orders, she wouldn¡¯t complain, even if Aaliyah never asked her to train her. Of course, Tabitha would give me an earful if she didn¡¯t when I saw her again, but she still would''ve followed my orders to the word. But ever since she sent me the letter informing me that Aaliyah had asked her to train her, the messages I¡¯ve been receiving have only become more sporadic and vaguer.


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    What was happening in the village? The question was filling me with equal parts hope and dread. I couldn¡¯t have Aaliyah¡¯s opinion of me fall any further. And Tabitha, I was constantly worried about her. She made a big impression on Olebert¡¯s forces when she defended the border outside Teeburn.


    Since I sent her to watch over Aaliyah, Olebert¡¯s spies have tried multiple avenues to track her down. Thankfully, again, Giovanni and I were of one mind, and I had to admit, his information network was solid for a merchant based in the middle of nowhere. His people have caught more spies than my own, and all he asked for was that I take all the credit.


    He was still preparing for the possibility that this area might be returned to Olebert, but that will no longer be an issue after today.


    Just then, there''s a knock on the door. ¡°Master Pacore, lady Pitz has arrived,¡± the guard announces to the room.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Desreks slams his hands against the table.


    ¡°Let her in,¡± I command, and as soon as I do, the door is opened, and General Pitz walks in, followed by the escort she was sent with.


    My soldiers lock eyes with Desreks'' bodyguards, and sparks fly, but both are too well-trained to let their emotions cloud their judgment. Pitz scans the room with her hawk-like eyes and almost immediately locks onto me. She doesn''t hide her hostility, but it isn''t what it once was. I''ve proven my respect for her, and I like to think that¡¯s changed her view of me at least a little bit.


    Pitz looks ready to say something snarky to me, but Desreks butts in before she can say what she wants to. ¡°General Pitz, I¡¯ve come to free you from your barbaric captors," he stands up, trying to bow, but his gut limits how much he can bend forward.


    ¡°Who are you?" Pitz''s response has me howling with laughter.


    Desreks turns a bright red in embarrassment, but for the first time since I met him, he retains his manners instead of angrily shouting at the offense. ¡°Count Olengrad Desreks, Marquis Pitz,¡± he informs her. "I was assigned to negotiate with him," he turns and sneers at me.


    "Pacore can be infuriating," Pitz briefly nods in understanding, but her eyes quickly narrow. "But as a negotiator, you should show him the respect his position and level deserves. Forgive me, but why is someone like yourself in charge of dealing with Pacore the Deathless?¡±


    I love the way my title rolls off her tongue. If I were younger and wasn''t a living fossil, and she wasn''t the same age as my great-great-grandchildren, I might have even been turned on.


    ¡°I have many skills related to negotiating,¡± Desreks tries to talk himself up, but Pitz isn¡¯t fooled.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one sent to negotiate for my release?¡± She repeats in an accusing tone of voice that has the count shrink in on himself. ¡°Did they even want me back!?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Desreks stammers. ¡°I was told to agree to anything to see you returned unharmed. Within reason,¡± he says that last part so quietly, one might mistake his voice for the wind.


    ¡°And if I¡¯m here, then I assume a deal has been reached,¡± She turns back to me. Her eyes were like arrows trying to pierce into me, but as she knows, my skin is quite thick.


    ¡°It has,¡± I grin. ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know how much your country values you.¡± I tease, but I wasn''t lying. I had tried negotiating it so General Pitz would be our political prisoner for at least a year, hoping she could be slowly persuaded to help us deal with the dragon. Still, no matter how much I argued for it, Olebert refused to give us access to her.


    ¡°Why are you still talking while she¡¯s still bound!?¡± Desreks shrieks at me.


    Pitz gives him a look that has him choking on his words; then, slowly, she walks over to where I''m reclining in my chair. "Want a drink?" I hold up my waterskin.


    ¡°Unseal me, now,¡± she demands in a voice that could kill a lesser person.


    ¡°After all our time together, you¡¯re going to be that cold?¡± I pout. General Pitz doesn¡¯t rise to my goading and instead holds out her arms. "I guess this had to happen sooner or later," I sigh as I get up and retrieve a special token hidden under my armor.


    The magical restraints binding Pitz can only be released by someone holding said token. I¡¯ve never let it off my person, as I was the safest person to hold onto it.


    "Last chance; you sure you don''t want to defect? Scholl will treat you right,¡± I dangle the token in front of her face.


    Like a statue, Pitz doesn¡¯t so much as twitch an eye at my offer, so I can only frown in disappointment. While holding the token, I reach out and touch the magical bindings restraining her. ¡°Pacore is the best, and no one can come close to him," I recite the unlocking phrase I had set.


    At once, the many bindings holding back General Pitz¡¯s stats start to glow, and as one, they all unlatch and fall to the ground.


    I expect her to attack me as soon as the last binding hits the floor, but instead, Pitz just stands there, flexing her hands. Is she not?


    Moving my head to the left, I dodged a sudden jab to my face. There it is. ¡°What would you have done if that connected?¡± I chuckle at Pitz, who¡¯s visibly sweating after trying to hit me. She starts wobbling on her feet, so as the gentlemen, I use my hand to steady her.


    "Don''t touch me!" She barks but doesn''t have the strength yet to pull away from me.


    ¡°Did you forget I¡¯m wearing a helmet?¡± I remind her. Desreks looks confused, but it doesn''t matter. Now that she''s released, Pitz will warn her country of my invisible armor, so it won''t be a secret for much longer. ¡°Or did you think you¡¯d immediately regain all your strength?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to hit you,¡± Pitz huffs. ¡°Once I get my strength back, I¡¯m coming to put an arrow through you.¡±


    ¡°Ooh," I moan, like she hurt my feelings, but I can''t hide the smile on my face. "That''s a good goal, but sadly you''ll have to wait. One of the conditions of our ceasefire is a non-aggression pact for the next ten years.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Pitz rounds on Desreks like a beast out for blood. Good for him that I was still supporting her, or else she might have tried to rush him.


    "We couldn''t give them a chance to gain more land," Desreks feebly tries to explain himself. I almost felt bad for him. On second thought, no, I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Uggg!" Pitz grans like a wounded animal. "One of you get over her and help me,¡± she finally demands, no longer wanting to be held up by me.


    ¡°At once!¡± Desreks runs around the table and offers a hand to Pitz. She looks reluctant to take it but eventually decides she¡¯d rather have him helping her than me. That stung a bit.


    ¡°The contract is complete; we''ll be leaving now," Desreks tries to sound like he¡¯s in charge.


    This was Yales, our territory, so it wasn''t like they had escaped our grasp yet. The only reason he was acting high and mighty despite the location and wasn''t worried about me keeping them hostage was that safe passage back to their territory was outlined in the agreement. It said I couldn''t detain them, but what if I wasn''t holding them against their will?


    ¡°But we have so much more to discuss,¡± I retake my seat, lay back, and kick my feet onto the table.


    General Pitz, Desreks, and their two guards freeze in the doorway. ¡°We have nothing further to discuss,¡± Desreks tries to brush me off and drag Pitz out of the room.


    ¡°I don''t have anything to discuss with you," I wave, gesturing for the annoying man to leave. ¡°I have business to discuss with General Pitz. Now that she''s free, she outranks you, and I''d much rather deal with her," I tell him.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Desreks starts, but Pitz raises a hand for him to be silent.


    "And what is it you wish to discuss with me?" General Pitz gives me a weary look, probably expecting another joke or taunt.


    But this was no time for jokes; if she left now, she might never hear of our offer, even if we tried to send it to her. ¡°Scholl would like to hire you.¡±


    The room goes silent, or at least it does, until loudmouth ruins it. ¡°She would never!¡± he yells. He tries to urge Pitz out of the room again, but she stands firm. The two of us lock eyes, and I make sure to convey the seriousness of my offer.


    I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll still leave, so when she speaks, I¡¯m happy to hear it¡¯s to inquire further. ¡°To do what?¡± She asks, fully knowing what I¡¯m going to ask her.


    ¡°Why to slay a dragon; what else?¡±


    There was a long pause, where it was just the two of us staring each other down, and then¡­.


    ¡°Help me sit down,¡± Pitz orders Desreks, to his and his guard''s dismay. They reluctantly follow her orders and help her into the seat Desreks was using, where she folds her hands in front of her. ¡°And what is Scholl going to pay me with?¡± She questions, knowing full well the current state of our country.


    ¡°What about the heart of a dragon?" I grin, and everyone in the room except General Pitz and me audibly sucks in a deep breath.


    "You''d give me the most valuable part of the dragon?¡± She asks disbelievingly. "Doesn''t your king need it to prevent a civil war?"


    My cocky smile immediately slips, hearing her counter. Damn, she must have overheard about his health while she was in our custody.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t eating a dragon¡¯s heart increase a person¡¯s lifespan by at least a hundred years,¡± she continues to prod.


    So she was aware of its uses, and she was right; if our king ate a dragon''s heart, it would guarantee him another century of life. And if he stayed alive, the dispute for the throne would be put on hold just long enough for the prince to become strong enough to prove he could take over. But¡­.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, on behalf of Scholl''s royal family, I''m offering up the heart of the dragon to you or any others who help us slay the beast. Scholl has no problems sharing the best parts of the dragon, should Olebert send its best to help us.¡±


    Pitz is left speechless by my offer.


    ¡°You have time to think it over,¡± I tell her. ¡°But if you wish to stay and discuss it further, on behalf of Scholl, I¡¯d be happy to host you.¡±


    "You son of a bitch," Pitz finally finds her voice, and it''s to curse me.


    I grin at her. "Is that a yes?"


    Pitz leans back in her chair and sighs. ¡°What should we go over first?¡±


    ¡°Everything,¡± I reply.


    One discussion down, one more to go. Then I''ll head home with my new apprentice and hopefully reinforcements if I can swing it.


    I hope Tabitha and Aaliyah are having fun in the forest because the real fun will start soon.

 Ch: 114 Extra Pt2

    Kervin¡¯s Point of View:


    The new walls of Spotted Creek Village shinned in the summer sun. Our group had returned a week earlier than usual, yet the wall had seemingly doubled in scale since then.


    I¡¯d never seen a village come together to this degree before, or any group of people outside a large business or the military, for that matter. While the rest of the world slowed down due to the invasion, this village chose to expand, and they were doing better because of it.


    Villages were tight nit communities where everybody knew each other, but that didn¡¯t mean they agreed on everything. There had to be at least some pushback by individuals for diverting so much manpower to such a project, and yet the walls have only grown that much faster since I last saw it.


    Compared to Spotted Creek Village, the rest of the world was a chaotic mess that was only starting to be cleaned up. Businesses were slowly reopening again, but there was a visible hole left behind by those who could afford to flee Scholl¡¯s invasion.


    There was a considerable level disparity between those who left and those who stayed. The people who fled were those with levels and skills, those who had the money, and those who were managing and guiding the rest. For every high-leveled person who fled, there were a dozen lower leveled workers left behind with no one to report to or lead them. Scholl was bringing in people to fill the power vacuum, but that took time.


    Thanks to Scholl''s focus on farming and food production, people weren''t starving, but being hyper-fixated on one thing didn''t magically improve everything else.


    Even with everyone rushing to help in the fields, there were more people than jobs. It sounded weird out loud with there being fewer people now, but with their bosses gone, only a few knew the ins and outs of running a business. People needed to learn what to buy, what taxes they were expected to pay, or even little things like who was now in charge of the abandoned stores.


    Then there was the uncertainty of what would happen next. The average person wasn''t sure if all this was temporary or if Scholl was here for the long haul. Many thought Scholl would eventually retreat. Then the people who once ran everything would return and retake everything they left behind. People were scared they would be blamed for siding with Scholl and that they took over their bosses abandoned businesses.


    There needed to be a tangible change, and soon. The people needed to be assured that they could step up without fear of later repercussions. Boss Giovanni was at the forefront of trying to get things moving again, but it took more than one or even five business leaders to change things.


    Other than the food, supplies were still limited. The ore, nails, and ingots we previously purchased from Aaliyah were a drop of water on an inferno threatening to spread.


    Like every other business, Silver Heard had more staff than needed. Thankfully Giovanni wasn¡¯t one to make snap judgments and hadn''t fired the extra people, even though it would''ve saved him quite a bit of coin if he had done so.


    All the wagon operators were still working, but most of us were moving perishables for Scholl. Other than myself, only two other carts were dealing with other goods, and our carts were often less than half full. I had thought it would take a while to sell all the junk I had hoarded in my house; now, I wished I had gathered more.


    In every village, we were swarmed by people begging us for goods we simply couldn''t offer them. It didn¡¯t matter if Aaliyah didn¡¯t have much to sell us; I was asked for anything and everything she could spare at more than a healthy markup.


    But that was the thing; inflation was running rampant, with everything but food rapidly increasing in price. Moreover, most of the villages Silver Herd dealt with were farming villages. So, while Scholl offered tax credits for their food and the people technically made more, they weren''t getting any actual money. At least not enough to cope with the rapidly inflating prices.


    The people needed a peace treaty signed, yesterday. And though I knew it was important for the community, I couldn¡¯t help but worry about what happened after that. Once the peace treaty was signed, everything would eventually return to how it was. Maybe a few things would be different under Scholl, but that wasn¡¯t bad.


    No, what I feared was Aaliyah leaving. It was going to happen eventually, but the idea scared me. Thanks to her, I was somebody now. Boss Giovanni knew my name and asked me for my opinion; I didn''t want to go back to how everything was before.


    "Hey, it''s Kervin!" I hear somebody shout. I am pulled out of my thoughts and see Aaliyah¡¯s older brother, Richard waving me and my cart over through the construction site. "Are you back early, or have I lost track of time?" He asks, trying to understand why we are here.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± I hide my feelings behind my merchant¡¯s smile. ¡°The wall is coming along nicely,¡± I make sure to build repour through small talk.


    ¡°Well, everyone¡¯s working hard," He beams down at me with an almost blinding smile. Just like his little sister, he obviously enjoys what he does. Or do I have that backward?


    "I''m sure," I lightly comment as I watch a group of people using logs to roll a large stone into place.


    ¡°I will admit, we¡¯ve been moving slower than I would like on account of Aaliyah being gone."


    ¡°That would most certainly do it,¡± I answer without thinking before Richard''s words pierce the daze I was in. "What was that!?" I turn on the young man with eyes, the sizer of dinner plates.


    ¡°Oh, with my sister gone, it¡¯s been hard getting all the stone and steel we need," he lazily comments while directing the villagers.


    ¡°No, wait, back up to that second part,¡± I nervously ask him to repeat himself, but he waves me off.


    ¡°Sorry, but they need some help over there,¡± he points to where a budding wall was being assembled. "Go see Del; he might have some stuff for you,¡± is the last thing he says before walking away from our group.


    ¡°Did he just say Aaliyah isn¡¯t here?¡± I nervously turn toward Lurte, Ryiba, and Reel, hoping I somehow heard her brother wrong.


    Lurte and Ryiba looked just as confused as I was, but it was Reel¡¯s look of horror that really freaked me out.


    ¡°Please tell me this is one of your jokes,¡± I walk over and grab Reel by his shirt, professionalism be dammed.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about her leaving!¡± Reel is so panicked he doesn¡¯t even comment on me grabbing him.


    Letting go, I turn around and run towards the closest worker. ¡°Excuse me, do you know where I can find Aaliyah?¡± I ask the sweaty man hauling a large log.


    The villager doesn''t notice my quick approach, so my sudden calling out to him startles the man causing him to flinch away from me and drop the piece of wood he¡¯s carrying. ¡°What the!¡± He howls in anger. I have barely enough time to jump back before the wood crushes my foot, and in doing so, I miss the man grabbing for me. "What''s your problem, guy?" He pulls me in close and yells in my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry,¡± I try to apologize.


    The villager looks me up and down with visual confusion on his face. "Wait, merchant Kervin?" He thankfully recognizes me.


    ¡°The same,¡± I try to gently pry his fingers from my shirt. His grip is too firm for me to do anything, but he notices what I''m trying to do and, to my joy, releases me from his hold.


    ¡°I almost punched you,¡± he grumbles as he lets me go.


    ¡°And I would¡¯ve let you,¡± Reel Comments to my side, startling both of us.


    The villager is shocked to see my bodyguard materialize seemingly out of nowhere, but he quickly catches himself before humming in agreement and focusing back on me. ¡°Sorry,¡± he gruffly apologizes.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± I take the blame as I should, but I had more important things to discuss. "I''m sorry for stopping you and causing you to drop your work, but might I inquire about Aaliyah? As you can understand, I have business with her,¡± I fish for information.


    ¡°Del¡¯s apprentice?¡± The man questioningly rubs his beard. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her for almost two weeks, maybe longer. Heard she left for some reason.¡±


    For a second, I feel like I''m about to topple over.


    ¡°Hey, man, you ok?¡± The concerned villager notices my change in demeanor.


    "Fine," I lie, trying not to topple over.


    ¡°You, sure?¡± He asks again before uncertainly motioning to the log on the ground. ¡°Because I need to get back to work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sorry for wasting your time," I slowly back away from the man and walk in a zombie-like state back to my cart, where Lurte and Ryiba are waiting.


    ¡°What do I do now?¡± I mumble despairingly.


    "We''re going to check in at Del''s place; that''s what we''re going to do," I hear Reel say directly behind me as he nudges me back onto my cart.


    I wanted to say, ''what''s the point'' but the look on his face kept me from voicing my inner feelings. Reel had this intense look about him, and I was reminded why he was with me in the first place. Reel wasn''t just here to guard me, he was sent to oversee Aaliyah¡¯s movements in the village, and somehow, she left without anyone noticing.


    No one said anything as I ushered my bivol through the village and down the path to Del-Razen¡¯s hut. Like the village, the path had grown since the last time we''d been down it. The path was twice as wide as it used to be, and the dirt was much more compacted than usual, making it the smoothest part of our journey.


    We quickly traveled down the road and approached the familiar clearing; only the familiar duo wasn¡¯t there to greet us. Master Del was at the anvil, shaping a piece of glowing metal, but Aaliyah was nowhere in sight. In her place was a villager I vaguely remember meeting last time we were here but couldn''t place his name. I think it was Frank. It didn''t matter; he was shoveling stone into what I knew to be a smelter.


    ¡°Master Del!¡± I call out from atop my cart, but he doesn¡¯t acknowledge me. I call out again as I direct my bivol over to where I usually park my cart, but again, there is no response.


    It isn¡¯t until I dismount and start walking over to him, repeatedly shouting his name, that the stone kin looks up from his work with fire in his eyes. "I hear you!¡± He angrily shouts at me. ¡°Can¡¯t you see me working?¡±


    "I deeply apologize," I start saying as he returns to his work. Is he ignoring me? ¡°Where is Aaliyah?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Gone,¡± is the only thing he says as he hammers out a nail at lightning speed. With two taps of his hammer, he turns a stretched-out ingot into the shape of a perfect nail, and with a third hit, the metal splits, and the nail falls into a waiting bucket of water next to the anvil. The water hisses as the small piece of steel rapidly cools, and I see the bucket is over halfway full with completed nails.


    What am I doing, focusing on nails!? "What do you mean gone?" I focus on what''s important.


    "As in, not here," he continues to brush me off. He spares me a sidelong glance, and seeing that I wasn''t moving, he continues talking. ¡°She left with Tabitha thirteen days ago.¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯re headed for Scholl,¡± I lifelessly fall backward onto my ass.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be,¡± Reel chooses now to step in. "I or one of the other numbers would''ve noticed her being moved." Reel was so worked up that he wasn''t even trying to hide his identity.


    Del casually glances at a fuming Reel and shrugs his shoulders. "You must not be as good as you think.¡±


    I swear, I can see him contemplating pulling a dagger on the man, but that''s when the person working the smelter decides to step in. ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± He says, looking straight at Del. Del-Razen grunts at the man, but he doesn''t refute what he says. He then turns to me with a smile on his face. "Sorry about him; he''s been grumpy since the two left on their trip."


    ¡°Have not,¡± Del-Razen refutes the man¡¯s claims, but anyone could see the man hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Excuse me, but can you please explain?¡± I¡¯m practically begging at this point.


    ¡°Aaliyah and Tabitha went exploring in the Endless Forest,¡± he tells me as he offers me a gloved hand.


    ¡°And you?¡± I ask as I take his hand.


    "Frank," he smiles at me. Guess I remembered him more than I thought. "I''m filling in here while Aaliyah¡¯s gone. Someone has to help Mr. grumpy pants,¡± he again gestures to Del.


    "You call me that one more time, and I''ll throw this hammer at you," Del-Razen brandishes the hammer in his hand like a throwing axe. "And I don''t need your help," he huffs as he returns to work.


    Frank pretends to look scared for a second, but his smile never fades. ¡°I can¡¯t do much,¡± he explains. ¡°But I¡¯m able to keep the smelter going. Speaking of which, if we¡¯re going to keep talking can we do it over there.¡±


    We leave Del-Razen to his work and follow Frank to the smelter. I can''t get as close due to the heat, but we can still converse. "They went into the forest?" I asked again to be doubly sure she wasn''t heading for Scholl.


    Frank nods, and to the side of me, Reel buckles over in laughter. "How can you find this funny?" I yell at him.


    "It''s either that or I stab somebody," he laughs out, causing all of us to take a step back from him.


    "So, they''ll be back?" I turn back and ask Frank. "Do you know when?"


    ¡°Not a clue,¡± he tells me as he works the billows.


    ¡°Why in the gods was everyone so vague,¡± I curse.


    ¡°Asked someone on your way here, eh," Frank nods in understanding. "Don''t hold it against people; most don''t know where she went, just that she was on a trip with Tabitha. The two left before anyone noticed; it was over a day before people finally asked where either was. I think she didn''t want to make a big deal about it.¡±


    "Not a big deal," I parrot. "She willingly went into a magic-dense region."


    ¡°Yeah, but with Tabitha,¡± Frank points out to me, and I''m forced to acknowledge that was an excellent point.


    But why did she have to pick now of all times? I groan while rubbing my head in frustration. ¡°I was hoping to buy more from her." I wanted to kick something in frustration, but other than people, only the smelter was nearby, so I had to contain my frustration.


    Frank clicks his teeth, and he gives me a remorseful look even though it wasn''t his fault. "I don''t know about that. As I said, we¡¯re pretty backed up without Aaliyah around. My buddy Lloyd is in the mines leading his crew to keep up the supply of iron and stone. You would need to talk to Del to find out if we have anything we can spare.¡±


    Just great. Could things get any worse for us? Not only did I get the scare of a lifetime, but there was nothing to buy! I hang my head in disappointment.


    "You came here to buy?" I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear Del-Razen''s voice behind me. As I turned in place, I saw Reel snickering at me, meaning he was aware that the man was approaching us and didn''t say anything. "You''re here to buy?" He repeats after I wait to answer him.


    Straightening out my clothes, I try to catch my breath and give the man the best merchant smile I can muster, given the situation. "We are indeed," I politely bow. It had been a long time since I tried dealing directly with Del-Razen. In the last few years, everything''s gone through Aaliyah, so I forgot how difficult it was to deal with the man in person.


    The Stone-Kin isn''t impressed with my display and outright ignores my bow. "You said you wanted to purchase something?" He repeats with a cold stare.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take anything,¡± I forgo my usual strategy of back and forth, knowing full well that it would just make the man harder to deal with. ¡°Nails, ingots, well even take the ore as is,¡± I gesture to the pile of ore next to the smelter.


    "Oh?" Del-Razen''s eyes narrow menacingly, and I feel a shiver down my spine. "And how badly do you need it?"


    Gulping, I search for the right words. ¡°We¡¯ll pay double," I hold up two fingers. We stare at each other until I nervously raise a third finger, ¡°Triple?¡±


    Del-Razen just shakes his head. I¡¯m about to tell him I can¡¯t go any higher than that, despite inflation, but that¡¯s when he says something that leaves me speechless. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. I¡¯m asking, what will you do for the supplies you need?¡± There was a sparkle of mischief in his gaze. I wanted to say anything but knew that would be a bad idea.


    ¡°Well,¡± he pushes.


    I consider activating all my merchant skills to escape this situation, but that didn¡¯t help me before. I¡¯ve leveled a lot over the years since I last tried them on him, but something told me they wouldn¡¯t have that much effect.


    ¡°What are you proposing we do?¡± I finally give in and wait for the preverbal punch in the stomach. Or, who knows, maybe he''ll actually punch me in the stomach.


    ¡°The three of you will work for me for a few days," he grins.


    ¡°Work for you?¡± I repeat, not expecting that kind of demand. But wait, "three?" I looked around only to see Reel had mysteriously disappeared.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for the annoying stealthy one, he vanished a while ago,¡± Del-Razen tells me.


    ¡°Of course he did,¡± I sigh, resigning myself to my fate. ¡°You really need our help?¡±


    "I don''t need anything," Del-Razen shamelessly barks. "But if you want your ingots, you must work for them. So let''s see if you can get your merchant hands dirty for a change.¡±


    Aaliyah, you better bring something amazing back from the Endless Forest for me to sell. To Lurte and Ryiba¡¯s dismay, I hold my hand out. ¡°You have yourself a deal.¡±


    I try to ignore the stone-kin¡¯s devilish smile by internally justifying what I''m getting myself into. This scare with Aaliyah was a wake-up call; time was running out. She would be gone soon, and if she weren''t around, I¡¯d need to deal with Del from now on. I was aware of his distaste for merchants, so if this gets us talking, I''ll prove he can trust me.


    Throw whatever you want at me, Del-Razen, Kervin of Silver Herd, will prove to you he''s no ordinary merchant.

 Ch: 115.1

    The mana around me was like a physical weight on my shoulders, constantly pushing me down and hampering my slightest movement. It almost felt like I was underwater, only the water was mana. Mana Skin did its best to insulate me from it, but there was just so much to contend with.


    It was our thirteenth day in the Endless Forest, and including the time it took for us to reach the mana-dense region, it was over two weeks since Tabitha and I left the village. I don¡¯t think either of us imagined our adventure would last this long, but Tabitha and I had a goal in mind, and neither of us was keen on giving up just because it was getting a little rough.


    We were deep in the Core region of the Endless Forest, heading for the heart. The leader of the hunting party we ran into, Clarkson, made it sound like a different world, but things were much the same between the inner and core regions of the forest. Though I will admit, everything was larger now.


    The trees had continued to grow in size the deeper we traveled and now were topping out at over 1,000 feet each, practically dwarfing the biggest trees back on Earth, and they were only getting bigger. As a result, I could no longer casually scan the canopy with Sense Mana, meaning we had to be extra careful of what was above us, especially with the quality of magic beasts living this deep in the forest.


    The magic beasts hadn''t been getting bigger, mostly, thank the gods, but they had been steadily increasing in level. Hence the battle taking place in front of me.


    Tabitha hadn¡¯t even let me try to help her, saying this one was all hers. She was extremely picky about what she would let me fight, and for a good reason.


    Currently, she was facing off against a bird that looked like a combination of an owl and a vulture. It sported a vibrant blue plumage, and it was pretty big, like most of the birds we''ve run into up until now. Admittedly, it wasn''t as large as the silent falcons we''ve grown accustomed to seeing, but it was close to matching Tabitha in size, so it was still enormous by bird standards.


    But even though it wasn''t the biggest bird we''ve encountered, it was the highest-leveled one. It was hard to gauge people and creatures that had a higher level than myself, but using Tabitha as a baseline, I put the bird between level 95 and 100. I wish this were the first magic beast we¡¯ve encountered at this level, but that would be me lying.


    When we were in the inner region of the Endless Forest, the average magic beast was between levels 40 and 50. There were outliers, of course, but that was the average. Now that we were pretty far into the core area of the magic-dense region, it was rare for a magic beast to be below level 70, with most magic beasts we encounter sporting a level higher than myself.


    Tabitha was still training me, but it was to the point we were now avoiding more beasts than anything else. Surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t pushing me to take on any higher-level beasts. Instead, Tabitha was very understanding when I told her we needed to divert our course to circle around anything particularly strong. That was until she saw the bird she was currently fighting swoop down from the canopy and dispatch a snake.


    She wasn''t open about her reasons, but apparently, the bird called to Tabitha. Whether it was because it was around her level or because her being from Scholl meant she had a fondness for anything with feathers, she asked me to scan the area to see if anything else might get in the way of her fighting the avian. As soon as I informed her there wasn¡¯t anything as far as I could tell, she told me to stay hidden where I was while she charged the bird.


    Tabitha had attacked while it was in the middle of eating. The bird probably thought she was challenging it for its food, so it didn''t fly away when she had.


    While Tabitha¡¯s fight with the arch-goblin had been flashy due to his outrageous strength, her fight so far had been just as flashy, though in a different way. Tabitha was a Dexterity fighter, boosted by her Strength and Vitality. She also had a bit of magic, but her magnificent armor shored up most of her weaknesses.


    The bird was much the same; it was obviously a Dexterity-based beast. It could turn on a dime and dodge most of Tabitha''s attacks by a hair''s length without losing any of its speed. It also benefited from its magic beast physique, which meant it had sharp talons for attacking, feathers tougher than iron for defending, and, worst of all, magic at its disposal.


    There was a mist constantly coming off the bird¡¯s plumage, and if its tough feathers weren¡¯t enough for defense, it had the ability to liquefy itself at will.


    I watch from under a bush down on the ground as the bird takes another dive at Tabitha up in the treetops. While standing on a tree branch, Tabitha raises her shield in defense, but the bird turns into literal water and washes over her shield. The water pushes against Tabitha, trying to knock her off her feet while simultaneously slipping in between her armor.


    The water droplets rip into her skin wherever it passes like miny razorblades. Blood and water mix, and it all flows in a single direction, where the water condenses and the bird reforms with part of its feathers now sporting a slightly redder hue.


    Tabitha was bleeding, but only slightly, and didn''t let the bird get off its attack without retaliating. She twirls in place with little to stand on and launches a barrage of beautiful slashes at the newly formed bird. It can dodge most of her attacks but not all of them. Tabitha¡¯s magic sword cleaves into the bird¡¯s left wing, drawing, of all things, blue blood. However, it isn¡¯t enough to take the beast down.


    This was the fourth time Tabitha had been able to wound the bird, just to have the wing she hit quickly liquify and reharden, leaving an unblemished wing in its place. Many would think the bird was invincible after healing itself as it did, but watching from my hiding spot, I could tell that wasn''t the case.


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    Outwardly, the bird was the same as when Tabitha first charged it, but looking deeper, I could see it was running on fumes. Each time it liquified itself, it used up massive amounts of mana, even more so when it did so to heal part of its body. Soon the bird wouldn''t be able to liquefy any longer, and Tabitha would be the winner.


    On some level, the bird was aware of this. It was charging her less and less, and if Tabitha wasn¡¯t keeping up the pressure, it might have tried to run. But that would be a death sentence for it. The bird could only dodge Tabitha because it was chaining its attacks; if it turned its back now, Tabitha would cleave it in two before getting very far.


    I didn''t see her fight like this against the arch-goblin because they were both on the ground, but Tabitha could move amazingly well in any direction. It was how she was keeping up with a magical beast with wings. I''d seen her easily scale the trees, but now she was bounding effortlessly from tree branch to tree branch, sometimes jumping without looking, all while keeping up her perfect footwork like a choreographed dance routine.


    Tabitha didn¡¯t seem the least perturbed by the mana in the air or that it was even impacting her movements in any way, as she managed to keep up with a bird mid-flight. Tabitha was dancing up and down the canopy, never more than a few feet away from the now terrified magic beast.


    The bird uses the last of its considerable magic pool to liquefy itself, but it isn''t trying to attack Tabitha this time. The bird-shaped water ball sores straight up, melding through countless tree branches, trying to put as much distance between it and a smiling Tabitha. Well, in my head, I knew she was smiling; I could only see their outlines from where I was down on the ground, but I was 99% sure she was grinning ear to ear.


    In its elemental form, the bird gains elevation at an absurd speed. I doubt I could keep up with it using Air Walk. So, to see Tabitha keeping pace with it by dancing ever higher after it leaves me to ponder how she can move that fast.


    It had to be all the tight turns she was making. Of course, I can easily outrun Tabitha with my skills when I have the open space, but I couldn''t hold a candle to her in short-distance maneuvers.


    I watch as Tabitha and the bird disappear out of sight. The battle was finishing above me, but it was beyond what I could see or sense. But it didn''t matter if I could see the battle; I knew Tabitha would emerge victorious.


    Over the last few days, I''ve seen her fight off dozens of high leveled magic beasts. Most ran after realizing they couldn¡¯t match Tabitha, but a few required more persuasion. The beetles were especially thick-headed, both metaphorically and physically. We knew the little ones were delicious, the big ones, not so much.


    All the beetles this deep in the forest were the size of bison, had indestructible exoskeletons and were so hard to kill they weren¡¯t worth the hassle. Tabitha and I had such a hard time killing one that we just incapacitated it and ended up cooking it alive, and even that took entirely too long. Especially considering the meat contained within was rubbery and tough to chew. The meat still had the same flavor as the smaller ones, only infinitely tougher.


    Sighing, I reach for my waterskin and pause as I uncork it. Scowling, I quickly hold it up to my mouth, throw it back and try not to vomit as a gelatinous orb plops into my mouth and sickeningly slides down my throat. My whole body breaks into goosebumps as I try to shake off the awful feeling.


    Sitting down, I meditate, waiting for the toad spawn to start affecting me. Poison Resistance training was by far the worst experience I¡¯ve ever had leveling a skill. I refused to think about the things I said to Tabitha while I was loopy the first few times I ingested the toad eggs.


    It took me over a dozen attempts to unlock the skill. Each time was more humiliating than the last, so much so that I often wished I was drinking deadlier poison rather than the paralyzing loopy eggs I was regularly ingesting. But, at least Meditation was coming in clutch as usual.


    Around my eighth attempt to unlock Poison Resistance, I discovered that Meditation helped my body purge the toxins quicker. I think it was because I was in a relaxed state, but that was only my best guess.


    As my limbs start to feel heavy, I scan my surroundings. Poison Resistance was only level 3 at this point, but with my superior stats, I could shrug off the parallelizing effects should I need to. Tabitha had trained me to move while impaired, and even if I wasn¡¯t mentally all there, I could still dodge should I need to.... and man was everything around me beautiful.


    I smile at the leaves of the bush I was concealed under. Such a vibrant green; I just wanted to reach out and touch them. This forest was terrific; I wish I could stay here forever. Screw society; I could be Tarzan.


    Lazily shaking my head, I try to push past those thoughts, as Poison Resistance helped me to overcome the toad spawn toxin running rampant through my system. Concentrating on things was difficult after drinking it, but overcoming it was what let my skill level.


    As I¡¯m forcing myself down from my toad high, I sense something plummeting from the treetops. Groggily, I crane my neck and watch a bird''s corpse fall from the sky. ¡°He-he, thud,¡± I giggle as it crashes down.


    Slowly, I force myself up; stumbling, I approach the downed beast as Tabitha takes her time descending the nearest tree. She was bleeding from between her armor, but her Vitality would stop that soon.


    Even in my drunk-like state, I could see the experience wafting from the dead beast, so I knew it was already dead and safe to approach. A voice in my head whispers to activate Soul Devourer, but even in my clouded state, I know not to use my skill without proper mental preparation.


    The fog in my mind was slowly fading, and as it did, I could better appreciate the bird in front of me. The feathers were absolutely beautiful to look at, and I was going to take my time picking out the best ones to take back with me. Of course, Tabitha would get the first pick. I''m sure she''ll want one to add to her hair. Speaking of Tabitha, what was she doing?


    Knowing where she was, thanks to my skill, I turned to face a petrified Tabitha staring off into space at the base of a nearby tree. What was she¡­. Oh, I quickly realize what she''s doing; she''s checking her status page. I never remember her doing so before, not even once.


    Wait a minute, did she!?


    Taking a quick glance with Sense Soul, I confirm my suspicions. "Congratulations on the level-up," I say with a smile as I approach her. There was a visible change in her soul, and I could tell it had grown.


    Tabitha blinks and looks away from the air directly in front of her. ¡°So, you noticed,¡± she lightly comments, trying to project an air of aloofness, but her eyes gave away her true emotions. She might as well be jumping around in excitement.


    "Happy to hear you reached¡­.?" I had to pause because I just realized I had no clue what Tabitha''s level was. I had never asked her what her exact level was. "What level are you?" I ask curiously


    Tabitha briefly pretends not to hear me, so I stare at her wide-eyed until she gives in and tells me.


    "You know it''s disrespectful to ask somebody their level, right?¡± She admonishes me.


    However, she knows most of my status page, so I feel no shame in asking her for just her level. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your entire status page,¡± I roll my eyes, but then I get an idea. ¡°Besides, I need to know your level.¡±


    ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± Tabita gives me a look that says whatever I¡¯m about to say better be good, or she¡¯d up my training regimen.


    Jokes on her because I do have a good reason. "I use your level to judge magic beasts¡¯ levels. So if I know your exact level, I can better scout for us."


    Tabitha narrows her eyes at me. ¡°The skill you use to determine an opponent¡¯s level is weird," she comments, and now it was my turn to pretend I didn''t hear her. "Fine," Tabitha lets out a sigh. ¡°But you aren¡¯t to tell anybody.¡±


    ¡°Even Pacore,¡± I jokingly smirk.


    ¡°Even Pacore,¡± Tabitha admonishes. ¡°Master will recognize my level for what it is; you don''t need to say anything."


    ¡°Fare point,¡± I raise my hands in surrender.


    Tabitha nods, ¡°Just now, I reached level 98.¡±


    "Wow, that''s amazing," I show my support for her growth. ¡°We¡¯ll have to celebrate,¡± I look around for anything we can do to commemorate the moment, and my eyes fall on the bird Tabitha just killed. "How bout we take a break for you to heal up while I cook us the bird you killed?"


    My mouth watered, thinking about how the high leveled magic beast must taste.


    Tabitha must be thinking the same because she smiles at me. "I would like that."


    Even in a deadly forest, you had to enjoy the little things.

 Ch: 115.2

    Which one was she going to pick?


    While prepping the spot I was going to cook our celebratory lunch, I constantly steal glances at Tabitha as she inspected her kill. Yet, I said nothing as she carefully pulled out multiple feathers, only to discard them in order.


    At the rate she was going, I would only need to gut the bird before I roasted it. And I was okay with that but also curious about which feather she would pick to add to the ones in her hair. Because though not exact, Tabitha¡¯s hair was a similar shade of light blue same as the feathers she was looking at, so I was curious if it¡¯d stick out enough.


    I knew the feathers symbolized a warrior¡¯s achievements, which begged the question, would she wear one people weren¡¯t likely to see or stick to the three she was already wearing?


    Whether she chose to wear it or not, I respectfully stayed away from Tabitha while she decided.


    Silently, I remove the brush from a relatively flat part of the forest floor. The trees and bushes weren''t the only things that grew taller the deeper we went into the forest. Grasses, groundcover, and other ordinarily small plants now grew to my knees and were extraordinarily thick and hard to remove.


    It was funny because I wasn''t clearing them to prevent a forest fire; instead, I was clearing them because they contained too much water and were a pain in the ass to build a fire on. Everything felt wet to the touch, even though very little water was around.


    The feeling of wetness came from the mana in the air. Ambient mana differed depending on the environment, but the mana of the Endless Forest had drastically changed since we first entered the core part of the magic-dense region. When we first entered, the mana was the same as the rest of the forest, just more condensed.


    It was hard to give specifics due to the ever-shifting tides of ambulant mana, but the elements used to be mostly tied with one another, with the only exception being fire. Percentage-wise, it used to be 35% water, 27% earth, 34% wind, and a pitiful 4% for fire.


    Now almost 70% of the ambient mana was of the water element, doubling what it was when we first entered the magic-dense region.


    Maybe that was why I felt like I was underwater.


    The drastic change in mana was inconvenient yet mesmerizing to experience. The closer we got to the forest''s heart, the more it became apparent that all the water mana was emanating from there, crediting Clarkson''s story that a massive lake awaited us when we reached the forest''s center.


    I really wanted to see it. What kind of lake produced such overwhelming amounts of mana?


    That same water mana was feeding the massive trees around us, promoting their growth. Mana was mainly an energy source to me ever since I first saw it, but energy alone couldn¡¯t sustain such life. The trees and plants around us were taking in the massive amounts of water mana and somehow converting it into physical water.


    After clearing the spot I would use, I walked over to the closest tree and put my hands on it. Closing my eyes, I focus on the mana radiating off the giant organism. Then, using Sense Mana to dive deep into its core, I try to spot where the tree converted ambient mana into water. And when I do, I¡¯m fascinated by what I find.


    The majority of the water in the tree was stored in its massive roots underground. Usually, trees absorbed water through their roots and stored it throughout the rest, but things were reversed here. The massive canopy acted as the tree''s ''roots'' absorbing as much water mana as possible.


    The mana was then stored in the tree¡¯s massive trunk, where it was somehow condensed and turned into physical water before being stored in the trees¡¯ roots. Of course, part of the water stored underground would leak out of the colossal root system, but that leaking water was what was supporting life on the forest floor and keeping the ground from drying up.


    But where was the mana being converted exactly? I drill Sense Mana into the massive tree trunk, hoping to uncover its secrets.


    Close to where I¡¯m standing near the base of the tree, I find what I¡¯m looking for. That¡¯s the spot most of the mana absorbed by the tree was being pooled. That much mana might as well have been a neon sign; it was so obvious. Unfortunately, just because it was easy to find where the tree was gathering the majority of its mana didn''t mean I immediately found its conversion method.


    This wasn''t the first tree I''d looked at, and it wouldn''t be the last. While the amount of mana made it easy to trace, it also made examining it difficult. The more mana contained in a single area, the harder it was to look at without getting a headache. It wasn¡¯t like the elemental or the time I tried to use Sense Mana in the mine to look at magicite, but I was trying to look at a great deal of mana compressed in a relatively small space.


    I was guessing, but I''d put the mana in one of these massive trees at over a thousand times what I had inside my body.


    ¡°Is something wrong?" Tabitha asks behind me. For once, I didn¡¯t flinch because even though I was focusing most of my attention on the tree in front of me, I maintained a passive scan of my surroundings and noticed Tabitha¡¯s approach.


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine,¡± I remove my hand from the tree and turn to face her. ¡°That the feather you picked?¡± I motion to said item in her hand.


    ¡°It is,¡± she holds the feather up so I can see it better and slowly twirls it between her gauntleted fingers.


    It wasn''t the one I expected her to pick, but it wasn''t my choice. In Tabitha''s hands, she held a beautiful blue feather whose edges were slightly tinted red. It was one of the feathers that started to change color after the bird absorbed part of Tabitha''s blood. I thought picking that one was a little morbid, but at least it will stand out better if she chooses to wear it.


    ¡°The fire?¡± Tabitha gestures to the spot I had cleared.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I sheepishly apologize. ¡°Got sidetracked again,¡± I pat the tree like it was alive.


    Tabitha rolls her eyes at my shamelessness. "It''s fine; I''ve long grown accustomed to your short attention span."


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    ¡°Hey,¡± I whine at the not-so-subtle dig.


    ¡°Am I wrong,¡± she sends me a challenging look.


    ¡°No,¡± I reluctantly grumble. ¡°I¡¯ll have the fire going as soon as I can. Do you think you can properly dismantle the rest of the bird?¡± Even though I asked her, my tone implied she couldn''t.


    Tabitha huffs at my challenge, but I see the corner of her lips threatening to curl upwards. "Worry about the fire; I got the bird,¡± she confidently tells me.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I smirk.


    The two of us separate; Tabitha moves back over the bird, and I fetch nearby logs on the ground. I used the pike side of my hammer to split the wood into more manageable pieces, but that didn¡¯t exactly help with the moisture issue.


    After using and failing to light any of the wood with my basic flame spell, I take more drastic measures.


    ¡°Hinsung gab bas ri he dymntn, o silf wer yemki por faestt. Ir metbels bnieght eforem em meyme, es weth firmesnu molh acose. Dat ruenghtl fys trai, ight nurrbb!¡±


    Mana gathers in my hand as I prepare to launch my flame javelin spell.


    ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Tabitha rushes over to me holding her sword at the ready, hearing me about to cast a tier 3 spell, probably thinking we''re under attack.


    ¡°Starting a fire,¡± I grin like a maniac as I use my skills to compress the spell. It didn¡¯t need to be big, but I needed the spell to be as hot as possible. The wood I was aiming at was already incredibly tough, adding moisture on top of that, and I wasn''t even sure if my spell would do anything.


    I see Tabitha shake her head judgingly at me out of the corner of my eye, but I ignore it to launch my spell. A bolt of fire blastoffs from my hands and squarely strikes the pile of wood. A few of the smaller pieces of kindling are knocked away by the force of the blast, but the large pieces remain in place.


    I rush in before the spell dissipates and start blowing a steady stream of air onto the lightly burning parts of the wood. Even with my spell, getting a fire going would still take some effort.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Tabitha remarks before sheathing her sword and returning to her work.


    It takes over ten minutes to get going, but eventually, I get the fire to catch. By then, Tabitha stood beside me with crudely butchered chunks of blue bird meat skewered on sticks ready to be grilled.


    I grab the pouch of spices I gathered from the forest from my bag. Mixed were chunks of nettles, wild mint, and edible grasses. I don¡¯t use much as I wasn¡¯t sure how it would affect the taste of the meat, but I do apply some before placing the skewers over the fire.


    "I wonder how water phoenix will taste," I smile at Tabitha.


    "Water phoenix?¡± she glances at the dead bird before smirking at me. ¡°That¡¯s the best you can come up with?¡±


    "Let''s see you do any better," I lightly push back, knowing Tabitha was just having fun with me.


    Honestly, I thought calling the bird a water phoenix was an apt description. It was similar to the mythical bird of legend, minus the immortality, of course.


    I expect Tabitha to rebuff me with an equally horrendous name, but instead, I watch her reach into her hair and remove the clip holding her black feather in place. Tabitha then lifts a small latch on the clip and carefully removes the black feather from the ornament.


    ¡°What is that enchanted with?¡± I gesture to the now empty clip in Tabitha¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple protection enchantment,¡± she tells me as she carefully stashes the night raven feather in her bag. Even though she was replacing it, she intended to save it as a keepsake. Too bad, I would''ve loved it if she let me have it. ¡°It keeps them from getting ruined in battle.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t look that strong,¡± I point out to her.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t, but if I can''t protect them, I have no right wearing them," she counters.


    "Will you let me examine one when we return to the village?" I ask. ¡°I¡¯d like to try to make something similar for myself if that''s okay."


    Tabitha pretends to think over my request but quickly nods in agreement. ¡°When we get back,¡± she tells me as she fits her new feather into the clip and reattaches it to her hair.


    The three feathers in her hair were now the grey one that I didn¡¯t know the origin of, the brown one with white tips from the level 120 speckled griffon she hunted with two others, and now the water phoenix feather.


    ¡°Congratulations again," I smile at Tabitha, trying to get some light conversation going. The blue-tinted meat from the phoenix was cooking slowly over the fire, and I didn¡¯t want to spend the whole time in silence.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tabitha lazily responds while siping her waterskin. After she''s done, she offers me some, and I gladly take it.


    After taking a sip of untainted water, I hand the container back to her and try again to keep the conversation going. "Soon, you''ll reach level 100."


    Tabitha snorts at the prospect. ¡°Hardly,¡± she says self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± I don¡¯t let her put herself down. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll reach level 100 soon. With your talent, you might even catch up to Pacore in a few years."


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know anything, do you?" She shook her head disappointingly but didn''t sound mad at me.


    ¡°Then teach me,¡± I push for her to explain why she wasn''t celebrating as much as I expected her to be.


    "Okay, I will," Tabitha turns her whole body towards me and gives me a critical look. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this because you grew up in a small village. But there''s a saying nobles follow, ''50 by twenty, 75 by thirty, 100 by forty''."


    "And that means?" I give her a confused look.


    ¡°It¡¯s how people describe geniuses,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°They reach level 50 by age twenty, 75 by thirty, and level 100 by age forty.¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡± I ask Tabitha for her age for the first time.


    ¡°I turned 38 last year,¡± she explains in a slightly deflated voice.


    I wanted to compliment her appearance for her age, but something told me I shouldn''t. It''s a good thing, too, because she keeps talking.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I''m not on track to reach level 100 by then." Tabitha must see my confused expression because she explains further. "I just checked, and I need 3.24 million experience points to reach level 99 and even more after that to reach level 100.¡±


    Hearing such large numbers, I can¡¯t help but hiss as if I touched something hot. Then, doing some quick math in my head, I calculate that Tabitha needs to earn enough experience points equivalent to going from level 1 to 65 in only two years to reach her goal.


    ¡°So, you understand now,¡± Tabitha looks off into the distance, looking like she¡¯d already resigned herself to failure.


    "You don''t know," I try to cheer her up, not liking this new, defeated-looking Tabitha. "You still could do it.¡±


    Tabitha turns back to me with a soft smile. ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say, but I¡¯m not like you. I''m not a crafter; I must fight to earn experience. It''s why I challenged the bird. I''ve been inching towards level 98 for a while now and saw it as an opportunity to push through finally."


    ¡°What about leveling your skills?¡± I remind her. I get a lot of experience for the multiple skills I level.


    Tabitha chuckles good-naturedly. ¡°I just told you my age, and you think I have skills to level? Most of my skills are at higher leveled bottlenecks.¡±


    ¡°Then take up a hobby,¡± I tell her. ¡°You can unlock more skills that way and work on those.¡± That was the most straightforward solution I could think of.


    Tabitha again shakes her head. "That would be a waste of my time. I would get the same experience from leveling one of my stronger combat skills. Plus, it would further my combat potential more than picking up a hobby. Besides, combat is where I excel."


    Well, I couldn''t argue with that.


    Reaching over, I flip our skewers before they start to char.


    ¡°You¡¯re young, incredibly so,¡± Tabitha reminds me. "You''re fifteen and already at level 75, no matter how impossible that sounds. You probably get a lot of experience from the many skills you level, but I''m here to tell you it will eventually slow down. Of course, you can supplement your experience gain through crafting, but eventually, you''ll know what it''s like to hit the experience wall.¡±


    "It''s why I was happy when it was decided Master would lead the invasion of Olebert, and I was assigned to come along. I need as many combat opportunities as I can get, or I risk falling behind and losing my genius status, bringing shame to Master Pacore. So you could imagine my displeasure when we easily trampled Olebert''s forces.¡±


    ¡°Then why have you been letting me divert us? I ask. "Surly now is the best time to earn experience."


    ¡°Master assigned me to look after you,¡± Tabitha straightens her back and replies like a soldier repeating their orders. "I will not let harm come to you for my own gain. You confirmed the bird was alone, and I was sure I could defeat it; that is the only reason I risked fighting it.¡±


    That¡¯s¡­. wow. Tabitha has done so much for me, and still, she''s willing to put my safety over her own goals, despite how it troubles her.


    ¡°Maybe we can try fighting a few more beasts while we¡¯re here?¡± I try to offer, but Tabitha just continues to smile at me.


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be wise. Even for me, the beasts here are becoming increasingly challenging to face. I want to see the heart of the forest with you, but after that, we must leave and head back to the village. Understand?¡± Tabitha waits for me to respond, so I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t hear her later.


    "I understand," I reluctantly reply.


    "Good; now, how is the food doing?"


    ¡°Almost done,¡± I pull one of the skewers away from the fire to check it.


    "My skill says it''s good enough to eat," Tabitha informs me like that automatically meant they were done.


    ¡°It¡¯s still a little raw,¡± I know this because both Cooking and Gourmet told me to leave it over the flames for a little longer. But at least I knew it was cooked enough to be edible.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re close to the heart?¡± I ask Tabitha for her opinion after a brief silence between us.


    ¡°You would know better than me,¡± she lazily comments, but her expression quickly hardens. ¡°The mana is growing increasingly thick, so we should be at least close. It''s already higher than I''m used to in Scholl''s magic-dense regions. You would think Olebert would be stronger with access to such a prime hunting ground,¡± she sighs disappointingly.


    "You would think," I chuckle, sharing her sentiments.


    I now felt like I understood Tabitha better than I ever had before. Of course, I was aware of the ridiculous amount of experience points I would need to level going forward, but to hear exactly how hard it was for others to level, especially from someone as talented as Tabitha, really put it into perspective.


    I was incredibly blessed and needed to be aware of that fact from now on, especially in no small part to the cheat skill Soul Devourer.


    Maybe I could find a way to help Tabitha level, as hard as that sounds? Unfortunately, we were on the tail end of our trip, but maybe we could do this again sometime.


    All I knew was that I wanted to help her, so I would, anyway I knew how.

 Ch: 115.3

    It¡¯s hard to keep myself from giggling like a child. I was like a kid in a candy store surrounded by delicious sweets and told I could pick whatever I wanted. Hundreds of beautiful blue feathers were scattered around me, and I got to pick which ones I wanted to take.


    Sadly, this was a different situation than with the silent falcon feathers. I fought the silent falcon back when we were relatively close to the entrance of the magic-dense region, and it would be easy to stop by there on our way out. Unfortunately, it was impossible to do that in this case.


    With all the strong magic beasts around, there was a 99.9% chance we wouldn¡¯t be coming back this exact way. And with the water phoenix gone, something else will undoubtedly take its place.


    So, I could only take what I could carry and had to decide which blue beauties I wanted and which I would leave behind. Tabitha and I think we¡¯re coming up on the heart of the forest, so I might not have to worry about carrying them that long, but there was still the genuine possibility that we were days away from our destination. Not to mention, I couldn''t fill up my bag all at once.


    Taking out the silent falcon feathers I''ve been carrying with me until now, I toss all but the best five of them to the side. All the feathers I¡¯ve been carrying until now were the best ones I could pluck from the silent falcon. Of course, I wasn¡¯t counting the feather I was planning on turning into a hair ornament in that group, but even then, I was discarding feathers several grades better than the ones  I left back in the tree hollow.


    It sucked having to get rid of something I originally planned on keeping, but I had to make room. And between feathers from a level 74 bird and ones from a level 97 bird, it was obvious which ones I would prioritize.


    I kept a few silent falcon feathers for experimental reasons, but even if I couldn''t use the water phoenix feathers, they would sell for a shiny coin or two. At least, much more than what the silent falcon feathers would go for anyway. Though, I wouldn''t discard everything I was carrying for money.


    I still had the silent falcon¡¯s talons, various magic herbs I''d gathered, dozens of rock samples for my collection, and most importantly, the elemental fragments in my bag and my survival supplies.


    Sighing as I look over the feathers, I curse that I can''t carry more. I mean, I could, but it would slow me down, and if movement was ever crucial while we were in the Endless Forest, it was now.


    It would be fantastic if I could unlock a subspace skill at this very moment, but I wasn¡¯t holding my breath.


    Tabitha sees my mental anguish and decides now is the best time to chime in. "You can''t take forever," she reminds me.


    ¡°Will you just finish eating,¡± I wittily snap back. Tabitha was still sitting by the fire, enjoying the blue meat of the water phoenix. ¡°I know I need to hurry.¡±


    Did she think I wanted to be doing this instead of enjoying the delicious meat I cooked?


    Well, she may be right about that.


    The meat was wonderful; one could say even magical. But even while eating, I couldn¡¯t wait to inspect the feathers of the water phoenix. However, the taste did refuse to leave my mouth.


    The bird''s flesh tasted perfectly moist, no matter how long I cooked it over the fire. Initially, I thought the meat might come out dry after seeing how much juice dripped from it while cooking it. But drying it out seems impossible when cooking with meat from a high-leveled water-attuned magic beast.


    I don¡¯t want to compare the meat to chicken, as most meats were, so I¡¯d describe the water phoenix meat as tasting like quail or pheasant, one of those more expensive meats but still chicken adjacent. If you cocked your head to the side, squinted your eyes, and hit yourself over the head, the water phoenix may even begin to look like a giant blue chicken.


    Yeah, no, I chuckle as I finally buckle down and start sorting the feathers. There were many to choose from, but I could immediately disqualify two-thirds of them. I didn''t want to bring any of the smaller feathers, as I couldn''t fashion fletching from them, and they would serve little other purpose to me. What would someone even do with feathers of that size?


    Maybe jewelry, clothing, and hair ornaments; I suppose they could work for all of those. Screw it; I talked myself into grabbing a few. I''ll sell them to Kervin next time I see him.


    But unlike the little feathers, the largest ones were still a no-go for me. I could craft arrows with them, but they were simply too big to bring along. So that left me with the last pile, where I gathered all the feathers between a foot and a half to two feet long. Those were the perfect size for what I needed and could reasonably carry.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Luckily, because of the water phoenix''s level, I didn''t need to be gentle with the feathers. Sure, they lost some of their durability after their host died, but even then, they were still more robust than some aluminum alloys. Meaning I could bend them if I used all my strength, but they wouldn¡¯t get damaged if I tightly bundle them together.


    "Are you done?" Tabitha strolls over to me, holding and munching on a skewer of half-cooked bird meat she made after I left to pick out my feathers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re the one in a hurry,¡± I remark as I stash the feathers in my pack with everything else. ¡°Didn¡¯t you lose a lot of blood to the phoenix?¡±


    "It''s funny you keep calling it a phoenix," Tabitha tries to avoid answering me, so I narrow my eyes in an accusing glare. ¡°I¡¯m ok,¡± she slowly twirls in place. I couldn¡¯t see any visible wounds, but that didn¡¯t mean Tabitha was back to 100%.


    Tabitha brings the skewer to her mouth and takes a large bight of blue meat. I gag at the thought of eating raw meat, but if Tabitha was eating it, it meant her skill said it was safe, so there was that. "And if you''re worried about the blood I lost, don''t. The meat helped with that."


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it works that quickly,¡± I deadpan, knowing full well there was no way I would win this argument.


    ¡°And which of us is in charge?¡± Tabitha asks, puffing out her chest. Or at least it looks like she¡¯s trying to; it''s hard to tell with her always wearing her armor.


    ¡°You are,¡± I reluctantly answer, causing her to smile down at me. So I throw everything in my bag, grab it, throw it over my shoulder, and stand up, so now she has to look up at me. "But I''m the more cautious of us, and you can''t deny that."


    Tabitha huffs and turns away but doesn¡¯t refute what I say. So, I¡¯ll take that as a win. The simple fact that she could stand there and verbally spar with me meant she was probably ok to move on but to be safe; I¡¯ll try harder to lead us around anything dangerous. With our stomachs full, we didn¡¯t need to worry about hunting later, so we could spend longer traveling deeper.


    Together, the two of us kick dirt over the fire I worked so hard to start, and once it was out, we were off again.


    I took the lead as usual, but I kept the pace a hair slower than usual to give Tabitha more time to recover. While moving, I scan our surroundings for danger and take note of our surroundings. The trees were still a sight for the eyes, but if I was being honest, I was getting bored of them. They were huge and took up a lot of space, meaning our surroundings had little variety.


    A person could easily get lost in here; it was good that both Tabitha and I knew how to tell which direction was which. It also helped that I had the mana currents to follow. So even if I didn''t know which way we were going, I could always follow the mana to either the densest part of the forest or follow it as it slowly escaped the magic-dense region. Though if we make it to the forest''s heart, the mana could technically lead me out the other way, so I''ll have to be careful of that.


    It was called the Endless Forest, but after traveling through it, I questioned the name. It was the only thing I could do to pass the time.


    Tabitha and I were moving quite fast compared to ordinary people, but it still only would have taken a person a month or so to reach where we are. If they stayed around the edges of the forest outside the magic dense region, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to circle the whole thing. It would only take a year at most, hardly what I¡¯d call endless.


    Maybe people get endlessly lost amongst the ginormous trees; that could be it.


    I let out a tired sigh; thinking about the forest''s name only bored me more. I couldn''t wait to get to the heart and turn around. Exploring was exciting, but I was starting to miss my family, especially when I wasn¡¯t sure how much time I had left with them.


    "Oh," I pause and look down at my feet when Sense Mana pings something curious underground.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tabitha moves next to me with her hand on her sword. She follows my gaze downward and frowns. ¡°Burrowing beasts?¡±


    ¡°No, I bend down and touch the ground, trying to direct Sense Mana through the tangled mess of tree roots below us to better understand what I sense. There were borrowing magic beasts bellow us but nothing strong, and they seldom come to the surface. All the massive tree roots keep anything significant from living underground.


    ¡°It¡¯s annoying when you try to be cryptic,¡± Tabitha points out to me with more than a little bite in her voice.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I sheepishly smile. ¡°There¡¯s a small cavity directly below us.¡±


    ¡°And, is that important? I would think all the roots would create many hollow spaces." Tabitha makes a great point, but that wasn¡¯t what I was getting at.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but are normal caverns lined with bricks?" That at least gets a surprised reaction from Tabitha. "The best I can tell, there''s a building down there."


    ¡°How deep?¡± Tabitha curiously asks.


    ¡°Almost 400 feet down,¡± I tell her. ¡°I take it you don¡¯t want to dig to see what¡¯s down there.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± Tabitha gives me a challenging look.


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± I pull my hand away from the soft ground and stand back up. "I just thought it was the first interesting thing I''ve sensed in a while.¡±


    Tabitha raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°This not exciting for you?¡± She gestures around us.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, maybe if we were back closer to the inner region," I give my frank opinion. ¡°Everything around us was new and exciting¡­. a few days ago; now, not so much. After you told me that you needed to level, it got me thinking about the fighting we''ve been doing. I still don¡¯t want to kill everything on sight, but having to sit back and watch you protect me all the time is boring. At least when we were exploring the inner parts of the forest, I could still pull my weight. Now I¡¯m just the guide, and everything looks the same.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for magic metals or something?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± I frown. ¡°And I¡¯ve sensed a few interesting deposits, but like the building buried under us, it would take too much time to dig them out and even longer to take them back. I would love it if they were on the surface like the elemental fragments, but they aren¡¯t. The best things I¡¯ve gotten from this trip are related to all the creatures we¡¯ve fought, which speaks for itself."


    ¡°I see,¡± Tabitha nods in understanding. ¡°I understand why you would be frustrated. I¡¯ve only ever entered magic-dense regions to test myself and grow stronger while you wanted to explore and gather materials. Perhaps we should turn around.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave when we¡¯re so close.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe we should pick up speed,¡± Tabitha suggests. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that we¡¯ve been moving slower since we stopped. Are you leading us around another dangerous beast, or is there another reason for this?"


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes bore into me. ¡°I just wanted to be sure you were ok,¡± I finally admit.


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of you, but I said I¡¯m fine,¡± she assures me. ¡°I can handle anything we run into.¡±


    "Promise?" I puff out my lower lip in a mock sad face and hold up my pinky finger.


    "What are you doing?" Unfortunately, Tabitha doesn¡¯t recognize the gesture.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I smile and drop my hand. ¡°If you¡¯re really fine, then I¡¯ll pick up the pace.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Tabitha once again states.


    ¡°Then try to keep up,¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Remember to keep an eye on our surroundings,¡± Tabitha reminds me before grinning at my challenge.


    Alright, let''s see if we can reach the heart of the forest by the end of today. Based on the light, we have five hours before we need to stop to make camp.


    Time to kick it into gear and get a move on.

 Ch: 115.4

    Sometimes I like to think the universe is out to get me. Not the gods as I have met them, and I know they care about little us, but the universe itself. I wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Not an hour ago, I complained to Tabitha that I was bored, and what does the universe do? It buries a building under my feet.


    Ok, no harm, no foul; it was too deep for us to do anything about it, so we glossed over it and continued. Of course, I was curious about what a building was doing buried out here, but I had better things to do than speculate on a long-lost civilization, if it was even that. After all, it was only a single building. Right?


    Wrong!


    Since we ran across that first building buried beneath the surface, I¡¯ve counted twelve others we passed over, and each one was closer to the surface than the last. The most recent one was only a hundred feet down. Still deep, but people like Tabitha and I could reach it if we wanted to.


    None of the buildings were connected, so I wasn''t sensing a dungeon or anything, but still, something was obviously going on beneath our feet.


    However, as far as I can tell, the buildings were mostly empty, which made sense, seeing how deep down they were. Depending on how long they''ve been down there, it is no surprise anything contained inside would turn to dust. Some buildings collapsed in on themselves, and even one played host to a group of magic mole creatures.


    I sensed no buried tressure, so even if we dug down, it would just be to see the building itself, though I was considering it. Tabitha might not care about an old empty building, but as a craftsman, I wondered how any structure could stay standing for that long and at that depth, primarily when magic moles existed.


    Headman Downs once told me the Endless Forest was older than Olebert, and he would know if people were ever living out here, meaning the buildings had to be at least seventeen hundred years old, probably older.


    ¡°Another one?¡± Tabitha notes me glancing down again while we are running.


    ¡°Are you getting curious too?¡± I ask her.


    "Nope," Tabitha flatly tells me, keeping her eyes forward.


    ¡°Really, not even a little?" I hold two fingers close together, "Not even a smidge.¡±


    ¡°Did you sense anything inside them?¡± Tabitha questions me with a bored look. "No, of course, you didn''t," she remarks after I remain silent. "If you sensed anything worth our time, you would have had us stop. So no, I don¡¯t care about empty buildings.¡±


    ¡°But they could be over seventeen hundred years old,¡± I point out to her.


    ¡°Yeah, and?¡± Tabitha¡¯s blatant disregard for history almost causes me to trip. But I''ll give Tabitha this; she has her priorities straight and sticks to them. If it didn''t involve her growing stronger, she didn¡¯t care.


    Maybe that was a little harsh on my part. Since we¡¯ve been adventuring together, Tabitha has sacrificed multiple opportunities to fight to look after me, so fighting wasn¡¯t the only thing she cared about.


    Still, I can''t believe she wasn''t at least a little curious about the buildings. But since my partner didn''t want to stop, I continued leading us toward the forest''s center without any pit stops. But just because we weren''t stopping didn''t mean I was letting go of the buildings.


    ¡°Hey Tabitha, I¡¯m curious; which kingdom was formed first, Olebert or Scholl?¡±


    ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t sound interested in my line of questioning, but she does reluctantly answer me. ¡°Scholl was formed sixteen hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°So Olebert was formed first,¡± I nod. ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Tabitha gives me the side eye and frowns like I implied Scholl was weaker because Olebert came around first. "A hundred years is nothing in the grand scheme of things," she says.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I agree with her, but Tabitha doesn¡¯t stop there.


    ¡°Though Scholl was founded later, our warriors were stronger than that of Olebert, so our empire grew faster.¡±


    ¡°But how do you personally know that?¡± I tease Tabitha, knowing it will keep her talking.


    ¡°There are records,¡± she proudly states, like that solved everything.


    ¡°Records written by your ancestors?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tabitha smiles proudly.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t you think they¡¯re a little biased?¡± I point out to her.


    Tabitha frowns in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, if your records are only written from the point of your ancestors, don''t you think they would be slightly biased towards Scholl? I bet Olebert has records, too, saying they were the strongest back then.¡±


    ¡°Then their records lie,¡± Tabitha scowls at me and looks ready to fight to prove she is right.


    "Woah there," I hold up my hands placatingly. "I didn''t mean anything by it. I was merely trying to get you to see why I find the buildings interesting. Who can say for certain what happened in the past, as neither of us was alive back then? People can write whatever they want, and a thousand years from now, someone can believe it to be true. But you know what doesn¡¯t lie, facts.¡±


    I point down at the ground. "And the fact is, we''re running over ancient buildings. Maybe they used to be a part of Olebert or maybe even Scholl. Did you think about that? And just maybe, the buildings predate both of them. Or it''s possible that the people who founded Olebert and Scholl originated right here."


    "You think?" Tabitha''s eyes widen at the implication.


    I want to tell her those were just baseless conjectures I made to get her interested, but seeing how she was giving the ruins the due consideration they deserve, I hold off on dropping that particular truth bomb for now. At least now, if I spot a building close to the surface, she might not get mad if I ask her to help me dig it up.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Chances were, we wouldn¡¯t find anything interesting, but that didn''t stop me from wanting to see the insides of one of these ruins. And if my hunch were correct, it wouldn''t be long before we came across a suitable building.


    It wasn''t a coincidence that more buildings were popping up the closer we got to the forest''s heart. And thanks to all the zigzagging we needed to do to avoid magic beasts, we covered quite the area.


    And just as I predicted, not thirty minutes later, after circling a strong magic signature near the edge of Sense Mana''s range, I spot the building I was waiting for. Most of it was underground, but it was at an angle, and the top right-hand corner was actually poking out of the ground. Moreover, a large root was covering half of the exposed brick, meaning it was unlikely anyone had discovered it before.


    I not so subtly shift the direction we¡¯re running. "We''re taking a quick detour," I inform Tabitha.


    Tabitha rolls her eyes but doesn''t say anything as she faithfully follows my lead. We must backtrack, but I quickly and efficiently guide us to where the building is camouflaged.


    ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t expecting me to help you dig,¡± Tabitha quips as we slow down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be necessary,¡± I grin.


    We come up on the root concealing the building. Using my feet, I kick away a few inches of leaf litter and some topsoil that''s been gradually consuming the corner of the roof, sticking out of the ground.


    ¡°Oh," Tabitha is surprised when my foot reveals the moss-covered bricks, but all her emotion quickly drains from her face. "I don''t see an entrance.¡±


    ¡°Technically, the closest one is a broken window eight feet down that way,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Then it looks like you will have to dig,¡± Tabitha snarkily smirks.


    ¡°Not if I cheat and make a hole up here." Canceling the Magic Threads, holding my hammer to my back, I swing my weapon around and take up a solid stance.


    ¡°You complain about me not caring about history, and here you are destroying it,¡± Tabitha takes great joy in pointing out my hypocrisy.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me,¡± I shamelessly grin back at her. ¡°Now watch me punch a hole into this building.¡±


    Raising my hammer above my head, I reactivate Magic Threads, but this time I use them to secure myself in place. Once I''m ready, I swing my hammer at the mossy bricks.


    I fully intended to punch through the ceiling with a single swing, so when my hammer touched the bricks and was stopped dead, my mouth fell open in astonishment. Surprisingly, there''s no backlash from my hammer being stopped. Instead, all the momentum was drained from my hammer as soon as it touched the stonework. Maybe I should try a skill?


    I bring my hammer back for the second time, but now I swing using my skills. I use Double Strike, as it¡¯s still stronger than Multi-Strike at this point, along with Precise Strike, so both blows land on the same spot.


    An ethereal hammer overlaps my real one as I swing. My second swing stops like my first, but the ethereal one continues as it should, and I finally hit the weird bricks.


    A single crack in the mortar is all I manage to do using two of my best attack skills simultaneously. What the hell? The bricks aren''t even enchanted!


    I turn to Tabitha for her opinion on what I should try next, only to see her more shocked than I am. However, she isn¡¯t a high leveled warrior for nothing, and soon her expression of disbelief morphs into her iconic sadistic battle grin, like the brick corner was an enemy challenging her or something.


    ¡°Step aside,¡± Tabitha slowly draws her blade as I rush to get out of the way.


    I expect Tabitha to slash indiscriminately, but she does the opposite. First, she uses her sword to poke at the mossy brickwork. Wherever her sword scrapes against, florescent green moss is peeled away to reveal grey stone underneath.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± I hear her mumble under her voice as she draws her blade back in a thrusting stance.


    My eyes can''t follow her attack as she thrusts her weapon forward at blinding speed.


    For a split second, I thought an attack of that caliber must have worked, but I was wrong. Tabitha¡¯s sword thrust was stopped as soon as the tip of her blade made contact with the grey brick. Tabitha retracts her sword and brings the blade to her face to examine her sword''s tip.


    ¡°Should I try again?¡± I hesitantly ask Tabitha as she stares intensely at her weapon.


    ¡°No,¡± Tabitha tells me in a scary voice. I didn¡¯t need Danger Sense to realize I shouldn¡¯t ask that again.


    I take another step back as Tabitha takes up a different stance. Tabitha''s blade glows as she channels her mana into it. I don''t know if she''s using any of her skills, but there was a different air to her than a few seconds ago.


    What happens next is hard to describe, but the best way I can explain it is that Tabitha unleashes hell on the brick she tried to pierce. I can¡¯t even follow her footwork, let alone count how many consecutive slashes she unleashes in a split second. I can only see that one brick is now utterly devoid of moss. And the surface underneath didn''t even have a single scratch.


    I was curious whether I should focus on where she was striking or if focusing on Tabitha was the right choice, so I watched back and forth between both. It was like she was fighting the water phoenix again or maybe the arch-goblin. Either way, I had a front-row seat to the action this time, and it left me breathless.


    So this was how much Tabitha was holding back when sparring with me. Damn, even if I were on the same level as her, I wouldn''t hold a candle to her while she''s going all out. It wasn¡¯t even the difference in stat points. Tabitha was 23 levels higher than me, equating to a 230 stat point difference between us.


    Those points made her deadlier than me, but what separated us was much more than simple numbers. Her technique with a sword, her footwork, hell, even the way she moved her body was better than me. She had the deadly grace of a warrior who''s spent most of their life on a battlefield. I couldn''t replicate that even if I had the levels and skills.


    At first, Tabitha''s targeted attacks appear to do nothing to the unflinching stone, but slowly, more cracks form in the mortar surrounding the brick she''s focusing on. And then, as if she exceeded some predetermined damage threshold, the grout turns to powder, and the brick is shattered into hundreds of fragments.


    But Tabitha doesn''t stop there; once the first brick is gone, she targets the one next to the hole she made. And that brick breaks even faster than the first one for some reason. One by one, Tabitha carves out the corner of the roof until there''s a hole big enough for us to enter.


    "You, ok?" I slowly approach Tabitha, who''s winded.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Though she says that, she¡¯s forced to wipe a considerable amount of sweat from her face, and honestly, she looked a little pale to me.


    Breaking through the wall took a lot out of her, which begged the question, how were these bricks so strong? They weren¡¯t enchanted; they had more mana than ordinary bricks, but not a significant amount, not enough to hold back Tabitha.


    ¡°Are you good to go inside?¡± I ask Tabitha, who''s forced to take a drink of water.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± she straightens her back and wipes the last trace of sweat from her face, projecting an air of confidence. Tabitha liked to talk big, but I knew she was tired after that display. She was still worn out from killing the water phoenix, and the bricks were just the metaphorical stone that broke the camel''s back.


    "Alright," I pretend not to notice her struggling not to wobble in place. "I''ll get the light."


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    It takes little mana to cast my light spell and hop into the now-open building. The building was big enough that I was confident it used to have two stories, but either the floor was made from wood and rotted out a long time ago, or it was stone and collapsed in on itself.


    The building overall was slanted enough that I could slide down the nearest wall to the bottom. But, as I was already aware, there wasn''t any hidden treasure down here. While most of the building was still intact, it was slowly breaking down around what used to be the windows and door, allowing large amounts of soil to fall in.


    The ground was littered with bricks that had come loose over time and were the reason I wanted down here. Reaching down, I grab one of the still intact ones to scrutinize it. Tabitha slides down behind me, but she only needs to see the state of the building before frowning in disappointment. I ignore her pointed glare and instead focus on the brick in my hands.


    What a unique mana structure. It almost looked like there were tiny springs of mana throughout the stone. Moreover, it was handmade and not carved from naturally forming rock. What''s more, I was having trouble picking out what elements it was made of.


    There were small traces of iron, but that was only one of a dozen different metals contained within it. I was tempted to build an external frame backpack like Dad taught me and carry as many of the stones back with us as I could. Who knows what I could get from them if I melted a bunch down?


    But I already knew that wasn''t viable, so I took the brick in my hand and stashed it in my bag.


    ¡°All that for a brick,¡± Tabitha complains in the dark.


    ¡°At least we learned how strong the buildings are and how they lasted so long," I try to get Tabitha to see that this wasn¡¯t pointless.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Tabitha reluctantly agrees.


    ¡°If we come across another one of these, then maybe we can use it as a campsite,¡± I suggest.


    ¡°Only if it doesn¡¯t have too many holes,¡± Tabitha walks over to the part of the nearby wall that''s in the process of collapsing. "I''m sure you noticed it; once a hole is made, it''s much easier to break through."


    I did notice that. To be precise, it was the mortar that went out first. ¡°It¡¯s just conjecture, but I think the stones needed the support of the mortar to displace the energy of our attacks.¡±


    ¡°Whatever; can we get going now that you have your brick?¡± Tabitha grumbles, most likely because she''s tired or annoyed she had to use so much energy to break through a simple brick wall.


    ¡°Of course, thanks for helping me,¡± I smile under the light of my spell.


    Tabitha pretends to ignore me, but I can see the corner of her mouth threatening to curve up.


    The two of us climb out of the underground building together, but before we set off again, I collect a sample of the mortar from where Tabitha made the hole. You never know; maybe I''ll find something out if I examine it with Sandra.


    With our detour completed, we began running again; only this time, I had to slow down because Tabitha was more tired than she wanted to admit. Nevertheless, we still easily avoid all the strong magic beasts with Sense Mana''s help, and we pass dozens of more buried buildings, some of which were remarkably intact, while others were just piles of those strange bricks.


    The buildings weren¡¯t the only thing changing. The ground was gradually sloping upwards, and the mana in the air was reaching even more obnoxious levels. Finally, we were getting close to the heart.


    The gradual incline grew steeper, and soon Tabitha and I were climbing a mountain instead of running. The towering cliff face wasn¡¯t completely vertical, but it was damn near.


    Halfway up the mountain, the last tree branch overhead disappeared, and we were treated to an open sky for the first time in weeks. The fun felt amazing on my face and was the boost we needed to climb faster and reach the top.


    And when we did, everything we went through until now was worth this moment. The silent falcon, the goblins, the elemental, the water phoenix, the sleepless nights; I would do it all again if it meant I was treated to the sight before me.


    We reached the heart of the Endless Forest. We made it!

 Ch: 115.5

    I''ve never seen anything as magical as the lake before us. And I¡¯ve seen a decent amount of magical stuff in the short time I¡¯ve been alive on this world. However, the lake topped everything.


    It was more magical than the massive trees we''d been walking through.


    More breathtaking than the first time I set foot in the bottom of Master¡¯s mine and experienced that much mana for the first time.


    The lake trumped every magical creature I¡¯ve seen, and then some, and was more intimidating than the soul devourer.


    Looking at the landscape filled me with so many emotions it was hard to tell exactly what I felt. Excitement, pride, fear; I didn''t know.


    We had spent a good chunk of time climbing what we thought was a mountain, but now that we were on top of it, we realized it was anything but. Tabitha and I were now standing on the rim of a giant impact crater in the heart of the Endless Forest. And at the bottom of the crater was a lake like no other, but what surrounded the lake made it magical.


    The sides of the deep pit went down much farther than what we climbed up to get here and looked to be lined with millions of grey rocks. But upon closer inspection, I see; instead, it''s lined with loose bricks, the exact same kind that made up the buildings I¡¯ve been sensing. Speaking of which, they were everywhere too.


    Crumbling buildings were all over the place, sticking out of the sides of the crater¡¯s walls. Some still stood proud, albeit at odd angles, suggesting they weren¡¯t built that way.


    I wish I could say that the presence of so many buildings was the most exciting thing about the crater, but they were only the first thing to grab the eye of the long list of magical things in front of us. Because while the buildings were incredible, they couldn''t hold a candle to the bubble of mana encasing most of the crater.


    The bubble was light blue and started halfway down into the crater, and inside that bubble were fish flying through the air as if it was water. But there was no water, or at least only at the bottom of the bubble where the actual lake was; instead, the bubble was formed of highly dense mana currents all originating from said lake.


    All the mana was of the water attribute, and the atmosphere was so charged with the stuff even though we weren¡¯t yet near the bubble, it felt like I was drowning in the ocean.


    You would think it would be impossible for anything to live in such dense amounts of mana, but as we all know, life loves to find a way.


    Thousands of fish-type magic beasts were swimming through the bubble, so much so that I questioned if I was looking at the world¡¯s largest aquarium. But no matter how close they flew towards the edge, the fish stayed inside the bubble, leading me to believe it was what was allowing them to fly in such a unique way.


    Outside the bubble, there was less life, but not none. There were dozens of crab species picking at the grey bricks, removing moss and what I suspect is magical algae. But all the big plants were inside the sphere, making it a world unto itself.


    There were weird grasses that looked oddly like seaweed. I spot an orange flower shaped like a clam. And from where we were, I could even pick out a willow tree inside the sphere.


    The tree wasn¡¯t unnaturally big like the ones surrounding the crater, but it was just as unique. I called it a willow tree because it had thousands of long thin branches covered with small leaves. But unlike your typical willow tree, its limbs weren¡¯t drooping towards the ground and instead spread in every direction and swaying as if underwater.


    In fact, all the plants inside the bubble of mana swayed back and forth and grew upward like they were underwater.


    ¡°Have you ever seen anything like this?¡± Using my hands, I try to block the glare of the sun reflected by the magical bubble below us. I turn my head towards Tabitha, but my eyes never leave the enchanting scene in front of me.


    ¡°Never,¡± Tabitha responds, equally as captivated by the sight as I am. She doesn''t use her hands to block out the glare, but I see her squinting.


    "we have nothing like this in Scholl."


    I want to ask what she means by that, only to exclaim, "Holly shit," and point at a distant figure deep inside the bubble. ¡°Am I seeing things, or is that a shark?¡±


    ¡°Not a species I¡¯m familiar with, but yes,¡± Tabitha nods at the magic beast. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know of such beasts.¡±


    ¡°My mom comes from a merchant family, she¡¯s told me loads of stories of weird and exciting animals,¡± I smirk at Tabitha. I wasn¡¯t lying to her, per say, but I wasn¡¯t telling her the whole truth either. Mother taught me the word for shark, and gave me a short description of them from what she¡¯s read from books, but it was my past life¡¯s knowledge I was mostly pulling from.


    However, I¡¯m not even sure if I should be calling the thing a shark or a whale? It looked like a shark but it was the size of a medium-sized whale, and I didn''t need to see the inside of its mouth to know to avoid it at all costs. "But aren''t sharks supposed to be in the ocean?"


    Tabitha snorts at me. ¡°Yor mother must have gotten bad information if you think sharks only live in the ocean. Scholl has many species living in our lakes and underground waterways; not all are aggressive or dangerous.¡±


    ¡°You think that one is friendly?¡± I ask sarcastically, but in my head, I note that sharks aren''t limited to salt water in this world.


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    ¡°No,¡± Tabitha says flatly. ¡°Even from this distance, I can sense the danger that magic beast radiates. It is certainly over level 100," she proclaims darkly.


    ¡°You can tell that from all the way up here?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Tabitha casts a curious look at me. ¡°Most skills that let a person judge another''s level work on line of sight, so long as you can see the majority of the target. Yours does not?"


    I shake my head, admitting I need to be closer. I¡¯ve only ever looked at the souls of people and monsters within two thousand feet of me. If it¡¯s any farther than that, my skill can¡¯t reach them at its current level.


    ¡°That is quite the weakness.¡± Though it sounds like she¡¯s insulting me, I know it was just Tabitha¡¯s way of warning me I need to be careful if distance is an issue. And she¡¯s right; it doesn''t help me if I need to get up close and personal to scan a target only to learn its way above my level and that I need to retreat.


    "I''ll be careful,¡± I tell her soberly. If we could see a level 100 beast from here, it meant the bubble was a hazardous place to be. Of course, that only made me want to get closer to it, and if Tabitha¡¯s grin is anything to go off of, she feels the same.


    Sadly, that would have to wait. "We can''t stay here, can we?" I ask, feeling an itch starting to form on my skin.


    Tabitha frowns and nods in agreement. ¡°The mana here is too dense for us to camp. If we try sleeping here, we''ll get mana poisoning, and I need to rest before entering such a place." She looked ashamed to admit it, but Tabitha and I knew she was running on fumes. We had hours before the sun went down out in the open like this, but if we had to go back into the forest to camp, we would have less than half that time.


    "I suggest we should be safe and return to the ruins we found. There were no beasts around it, and since we just opened it, we know nothing is living there. So it should be a safe spot for us to rest."


    Tabitha smiles in approval at my suggestion. ¡°That should be fine, and though the mana is still strong there, it¡¯s better than this.¡±


    And like that, the two of us agree to leave the heart of the forest. For now. We''ll be back tomorrow or the day after if Tabitha needs a little longer to return to 100%.


    I take one last look at the crater in front of us before reluctantly turning around. But as I turn, I think I see something move out of the corner of my eye.


    ¡°See something?¡± Tabitha asks me after I don''t start moving toward the crater''s edge


    .


    "It was only for a split second, but I think I saw something moving over there,¡± I point east of our location, but the only thing you could see now was the tops of the sea of trees. "Hang on; you see that?" I point far into the distance, where I thought I saw the movement just now. It was hard to see with the uneven tree line, but it looked the there was a black spot in the forest. ¡°What do you think that is?¡± I ask Tabitha.


    ¡°Who knows, we can check it out later if you want, but we need to leave,¡± she reminds me.


    ¡°OK,¡± I reply, marking the area in my brain. The ruins we found were south, and the spot was in a part of the forest we had yet to explore. However, I must ignore it for now as Tabitha and I slowly start descending back down the crater.


    It sucks that we must backtrack after finally finding the heart of the forest, but there was no way we could safely camp in an area with that much ambient mana. Not to mention the magic beasts that might be prowling the area. Anything that could survive in that kind of environment had either adapted to do so or was even stronger than Tabitha.


    It takes some time, but we eventually return to the building buried in the ground. We''ll sleep inside it once the sun disappears, but until then, I work to get a small fire going. While I¡¯m setting up camp, Tabitha sits on the root obscuring the hole she punched into the building. Her eyes weren¡¯t closed, but she was regulating her breathing semi-meditatively.


    As Tabitha''s recovering, I double and triple-scan our surroundings with Sense Mana to make sure we aren''t drawing too much attention. There are a few magic beasts in our general vicinity, but judging by the amount of mana they have, they''re only around level 50, meaning they''re the weakest of the weak this far into the forest.


    If any of them get too close, I''ll handle them so Tabitha can focus on regaining her strength. I had no delusions about which of us would be carrying the other in the forest''s heart. So I needed Tabitha to be at her best.


    Thankfully, none of the creatures I¡¯m sensing appear to care about us, so there¡¯s that. Now is the perfect time to check out my status page.


    LV: 75 Experience: 530,331/ 1,054,850


    Health: 2,530/2,530


    Stamina 1,195.87/1,697


    Mana: 933.41/1,030


    Vitality: 253.02


    Endurance: 100.35


    Strength: 156.02


    Dexterity: 156.01


    Senses: 62.69


    Mind: 65.57


    Magic: 103.33


    Clarity: 79.24


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV80), Running (LV79), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV70), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV51), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV45), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV36), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV28), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV11), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV80), Double Step (LV67), Charm (LV50), Hammer Arts (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Intimidating Shout (LV34), Steady Hands (LV33), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV13), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV63), Double Strike (LV45), Weighted Strike (LV45), Precise Strike (LV44), Flash Step (LV36), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV10), Poison Resistance (LV3)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV61), Mana Skin (LV60), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV39), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV25), Air Walk (LV21), Empowered Spell (LV17), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3), Multi-Strike (LV4)


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV19)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV10)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Cooking (LV44-45) 4,450exp


    Acting (LV36) 1,800exp


    Dancing (LV27-28) 2,750exp


    Gourmet (LV11-13) 3,600exp


    Poison Resistance (LV1-3) 900exp


    Magic Threads (LV25) 6,250exp


    Empowered Spell (LV17) 4,250exp


    Multi-Strike (LV2-4) 2,250exp


    Skill Experience: 26,250exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,177exp


    Fighting Experience: 2,934exp


    Total experience Gained: 29,361exp


    Not the most growth I¡¯ve ever seen, but it isn¡¯t like I¡¯ve done much since the battle with the goblins. Tabitha has handled almost every beast we¡¯ve come across since then. And though she''s been finding time to give me some pointers, we''ve only been doing light sparring; on account, we were both still recovering.


    I got a bit of experience and a few skill levels from cooking magic beast meat every night, but other than that, not much has changed.


    Sure, I got Poison Resistance a few days ago, but it would take a while to raise it to the point that it becomes anything worth much.


    I mainly wanted to check my status page to see where my Health and Mana were at. It had taken entirely too long to recover after the fight with the goblins fully, and that was with my healing factor boosted by the status points I put into it during the fight.


    I wanted to be in tip-top shape for when we entered the heart of the forest, and other than a bit of missing mana, I was.


    Though reaching the heart did expose me to a danger I wasn¡¯t used to worrying about, mana poisoning. When Del first showed me the magicite vein in the bottom of his mine, I was already relatively high level. The heart of the Endless Forest was similar but multiple leagues above what I was used to enduring.


    We hadn''t been standing on the crater''s edge for long, but in the time that we were, my body had absorbed a ridiculous amount of ambient man. And that was without me pulling it from the air to speed up my regain like usual. My body was hard at work converting the raw mana into something usable, but for once, I would need to work on blocking out ambient mana rather than trying to absorb it. A first for me. But at least I had an idea of how to do so.


    While Tabitha¡¯s recovering tonight, I will start improving Mana Skin. It was at its second test, and it was time I started figuring out how to improve it. I doubted I could break past the barrier tonight, but I needed to start somewhere, and better protecting myself against mana was as good a start as any other.


    But how did I do that? Mana Skin was actually two barriers; one overlapped over the other with a microscopic void between them. I designed and implemented that to pass my level 40 test; maybe I should try increasing it to three.


    That would help, but it wouldn¡¯t be that much of a boost. Two shields already reduced blunt force damage by quite a bit and reduced the effects of slashing attacks by a noticeable margin, but were absolutely useless against piercing damage.


    The more focused an attack is, the easier it can puncture Mana Skin; another layer wouldn''t do much to stop that. But it will insulate me from the surrounding mana. So, even if it won''t change much in the grand scheme of things, that''s where I''ll start.


    Channeling my mana, I pour more into Mana Skin and direct it to its outermost reaches to try forming a third layer over the two I had up. I still needed to sleep tonight to be fresh for tomorrow, but until then, I''ll focus on improving my skill.


    And once I have that done, I think of ways to strengthen it further.


    I refuse to be more of a burden to Tabitha than I already am.

 Ch: 116.1

    I don¡¯t know what it was, but staring up at the outer edges of the crater for the second time, they felt more intimidating to me, probably because I knew what lay on the other side of them.


    It was hard not to question myself, but thankfully that¡¯s what Tabitha was here for.


    ¡°You ready?¡± She turns and asks me casually, but there is no mistaking the excitement on her face.


    It¡¯s funny, but seeing Tabitha so enthusiastic, somehow comforts me. The heart of the forest was dangerous for both of us, and yet she didn¡¯t have a hint of fear, only a desire to challenge herself. What kind of partner would I be if I couldn''t match that energy? After all, this was what I wanted, a sense of adventure and a chance to explore the unknown.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I respond in a clear voice without much hesitation. There was no backing out now, and I refused to be a burden for Tabitha.


    ¡°Good,¡± Tabitha grins at me before once again turning back to the mountain that was the crater''s edge looking up in thought. "We won''t know what it''s like inside the bubble, but we can¡¯t stay there for long,¡± She warns me. ¡°I give us seven; no, six hours before we must leave. If we stay longer, we''ll start suffering the effects of mana poisoning.¡±


    I nod, but while Tabitha isn''t looking at me, I swallow a lump in my throat. Master warned me about what happens when someone takes in too much ambient mana. Of course, everyone has a different threshold that they can handle, but the side effects were always the same.


    The first thing a person feels when suffering from mana poisoning is a burning sensation on the skin, and the pain only grows the more mana you absorb.


    Two days ago, when we were on the crater''s edge, I felt a slight burning sensation, the earliest sign of mana poisoning. Master said depending on a person''s skills, stat spread, and levels; it¡¯s possible to feel a burning sensation for hours, sometimes days, before a person experiences the next stage of mana poisoning, depending on how bad the ambient mana is.


    But once a person absorbs enough raw environmental mana, they¡¯ll enter stage two. And when that happens, a person will randomly start having their mana-based skills and spells fail on them, with the failures increasing until the person can no longer use either.


    Stage three is more straightforward in that your entire body erupts in soul-crushing pain as you slowly lose your health. Master said that if I ever made it to stage three, I was to immediately run to an area with as little mana as possible because once a person passes stage three, they suffer permanent damage that not even status points can heal.


    That leads us to stage four, the destruction of a person''s mana network. Even if you survive the excruciating levels of pain it takes to reach stage four, by that point, the massive amounts of mana your body has absorbed will have crippled you for life, and anything mana-related will be impossible.


    And finally, stage five, death. The body can no longer contain the mana it''s absorbed in any form, and you burn up from the inside out and disintegrate into dust, much like when I pump too much mana into an item. Only the process is drawn out because the body tries to resist what''s happening to it, leading to a very slow and agonizing death.


    With the area we¡¯re heading to, being like it is, it was a given that Tabitha and I would suffer at least some form of mana poisoning. The trick was for us to leave before either of us reached stage two, and things started to get complicated.


    Most of my skills were mana based, and if even one of them started to stop working, I would be in big trouble. It would be especially bad if that skill were Mana Skin, which was my primary defense against the high ambient mana in the first place.


    Tabitha had recovered to 95% by yesterday morning, but as a team, we decided to wait another day until she had recovered to peak condition. After discussing it, we concluded that we would only spend a minimal time inside the bubble based on how bad the ambient mana was.


    Tabitha''s enchanted armor acts similar to what Mana Skin does for me and repels a specific amount of mana, while her high level and stats take care of the rest. But even then, she told me she was reluctant to stay more than seven hours, and now she¡¯s reduced it further to six, and we weren''t even in the crater yet.


    I might be able to fair better than her, but it was a toss-up at this point. Thanks to the extra day of rest, I managed to increase the thickness of Mana Skin to three layers. Mana Skin is now strong enough to fully protect me from the extreme levels of mana outside the crater, but I still need to see how it does once we climb up. But I¡¯m confident I can last as long as Tabitha, maybe even longer.


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    I would¡¯ve loved to break past level 60, but it wasn''t that long ago Mana Skin finally reached that level, and this was its second bottleneck. Mental resistance took forever to break through, and I suspected Mana Skin would be just as hard. But while I had to torture myself to increase Mental Resistance and hope it leveled up, I could be more active in trying to improve Mana Skin.


    I had many ideas on how to strengthen my skill; it was only implementing my ideas that I was having trouble with. Any change to Mana Skin, besides just adding another layer, requires absolute precision on my part on an almost microscopic level. So if I wanted to improve Mana Skin, it would require the help of my other skills as well.


    However, this wasn¡¯t the time to question my skills, as hesitation could kill me. Instead, I would have to deal with where they were at now and try to improve them later.


    With that in mind, Tabitha and I start climbing.


    The second time climbing the outer walls of the crater was much easier than the first time. Tabitha wasn''t winded this time, and we made it to the top twice as fast as we initially did.


    I had thought I had mentally prepared myself enough over the last two days to return here, but now that we were back staring down at the massive bubble of magic, I couldn''t help but openly gape again. I could see this view daily for the rest of my life, and I''m sure I''d be floored every single time.


    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Tabitha orders.


    "I''m not leading anymore?" I''m not mad that Tabitha insists she takes the lead, but I am curious why as I move closer to her.


    ¡°Are you telling me your sensing skills will work down there?" Tabitha''s tone is flat, not disbelieving, just inquisitive.


    "Maybe?" I hesitantly answer. "As we were climbing, I reduced the area I was scanning with Sense Mana so that I wouldn''t get a headache," I explain.


    ¡°What has it been reduced to?¡± Tabitha raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°I can now only sense things within 270 feet of me,¡± I admit embarrassingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a 40% reduction,¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t look surprised.


    "It''s actually 38%," I cheekily correct her, but neither of us laughs.


    "And your range will shrink further once we enter the bubble," Tabitha matter-of-factly states. "With your senses limited to such a degree, I better take point."


    Because I''m useless without Senses Mana''s range, I darkly think to myself. Of course, Tabitha doesn''t say that, but putting two and two together is easy.


    "We should move," Tabitha beckons me to the edge leading into the crater. "Time is already ticking down."


    "You''re right," I bury my feelings down and force a smile.


    "Stay close," she reminds me again before hopping into the crater.


    I jump after Tabitha, but no sooner does she land on the first outcropping of loose gray bricks does she stop in place and looks down at her feet. I''m about to ask what¡¯s wrong as I land beside her, but I quickly realize what is bugging her. Even though the bricks weren''t connected, they retained some of their force-absorbing qualities.


    It was like the bricks sucked up all the force from my landing. I try jumping in place and find I need to apply more Strength than usual if I want to get any height. Using Air Walk, I could cheat and technically never touch the stones, but that wouldn¡¯t work for Tabitha.


    Tabitha¡¯s fighting style is based around movement; how will she protect us if she can¡¯t move properly? As I¡¯m wondering that, Tabitha¡¯s feet blur, and she jumps further into the crater with a look of concentration on her face.


    Letting out a sigh, I follow after her. Of course, she could overcome the effects of the bricks with skills. However, which of her skills was she using, and how much Stamina did it eat up to use them constantly?


    Tabitha slows down to get used to the sensation of moving on the bricks, which is good for me because I''m struggling as well. I manage to keep up with her by using Air Walk every three steps, but I¡¯m still burning more from my stamina and mana pools than I would like.


    At least nothing attacks us as we slowly make our way down to the blue bubble. The only magic beasts around us were crabs and other bottom feeders. Plus, thanks to the bleak terrain, it was easy to keep an eye out for anything approaching us. The only place anything could hide was behind the destroyed buildings, which were spread out enough that it wasn''t that big of an issue.


    While jumping around, I steal a closer look at the wildlife, and surprisingly, or not surprisingly, they¡¯re all relatively high level for being at the bottom of the food chain. For example, the biggest crabs, which weren¡¯t that different from king crabs back on Earth, were all around level 40. Heck, even a brightly colored sea-slug-looking creature less than a foot long was level 25.


    And besides their impressive levels, seeing them interact with the force-absorbing bricks was interesting. Everything was foraging for food, and while there was some visible dirt for them to move on, it was impossible for them not to touch the bricks at certain times.


    The crabs had it the easiest; using their long spindly legs, they expertly wedged their appendages into crevices for support. The sea slugs, however, those things were hilarious to watch. They moved slower than snails while inching across the bricks, trying to scrape food from them, but that wasn''t the funny part. When the slugs were full, they simply stopped trying to hold themselves in place and easily slid down whatever surface they were on.


    Other than the animals, there was little to look at. We passed close enough to a few buildings that I could scan with Sense Mana, but like the ones buried underground outside the crater, they were all empty.


    At least the deeper we traveled into the crater, the better we could make out what awaited us in the bubble. I quickly lose count of the hundreds of different fish species I see. Some looked like regular fish, while others more closely resembled birds with scales.


    I try to spot the massive shark we saw two days ago, but thankfully it wasn''t around. While the bubble of water mana was relatively transparent, it still distorted light, meaning you couldn''t look straight through it and see the other side. And with the size of the bubble, you could never see more than a thousand feet in any one direction.


    We could only see the lake at the bottom of the crater because it was producing its own light.


    Thinking about it now, water didn''t usually glow. And for it to create such a magic phenomenon probably meant it wasn''t really water to begin with.


    Maybe when we''re inside the bubble, I''ll better understand what''s going on. Speaking of which, we''re here.


    Tabitha and I stopped twenty feet from the magic bubble, as neither of us was just going to rush in.


    ¡°See anything dangerous?¡± I ask Tabitha, not spotting anything nearby.


    ¡°Nope; can your mana senses pierce the bubble?¡± She probes.


    ¡°A little bit,¡± I grit my teeth as I force my skill past the blue barrier. ¡°There¡¯s so much mana on the other side,¡± a single bead of sweat forms on my forehead.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tabitha walks forward until she¡¯s right in front of the bubble. Then, raising her hand, she places it on the blue film and slowly pushes her fingers through.


    I hear Tabitha audibly wince as the ambient mana engulfs her gauntlet hand. ¡°It¡¯s bearable,¡± she grunts more to herself than to me.


    Mana Skin was working overtime to shield me from the waves of mana being cast off from the bubble, but my skin was already warming up. From the time we reached the top of the rim of the crater to where we were now, it had only been forty-five minutes, and I was already starting to feel the effects of mana poisoning.


    It was only a slight sensation for now, but it was a good reminder that we were on the clock.


    ¡°See you on the other side,¡± Tabitha turns and grins at me before stepping fully into the bubble.


    "Here goes nothing," I mumble to myself as I follow after her.

 Ch: 116.2

    The ambient mana felt like it was crushing me and trying to push me back the way I came as I forced my way into the magic bubble.


    "Take your time," Tabitha instructs me after I''m entirely in. However, it¡¯s not like I could do anything else at the moment. The mana pressure was so bad it was compressing Mana Skins'' layers against one another.


    The gap between layers was so minuscule you''d need a magnifying glass to see them, but they were important in keeping my skill running optimally. Unfortunately, with the layers rubbing up against one another like they were now, they were slowly eating away at each other, requiring more mana to sustain them. The extra cost was acceptable for the moment, but I would need to find a solution if I wanted to stay down here longer.


    For a few agonizing minutes, I¡¯m forced to stand perfectly still as I adjust to a new level of ambient mana I¡¯ve never experienced before. While doing so, I learned Tabitha was right regarding Sense Mana¡¯s range needing to be reduced further. From the already reduced range of 270 feet, my skills range has to be limited even further to a pitiful 84 feet, less I want to fry my brain.


    Usually, Sense Mana helped me find the invisible currents flowing throughout the world, but now that it was so thick anybody could see it, it was too much to take in. I could still use my skill to examine things close to me, but the farther away I got, the more interference I faced.


    It was too bad; this would be the perfect place to train Sense Mana if I wasn''t slowly poisoning myself just standing here.


    In my head, I was keeping count of how long we''d been here, and we had just passed the fifty-minute mark. We had, at most, a few hours to explore deeper into the crater before we had to turn back, so I needed to hurry and get used to the mana.


    As if mocking my inability to move, a school of small silvery fish swims through the air not ten feet away from us. Nervously, I try to reach for my hammer, but it''s like I''m moving through wet cement. Each fish was only around level 20, but considering there were hundreds of them in the group, there was a real possibility that they could be dangerous.


    The school swims back and forth, slowly inching towards Tabitha and I. Tabitha was already able to move and was ready to draw her sword; thankfully, it never comes to that.


    For a few tense seconds, a handful of the fish broke off from the school and swam around our feet, but they were only interested in the algae we kicked up from walking. The school takes turns sending groups of fish to eat around us, but other than that, they do nothing else and leave soon after.


    At least that means not everything is aggressive here, but I needed to be able to move. Gritting my teeth, I channel an extra fifty points of mana into Mana Skin and direct it to the outermost layer. Doing so pushes back against the brunt of the ambient mana, and it becomes slightly easier to move. Fifty mana points were nothing compared to what was pushing against me, but my structured mana was stronger than the loose ambient mana.


    I still didn¡¯t have my full range of movement, but at least I could react to a school of fish.


    ¡°Can you move?¡± Tabitha asks me.


    ¡°Getting there,¡± I grunt, taking a few test swings with my hammer.


    Tabitha nods, ¡°We¡¯ll move slowly then.¡±


    Together, we walk deeper into the crater, and I''m amazed by how much life we come across. There are bright flowers with petals that move like anemone tendrils, multiple different types of grasses that have changed to resemble seaweed, and all of it was growing out from underneath a thick layer of grey bricks.


    ¡°See anything you want to check out?¡± Tabitha asks, casting a glance back at me.


    "I would appreciate it if you guided us to the willow tree we saw, but aren''t you leading us?" I''m confused because I don''t understand what role I''m supposed to play here.


    Tabitha scans our surroundings before turning around and facing me. ¡°You¡¯re the crafter,¡± she reminds me. ¡°I¡¯m content walking forward, avoiding anything too strong for us to handle. I''m interested to see what lives at the bottom of the crater, but not much else; we''re mainly here for you. If you want to get closer to something, you only need to tell me, and I¡¯ll take us in that direction.¡±


    Tabitha''s words touch me. Since she had to take over, I thought she would prioritize fighting over exploring, but that apparently wasn''t the case. She must know how much I wanted to collect samples, and despite our limited time, she was going out of her way to ensure I collected everything I wanted. ¡°Thank you,¡± I emotionally choke out.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Tabitha waved off my thanks like it was no big deal, all while not attempting to hide her smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go check out your weird tree,¡± she says, turning around and leading us toward the plant in the distance.


    The tree in question wasn¡¯t that far away from us, maybe only a little deeper into the crater and a quarter mile off to the side. Tabitha and I could cover that distance in mere seconds if we were outside the crater, but with the grey stone underneath us, and the crushing weight of the mana around us, it takes three whole minutes for us to make it to the willow tree.


    The overall size of the crater was no joke. It looked huge while we were standing on the rim, but now that we were inside it, I''d wager the crater was at least 89 miles wide, and that was being conservative. You could easily fit multiple cities the size of Drey here and still have room to expand.


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    When we finally reach the tree, we stop and take in the sight of the magical plant. The tree''s long thin branches stretched out in every direction and swayed in the mana, giving the impression that they were alive. Countless small fish of all shapes and colors were weaving in and out of the moving tree limbs.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± I can¡¯t help but mutter.


    ¡°It is quite the sight,¡± Tabitha adds without much fanfare. ¡°Well, should we move on to our next destination?¡± She asks, seemingly already over the glorious scene in front of us.


    I can¡¯t help but giggle even though Tabitha wasn¡¯t trying to be funny, but that¡¯s what was hilarious about her. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, can we take a minute and check out its trunk?¡± I ask in between laughing and trying to catch my breath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s funny, but if that¡¯s what you want,¡± Tabitha lazily shrugs before leading us into the tangled mess of tree branches.


    As we''re walking, I grab one of the tree branches that brush against my arm. I wish I could remove one of my gloves and feel its surface, but that would require me to lower Mana Skin around my hand. Sighing, I resign myself to just taking a sample. Of course, it won''t be the same once it''s severed, but at least I can examine the branch after we leave the crater.


    I yank on the thin tree limb, expecting it to break, but nothing happens. I try again, this time with both hands and all my strength, but yet again, the branch merely bends and doesn¡¯t snap. For my third attempt, I drew my knife and tried to cut the tip of the branch as it was the thinnest part, only to have my knife unable to even leave a mark on the pencil-thick branch.


    Okay, I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be so sturdy. The willow tree was a thousand times smaller than the ones outside the crater, but it appeared it was just as strong, maybe even stronger. Maybe that shouldn¡¯t be surprising; after all, it was living in the harshest environment I¡¯ve ever seen. If a regular tree had even a fraction of a percent of the mana coursing through the tree in front of me, it would¡¯ve disintegrated instantly.


    Now I really wanted a piece to study, but how could I get it?


    ¡°Need some help?¡± Tabitha notices my struggle and slowly draws her sword. Only¡­.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask. ¡°It may damage your sword," I point out to her. My knife was noticeably duller now, and while that was a problem, it wasn''t my primary weapon like Tabitha''s sword was to her.


    ¡°Just hold it taut for me," she instructs, rolling her eyes.


    I do as instructed and hold the vine-like tree limb out in front of me. Tabitha raises her blade, and I watch as she adjusts her stance. This would be an excellent opportunity to see one of her full power swings up close.


    I ready myself for her swing, but I think Tabitha sees what I''m trying to do because she smirks at me like she does when we¡¯re sparring. A flash of light passes dangerously close to my right hand, but I don¡¯t have time to react before Tabitha is already re-sheathing her sword.


    ¡°Really, was that necessary?" I shake out my right hand as if I touched something hot while the cut piece of willow branch dangles in my left.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean?¡± Tabitha looks away coyly.


    "Well, thanks anyways," I stash the two-foot-long tree piece in my bag.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Tabitha looks back at me and grins.


    After procuring my sample, we quickly reach the tree''s trunk. Around the base of the tree was a mound of grey bricks; you could see where the tree had slowly grown up from and pushed them aside. The trunk''s diameter was only a few feet wide, but despite the mana pulling its many limbs in every direction, the tree¡¯s trunk never moved a centimeter.


    Imagine what I could do with wood like this. With its superior mana conductivity and strength, it would make for an excellent spear shaft or the perfect handle for any weapon. Too bad, there''s no way Tabitha''s sword could cut through it. Or maybe.... I look at Tabitha longingly.


    ¡°No,¡± she flatly tells me.


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t asked anything yet,¡± I whine.


    "You want me to try and get me to cut you a thicker piece,¡± her eyes narrow knowingly.


    I shrug, ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±


    I¡¯m about to tell Tabitha we can move on now when a bright yellow shape catches my eye. It was close enough that Sense Mana could tell me what type of creature it was, but until it caught my eye, I was content to ignore it until now.


    A seahorse-looking magic beast was anchored to one of the many branches several feet from us. It was over two feet from head to tail, had a long bulbous snout, and had an eye-catching blue and yellow coloration. The magic beast was also level 54, but it seemed content to mind it''s business until I focused on it.


    The seahorse''s long snout expands as it sucks in large quantities of water mana, and my eyes widen as Sense Mana picks up exactly what the magic beast is doing. It was using its mana to line the inside of its mouth to contain and compress the ambient mana it drew in. And as soon as that mana is compressed enough, it launches it out of its mouth at me. I had time to bring my hammer''s head up and block the attack, but everything happened so quickly.


    I am forced to choose whether or not to kill the beast as it starts fleeing. The attack it launched at me also served to rocket it backward at great speed, so if I were going to attack, I would need to do it now. I take one step toward the fleeing creature, but I pause before I follow through, and in that time, the seahorse vanishes amongst the willow branches. Sense Mana tells me it''s hiding in a cluster of leaves nearby, but it wasn¡¯t preparing for another attack; it was trying to erase its presence.


    ¡°Not going to kill it?¡± Tabitha isn¡¯t surprised that I let it go.


    ¡°No, it was just frightened,¡± I lower my hammer.


    ¡°Still a decent attack,¡± Tabitha notes, glancing in the direction the seahorse was hiding.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen ambient mana used like that,¡± I note.


    ¡°Neither have I,¡± Tabitha tells me. ¡°But then again, an attack like that could only be done in a place like this.¡±


    Yet another unique way to use mana. Not very useful to me, but¡­.


    Wait, just a minute! Maybe I can use the ambient mana in much the same way the seahorse did.


    ¡°We should get moving,¡± Tabitha suggests, unaware I had a crazy idea I wanted to try.


    ¡°Can I get just a moment, please?¡± I ask, moving over to the mound of bricks around the tree''s base.


    ¡°Need something from the tree?¡± She asks.


    "No, but I think I have a way to bolster my mana defenses further,¡± I tell her.


    Tabitha nods, ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°I only need a minute," I inform her before sitting on the mound of bricks and closing my eyes.


    The seahorse formed a physical attack by compressing the ambient mana. So I thought, what would happen if I let some ambient mana into Mana Skin and compressed it between my three layers? The ambient mana would insulate the layers from each other and keep them from rubbing up against one another. The ambient mana would strengthen my defenses without using any more of my personal mana, though I could only do it while inside the bubble.


    Manipulating my skill, I let a steady stream of outside mana breach past my initial two barriers. Of course, I don''t want it to touch me, so I don''t let it past my last barrier, but it doesn¡¯t take long before a sizable amount of mana accumulates against it. I then cut off the supply and plugged the small hole I was letting the mana pass through.


    I do the same thing between my second and third barriers, and when I¡¯m done, I feel much less pressure than I once was.


    ¡°Aaliyah, are you okay?¡± Tabitha¡¯s concerned voice draws my attention.


    I open my eyes and grin at Tabitha. ¡°I¡¯m better than okay. Unfortunately, my skill didn''t level, but I''ve shielded myself from 99% of the ambient mana.¡±


    Tabitha nods in understanding, but she still looks concerned. "And you''re sure you''re okay?" She asks again.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± I¡¯m confused by her reaction.


    ¡°Because if you haven¡¯t noticed, you¡¯ve turned blue," she waves her hand up and down, gesturing to my entire body.


    Looking down at my arms, everything from my exposed skin to my armor now had a bluish tint. I had indeed turned blue.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me what you did, or do I have to guess?¡± Tabitha asks me, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice when I don''t immediately explain myself.


    I briefly consider replying to Tabitha with a smart-ass remark, but we don¡¯t have time for that. I may be able to stay down here longer now, but she can¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m pulling a page from the seahorses¡¯ book and using the ambient mana to my advantage by shielding myself better. That''s why I turned blue; you''re seeing two layers of condensed water mana protecting me.¡±


    Tabitha clicks her teeth. ¡°You and your ridiculous magic talent. Of course, you would improve from encountering some random magic beast."


    I try to grin at Tabitha snarkily, but she was already turning around and walking away from me.


    So, our adventures continued; time elapsed one hour and twenty-three minutes.

 Ch: 116.3

    So much to explore, so little time.


    We were against the clock, but the longer we were in the mana bubble, the more accustomed we became to the environment. I had managed to block out most of the ambient mana while Tabitha was growing used to moving on top of the grey bricks.


    Descending the crater''s walls grew much easier, and other than stopping a few times to collect plant samples, we were making excellent time. An hour and forty-three minutes had passed since we entered the crater, and factoring in the extra time it would take to climb out rather than go in, minus the time we stopped to collect samples, we had roughly used up half of our valuable exploration time.


    Using Air Walk, I hop over another mound of grey bricks while Tabitha dances over it. Mana Skin wasn¡¯t my only skill seeing improved efficiency thanks to the high amounts of ambient mana. Also, with the surrounding mana being so thick, I only needed a barrier half the size I usually used to push off it. Meaning I could use my skill more often without it being a severe drain on my mana, allowing me to keep up with Tabitha, who was moving faster every second.


    And it wasn¡¯t that we were just getting used to our surroundings either. We were nearing the bottom, and the terrain was starting to level out more. However, these small hills of bricks were getting old fast. They were the remnants of old buildings and were popping up at increasing intervals. I wanted to fly up to see how many of them there were, but Tabitha forbade me from leaving her side.


    Much like the forest, the deeper we went into the crater, the stronger the fish we encountered became and the more aggressive they were. The worst was the pufferfish we encountered; they were like slow-floating sentient mines.


    When not inflated, the fish were the size of basketballs, but when angered, they expanded to the size of small children. The blunt force damage of my hammer did nothing against them, and the countless razor-sharp spikes covering their bodies were a pain to avoid. Tabitha could cut them with her sword, but under their balloon-like appearance was firm flesh that didn¡¯t comedically burst when punctured. The puffer fish were also highly territorial and lived in clusters, meaning we never dealt with just one.


    Neither Tabitha nor I have been harmed by their spines yet, but Tabitha warned me they were probably poisonous based on how her danger sense skill reacted to them.


    However, while most of the fish were becoming more aggressive, there were still the odd passive ones to be found. On our way down, we encountered several giant catfish-like magic beasts that were like swimming cows. They would use their giant mouths to suck up a handful of algae-covered grey bricks, swish them around in their mouths, then spit out the now-clean bricks. They didn¡¯t even care if we approached them; one even let me place my hand on it before it lazily swam away.


    There seemed to be an even mix of salt and freshwater species present, which begged the question, how did they get here? Did there use to be a lake here? And how far were we from the ocean? Some of the fish vaguely resembled birds, but they were the minority. What happened here?


    Did a meteor strike this place? It would¡¯ve had to be a big one to cause such a crater, and I refuse to believe that in a world filled with magic, especially a city that used force-absorbing bricks so liberally in their construction, they couldn¡¯t defend themselves from a rock falling from the sky.


    Then there was the crater''s center radiating all this mana. To fuel the Endless Forest for so long and still be able to produce this bubble, the lake at the center of the crater had to contain an ungodly amount of mana.


    Shit, while getting lost in my thoughts, the distance between Tabitha and I started to widen while we were moving over a particularly large pile of grey bricks. I must take an extra step with Air Walk to close the distance.


    However, as soon as I¡¯m next to Tabitha, I sense something large moving underneath us inside the pile of loose bricks.


    ¡°Tabitha!¡± I shout warningly as I immediately use Air Walk again to fling myself to the side. No sooner than I do, does a forty-foot eel emerge from a hidden hole amongst the rubble. A casual scan of its soul reveals its level to be around 85.


    But my warning was pointless because, by the time I reacted to the eel and called out to Tabitha, she was already drawing her sword in preparation for battle.


    "Back me up," Tabitha directs me as the eel slithers through the air, mouth open, intending to bite her in half. The eel''s maw stretched wider than its body, and if positioned right, it could easily swallow a human being.


    ¡°Understood,¡± I acknowledge her orders, holding my hammer at the ready. When Tabitha asks me to back her up, she means she wants me to watch our surroundings while she deals with whatever she needs to.


    Similarly, she could''ve asked me to ''back up,'' meaning she didn''t want me near the beast she was fighting. But Tabitha was always particular with her words, so if she wasn''t instructing me to run, she was confident she could deal with the eel without me needing to move very far.


    The eel''s hissing sounds like a raging waterfall as it angrily tries to bite Tabitha. Half its body was still anchored underground, while its top half wiggled through the air at blinding speeds. Tabitha could dodge and deflect the beast¡¯s attacks, but she moved much less than usual.


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    The grey bricks hindered Tabitha¡¯s movement, but she still held her own. With minimal movement, she uses her shield to smack the eel over the side of its head, stunning the beast for a second. Tabitha¡¯s sword flashes, aiming for the eel¡¯s left eye, but it does something neither of us expected.


    Sparkes of electricity dance over the eel¡¯s oily skin, and as soon as Tabitha¡¯s sword nears its face, the electricity jumps to Tabitha¡¯s sword like a lightning rod.


    Tabitha visibly tenses as an unknown amount of electricity zaps her, but it doesn''t keep her from following through with her swing. Her sword plunges into the eel¡¯s left eye, causing it to reel back in pain, far enough back that the electricity it''s emitting no longer reaches Tabitha.


    I wanted to rush over and help her, but I had a job to do. Using a combination of Flash Step and Air Walk, I move a dozen feet behind Tabitha, where a smaller eel uses the lull in battle to try and sneak attack Tabitha from behind.


    The second eel wasn¡¯t even a third of the size of the bigger one, but it was still a level 62 beast. Swinging my hammer, I ready Mana Skin to tank whatever electricity this smaller one will give off. My hammer clocks the new eel square in the face, and I¡¯m rewarded with a wave of mana in the form of electricity.


    Thankfully, with Mana Skin boosted by the ambient mana I have stored between its layers, the electrical discharge harmlessly bounces off me. Because its primary form of defense does nothing to me, I use Multi-Strike to deliver a series of four strikes straight to the smaller eel''s head. The eel''s leathery skin keeps its head from exploding, but the influx of experience informs me that it is dead.


    ¡°Aaliyah, dodge!¡± I hear Tabitha shout behind me.


    I don¡¯t hesitate to follow Tabitha¡¯s instructions, and thanks to Sense Mana, I can see what¡¯s happening without turning around. My range was severely limited, but an angry eel rushing me was hard to miss.


    I don¡¯t think the big one appreciated me killing its neighbor.


    At least with the giant eel focusing on me, I can help Tabitha out, even if I need to constantly use Air Walk to doge it''s relentless biting. And while the magic beast is focused on me, Tabitha isn''t standing by doing nothing. Instead, she''s relentlessly slashing at the eel''s large body, trying to get it to focus on her again.


    I wanted to get a hit in, but swinging my hammer while running through the sky, wasn''t easy. I would need to deploy a lot of Magic Threads to anchor myself properly, but that would keep me from being able to dodge the eel¡¯s swift attacks.


    I hate to admit it, but my larger weapon wasn''t helping me. It was great when I could adequately secure myself and make the best use of my Strength stat, but in situations like these, it was almost useless.


    When I return to the village, I will need to take a hard look at my weapon choice and decide if I will try and reforge it into something smaller or not.


    Kaglese was easier than dellinium to work on, but it was still a chore to reform after it had been quenched. It would take time, and I¡¯d have to redesign my weapon. Plus, I would probably need to add more mithril to the mixture after reheating it.


    ¡°Bring it this way,¡± Tabitha tells me. She was off to the side, preparing a powerful attack, and probably didn''t want to lose any energy chasing after the beast.


    I nod and dodge in her direction, leading the eel and its open mouth toward a waiting Tabitha. As I rush straight in her direction, I notice the smile on Tabitha''s face. It felt weird because it looked like the smile she gives me when she''s proud, mixed with her battle-hungry smile.


    As I closed the distance between us, Tabitha didn''t need to say anything further to me. So when I''m only a few feet in front of her, with the eel hot on my trail, I push off the mana-infused air and roll to the side to give Tabitha the room she needs to strike.


    I don¡¯t see the swing with my eyes, but I¡¯m close enough to Tabitha that Sense Mana picks up everything with its reduced range.


    Tabitha''s sword meets the eel''s fangs, and the former easily overcome the latter. Tabitha cleaves through a few stets of the eel''s teeth, all while being shocked by large amounts of electricity. She adjusts her sword halfway through her swing and carves a large gash in the side of the eel''s mouth. The large beast writhes in pain, leaving itself wide open for Tabitha to finish it off.


    But for some reason, she doesn''t. Instead, everything happens while I''m still tumbling through the air, so all I know is that instead of landing the killing blow on the injured magic beast, Tabitha''s form turns towards me, and she flashes in my direction.


    Tabitha uses Flash Step at least twice to reach me in a split second and tackle me to the ground. I''m about to ask what the hell she did that for when my words suddenly die in my throat.


    A large mass swims inches above us, moving at speeds I would have trouble reacting to even if I was prepared. I have just enough time to turn my head and steal a glance at the enormous whale shark zooming overhead. The color drains from my face when it finally dawns on me that I didn''t sense it coming in the slightest, and if Tabitha didn''t react as fast as she did, I''d have been swallowed whole.


    Thankfully, the shark has little interest in us. The large predator was much more interested in the wounded eel to pay us any attention, and said eel was too busy flailing in pain to react to the giant shark heading straight for it.


    The shark attacks so swiftly that the eel doesn''t even realize it''s being bitten until most of its upper body is already in the shark''s jaws. In pain, the eel releases a dazzling display of electricity many times what it was when Tabitha injured it, hoping to make the shark let go of it, but the giant beast shrugs off the electricity like it''s nothing.


    The whale shark jerks its head violently, its razor-sharp teeth almost bisecting the eel in two. Then, the shark tugs with such force that it rips the other half of the eel that is still underground out of its hole, sending grey bricks and dirt flying everywhere.


    Blood and viscera drip from the shark¡¯s maw, and I feel a trickle of experience, my reward for distracting the eel for as long as I did. In seconds, the enormous shark rips the eel to sheds and gobbles up everything before swimming deeper into the crater.


    As soon as the beast is gone, the tension leaves my body, and I let out a sigh of relief. That was closer than I would¡¯ve liked to admit.


    ¡°You, okay?¡± Tabitha is the first to get up, and once she¡¯s on her feet, she offers me her hand.


    ¡°Thanks for saving me,¡± I let her pull me to my feet.


    ¡°Any time,¡± she smiles at me before glancing in the direction the shark disappeared. "It caught me off guard too. I barely had time to react when I saw it approaching from the corner of my eye. At least it only showed up after I had neutralized the eel.¡±


    "Yeah, but we missed out on the meat," I say jokingly, trying to hide the fear of undergoing yet another near-death experience. "I wanted to see what magic unagi tasted like,¡± I comment while adjusting Mana Skin. My skill suffered minor damage when Tabitha tackled me to the ground, but it was quickly repaired.


    ¡°Is that what you call eel?¡± Tabitha gives me a questioning look, to which I nod. ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance to try it when you go to Scholl," she tells me. "Eel is oily but tastes good as long as it''s prepared properly."


    "Fishing is a big deal in Scholl, isn''t it?" I note, trying to keep the conversation going while I get a hold of my emotions.


    ¡°It is,¡± Tabitha nods thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s why we must remove the dragon. With it occupying the largest body of water in the country, it not only keeps us from growing crops around it but keeps us from fishing. The many flying beasts around Scholl can be used to mitigate the loss of meat, but catching them is difficult and not feasible for the average citizen."


    For a split second, I feel Tabitha¡¯s killing intent leak out, and I have to grit my teeth to keep myself from reflexively taking a step back. Many smaller fish were gathering to feast on the scraps left behind by the shark, but after getting hit by Tabitha''s killing intent, they were now fleeing as fast as they could swim.


    Killing the dragon is probably why Tabitha is so hellbent on reaching level 100. But is level 100 enough? From what I heard, the dragon was dangerous even for Pacore, so I don''t know what Tabitha could do even if she reached her level goal.


    Nevertheless, I¡¯ll support her as she¡¯s supported me.


    And who knows, maybe we can find something at the bottom of the crater that can help us.


    One can only hope.


    Time elapsed in the crater: two hours and one minute.

 Ch: 116.4

    The shark was a reminder that danger existed everywhere. Despite its massive size, the magic beast was able to approach us silently at incredible speeds, meaning even though we were running out of time, we needed to slow down and mind our surroundings.


    ¡°Did you get a look at its level?¡± Tabitha makes light conversation while we¡¯re walking toward the crater¡¯s center. The glowing pool of water served as a beacon for us to follow, and we were just now able to make out the distant shoreline.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I didn''t," I admit shamefully. "It happened so fast; it didn¡¯t even cross my mind to scan the shark.¡±


    "Don''t lower your head," Tabitha instructs me firmly. "When you do, you limit your field of vision."


    Tabitha pauses momentarily before her voice drops an octave, and she sounds more understanding. ¡°You''re still new at this, and with your skill limited, it''s only natural you''d freeze when being ambushed."


    ¡°And how do I fix that?¡± I ask Tabitha for guidance.


    ¡°Through training,¡± she informs me. I frown at the generic answer, but thankfully Tabitha explains further. ¡°Your ability to sense mana has kept you from developing a danger sense skill," she warns me. "Having a danger sense skill is important because it heightens your subconscious senses and helps you recognize and react to things you normally wouldn¡¯t pick up on.¡±


    ¡°And to unlock one of those skills, I¡¯d what, need to stop sensing my surroundings?¡± I venture a guess.


    ¡°Not all your senses,¡± Tabitha corrects me. ¡°You just need to stop using your monstrous mana senses. You must still focus on your surroundings, but only with your five basic senses.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do that,¡± I shakily admit. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I looked at the world without Sense Mana activated. Ever since I was a baby, I used Sense Mana to scan my surroundings, and it was more than just a passive skill at this point. It would be easier never to use my eyes again than to stop using Sense Mana.


    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you do it now," Tabitha chuckles. "Deactivating your skill now would do more harm than good. I''m merely suggesting you train without it once we leave the magic-dense region. It will take a long time before it becomes anything as useful as Sense Mana is for you, but unlocking some form of a danger sense skill is a must.¡±


    ¡°You keep saying a form of danger sense; are there that many skills?¡± I ask while keeping my head on a swivel.


    ¡°I can think of a few off the top of my head,¡± Tabitha starts rattling off names of possible skills. ¡°There¡¯s your classic Sense Danger skill. Trap detection, Enemy Detection, Sense Incoming Attack, Attack Prediction; they all do the same thing, each having their own quirks.¡±


    "Are they all the same tier?" I was curious about the difference in experience.


    ¡°More or less,¡± Tabitha lazily shrugs. "Most are tier 2 skills, with a handful being tier 3.¡±


    ¡°Is any one better than the other?¡± I didn¡¯t want to waste my time unlocking one only to learn later there was a better option.


    "It''s how you look at it," Tabitha explains. "Sense Danger " is the most common and all-around most practical version of the skill, but it''s sometimes known to be ambiguous. Like if you had it at the moment, it would constantly be ringing thanks to our environment like mine is.


    "You have the base skill?" I curiously ask.


    Tabitha turns her head and grins at me. "I do, but who says it''s my only skill? You can unlock more than one, you know. But you must be careful not to get your signals mixed up, which is a real problem some people face. For some people, having only one danger sense skill is better than having multiple."


    "What about for me?" I ask Tabitha for her expert opinion.


    Tabitha lightly hums to herself in thought. "For you and your skills? I think a more focused approach would be better. You already have a wide range of coverage with Sense Mana; you''d probably do better with a skill focusing on imminent attacks rather than a skill that warns you about possible dangers,¡± she suggests to me.


    Tabitha casually points out a major weakness of mine. Unfortunately, she was right, I¡¯ve been relying too heavily on Sense Mana up until now, and now I was unable to pull my weight because of it.


    And again, it was yet another problem I was forced to shove aside until later. My weapon. My lack of danger sense. This trip has highlighted quite a few things I need to improve on. I suppose that was part of the reason I wanted to explore the Endless Forest; it just never occurred to me I was lacking in so many fields.


    Gritting my teeth, I make sure to keep pace with Tabitha. We were getting closer to the glowing lake, and I didn''t need a skill to tell me it would be more dangerous from here on out. I had told myself I wouldn''t be a burden to Tabitha, and though she would never say it, I knew that¡¯s exactly what I was doing.


    For a few awkward minutes, the two of us travel in silence. Usually, I''m the one to break such silences, but I was too busy questioning how I should improve myself going forward, but instead, Tabitha broke the silence, which was a true rarity. "See anything else you want to take a closer look at?¡± She reminds me why we¡¯re down here.


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    I glance around at our surroundings, but there isn''t much to look at. There were no more intact buildings in sight; in fact, it''s been almost ten minutes since we passed the last one. The only thing left were piles of grey bricks, and after the eel incident, we were doing our best to avoid said mounds.


    There were a few plants here and there, but I''d already collected samples from most of them, and none of them caught my eye as the willow did.


    I''ll say it again, but not having Sense Mana''s full range sucked. If it were back at full power, it would be child''s play to scan for anything interesting, but now I was limited to line of sight. That or get lucky and walk over something new; and how often did that happen?


    Not a minute later, I sense something enter Sense Mana''s range as if to contradict me. It was a hermit crab of some kind, but it wasn''t the crab that interested me; it was what was attached to its shell that drew my attention.


    "Over there," I point out the general area where the tennis ball-sized crustation was crawling between bricks.


    Tabitha changes course and leads me over to where I pointed. She looked confused as there wasn''t anything noticeable about the spot I directed us to, but she didn''t question me.


    While Tabitha stands guard, I bend down and carefully start shifting bricks out of the way. The hermit crab notices what I¡¯m doing and tries to scuttle away before I can uncover it, but I can move the bricks faster than its little legs can carry it away.


    Soon, I¡¯m looking down at an angry crab. It uses one of its claws to snap threateningly in my direction, but my attention was on its other claw holding a small blue crystal that wasn''t bigger than a marble. There were multiple similar crystals fixed to the hermit crab''s shell, and the crab looked to be in the process of adding the one in its claw to the others.


    ¡°Are those mana gems?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes widen, seeing the beautiful crystals adorning the crab¡¯s home.


    ¡°Not quite, they¡¯re mana crystals,¡± I reach down and poke the crab avoiding its one claw until it angrily drops the crystal in favor of using both its weapons to try and defend itself.


    I snag the small piece of crystal without getting pinched and inspect it closely. I didn''t know if it had a different name, but I knew exactly what I was holding. The small blue crystal in my hand was the water equivalent of magicite.


    ¡°It¡¯s collecting magicite!¡± Tabitha exclaims in shock.


    "Wait, I thought earth-attuned magic crystals were called magicite?" I questioningly look up at Tabitha.


    ¡°All forms of crystalized mana are referred to as magicite,¡± Tabitha informs me. ¡°People just aren''t familiar with the other forms of it, as earth magicite is by far the most common version of it. It¡¯s believed 70% of the magicite in the world is earth attuned, while 24% is water.¡±


    ¡°And the last 6%?" I point out how those two numbers didn''t exactly add up to 100%.


    ¡°Undetermined,¡± Tabitha blandly tells me. ¡°Fire and air magicite are considerably rarer compared to the other two. Air magicite can only be found in high places, while fire magicite has only been documented around volcanos or extremely deep in the earth.¡±


    ¡°Are there other forms of magicite?¡± I quizzically ask. As someone constantly seeing mana, I know there are countless variations worldwide. Earth, water, air, and fire were the big ones, but they could mix and match with each other and could produce exciting results.


    ¡°How should I know?" Tabitha rolls her eyes. "Wouldn''t the stone kin be better suited to answer these questions?¡±


    I wanted to retort that Master wasn¡¯t treated to all his people¡¯s knowledge because of his lack of talent regarding mana, but it wasn¡¯t my place to say so. So, instead, I brush off Tabitha''s remark. ¡°He might of,¡± I pretend to be sheepish and rub the back of my head. ¡°I might have just forgotten.¡±


    Tabitha doesn¡¯t look convinced by my fib, but she doesn¡¯t call me out on it either, choosing instead to give me one of her ''I don''t care looks.''


    Focusing on the small crystal in my hands, I have a decision to make. The hermit crab was trying to flee but was still within arm''s length. Ripping the other tiny crystals off its shell would be easy, but I wasn''t sure if that would harm the crab.


    Overall, it was only a few grams of magicite, and if a random hermit crab was carrying it around, there was bound to be more nearby. The only trick was, with all the ambient water mana, the magicite wasn''t exactly easy to sense. I only picked up the cluster the crab was carrying because multiple fragments were close together, and it stood out against the hermit crab''s mana.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re soft, right?¡± Tabitha comments as she watches me let the hermit crab scurry under a nearby pile of bricks. I could still sense it, but I had already decided to let the little guy be.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to steal from a cute little crab,¡± I retort. Tabitha''s eyes slide down to my hand, and the little blue crystal I stole from said cute crab. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t count,¡± I quickly shove the small crystal into a pouch connected to my belt.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Tabitha judges me with her eyes. ¡°I take it you¡¯re going to want to look for more?¡±


    She knows me so well. I smile as I stand up, ¡°Only what we can come across as we''re moving." I say that now, but I knew we were bound to come across more.


    And as we descended deeper and drew closer to the lake of glowing mana, as I predicted, I noticed spots on the ground where the ambient mana was thicker than usual. Rummaging around those spots resulted in me finding small chunks of magicite, but it wasn¡¯t without cost.


    The mana around us was already incredibly dense, but it was so thick around the spots the magicite was growing the ambient mana turned into something more akin to acid. Just getting close to these spots had the ambient mana melting through Mana Skin. It eventually got so bad that Tabitha had to stand back while I harvested the crystals.


    It just went to show how amazing the animals were. Whenever I found a spot that most likely contained a chunk of magicite, there was almost always an ecosystem of bottom feeders centered around it. Of course, there were plenty of hermit crabs using their claws to break off small chunks like little miners, but there were other animals too.


    Glowing slugs and small finger-sized fish were hanging out in between the rocks. The large amounts of mana in the air shielded their small frames from Sense Mana, but now that I knew what to look for, I noticed just how much life was living a few inches under our feet. And it was all centered around the spots of dense mana. Even in an environment overflowing with the stuff, life was still drawn to the places with the densest mana possible.


    Unlike the creatures that evolved to tolerate such extreme mana, I had to be in and out fast. Moving the bricks was the most significant time consumer, as simply grabbing them required a lot of focus. Because the bricks absorbed kinetic energy, holding on to them was difficult, and the weird algae that grew over them didn¡¯t make things easier.


    Sometimes a few smaller fish would try to attack me, but I only needed to swat them away. But even though I was in a hurry, I tried to fix whatever damage I did, digging out the magicite. There were plenty of pockets of dense mana about, so when I dug out a new spot, I didn''t take all the magicite, as that would be bad for the environment.


    I limit myself to half of whatever magicite I find and make sure to cover the remainder back up once I¡¯m done. And even limiting how much I take, I quickly fill most of my remaining bag space.


    Magicite is much heavier than my other stuff, but it was worth it. Besides the elemental fragments, I''d put the water magicite as the most valuable thing I¡¯ve found so far. I couldn''t wait to get home and see if Sandra and I could somehow incorporate it into our engraving ink.


    ¡°How much time do we have left?¡± I turn and ask Tabitha while tying my bag shut. It was embarrassing, but I lost track of time while jumping from one magicite spot to another.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been down here for three hours and twenty-seven minutes," she informs me with a slight grimace.


    "Are you okay?" I ask, noticing the slight movement.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tabitha tries to act cool, but I can¡¯t help but notice she¡¯s shifting back and forth on her feet. ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± She deflects my question back at me. ¡°Are you still only in the first phase of mana poisoning?¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, the burning sensation across my body had worsened. The joy of finding a new form of magicite had distracted me from it, but at some point, the pain had graduated from the levels of a slight sunburn to feeling like I was standing next to a fire; it was still bearable, but it was a noticeable difference.


    ¡°It¡¯s still bearable for me,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but we need to hurry if we want to reach the bottom,¡± Tabitha urges me to get moving.


    Had her mana poisoning progressed to phase two already? ¡°Maybe we should turn back?¡± I hesitantly suggest.


    ¡°No need,¡± Tabitha quickly strikes down my proposal. "If you''re fine, then we can continue. We''ll reach the bottom, then turn around. Besides, we¡¯re almost there,¡± Tabitha gestured in front of us, where I could see the glowing outline of the mana lake in the distance.


    Tabitha was right; we were almost there, but would she be okay? I ask myself that as we push onward, with our goal in sight.

 Ch: 116.5

    After three hours and thirty-six minutes, we finally reached the glowing lake in the center of the crater, and it was magical with a capital M.


    Too bad we couldn¡¯t see it up close.


    ¡°You sure we can¡¯t just get a little bit closer?¡± I ask Tabitha for the third time. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Tabitha mimes stepping forward just to bring her foot immediately back. ¡°My skills are saying we shouldn¡¯t get any closer.¡±


    We were roughly 600 feet from the water¡¯s edge, close enough that we got a good look at the body of water but far enough away that I couldn¡¯t sense anything with my nerfed skills.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I practically beg Tabitha. ¡°Give me two minutes. It will take me less than that to run over, grab a water sample, and return. You know how fast I am."


    I move to step forward, only to have Tabitha grab my shoulder and yank me backward hard. She spins me around to face her, and her eyes feel like lasers as they threaten to burn a hole through my skull. ¡°Do. Not. Get. Any. Closer,¡± warns me in a voice I¡¯ve never heard before. It sent shivers down my spine and left no room for argument.


    Swallowing a lump in my throat, I silently nod my head. Tabitha removes her hand from me and looks at the beautiful lake before us. "I don''t know why, but my skills tell me we''ll die if we get any closer," she says darkly.


    I stew over Tabitha¡¯s warning for a few seconds before letting out a reluctant sigh. If the lake was that dangerous, then there was nothing I could do about it. "At least we made it,¡± I force a smile which slowly turns into a real one. "We came pretty far," I note with pride.


    Old man Clarkson said almost nobody made it this deep into the forest, and even if someone did, unless they were around level 100 like Tabitha or had the skills to block mana like me, there was no way a person could make it to where we are now. So Tabitha and I might be the first to stand here in a very long time, which was something to be proud of.


    Sure, I still wanted a sample of whatever the lake was made of, but it wasn''t like I was willing to die for it. Tabitha was pretty lackadaisical when it came to taking chances, so for her to act as she was, there had to be something perilous nearby. But what was it? Whatever it was, I couldn''t see it.


    The two of us were standing in a small divot to avoid the countless fish swimming overhead, but we had a clear view of everything around us. Multiple sharks circled above the lake, but so far, we''ve only seen them attack injured fish. Similar high-leveled creatures were swimming through the air, but all acted odd as well.


    All the fish seemed to have gotten whatever warning Tabitha had because none of them swam anywhere near the lake water. It was like there was an invisible no-swim zone that they all adhered to. And that wasn¡¯t all, either.


    The fish kept their distance, but they all tried to be as close as possible without entering the invisible zone. They were all packed together tighter than sardines, yet there was almost no fighting. The smaller fish gave the larger and more dangerous magic beasts room to move around, but they were still within biting distance.


    It would be simple for any of the sharks to open its mouth and swallow countless sky fish, but that curiously wasn¡¯t happening here. Instead, it was almost like all the magic fish had signed a treaty with one another. I heard of it happening back on Earth around watering holes in Africa, but this was the first time I saw it in person.


    But that begged the question; why were all these fish nearby if the lake was so dangerous? ¡°Is it just me, or do they look like they¡¯re waiting for something?¡± I point at the mass of flying fish, asking Tabitha for her opinion.


    ¡°I was thinking something similar,¡± Tabitha nods in agreement. ¡°But unlike them, we can¡¯t afford to wait around forever. We reached our goal; we need to turn around and head back,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°Just a few more minutes,¡± I plead. ¡°If we can¡¯t get any closer, we can at least try and find out what¡¯s drawing the fish here.¡±


    Tabitha frowns, but she eventually reluctantly agrees to my request. ¡°You have twenty-two minutes. After that, we''ll need at least two hours to make our way out of the crater safely, and staying here any longer would be pushing it."


    "Thank you," I smile brightly at Tabitha. She huffs and turns away from me, but I don''t miss the sides of her mouth curling up. I also didn''t miss the slight wince of pain she tried to hide from me by turning away. The ambient mana must be affecting her more than she''s letting on, and still, she agreed to stay a few minutes longer because I asked her to.


    I could suggest we leave, but Tabitha would take that as an insult. So no, I wouldn''t do that. And if she said I had twenty minutes, then I had twenty minutes. So it was now a waiting game, and I could only hope whatever the fish were waiting for happened before we had to leave.


    The seconds slowly ticked by, and Tabitha and I kept our eyes peeled for anything out of the norm. Or at least out of the norm for where we were.


    A few minutes passed without anything happening, but in that time, I could observe a visible shift in the fish swimming around us. They appeared agitated and moved more than they were a few moments ago.


    Also, even though I couldn¡¯t sense it or get any closer, I was able to make multiple observations about the glowing lake, which I suspect isn¡¯t a lake at all. The more I look at it, the less I think the glowing substance is water, and the more I''m sure we''re looking at a body of liquified mana, something up until now I thought was impossible.


    Mana wasn¡¯t your typical substance, it was closer to energy than anything else, yet it could solidify and turn into magicite in the right conditions. However, mana was constantly shifting and moving, much like an invisible gas that was difficult to contain when it wasn''t in its crystalline form. Even when absorbed into the body and converted into a person¡¯s unique mana pool, mana was more ethereal than liquid.


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    When magicite breaks down, the mana within spontaneously goes from a solid back into its gaseous form. Of course, it will still fuse with other substances, like when Sandra and I make engraving ink or when I add magicite to the forge to increase the heat of the flames, but it never liquefies.


    Though I forget what it''s called, I remember from my chemistry class back on Earth that some substances could rapidly go from a solid straight to a gas. I always thought that was just how mana was, but the stuff before me proved that theory wrong.


    But somehow, what appeared to be a lake in front of us, was actually pure mana in liquid form. I so badly wanted to get closer and inspect this new form of mana and see how it acted as a whole, yet I couldn''t.


    Maybe it was for the best; I had to tell myself. The realization that the lake was probably made from pure mana came with the knowledge that I could not contain it. Traveling through the crater taught me that dense mana could be incredibly destructive. The ambient mana around the water magicite was proof that, in large quantities, mana could eat through substances, as it did with Mana Skin.


    In its crystalline form, mana was easy to handle as it was nicely contained. But if you had that same mana density in a volatile form such as water, I shudder to think what would happen if you touched it. The lake of mana in front of us was more potent than any acid back on Earth, and I couldn¡¯t imagine what you would need to contain it.


    A strong enchantment could do the trick, but I''m not entirely sure it would work even then. I would need to consult with a master enchanter on the subject, and as I¡¯ve learned, people such as them weren¡¯t exactly the most sharing when it came to knowledge.


    My deep examination of the lake made me the first to notice the change in its surface. "Something''s happening,¡± I point out to Tabitha.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow, and together we watch the surface of the lake of mana start turning violently.


    There was no wind in the bubble, just mana currents originating from the lake, and they were growing more robust as it churned. Was the lake going to explode? Were we standing on a mana volcano or something?


    At this point, the fish overhead were going crazy. They still weren''t attacking one another, but they were bumping into and shoving each other to be the closest to the mana lake.


    I glanced at Tabitha, wondering what we should do, and saw the gears in her head spinning. She was weighing our options and deciding whether or not we should cut our losses and leave. The only reason I wasn''t panicking was that she wasn''t telling me to run for it. If Tabitha had the time to think about what was happening, we weren''t in immediate danger.


    I still prepared myself to run if she ordered me to, but until Tabitha said so, my attention was on the lake of mana.


    Suddenly, the lake''s surface starts to boil, and to my astonishment, deep blue bubbles of all sizes float out of the churning mana. Some spheres were baseball-sized, while a few bubbles were bigger than me. They all floated in every direction, and once they drifted 300 feet from the still-bubbling lake, all the fish rushed in at once.


    It was a feeding frenzy; only everything was after the dense balls of mana.


    But it didn''t make sense; if the fish were after the mana, wouldn''t they go straight to the source? Why were they all so reluctant to get near the lake?


    The sharks weren''t the fastest beasts, but their enormous mouths swallowed vast amounts of mana. I watched as one dove for a particularly large bubble of mana still close to the lake. A few fish initially follow the shark as it dives down, but after a certain point, they all break away and swim back up. Alone and with its mouth wide open and many rows of teeth on display, the shark charges after its prize.


    Then it happens, a strike so fast one minute the shark is swimming; the next, it¡¯s yanked into the mana at speeds I can''t even fathom. The only thing I saw was a green blur shoot up from the lake of mana.


    To my side, I hear Tabitha gasp in shock. She was standing there frozen, her face pale.


    "I couldn''t see what it was," I mumble, a cold sweat overtaking me.


    ¡°It was a tentacle,¡± replies Tabitha in a voice that sounds a million miles away. She was staring at the lake with her hand on her sword, clutching it with such force I feared the handle might bend.


    "Did you catch its level?" I hesitantly ask. Meanwhile, the lake was no longer bubbling, and the many fish scattered every way after eating all the mana bubbles.


    ¡°No, I only saw a fraction of it,¡± Tabitha tells me ominously. "But for a second, my danger sense skills rang just as they did when I saw Master fighting the dragon. We should leave now.¡±


    Tabitha grabs my hand and practically drags me away from the now-still lake. Was she saying there was something as strong as a dragon living inside all that mana!?


    Tabitha doesn¡¯t stop pulling me until we¡¯re over a mile away from the lake.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure it¡¯s that strong?¡± I ask after Tabitha finally lets go of me. She was still pale and was breathing heavily from rushing us away. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask, seeing more sweat than usual on her face.


    "Fine," Tabitha rubs the sweat away in a bid to act strong, but as soon as she lowers her hand, I can see more moisture gathering.


    ¡°Are you in the second phase of mana poisoning!?¡± I ask, remembering the symptoms.


    Tabitha doesn¡¯t answer me, but her silence speaks words.


    "We need to get out of here,¡± I say worryingly.


    ¡°That might be for the best. The heat is getting to me, and one of my skills stumbled while we were retreating," Tabitha finally admits.


    ¡°Do you need me to carry you out?¡± I quickly offered; I felt terrible that I had kept Tabitha here longer than I should have.


    ¡°I can still walk on my own; let''s just keep moving," she instructs. ¡°It was the mana given off by the lake,¡± Tabitha tells me as we make our way outside the crater. ¡°My defenses were holding up fine until,¡± Tabitha pauses, searching for the right words. "Whatever that was," she gestures toward the lake behind us.


    "Are you sure you''re going to be okay?" I ask again.


    At first, Tabitha doesn''t say anything, only walking faster. I¡¯m about to ask a third time when she finally answers me. ¡°I just entered stage two; my skills are unreliable, not gone,¡± she growls in annoyance.


    I don¡¯t say anything further, choosing to keep an eye on our surroundings, so we don''t run into anything by accident. I''m sure Tabitha could still defend us if needed, but that would only aggravate her condition.


    ¡°If only I knew we were coming to such a place,¡± she grumbles under her breath. I only hear her because I''m close enough to react if her movement skill gives out, as I wasn¡¯t sure if whatever skill she was using was solely stamina based or a mix of both.


    I take it Tabitha means she would¡¯ve brought a piece of enchanted gear meant to block out ambient mana. She makes similar comments under her breath a few times, but I choose to pretend not to hear them. Tabitha was in visible pain, even if she tried her best not to show it.


    It takes time, but by avoiding anything above level 50, Tabitha and I crawl out of the crater in a little over an hour. The whole time Tabitha refused any help from me.


    We didn¡¯t stop until we climbed over the crater''s edge and slinked our way back to the buried building we had used as our camp the last few nights.


    As we approach the building, I nervously glance at Tabitha. Now that we were back outside the crater, I had full use of Sense Mana again, so I knew our camping spot was still empty, but that wasn¡¯t what I was worried about. "Do you need to be farther away from the crater?" I ask. I don''t mention it aloud, but I could see the mana built up in Tabitha''s body. She''d have died from the pain if she were a weaker person.


    ¡°Here is fine,¡± Tabitha once again wipes the sweat from her face. ¡°Can you take the first watch; I need to meditate?¡± She asks me, sounding extremely tired.


    ¡°Of course; leave it to me,¡± I tell her.


    Tabitha nods once before jumping into the hole under the root, disappearing from sight but not from Sense Mana. She shifts around at the bottom for a minute before her mana silhouette takes up a meditative posture.


    All I wanted to do was nap, and the day wasn''t even halfway over. Throwing my full bag to the side, I hop up and take a seat on the root shielding the corner of the exposed building.


    I double-scan our surroundings for anything dangerous, and afterward, when I''m doubly sure there isn''t anything around, I go over our adventure in the crater in my head. At the same time, I try to purge some of the extra mana from my body. I had resisted it better than Tabitha, but I wasn''t far from entering stage two of mana poisoning either.


    While I try to force the extra mana out of my system, I go over all the materials I gathered, the magic beasts we ran into, and the sight of the lake; I go over everything with a fine-toothed comb.


    Finding out that a magical kraken was living in the center of the Endless Forest was big, but while scary, it wasn¡¯t something that affected me directly. I''m sure Pacore will be excited to hear about it, but he already had one giant sea monster to worry about, so I doubt anything will come of it any time soon.


    No, instead, I focus on what I learned about myself. I was still missing valuable skills for one thing, and I learned I might need to adjust my weapons. Both required us to head back to the village, but I couldn¡¯t help but think I would be missing out if we did that.


    I wanted to go home, but the crater was the perfect place to train Sense Mana and Mana Skin. Both options had their merits, and it was up to me to decide.


    "Sorry, everyone, wait just a few more days," I say to myself while looking off in the direction of home. When Tabitha finishes meditating, I''ll ask her if we can spend a few days on the crater''s edge. It was relatively safe there and had enough mana for me to experiment with.


    Then there was that patch of dead forest. I saw it again while we were leaving the crater, and for some reason, it called out to me.


    A few more days, that¡¯s all I need. Because if the crater taught me anything, it''s I must improve my skills further. Good thing I never shied away from hard work. I only hope my family understands.

 Ch: 117.1

    Mana was such an exciting thing to play with. It was so malleable, yet uncontrollable at the same time. I know that sounds contradictory, but it was true. The more you try to control mana, the more it resists you.


    Take, for example, my hand; I can gather mana in my palm effortlessly, but doing anything more with that mana is infinitely more complex. Slowing down or speeding up my mana¡¯s movement was possible, and compacting it led to me developing Mana Skin and Air Walk. Oppositely, stretching my mana was the base concept behind Magic Threads.


    Everyone tells me I¡¯m a prodigy when it comes to magic, but from my point of view, I¡¯ve only been working with the basics. I''ve yet to convert my mana into anything else; heck, I haven''t even been able to form anything complex with it. Yet.


    That was why I begged Tabitha to let us stay for a few days. While the crater''s edge was technically poisonous to us, the massive amounts of mana present allowed me to push my skills harder than usual, with plenty of ambient mana to recharge with after a good night''s sleep.


    I could try something similar at the bottom of our mine where all the magicite was, but not even that was comparable to the amount of environmental mana here.


    Currently, my eyes were closed while I sat on a rock. Sense Mana was limited again, but not as bad as inside the bubble. Using my skill, I could follow Tabitha''s movements a few feet away. She was watching over me while I practiced, but she wasn¡¯t spending the time doing nothing.


    Tabitha was swinging her sword while balancing on top of a pile of grey bricks. She said it was helping her improve her movement skills, and it was showing. This was only our fourth day here, fifth if you counted the day we went into the bubble, and Tabitha had already doubled her movement speed on top of the strange stones. If she had a few more days to practice, I''m sure she''d be able to move normally despite their weird force-absorbing properties.


    While Tabitha was working on her physical skills, I was doing the opposite. In my hands, I had around 5% of my mana gathered, around fifty points or so. Using Magic Threads, I turn the lump of mana into countless strings. Next, I overlap them with each other and try to weave them together as tightly as possible. I was trying to make fabric from my mana, intending to turn Mana Skin into magic Kevlar eventually.


    I¡¯ve slowly become able to overlap the threads with each other, but they weren''t very tight, which was the whole point of the exercise. Because mana was always moving, it was hard to keep the individual strands from melding together when they were bunched up.


    My small patchwork of threads collapses in on each other for the fifth time today, and I''m left with a blob of mana again. Because I¡¯m constantly shaping it, there¡¯s some mana leakage, but as long as I stay concentrated, I lose very little of it and can practice for hours without losing much.


    Sighing, I decide to call it and move on to my next exercise. While my first exercise was focused on improving Magic Threads and Mana Skin, my second exercise was more geared toward the basics. Using the same blob of mana, this time, I try to mold it only using Mana Manipulation. Because I¡¯m not using a second skill to boost its effects, manipulating the mana is more challenging, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m doing it.


    It''s just a theory, but I''m under the impression Mana Manipulation was holding me back. Mana Manipulation was a tier 3 skill, and I''d already passed its second test, but that wasn''t enough. My various mana skills were growing too fast, and Mana Manipulation wasn¡¯t keeping up.


    So, to train Mana Manipulation, I devised the idea to form my mana into shapes, with a heavy focus on triangles as they were solid and straightforward. My goal was to form hexagons eventually, but that was still far away.


    The point was I had multiple ideas on how to strengthen Mana Skin¡¯s barriers, but I didn¡¯t have the control to pull it off.


    I needed to slow my mana down as much as possible to make solid shapes or get my mana fabric to stay whole. The goal was to slow my mana down to the point it was about to turn into magicite, though I wanted to see if I could do that too.


    If I could successfully turn Mana Skin¡¯s barrier into tightly woven threads, I would finally be able to defend myself against slashing and piercing attacks. And if I could form hexagons and layer those between the layers of Kevlar, I¡¯d still be able to guard against blunt force trauma, though that was a future goal. Right now, all I wanted was to incorporate at least one concept into Mana Skin, as I was sure that would be enough to push it up to level 61.


    With mana in hand, I slowly form it into a sphere. It didn''t change much outwardly, as it was only more round now, but instead of being a solid mass of mana, the inside was now hollow. I then slowly shift the sphere into the shape of a halo. The amount of mana was still the same, but now that it was concentrated several times over, it was spinning quite fast, and I needed it to slow down before I shifted the shape further.


    Using Mana Manipulation, and nothing else, I force the mana to slow down as much as possible. Then, once it becomes more manageable, I slowly bend the halo of mana into the shape of a triangle.


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    I successfully form a triangle, but mana was leaking now that there were edges to deal with. Unlike when it was a circle, the mana couldn¡¯t flow as freely, and making it take sharp turns led to the mana essentially crashing into each other.


    I only hold the shape of a triangle for a minute before I again start to change it. I form a square from the triangle and then elongate it into a rectangle. The angles weren¡¯t as sharp, but with more of them; there was more mana bleed. Eventually, I form a pentagon, but that¡¯s when I lose control.


    My carefully controlled mana construct collapses in on itself, and I''m forced to scramble to hold onto my mana lest I lose control of it and it disperses into the atmosphere. Unlike my first exercise, I can only run through my shapes exercise a couple of times before I need to stop. I only attempt my shapes exercise twice more before calling it quits.


    Opening my eyes, I wince at the bright sun, as I''ve been sitting with my eyes closed for almost two hours now.


    Tabitha pauses mid-swing of her sword and turns toward me as I hop to my feet. ¡°Finished already?¡± She asks with a hint of excitement.


    After finishing my shaping exercises the last three days, I''d move on to practicing Air Walk, but today was different. We¡¯d stayed here longer so I could practice, but it was time we moved on.


    When we returned here this morning, I had set a limit for how much mana I would use before we set out again. And now that I had hit that limit, it was time to pack up.


    "Yeah, I think it''s time we leave,¡± I reply to an eagerly awaiting Tabitha.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Tabitha grins. ¡°Did you break through?¡±


    Tabitha was talking about Mana Skin, and all I could do was sadly shake my head. "I gained a few other levels in other skills, but not the one I wanted.¡±


    Pulling up my status page, I remember that I haven''t looked at it since we first came upon the crater. It has been almost a week since then, and thanks to the danger of the crater, plus my training the last few days, I¡¯ve seen a decent amount of growth in that short time.


    LV: 75 Experience: 639,589/ 1,054,850


    Health: 2,530/2,530


    Stamina 1,548.61/1,697


    Mana: 901.84/1,030


    Vitality: 253.03


    Endurance: 100.37


    Strength: 156.03


    Dexterity: 156.02


    Senses: 62.71


    Mind: 65.60


    Magic: 103.36


    Clarity: 79.25


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV80), Running (LV79), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV70), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Mining (LV51), Chanting (LV51), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV47), Sword Skills (LV40), Acting (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV35), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV30), Alchemy (LV15), Pugilist Skills (LV11), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV80), Double Step (LV67), Charm (LV50), Hammer Arts (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Intimidating Shout (LV34), Steady Hands (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Gourmet (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV13), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),


    Tier 3:


    Mana Manipulation (LV65), Expel Mana (LV63), Double Strike (LV45), Weighted Strike (LV45), Precise Strike (LV44), Flash Step (LV37), Contract (LV22), Enchanting (LV10), Poison Resistance (LV5)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV62), Mana Skin (LV60), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV40), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV28), Air Walk (LV24), Empowered Spell (LV17), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Multi-Strike (LV5), Appealing Deal (LV3),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV19)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV10)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Cooking (LV46-47) 4,650exp


    Dagger Skills (LV35) 1,750exp


    Dancing (LV29-30) 2,950exp


    Steady Hands (LV34) 3,400exp


    Gourmet (LV14-15) 2,900exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV64-65) 19,350exp


    Flash Step (LV37) 5,550exp


    Poison Resistance (LV4-5) 750exp


    Mental Resistance (LV62) 15,500exp


    Extract Mana (LV40) 10,000exp


    Magic Threads (LV26-28) 20,250exp


    Air Walk (LV22-24) 17,250exp


    Multi-Strike (LV5) 1,250exp


    Skill Experience: 105,550exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,761exp


    Fighting Experience: 1,947exp


    Total experience Gained: 109,258exp


    So much experience, and it was only a tenth of what I needed to level up.


    I''ve been focusing almost solely on my mana skills, which showed in the skills that leveled up, though there were a few surprises I wasn''t expecting. Like Dagger Skills, I have no idea when that leveled up. I¡¯ve been using my knife to process our dinners every night, but was that enough to level it?


    My newer skills also leveled, such as Multi-Strike and Poison Resistance, even though I wasn¡¯t doing more than a few exercises with them each morning and afternoon.


    My morning stretches featured dancing with Tabitha, so it made sense that it leveled. And with all the exotic magical beast flesh, it''s no wonder Cooking and Gourmet continues to jump in levels.


    All those skills were important in their own way, but they couldn¡¯t hold a candle to my magic skills. I haven¡¯t spent days back-to-back working on my mana control since over a year ago. My days were usually too busy to devote that amount of time to one subject, but maybe I need to seeing what it did for me.


    After I started my mana exercises, Mana Manipulation went up two levels. I think I was already relatively close to level 64, but even then, to gain another level soon afterward just went to show my exercises were working.


    Magic Threads and Air Walk jumped up three levels each, which was a lot more than I thought they would. But one of the biggest things was Extract Mana reaching its first test at level 40. Usually, I¡¯d be using the skill to gather mana from my surroundings or pull in my mana after injecting it into my weapon, but I''ve recently found another use for it.


    I¡¯ve been trying to use Extract Mana to remove the extra ambient mana from my system, the opposite of what I usually use it for. So far, I''ve only managed to bleed a bit of the excess, but I bet if I can figure out how to do it properly, Exact Mana won¡¯t be stuck at level 40 for long.


    And pushing all my magic skills had an extra unintended benefit. The mental stress I put myself through daily to shape my mana was enough to push Mental Resistance to level 62, again proving I could level the skill outside my soul if I did the right things.


    If I had just one more day of practice, maybe I¡¯d be able to push my skills another level higher, but the same could be said anytime. But then again, I always need one more day, and unless I hide out somewhere like a hermit, I will always wish for more time to practice. So even if I spend years out here, another challenge will always exist.


    And besides, I miss home. So that''s why I''m not going to ask for more time.


    We have one last target off in the distance that we''ve seen almost every day the last week. The dead zone, which we can see even now, was the last place of interest for us. For an area like that to be this close to the crater, there had to be something special about it.


    Personally, I was hoping for rare metals, many of which could leak toxins and kill plants. I¡¯ve gathered a lot during this trip, but if I could find a sizable deposit of high-tier ore, it might be worth returning for another time.


    I wasn¡¯t holding my breath, but a girl could dream.


    Adjusting my bag, I make eye contact with Tabitha. She was patiently waiting for me to get my gear in order. My bag was bulging with materials, but my stats let me carry it as if it weighed a fraction of what it did.


    Once I''m sure everything was secured correctly, I smile at Tabitha, and she returns the gesture. I felt that even she was tired of the forest and looking forward to returning.


    It won''t take us long to reach the dead zone, and after a quick look-see, we can start heading home.


    Dead zone, here we come!

 Ch: 117.2

    There was a pep in my step as I stood at the crater''s edge, looking out at the dead spot in the distance. The training was fun, but exploring was way more exciting. And since the dead zone was our last target, there was an added sense of anticipation.


    Scaling down the crater''s edge would be easy; we''d done it so many times now I could almost do it with my eyes closed. The trick was to avoid the grey bricks. Even though they made for accessible spots to land on and cling to, it was far easier to move around them. Add Air Walk into the mix, and I could reach the bottom of the crater''s outer rim in under five minutes.


    Following Tabitha over the edge, it takes us almost no time to reach the bottom. Tabitha and I were in perfect sync as we moved, likely due to all the dancing training she¡¯s been giving me. As long as she wasn¡¯t going all out, I could follow her movements and act accordingly. And after getting the chance to watch her fight up close, I think I¡¯ve gained a handle on Tabitha¡¯s point distribution. Or at least a general outline of it.


    Health-wise, I know from watching Tabitha recover from the arch-goblin and the elemental''s attacks that she has a significantly higher Vitality than I do. However, I was unsure of what her Endurance looked like. It was likely over 50, but I wasn''t sure since Tabitha¡¯s armor was her main form of protection.


    Her Strength stat was the easiest to determine, as after countless sparring sessions with her, I knew Tabitha was slightly weaker than me in pure physical strength, though not by much. She never had to hold back on that front, and if I had to venture a guess, I''d put her Strength stat around 135. That didn''t sound very high, but combined with Tabitha''s monstrous Dexterity stat and various skills, I¡¯ve seen her slice through countless tough magic beast hides. And I can¡¯t forget how she can cut through Mana Skin and my kaglese armor, either.


    Tabitha¡¯s entire fighting style was centered around her Dexterity stat. In close-quarter combat, she''s almost untouchable. It took everything I had to avoid the magic eel we ran into, and Tabitha could fight it up close without taking any significant damage. She also reached me in time to save me from the shark, which required a crazy amount of speed and agility.


    Tabitha¡¯s other stats weren¡¯t as impressive as her physical ones, but they did contribute to her overall strength. Her Senses stat was higher than mine, though not by much, as she could see and hear better than me. But if there was one aspect I trumped her at, it was the more esoteric stats.


    There was no way to determine Tabitha¡¯s Mind stat, but I could easily determine how much mana she had. I¡¯ve probed Tabitha countless times with Sense Mana, so I knew her mana compacity was roughly 85% of my own. Admittedly, it wasn''t much, but considering she only used mana to charge her armor and power specific skills, it was more than enough for a physical fighter. The same went for her Clarity; based on how well she manipulated her mana, I''d put it below 50, but that was more than enough to suit her needs.


    Overall, Tabitha was a force to be reckoned with, but I wouldn''t expect anything else from someone close to reaching level 100.


    ¡°Something the matter?¡± Tabitha asks me, noticing I was stealing glances at her more than usual.


    ¡°Just thinking about things,¡± I casually reply.


    ¡°Anything of importance?¡± Tabitha raises a questioning eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Not really; I was mostly thinking about how I stack up to you,¡± I honestly respond.


    That earns a chuckle out of Tabitha. "Big girl thinks she''s tough enough to take on her senior sister now," Tabitha grins challengingly.


    I scoff, ¡°Hardly. I was just curious how I would match up to you if we were at the same level.¡±


    "I would still crush you," Tabitha instantly retorts without hesitation. "You seem to forget levels aren¡¯t everything. A group can defeat a stronger opponent, and skill levels play a big role in battle. For example, General Pitz was able to harm Master, and their level difference is close to yours and mine. Stats are your foundation, but it''s your skills and battle experience that are the most important," she reminds me.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I¡¯ll never catch up to you?¡± I roll my eyes as we reenter the forest surrounding the crater.


    "Not necessarily; you''re quite talented," Tabitha praises me. "I can say this; you''re closer to me than we entered the magic-dense region."


    I was happy to receive such a compliment from Tabitha, but part of me couldn''t accept it. Too many things went wrong during our trip, exposing many weaknesses I need to work on. Although I''ll admit, I improved, it just didn''t feel like that much.


    Sighing, I only allow myself to feel depressed for a second before I shake away those thoughts. Everyone was allowed to mess up, it''s people who give up that are the worst, and I¡¯ll never give up. I¡¯ll keep improving until I reach Tabitha¡¯s level and beyond. I still haven''t forgotten about my goal of one day kicking Pacore¡¯s ass.


    As we put distance between us and the crater, I regain full use of Sense Mana. My skill didn¡¯t level despite constantly using it the last few days in a high mana environment, but there was some change. My overall range had increased by another 48 feet, meaning when I¡¯m not boosting it with Meditation, I can see all the mana within 754 feet of me. That¡¯s 14% of a mile, and when I do boost it with Meditation, I can reach out to 2,265 feet, over half a mile.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I''d like to know what ranges I¡¯ll be able to reach once Sense Mana reaches level 81. After level 75, Sense Mana has become extremely difficult to level, but when it does, I¡¯ve seen significant growth each time that it has.


    Along with Running and Meditation, Sense Mana was one of the skills I wanted most to reach level 100, even though I had no idea what happened when they did.


    "Gosh, I can be stupid sometimes," I verbally berate myself, drawing Tabitha''s attention. There was someone next to me who I could ask.


    ¡°What now? is there something dangerous nearby?" She asks me before looking around for a hidden enemy.


    ¡°No, sorry,¡± I apologize for giving Tabitha the wrong idea. "I was just curious about something and realized I could ask you. That''s why I called myself stupid," I sheepishly smile. "What happens when a skill reaches level 100?"


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tabitha visibly relaxes. "You''re just curious about that? Why; don''t you tell me you''re close to reaching level 100 in one of your skills?¡±


    "No, nothing like that," I wave my hands erratically. "None of my skills are there yet; I was just curious. I tried asking my parents a while ago, and they had no idea,¡± I tell her.


    Tabitha nods in understanding. ¡°Makes sense; it''s rare for the average person to get a skill to level 100, let alone know what happens after,¡± Tabitha replies cryptically.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡¯ I ask. ¡°You said you reached level 100 in Sword Skills, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Tabitha confirms proudly with a smile. ¡°Master said I was one of the youngest he¡¯d ever seen do so.¡±


    ¡°Really; how old were you, and how did you do it?¡± I run a little closer to Tabitha to better hear her response.


    ¡°I accomplished it when I was thirty-four," she boasts, but I have no reference for whether that was good. Seeing my muted reaction, Tabitha gives me a sour look. "It¡¯s impressive,¡± she says defensively.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is," I try to soothe her before she gets mad at me.


    Tabitha huffs. ¡°For context, I learned to hold a sword before I turned ten. It took me twenty-six years to get Sword Skills to level 100. The first 75 levels were easy; I reached that point when I was eighteen. It was the last twenty levels that were the hardest. It took me a full year of intensive training to break through Sword Skill''s level 99 test.¡±


    ¡°And what happened when you did?¡± I ask excitingly.


    ¡°I unlocked a new skill, of course," Tabitha tells me to my excitement.


    ¡°Was it tier 5?¡± I exclaim.


    Tabitha¡¯s smile slips for just a second. ¡°As if tier 5 skills were that easy to obtain,¡± she chuckles ruefully. ¡°No, the skill I unlocked was tier 4, Sword Mastery.¡±


    "That''s a skill? A little bit of a bummer, don''t you think?" I deadpan. Will I get similar skills for Running and Sense Mana? I was expecting something more.


    ¡°Says someone who has no idea how important such a skill is,¡± Tabitha berates me. ¡°A weapon mastery skill is crucial for any high-level warrior and usually takes over 40 years of intensive training to obtain. Once you unlock one, fighting people without a similar skill is child''s play. A person with a weapon mastery skill can fight someone twenty levels above them if their opponent doesn¡¯t have one. Obtaining one is extremely rare when you''re still under level 100!¡±


    Tabitha was so worked up; she was breathing heavily. I know I shouldn''t push further, but I wanted to understand what she was talking about. "But it''s only a tier 4 skill," I point out to her. I don¡¯t say it outright, but currently, I have eleven tier 4 skills. They were all super strong, but why would one more make that big difference?


    Tabitha stops running, and I need to skid to a stop so as not to leave her in the dust. She takes a deep breath as I slowly approach her. It''s rare to see her so emotional.


    ¡°Sorry, I must not be explaining myself correctly," she says in an eerily emotionless voice as I stop before her.


    In a flash of movement, Tabitha draws her sword and points it at me before I can even twitch.


    I¡¯m caught off guard but don''t cringe back, even with Tabitha¡¯s sword in my face. I knew her well enough to know she would never harm me without good reason.


    ¡°When you unlock a weapon mastery skill or any item mastery skill," she monologues. ¡°Using said item never feels the same again. To me, my sword is a part of my body," Tabitha takes a lunging stance and thrusts the point of her sword at my face.


    My life flashes before my eyes, but at the last second, the blade does something impossible. Right before the tip of her sword is about to puncture my left eye and skewer me, her usually rigid sword bends unnaturally and curves around my head. Then, at inhumanly fast speeds, Tabitha pulls her sword back, and I fear I might need to change my pants.


    ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Tabitha asks me as she makes a show of slowly sheathing her sword.


    I nervously swallow a lump in my throat. It takes me a minute, but I eventually find my voice again. ¡°How was the arch-goblin able to contend with that?¡±


    Tabitha grins. "He could keep up with me due to his specific skills and physically stronger body, but if our fight had not been interrupted, I would''ve eventually been the winner."


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a skill like that make you invincible against weaker opponents?¡± I stammer.


    "To an extent," Tabitha shrugs. "Just like everything else in the world, there are limits. One-on-one, I''m strong, but what do you think would happen if I was facing two arch-goblins at once?"


    ¡°You would still win?" That wasn''t the correct answer; I just wanted to score some brownie points from the woman who pointed a sword at me.


    Tabitha chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s possible but unlikely. There are always extenuating circumstances, even more so against magic beasts. It doesn''t matter if you''ve mastered a weapon if you can¡¯t harm your opponent. But against humans, so long as too many higher leveled individuals do not gang up on me, I''ll almost always win,¡± she says confidently.


    ¡°I see,¡± I nod along to her explanation. ¡°If I can ask, what level is your Sword Mastery at?¡± I gently pry.


    Tabitha hesitates but surprisingly answers me. "I unlocked Sword Mastery almost four years ago and have yet to break past the first bottleneck. Like some skills, Sword Mastery is closer to tier 5 in difficulty to train. Master assured me I would succeed soon, but then again, he started telling me that over a year ago.¡±


    ¡°So absolutely worth it,¡± I force a smile.


    Tabitha boastfully laughs as she waves me to continue following her. As we weren¡¯t heading for the center of the forest, I no longer needed to lead us, and after what happened in the crater, I was okay with Tabitha taking the lead.


    ¡°Sword Mastery might not be tier 5, but because it¡¯s connected directly with a level 100 skill, it''s stronger than usual," Tabitha adds as we continue running.


    ¡°You know, you could¡¯ve just said that instead of scaring me with your sword,¡± I frown.


    ¡°I could¡¯ve, but would you have listened as closely if I did?¡± Tabitha smirks at me.


    Regardless of how she did it, Tabitha''s display was more than enough to make me want to max out my highest-leveled skills. Meditation, Running, Blacksmithing, Hammer Skills, Sense Mana; I needed them all to level faster. Blacksmithing and Hammer Skills are more recent additions, but I spent fifteen years getting my skills to their current levels. By Tabitha¡¯s standards, I would need another thirteen years to master any of them, let alone all.


    That was simply too long.


    We run silently for a bit, and while we do, I try to think of ways to improve my various skills. But after a while, I''m pulled out of my thoughts by weird fluctuations in the mana off in the distance. We had been moving relatively quickly after Tabitha stopped us, and by my estimations, we should be coming upon the dead zone any minute; that''s probably what I''m sensing. But just to be sure, I run alongside Tabitha and wordlessly signal her to stop.


    She does and looks at me, asking if it is okay to talk.


    ¡°I think so,¡± I say quietly.


    ¡°What do you sense?¡± She asks me.


    "I think the dead zone is just ahead,¡± I inform her.


    ¡°I thought we might be getting close. Are you ready?¡± Tabitha asks me.


    With a resolved look, I nodded affirmatively¡ªwhat better chance to level my skills than by exploring the unknown?


    I''m coming for you, skill mastery!

 Ch: 117.3

    ¡°So, how is it? Anything dangerous?¡± Tabitha asks me as soon as I open my eyes after using Sense Mana to scan the area ahead of us.


    ¡°None that I can sense,¡± I tell her. ¡°But it¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°How so?" Tabitha leans in, hanging on my every word.


    Scratching the back of my head, I try to put what I sensed into words. "It''s like the mana up ahead is similar to what it should be but different. If that makes any sense.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Tabitha frowns in confusion.


    ¡°The mana in the atmosphere is moving slower, and it has something weird added to it,¡± I try to explain.


    ¡°Weird, dangerous?¡± Tabitha asks for clarification.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so,¡± I sheepishly offer my best guess.


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow as she stares toward the dead zone. "None of my skills are reacting," she says aloud. ¡°Did you sense any magic beasts nearby?¡±


    ¡°No, not a one,¡± I answer. In truth, I sensed very little life around us. We were still quite deep in the Endless Forest, only a few miles from its center, which made the lack of wildlife odd. On our way here, I sensed multiple relatively strong magic beasts living in the forest, but the closer we got to the dead zone, the fewer signals I sensed. But that was good; we could explore at our leisure with no magic beasts to worry about.


    ¡°Then I suppose we can move closer,¡± Tabitha leads us forward. She was watching our surroundings but looked relaxed, far more so than when we were in the crater. I suppose that was understandable, considering what we encountered there. Compared to the tentacled beast we saw at the crater''s center, ordinary magical beasts just didn''t elicit the same fear they used to.


    As we near the dead zone, the forest slowly peels back, and we''re again exposed to direct sunlight. The trees feel more spread out from one another, and by the time we reach the edge of the dead zone, there are only a few sparse branches overhead. This meant we could clearly see our way going forward, and the random name I assigned turned out to be more accurate than I initially thought.


    The patch of forest stretched out before us was almost entirely devoid of life. There were trees still standing tall, but all of them were a pale grey, and I couldn¡¯t see a single leaf on any of them. Considering there was no canopy to block the sunlight, the forest floor should¡¯ve been a carpet of greenery, but nothing could be further from the truth.


    The ground shared the trees¡¯ sickly color, and unlike the rest of the forest, it was dry and compacted to the point it looked like stone rather than something you''d find in a forest. I didn¡¯t see so much as a blade of grass, let alone anything bigger. It was eerily quiet, with no sound coming from the area in front of us, and yet, I felt my pulse slowly beating faster. Something about the land in front of us called out to me.


    I move to take a step into the dead zone, only to have Tabitha stop me with a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Hold up, scan further in,¡± she instructs me.


    ¡°Are your skills warning you about something?¡± I ask.


    Tabitha shakes her head. "No, nothing like that. My skills say nothing is wrong, but it never hurts to be sure and have a second opinion.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t argue with that. And though I wanted to jump in and explore the dead zone, we still needed to be careful.


    Tabitha watches over me as I sink into a meditative state. I stretch my senses to the limit, but I don''t find anything dangerous about the patch of forest in front of us. On the other hand, though, I do sense something of note.


    ¡°Holy crap!¡± I exclaim as I drop my skills. Tabitha flinches at my outburst, but strangely her hand doesn¡¯t drop to her sword. Weird.


    ¡°What did you find?¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes drill into me. ¡°A strong magic beast?¡± Her eyes gleam at the possibility of there being a challenge.


    ¡°Better,¡± I smile. ¡°There are massive ruins up ahead.¡±


    Tabitha¡¯s grin falters. ¡°Oh,¡± she visibly deflates and loses interest.


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    ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± I add before she starts tuning me out. "There are giant ruins in there," I point into the dead zone. "I couldn''t even see everything; they were so big."


    Tabitha shows some interest in that but isn''t as excited as I am. "And you think these may contain something?¡± She gives me a quizzical look.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± I explain excitedly. ¡°The ruins go deep underground but stretch up to the surface. So maybe we''ll find a clue as to how the crater was formed."


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about that?¡± Tabitha lets out a tired sigh. ¡°The secrets of the past are just that, the past. You should focus more on the present than what happened thousands of years ago."


    I didn¡¯t fault Tabitha for her opinions; we had two entirely different outlooks on life, after all. We both wanted to get stronger, but while that''s all Tabitha cared about, I wished to enjoy my second life and experience all this world had to offer. And that meant I was curious about everything, including how the Endless Forest came about. If I could find a single clue as to how the Endless Forrest was formed, I would consider it a huge win, and the astonishingly intact ruins up ahead offered the best chance at that.


    ¡°Pity that there isn¡¯t anything to fight, but I suppose since we''re already here, it wouldn''t hurt to take a closer look." Surprisingly, Tabitha doesn''t sound opposed to exploring like I thought she might be. Instead, she rolls her shoulders before taking her first step into the dead zone. I follow her in and immediately feel a difference in the ambient mana.


    Most of the surrounding mana was still water-attuned, but black flakes of another type of mana were mixed in. The flakes made the ambient mana feel sticky, almost like tar or another adhesive. It stuck to Mana Skin¡¯s barrier like glue, and I had to flare my skill and shed small amounts of mana to dislodge the excess.


    I still had extra ambient mana contained between Mana Skin¡¯s barriers from my training earlier in the day, so I didn¡¯t need to worry about accidentally absorbing any of this tainted mana, but could Tabitha do the same? For a brief second, I wonder if we should be here. I really wanted to see the ruins up ahead; in fact, I felt even more drawn to them after entering the dead zone.


    However, Tabitha¡¯s safety far outweighed my desire to see the ruins. ¡°Are you okay, being here?¡± I turn and ask Tabitha.


    "This mana is foul but less dangerous than what we faced inside the crater,¡± Tabitha waves off my concern like it was nothing. And honestly, that¡¯s all I need to hear to put my worries behind me.


    Tabitha and I travel deeper into the dead zone, and it isn¡¯t long before we come across our first ruin. The building stuck 40 feet out of the ground and was a tower of some kind with a viewing platform at the top.


    Thanks to Sense Mana, I could see that most of the tower was buried underground and that it was over 500 feet tall. It looked like, at one point, the tower was connected to a larger building, which made sense because not far away, I sensed another chunk of the building buried deep down. The two pieces looked like they were once connected, which suggested whatever building I was looking at used to be quite extensive.


    ¡°Is this one you want to explore?¡± Tabitha playfully nudges me and gestures to the tower.


    ¡°Maybe later,¡± I try to prod her back, but she easily sidesteps me. ¡°We should look at everything up here first before we go down. There are many intact buildings, and I''d like to look at how they relate to one another." Plus, something was telling me I should explore deeper into the dead zone.


    ¡°You sound like my old tutor,¡± Tabitha''s remark distracts me from my thoughts.


    "Thank you," I grin, knowing she isn''t complimenting me.


    Tabitha rolls her eyes and leads us past the tower. In the distance, I spotted multiple other structures sticking out of the ground, but I was more interested in what was beneath us. After walking past the tower, a massive structure slowly takes shape below us.


    Sense Mana¡¯s range isn¡¯t enough to see everything at once, but after piecing a few segments together in my mind, I think I have an idea of what I¡¯m sensing. ¡°It¡¯s an arena,¡± I say excitingly after ten minutes of walking deeper into the dead zone while scanning the ground.


    ¡°Really?¡± Tabitha looks around at the various stone structures sticking out of the ground with a skeptical look. She doesn¡¯t see everything that I do. The arena is broken into multiple sections, each buried to different degrees, but when viewed as a whole, it was indeed a stadium of massive scale. The structure rivaled professional football stadiums back on Earth, and depending on how many sections there are, it might even dwarf that.


    As we walk around, I spot multiple places we could punch through and enter the structure below, but I ignore them for now as we continue to move deeper into the dead zone.


    Wait; why are we still heading to the center of the dead zone when we have perfectly good ruins to explore here? The more I think about it, the more confused I become.


    Something¡¯s not right, but what is it? Nothing is showing up in Sense Mana, and without vegetation, we had an almost perfect 360-degree view of our surroundings. Tabitha¡¯s skills weren¡¯t alerting her to anything, so what was bugging me?


    ¡°This feels familiar,¡± I mumble to myself.


    ¡°What does?¡± Tabitha asks next to me.


    ¡°Nothing much, just the time I ran into the," I begin to answer without thinking but freeze in place as the haunting form of the soul devourer appears in my head.


    ¡°Ran into the what?¡± Tabitha prods, but I¡¯m too busy hyperventilating to answer her.


    As my pulse spicks, my mind clears, and I realize the horror movie-like scenery around us. Although everything still looked the same, I realized everything was unnatural, especially my weird desire to go to the center of the dead zone. Thinking back, every time I glanced at this place from the crater''s edge, I felt we needed to come here!


    Tabitha was now frowning and looking around in concern, but again, her hand never dropped to her sword like usual.


    Focusing inward, I use Sense Soul and pale at what I find there. Gently wrapped around my soul were the whisps of a powerful skill. It felt like it wasn''t even there, yet it was strong enough to urge me forward without thinking anything was wrong with that desire. For how long has this skill been affecting me?


    "Tabitha, we''re under the effects of a skill!" I panic.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t immediately react to my revelation, which worries me even more.


    How strong was this skill if it could easily fool someone as strong and prepared as Tabitha?


    ¡°A skill is drawing us to the center of this place," I reach out and grasp Tabitha by her armor and give her a good shake, hoping it would snap her out of it. "Think about it; doesn''t this place set off any alarms? Your hand isn''t even resting on your sword,¡± I point out to her.


    My last statement about her sword finally gets a reaction out of Tabitha. She glances around us like she¡¯s lost, but her expression slowly darkens. ¡°Hit me,¡± she demands.


    I don¡¯t second guess Tabitha¡¯s order; I immediately pull back my hand and slap Tabitha across her helmeted face. My hand stings from doing so, but that¡¯s because I didn¡¯t hold back.


    Tabitha reels back from the blow and blinks rapidly. She then brings her hand to her chest and mimes, grasping her heart. "We need to get out of here, now!" Tabitha yells as soon as she gathers herself.


    The two of us turn around and bolt back the way we came.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening,¡± I manage to ask as we sprint like the devil is chasing us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Tabitha growls, pushing herself even harder.


    "Then how bad is..." Unfortunately, I don''t get to finish my question before a wave of killing intent washes over me. I almost stumble over myself, but thankfully Tabitha Flash Steps next to me and catches me before I fall over.


    ¡°Keep running,¡± she tells me in a frantic voice.


    Biting my lower lip until I taste blood, I use the pain to push past the paralyzing effects of the killing intent. It was several times stronger than anything Tabitha had ever directed at me, and unlike her, it was full of murderous maliciousness.


    Something truly dangerous was on our heels.


    We barely make it a hundred feet further before a dark shadow passes over us.


    Then, death descended upon us, and we could do nothing to stop it.

 Ch: 117.4

    We could not escape; the massive beast had utterly cut us off.


    ¡°Fuck! Of all the places to run into a lesser dragon,¡± Tabitha curses as she draws her sword while I stand frozen in fear.


    I wouldn¡¯t call the creature before us a dragon, but with the pressure emanating from it, I wasn¡¯t exactly going to argue with how she referred to it. The magic beast towering over us was a snake of massive proportions. From head to tail, the thing was almost three hundred feet long; its body was thick, its scales were dark green, and its wings were jet black.


    Why the hell did, a snake have wings!?


    Its wingspan was over a hundred feet wide, and though it rarely flapped them, the winged serpent hovered a few inches from the ground like it wasn''t affected by gravity.


    The wings were so dark they drew in the eye. They were such a deep black that it was like I was looking into a void of nothingness, one where almost no light escaped.


    Large amounts of mana were released from those dark wings, coating the entire winged serpent''s massive body. The best I could tell, the lesser dragon, as Tabitha called it, was using an advanced form of my Air Walk skill to stay airborne.


    And to make matters worse, the ambient mana turned against us as soon as it appeared. The black flakes that I now realize were motes of the winged serpent¡¯s mana visibly congeal around Tabitha and me in an attempt to lock us down.


    Although only to a small degree, this creature could manipulate the mana around us, which, needless to say, wasn''t good. The sheer amount of mana in the crater was challenging to deal with, but it wasn''t actively fighting against us like it is here. Sure, the mana wasn¡¯t limiting our movement much, but every little bit mattered up against something this strong.


    Mental Resistance was working overtime to combat the killing intent radiating off the winged serpent, and with great difficulty, I was eventually able to flex my fingers. It was only the slightest of movements, but that was enough to draw the beast¡¯s attention. Its large amber eyes, previously focused solely on Tabitha, swivel to me, and I immediately start trembling under its powerful gaze.


    Something in the way it looked at me set alarm bells off in my head. It only focuses on me briefly before looking back at Tabitha, but that moment is all I need to make a scary realization. This creature was much more intelligent than anything I''d ever encountered. Unlike the soul devourer, it didn¡¯t attack as soon as we broke out of its skill. Instead, it was taking the time to size us up, which terrified me.


    "Get ready; it''s going to attack soon," Tabitha warns me quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll try to draw its attention. When I say so, I want you to run. It doesn¡¯t matter what direction you do so, but don¡¯t look back.¡±


    ¡°But what about you?¡± I nervously wheeze.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have time to worry about me. Here it comes!¡± Tabitha shouts, and all hell breaks loose.


    Tabitha and I Flash Step backward as the giant serpent slams its massive body down on where we are standing.


    Tabitha tries to run to the right to put some distance between us, but the winged serpent doesn¡¯t like that. At incredible speeds that rivaled me at my fastest, the snake slithers through the air and cuts Tabitha off before she can get very far. Then, using its tail to attack, it forces Tabitha to dodge backward in my direction.


    To Tabitha¡¯s dismay, she¡¯s forced back toward me. However, Tabitha doesn''t give up easily and quickly tries again, running in a different direction, boosted by her movement skills.


    Sadly, the same thing repeats itself. Tabitha tries to put enough distance between us so I can make a break for it, but the snake inevitably cuts her off and forces us back together, pushing us deeper into the dead zone.


    Thankfully, besides a few swats with its tail, the snake is almost entirely focused on Tabitha and pays me little attention. I try to sneak off when I can, but the snake quickly forces me to change directions with its precise tail attacks. Though one thing becomes clear, it isn¡¯t trying to kill us. Yet. Which is a good thing for me because I''m having trouble dodging it, and it wasn¡¯t even trying to hit me.


    It was apparent what the winged serpent was doing; the bastard was pushing us toward a specific location, which I presume was at the center of the dead zone.


    Tabitha does her best to fight back, but I don''t need to use Sense Soul to know the winged serpent out-leveled her significantly.


    Tabitha was struggling to leave a scratch on the snake¡¯s scales, and that was only when she could make contact with the wily beast. Despite Tabitha''s fantastic sword skills, the winged serpent was somehow more agile than she was. It should be impossible for a creature of that size to be so nimble, yet here it was, dodging almost every single one of Tabitha''s lightning-fast attacks.


    I¡¯m too busy dodging the snake¡¯s casual tail swipes to draw my weapon; not like I could do anything with it. I was doing my best to help Tabitha, the only way I knew how, by following her directions and looking for a chance to escape, but I was quickly losing hope.


    The snake was simply too fast, and the fact that it could fly meant I couldn¡¯t just Air Walk my way out of here. The only thing I could do was try and stay out of Tabitha¡¯s way. But, sadly, with the snake hellbent on keeping us together, I couldn¡¯t even do that.


    Flash Stepping left, I narrowly avoided bumping into Tabitha, who was once again forced to dodge in my direction.


    ¡°Try to use the buildings for cover!¡± She shouts to me before lunging at the winged serpent again.


    I understand what Tabitha is going for, but her plan would be harder to execute than it sounded. We weren¡¯t the ones deciding which direction we were going, the snake was, and it was doing a damn good job of leading us by the nose without letting us get close to any of the nearby structures.


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    ¡°Run to the nearest tower,¡± Tabitha instructs with a manic look of urgency.


    As instructed, I bolt towards the tower while Tabitha turns around and tries to attack the snake''s face.


    For a brief second, I think Tabitha¡¯s distraction had finally worked when the snake didn''t immediately position itself between me and the tower, but my excitement was short-lived.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I hear Tabitha warningly shout behind me.


    Looking over my shoulder, I expected to face a rapidly approaching winged snake, but the reality was much worse.


    The snake was still fighting Tabitha, using its whip-like tail to keep her at bay, but at the same time, its mouth was directed at me, and its throat was puffing up like a balloon.


    I have just enough time to change direction when the snake breathes out a dense cloud of dark brown mist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it touch you!¡± I clearly hear Tabitha''s panicked warning.


    Yeah, I wasn''t planning on it. Gritting my teeth, I dodge backward to avoid the immense cloud of what I assume is acid or some sort of poison. Whatever it was, it blocked me from reaching the tower.


    "Fall back," Tabitha says, right behind me. I don¡¯t have time to react or think about how she closed the distance between us so quickly before she yanked me off my feet and dragged me alongside her, the snake hot on her heels.


    While being dragged, I got a clear look at the snake who was casually flying after us. I swear the massive serpent was smiling at us, and I think I know why. Tabitha was dragging me in the direction the snake had not so subtly been herding us. We were doing exactly what it wanted.


    Finally finding my feet, I run alongside Tabitha rather than letting her drag me around. "You know we''re doing what it wants, right?" I say anxiously.


    "I know," Tabitha runs with a steely expression. "It probably wants to wait to deal with us until we''re deeper in its territory," she comments darkly.


    ¡°Why?" I ask, more than a little hysterical at the moment.


    "Most likely, it doesn''t want to clean up after itself. Whatever skill it used to lure us here would''ve probably been broken if we came across a bunch of bones or signs of a battle. Compulsion skills are powerful, but once a person notices something is off, they¡¯re relatively easy to break,¡± Tabitha sounds tired, as she explains.


    "And that''s why it''s not attacking us for the moment?" I glance over my shoulder at the hovering snake tailing not far behind us. It hisses at me and strikes the ground behind us with its tail, kicking up dirt and stone, urging us to go faster when it could just as easily finish us off now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t escape,¡± I feebly add.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have your chance,¡± Tabitha assures me. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it,¡± she promises.


    ¡°What does that mean?" I don''t like the way Tabitha was talking; it almost sounded like she planned on sacrificing herself or something.


    ¡°It¡¯s yet to attack us seriously,¡± Tabitha stares ahead, ignoring both my question and the beast chasing us. "When it does, I''ll do everything possible to slow it down and buy you as much time as I can. That''s when you run.¡±


    ¡°And how will you escape?¡± I frown. Tabitha doesn¡¯t say anything, all but confirming my worst fears. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡±


    Tabitha finally turns and looks at me, and her resolute expression makes my hair stand on end. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I must. When you get back to the village, send for Master, he¡¯ll be able to avenge me.¡±


    ¡°What if we work together?¡± I plead.


    Tabitha shakes her head. "I can''t see its level, meaning it''s over level 120. You¡¯ll die before being able to do anything, and I¡¯m not fast enough to outrun it. At least with my sacrifice, one of us will live.¡±


    I wanted to disagree but couldn''t find the words to argue with her. Tabitha was dead set on sacrificing herself so I may have a sliver of a chance to escape, and the worst part was part of me was relieved.


    I didn¡¯t want to die again. I promised my family I¡¯d return to them safely, and I didn''t want to imagine how sad they would be if I never returned.


    On the other hand, I couldn¡¯t just accept letting Tabitha sacrifice her life for me. There had to be a way out of this we weren¡¯t seeing. If I could survive against the soul devourer by myself, the two of us should be able to find a way to kill this oversized snake, lesser dragon or not.


    "Get ready; we''re almost there,¡± Tabitha¡¯s cold voice is a sad reminder that we were running out of time.


    In the distance, up against a section of arena sticking out of the ground was a massive pile of bones, and looking closer, it wasn¡¯t the only one. There were piles of sun-bleached bones all over the place. I spot goblin bones, silent falcon bones, a skull from a forest lion; they were all here. There were remains of countless beasts scattered everywhere, making for a grizzly scene, and I couldn''t help but think ours would be joining them soon.


    ¡°Good, it¡¯s not going to waste its time eating us,¡± Tabitha mumbles beside me.


    ¡°And how do you know that?¡± I ask, nervously sweating up a storm.


    ¡°Snakes digest bones,¡± Tabitha says matter-of-factly. ¡°Chances are, it just wants to kill us for the experience.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± I remark dryly, trying my best not to have a panic attack.


    "Well, here we are," Tabitha suddenly stops running and turns around. I slide to a stop a few feet behind her, and time slows as we face off against the colossal magic beast.


    The winged serpent hovers a couple of dozen feet away from us, its large head bobbing side to side, quizzically examining us, its prey. Most of its attention was on Tabitha, but it spared me a glance before writing my presence off. That was good if I was running, but could I bring myself to leave Tabitha behind?


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use everything I have; get ready," Tabitha tells me as she takes her stance. It was hard not to notice how she placed herself between the snake and me.


    I was out of time and still hadn''t figured out a way for us to escape. We were deep in the snakes¡¯ territory with almost nothing around us. We could try hiding behind the ruins sticking out of the ground, but that would only stall the inevitable.


    Suddenly, the snake twists in the air, climbing higher until it''s over thirty feet off the ground. It opens its mouth, showcasing its fangs, and lets out a threateningly long hiss at Tabitha. I can¡¯t see Tabitha¡¯s face from where I am, but I imagine she¡¯s sneering back at it.


    Then, Tabitha and the snake''s killing intent clash at the same time, and I tremble like I''m standing in the middle of a blizzard without a coat.


    ¡°Aaliyah, run!¡± Tabitha shouts as she leaps at the flying serpent at blinding speeds. At the same time, the snake rushes at Tabitha with its mouth wide open. The two move so fast that my eyes can''t keep up with either of their movements.


    I vaguely see Tabitha dodge the snake''s initial charge, but it uses its wings to slam Tabitha back to the ground. Tabitha recovers in time to dodge the snake''s follow-up lunge, but it¡¯s clear she¡¯s struggling to match its movements.


    All my instincts screamed for me to turn around and run for the hills, but I couldn''t bring myself to do it.


    I had to save Tabitha!


    Fighting wasn¡¯t an option, but neither was running, so what did we do?


    ¡°Why are you still here!? Get out of here!" Tabitha screams at me to flee while dodging the snake''s whip-like tail.


    I couldn¡¯t do that! I bite my lower lip until I taste blood. My legs were trembling, and I was scared out of my mind, but I couldn''t bring myself to abandon Tabitha, no matter the consequences.


    ¡°Damn you, just leave!¡± I hear the sorrow in Tabitha¡¯s voice as she begs me to follow her orders.


    Just then, I sense the snake gathering a significant amount of mana into its tail. ¡°Watch out!¡± I scram a warning, but it¡¯s too late. So many things happen at once my brain struggles to process it all.


    My ears ring as a shockwave of air slams into me. The snake had swung its tail at Tabitha so fast that it created a small explosion when it struck her shield.


    There was no way Tabitha could deflect such an attack, and she was sent flying through the air until she landed a few feet away from me, unable to move. Her left arm was completely destroyed, and what remained of Tabitha¡¯s shield was twisted around her bloody flesh. Tabitha¡¯s right arm was better, but it still looked broken in several places. By some miracle, Tabitha was still holding onto her sword, but there was no doubt she was down for the count.


    Tabitha was still conscious somehow, but she was losing a lot of blood fast. Her breastplate had a massive dent, and the rest of her armor didn¡¯t look much better. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure how she was even alive.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you run?¡± She feebly wheezes, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Not without you,¡± I rush to her side and grab her limp body by her armor.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll die together,¡± she rasps.


    ¡°Not if I can help it,¡± I start dragging her over to the largest pile of nearby bones.


    While I¡¯m dragging Tabitha, the winged serpent returns to the sky and slowly circles over us like a vulture waiting for its prey to drop. It must think with Tabitha out of commission, it was only a matter of time before I shared her fate, but I wasn''t going to give it the satisfaction.


    As we near the pile of bones, I finally draw my hammer, but not for the reason one would think.


    The flying snake hisses above us, but I ignore it and focus on my real target. While holding on to Tabitha with my left hand, I take my hammer in my right and prepare to use all my skills simultaneously.


    I don''t know if the snake realized something was wrong with my actions, but I wasn''t waiting to find out.


    With everything I have, I slam my weapon down. My hammer pulverizes bone and strikes my real target, the grey bricks hidden underneath. The grey stone resists for a second, but soon I hear it giving way.


    If there was no place to hide up here, then why not try underground? That was the crazy idea I came up with in the heat of the moment. Of course, we weren''t necessarily escaping, but at least I could save Tabitha and buy us some time to devise a real plan.


    The monster overhead sees what I¡¯m doing, but even it¡¯s too far away to make it in time to stop me. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for playing with your food, you bastard!¡± I shout at it as I''m about to jump into the newly formed hole with Tabitha.


    The winged serpent probably didn¡¯t understand exactly what I said, but it sure as hell pissed it off all the same because before we disappeared underground, a wave of brown mist crashed down from above and enveloped us.


    The poison clings to Mana Skin as I pull Tabitha underground. The lesser dragon may have gotten the last word, but we were alive.


    For now.

 Ch: 117.5

    Fuck that snake; I curse in my head. The damn thing just had to spit on us before we got away.


    Still holding on to Tabitha by the scruff of her armor, we tumble down into the dark ruins below. Almost as soon as we jumped in the hole I created, it was covered again, either by bones or the snake itself. Either way, there was no light.


    Thanks to Sense Mana, I knew this shaft was here, but I didn''t have time to scan very far down before I was forced to grab Tabitha and run for it. We were rapidly approaching the bottom, but that wasn¡¯t my biggest concern at the moment.


    The shaft wasn¡¯t big enough for the massive snake to follow us, but we were still in danger. The mist it hit us with was the scariest substance I¡¯ve ever encountered. No matter what I did with Mana Skin, the poison refused to come off, and it was rapidly eating through my defenses.


    It was almost like the poison was alive. Like a million tiny worms, the stuff was slowly digging through my mana barriers and would soon reach my skin, and I highly doubted my measly Poison Resistance would be able to do anything once it did.


    I needed to get it off me fast, but first things first. Despite Master telling me never to do so and knowing it was wrong to let go of my weapon purposely, I toss my hammer to the side while we¡¯re falling. My weapon was covered in poison, and I didn¡¯t have the mana to waste securing it to my back. Plus, I needed both my hands free.


    Before we crash into the bottom of the ruins, I pull Tabitha close to my chest and use my hands to support her the best I can. I paid particular attention to her left arm, which looked like it was hanging on by a thread. While I slow us using Air Walk, I hear my hammer crash below us. The sound echoes off the ruin¡¯s walls and rings in my ears, but I ignore the noise and focus on Tabitha.


    As soon as my feet meet the ground, I use Sense Mana to scan our surroundings, unable to see a thing in the darkness. We were currently in 400 square foot room, and thankfully, there was nothing dangerous down here waiting for us.


    Taking care not to move her unnecessarily, I lay Tabitha on the ground away from the shaft we fell through in case the snake tried to breathe any more of its toxic mist down on us. Once I have her lying down, I work on conjuring some light. Sense Mana was great for some things, but I still needed to see Tabitha to figure out how to treat her.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploe-,¡± I start to recite my light spell, but halfway through, I start coughing and taste blood in my mouth.


    Shit! I start to panic. The poison had finally made its way through Mana Skin, and I almost immediately started feeling sick.


    I try to catch my breath, but my lungs feel like they¡¯re melting in my chest. My strength was quickly fading, but I couldn''t give up after making it this far!


    Despite the pain, I force myself to recite my light spell. ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    A ball of light forms above my head, and I nearly barf seeing Tabitha''s mangled form before me. She was almost entirely white, except for her dark and pulsating veins. Unfortunately, I wasn''t much better. The veins on my arms were darkening rapidly, too, a sign that the poison was spreading quickly.


    I needed to find a way to treat us, but first, I needed to remove the remaining poison covering us.


    Wheezing and coughing up more blood, I do the only thing I can think of; I recite the spell I use almost daily.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    A purifying white light covers my body, but it only helps me. So, using Empowered Spell, I pump obnoxious amounts of mana into my basic cleaning spell until the light covering me expands to include Tabitha.


    The tenacious poison is strong enough to resist my magic, so I need to channel even more of my mana to combat it, but eventually, the poison clinging to us starts to flake away.


    Good, now how do I fix the poison already in our systems!?


    "My bag," I hear a tiny voice, followed by coughing.


    My eyes practically turned the size of dinner plates because, somehow, Tabitha was still conscious. But what was that about her bag?


    Oh yeah! Now I remember; her emergency satchel.


    Fumbling over Tabitha, I reach for the small enchanted bag on her belt. She told me it was enchanted to protect the potions held within. So, if Tabitha is telling me to grab her bag, she must have something to deal with the poison, or at least that''s what I''m hoping. Because if not, we''re both dead.


    I try to unfasten Tabitha''s pouch, only to realize I was losing feeling in my fingers. My Health was plummeting at an unprecedented rate, and it was only a matter of seconds until I passed out. So, I give up on untying the enchanted bag and rip it open with what little strength I have left.


    Inside the satchel, illuminated by my magic, were six small vials. Two vials contained an orange substance, two were jet black, and two were teal. ¡°Which ones?¡± I cough.


    ¡°Bla-," Tabitha couldn''t even say the entire word, but it was enough.


    With shaking hands, I grab the two vials. I struggle to remove their stoppers, but death is a surprisingly good motivator. As soon as I uncork the first tonic, I don''t hesitate to dump the contents of the vial into my mouth and swallow, despite it smelling like rotting flesh and tasting similar.


    I don¡¯t wait for the potion to take effect before I try to pour the second one into Tabitha¡¯s mouth, only she does the unthinkable. As I bring the open vial up to her mouth, Tabitha closes her mouth and feebly tries to turn her head away from me.


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    ¡°No,¡± I hear her rasp.


    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re dying,¡± I practically scream in her face out of frustration.


    ¡°I must,¡± Tabitha feebly tells me.


    ¡°What bullshit are you on about?¡± I complain without coughing. Whatever I drank was kicking in. My Health wasn''t recovering, but at least it was no longer decreasing. ¡°Why do you need to die?!¡±


    ¡°So, you can,¡± Tabitha slowly answers me with blood dripping from her eyeballs. ¡°Be rescued,¡± she struggles to finish.


    "How is your dying going to get me rescued?" I fumed, trying to force the vial into Tabitha''s mouth.


    As I¡¯m trying to force the tonic on Tabitha, I push against her chest plate, hoping to stop her from squirming and aggravating her wounds further. While touching her armor, I finally recognized what Tabitha was doing. She was still trying to sacrifice herself for me.


    Tabitha¡¯s armor had yet to activate, meaning her Health wasn¡¯t low enough yet. She didn¡¯t want to take the antidote because she wanted her armor''s last response to trigger and notify Pacore that we were in trouble. But if that happened, the shield her armor would conjure would keep me from administering the antitoxin. And unless her shield can remove toxins from her body, it will be impossible to save her once it''s up. Instead of it being a life-saving shield, her armor would become her coffin.


    ¡°It¡¯s for the best,¡± Tabitha struggles to say.


    At this point, I¡¯m struggling to hold back my anger. How can she be so willing to sacrifice herself for me? Didn¡¯t she understand how that would make me feel?


    No, just like above, I refuse to let Tabitha give up her life for me.


    Lifting the last vial of black potion to my mouth, I empty its contents. It tasted foul keeping it in my mouth, and though I wanted to spit it out, I suppressed the urge to do so.


    Tabitha was surprised by my actions which helped in what I did next. With one hand, I pinch Tabitha''s nose, and with the other, I force her jaw open. Tabitha was extremely weak at the moment, so while she struggled in my grasp, I easily overpowered her.


    Leaning in, I lock lips with Tabitha and force her to drink the disgusting tonic against her will.


    This wasn''t like in the movies where Tabitha and I shared a romantic moment. The tonic made me want to barf, and while Tabitha was beautiful in her own way, I didn¡¯t think of her like that, and I¡¯m sure neither did she. Tabitha was my mentor and was more like a big sister or an aunt to me. I only administered the antidote to her like this because it was the only way I could think of to get her to take it.


    After I force all the tonic into her mouth, I pull back and use my hand to massage her throat, making sure she swallowed all of it and didn''t spit even a single drop out.


    ¡°You fool; you needed that spare potion in case you were poisoned again," Tabitha glares at me after I let her go.


    "I don''t care. Either we both make it out, or neither of us does," I yell at her.


    Tabitha¡¯s glare softens into a look of defeat. ¡°Thank you, but you still haven¡¯t saved me. On the contrary, you only prolonged my suffering." Tabitha''s eyes shift down to her arms. They were barely bleeding anymore, but that was more because Tabitha was almost out of blood rather than because she was healing. It was only due to her high stats that she hadn''t already died from blood loss, but even that wouldn''t save her for long.


    Tabitha was deathly pale, and she was right; if I didn¡¯t do something quickly, it wouldn''t matter that I saved her from the toxin. But I wasn¡¯t going to stop trying now.


    Reaching into Tabitha''s satchel again, I pull out the remaining four vials. "Which of these will heal you?¡± I hold the vials in front of her face. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll force you to drink all four of them,¡± I threaten when she remains silent.


    ¡°You would doom me to a life like that?¡± Tabitha asks somberly. Again, she glances at her arms. ¡°One of the blue potions will help me recover my Health, but they can¡¯t fix my arms as they are. My arms will heal wrong, causing more problems. You would need to amputate them before administering it.¡±


    At least I know the antitoxin is working because Tabitha could talk more without coughing, but was she telling me I would need to chop off her arms to save her!? That would be a fate worse than death for a person like Tabitha.


    ¡°Let me die,¡± Tabitha orders me in a soft voice.


    "Shut up; I''m thinking,¡± I snap back. I had the potions; I just needed a way to fix her arms.


    I could..... In the heat of the moment, another crazy idea pops into my head. That could work, but could I pull it off?


    Setting the two teal vials to the side, I hold up the orange vials. "If the black ones were for poisons, and the blue ones were for healing, what would the orange ones do? Do they recover mana?" It only made sense she would carry the three types of potions that one would commonly need.


    ¡°They do,¡± Tabitha slowly answers.


    I grin manically; this can work!


    Uncorking one of the orange vials, I quickly down the syrupy potion. I move to uncork the second one, but Tabitha stops me. "Don''t; you''ll poison yourself if you drink both at once," she warns me.


    Growling in annoyance, I set the second orange potion off to the side. I''ll just have to make do with what I had.


    Almost immediately, I could feel the mana-restoring potion working in my stomach. It wasn''t helping me absorb more mana like I thought it might; instead, it boosted the rate my body converted ambient mana into my own personal mana. And quite rapidly, I might add, which was infinitely better.


    When I took the antitoxin, I didn''t think about it, but what tier were these potions? For them to have such strong effects, they couldn''t be low-tier.


    What was I thinking about at a time like this; I shake my head to dismiss those unimportant thoughts. I was on a time crunch and needed to hurry. I needed to put my crazy plan into action.


    With part of my strength returning to me, I remove Tabitha¡¯s sword sheath from her belt. ¡°This is going to hurt,¡± I tell Tabitha as I fish my canvas tarp out of my bag and rip it into thin shreds.


    Before she can tell me not to bother, I grab Tabitha¡¯s right arm, remove her armor, and start snapping the bones back into place. Even Tabitha couldn''t help but grunt in pain, but that meant she was still alive.


    I use my knee to hold Tabitha in place as I work fast. Without her armor interfering with my senses, Sense Mana can give me a clear picture of what''s wrong with Tabitha''s arm.


    I was no medical personnel, but even I could tell her right arm was broken in five places and fractured almost everywhere else. So, using Tabitha''s sheath and my ripped-up canvas, I force Tabitha¡¯s bones into their proper position using mine as a reference and jerry-rig a splint.


    Now for the hard part.


    Ignoring Tabitha¡¯s cries of pain when I touch it, I move onto her left arm, which was considerably worse.


    First, I pried the remains of Tabitha''s shield and her other armor pieces from her arm to understand better what I was working with, and it wasn¡¯t a pretty sight. Pieces of Tabitha¡¯s arm bones were sticking out of her mangled flesh in multiple places. There wasn¡¯t a single intact bone in her entire left arm.


    I don''t want to, but if my crazy plan doesn''t work out, I might have to amputate her left arm after all.


    I was confident I could save the right, which was her sword arm, but I refused to give up without trying.


    ¡°Please bear with me," I tell Tabitha as I try to do the impossible.


    Closing my eyes, I place my hands on Tabitha¡¯s left shoulder. There was no room for mistakes. Activating Magic Threads, I use Inject Mana to force my skill past Tabitha''s body''s natural defenses. My goal was to stitch Tabitha up from the inside, using my mana to hold everything in place, so I could use the healing potion without chopping off her arm. However, it was easier said than done.


    Tabitha¡¯s body didn¡¯t know I was trying to help it, and a woman of Tabitha¡¯s caliber had a strong resistance to foreign mana. So it was complicated to maintain control of my mana as I guided it around her mangled flesh, even more so when I started to try to move things around.


    Even though Tabitha was on her deathbed, I had to use my entire body to pin her to the ground as I carried out my risky procedure. It probably felt like I was injecting acid into her veins; combine that with the pain she was already feeling, and it''s no wonder she was trying to throw me off.


    I started at her shoulder, where the bone fragments were the biggest. Again, I need to use my skeletal system as a cheat sheet, but with the added difficulty of piecing dozens of bone fragments together. The only reason I knew which pieces went where was because I was pulling a page from my crafting book and treating the bones as if they were ingots I needed to link together.


    Like metal, Tabitha¡¯s bones had a natural structure to them, and because I was used to looking at microscopic structures and knew what to look for, I was better able to match them to where they should go.


    I wish I could take my time, but again, I was on the clock. It had only been a few minutes since we fell down here, and I have had to solve one problem after another. I might have been able to reduce the amount of pain Tabitha was experiencing if I had more time to work, but I had to forgo that to finish before her armor activated.


    My weird surgery takes me an agonizing three minutes from start to finish. But, in that time, I was able to organize and connect all of Tabitha¡¯s bone fragments. I also tried to stitch up her muscles and ligaments to the best of my ability, but by the time I reached that point, my mana was hovering around 10%.


    If I didn¡¯t have Tabitha¡¯s mana potion, there was no way I would¡¯ve been able to pull off what I did. I wanted to collapse but needed to administer the healing potion first.


    I don¡¯t know at what point it happened, I was too engrossed in controlling my mana, but Tabitha passed out due to the excruciating amount of pain, so this time, it was much easier to force her to drink the second potion than it was the first. I just needed to tilt her head back and pore the potion directly into her mouth, and she swallowed it unconsciously.


    And after that, I finally collapsed backward onto my ass and sighed deeply. So much happened in such a short time, leaving me both physically and mentally drained.


    My Health was hovering around 40% from the poison, but that was nothing compared to my low mana. Plus, using all my skills to break into the ruins stressed my stamina, so I was tired in almost every conceivable way.


    Oh well, since Tabitha¡¯s armor didn¡¯t activate, I¡¯m guessing I succeeded in saving her life. It was still a coin toss if her arms could heal properly, but I did everything I could. I had no idea when she would wake up, but until then, I¡¯ll watch over her. And when she finally comes to, whether her arms work or not, we''ll devise a way to get out of here together.


    Or die trying.

 Ch: 117.6

    There was nothing like sitting in total darkness to make a person feel paranoid. Add the fact that the ruins were utterly devoid of sound besides Tabitha¡¯s and mine soft breathing, and everything was ten times worse.


    I didn¡¯t have the mana to keep my light spell going, so I could do nothing to combat the pitch black surrounding my unconscious companion and me. It also didn''t help that I was feeling particularly vulnerable at the moment. Tabitha couldn''t move, and I was dead tired; metaphorically speaking, I could only keep watch.


    I was trying to pull in ambient mana to fuel my low mana reserves, but the potion I drank sadly only lasted ten minutes, and now my body had to deal with the consequences. Unfortunately, power you haven''t earned consistently comes at a cost; now that the potion has run its course, it had the opposite effect on my body. While the potion had boosted the rate at which I could convert ambient mana into my own by almost 300%, now it was reduced to a horrendous 35% of what it usually is.


    Considering how long it usually takes to regain mana after depleting my reserves and this new lower conversion rate, I will need at least three days to recharge completely. That isn¡¯t good. Not good at all.


    I had no idea how long it would take for Tabitha to recover to fighting condition if she''d ever, but I doubt it would happen in three days. Not unless a miracle happens, and I felt fresh out after trying to save her arms.


    If we rationed the little food and water we had, we could survive over a week down here. That sounded like a long time, and it was if the situation were different, but it wouldn¡¯t work here. We could survive that long only by eating a single piece of jerky daily and taking no more than a single sip of water. Our high stats would help with the rest, but starving ourselves like that would slow our recovery and leave us in no state to face the winged serpent again, which was the overall goal.


    To fuel our recovery, we need more food and water than we have. If we could level, that would help in more ways than one, but it wasn''t like we were in an excellent place to train.


    Using Sense Mana, I scan our immediate surroundings. The shaft we fell through that led to the surface was roughly 300 feet. Based on the decayed wood around where we landed, the shaft used to be some lift to the surface or, more likely a way to reach the higher levels of the arena.


    We were deep, but not so deep that I couldn¡¯t sense what was happening on the surface. The problem was that either the snake had left my range or had a way to hide from Sense Mana because I couldn¡¯t find it no matter how much I looked.


    Sighing, I switch my focus from the surface to the ruins around us, and holly crap, they were enormous! I didn''t get the chance to pay much attention to the ground while the winged serpent was chasing us, but I can say now, without a doubt, that his arena was more extensive than anything back on Earth. Which begged the question, how big was the civilization that used to live here if they needed such a large arena, and what was it used for?


    There were countless adjoining rooms around and below us, with huge hallways and passageways crisscrossing every which way. It was a veritable maze down here, one that reeked of death. And despite knowing we were alone, I couldn''t shake the feeling we were being watched.


    The air was stale but not as bad as the mana. The snake¡¯s corruption didn¡¯t extend down here, but the natural mana wasn''t much better. Being this far underground, you would think there would be loads of earth mana, and there was, only it was all outside the ruins. Inside the ruins, it was different. I remember seeing something similar before, but where was it?


    Maybe if I scan more, I''ll figure out why the mana here is so unpleasant.


    I did a quick sweep with my senses when we first came down to ensure nothing dangerous was lurking nearby while I worked on Tabitha, but this time I took my time and scanned everything from top to bottom. Room by room, I scan for anything that could affect this place''s mana. There was surprisingly little life down here; I didn''t sense moss or any bugs of any kind.


    Utilizing Sense Mana, I could scan every room within 754 feet of myself, and even that wasn''t enough to see everything. Not all the buildings I could sense were connected. There were sections cut off from the rest of the ruins and would require a lot of digging to access


    if we wanted to explore them.


    Our section is relatively larger than the rest and contains hundreds of rooms, but none contain anything that would make this place feel like a graveyard. No, that wasn''t right; not even a graveyard feels like this. The place our village buries the ashes of the dead felt like any other part of the village, but the mana felt like back when¡­.


    It suddenly clicked where I felt mana like this before. The mana here was the same kind we encountered before we entered the Endless Forest, the same mana leaking out of the mass burial site from the goblin massacre!


    But wait a minute; I didn¡¯t sense any bodies. And isn¡¯t death mana purified over time? This place must have been sealed off for countless years; any death mana should¡¯ve vanished long ago, but here it is. Why?


    Again, I scan our surroundings, taking extra care to look for anything out of place, but I don''t even make it out of our room before I notice something¡ªmultiple somethings.


    It was faint, but I could sense piles of dust on the floor. One, four, seven; there were eleven such piles in our room alone, and now that I know what I¡¯m looking for, I notice similar piles in the adjacent rooms and even more scattered all over the ruins. I only need to look at the shape of the piles to realize what they were or what they once were.


    Each pile of dust was shaped like a person. There were so many I couldn''t count them all, and the number increased the further down I directed Sense Mana. So, it was no surprise that was where all the death mana was emanating from.


    ¡°Wait, was that movement?¡± I swear I could feel something shift two floors below us, but as soon as I focused on the spot, there was nothing out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I''m being careful not to move my arms," A voice I wasn''t expecting answered me.


    I¡¯m not proud of myself, but I let out a girly scream in the dark.


    "Please don''t yell," Tabitha groans. "I can''t use my hands to cover my ears."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Focusing on the darkness next to me, Sense Mana shows Tabitha lifting her head and looking in my direction. "You scared the piss out of me,¡± I yell into the dark. ¡°How are you conscious right now?¡±


    I can¡¯t see Tabitha¡¯s facial expressions in the dark, but I recognize her boastful tone. "You think this is enough to knock me out?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think now is the time to joke,¡± I deadpan.


    ¡°Fair enough, Tabitha hacks up a lung. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep even if I want to,¡± she tells me, sounding tired and in pain. "It''s the potion you gave me. It''s pulling everything it can to heal me, leaving me feeling exhausted, but at the same time, keeping me from falling asleep due to its healing properties.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been awake?"


    ¡°Not long,¡± Tabitha answers. ¡°I woke up soon after you gave me the potion. Before that, I had passed out from the pain. Congratulations that hasn''t happened in a long time," she tells me pessimistically.


    ¡°Sorry, I was trying to save your arms,¡± I retort and immediately feel bad for being so blunt about it.


    An awkward silence falls between us. I wish I could see Tabitha¡¯s face to get a feel for how she was doing emotionally, but I couldn¡¯t waste what mana I had left just for that.


    ¡°You know, you should¡¯ve let me die,¡± Tabitha finally breaks the silence. There was a whole host of emotions behind her voice, but I was expecting her to say as much, though I thought she''d be out for at least a day before or so.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen,¡± I growl defiantly. ¡°You can try to sacrifice yourself all you want; just know, I¡¯ll do the same to try and save you when you do." I fold my arms and glare at the spot Tabitha is lying, even though both were pointless in the dark. ¡°The least you can do is say thank you.¡±


    I was fully prepared for Tabitha to give me the silent treatment, but in my heart of hearts, I needed her to understand why I did what I did. There aren''t many people I care about. I care about everyone in the village to a certain degree, but outside my family, there were only ten or so people I would stick my neck out for, and Tabitha was one of those people.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tabitha¡¯s sudden response catches me off guard.


    "What was that? come again?" I try to get her to repeat herself to ensure I wasn''t hallucinating because I was tired.


    "Thank you for saving me, Aaliyah," Tabitha repeats in a tone I''ve never heard her use before. She sounded sad yet unbelievably happy at the same time.


    "You''re welcome." I wanted to slap myself for not coming up with something better to say, but the two words just seemed to tumble out of my mouth. Something wet rolls down my cheek, which I quickly wipe away.


    There''s another drawn-out pause, but it doesn''t feel awkward this time. I was trying to collect myself, and I''m sure Tabitha was doing the same.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I tentatively ask after a minute. ¡°Is the potion helping with your arms?¡±


    "I won''t be able to move anytime soon, but you did an excellent job," Tabitha praises my workmanship.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. I was worried I didn¡¯t do enough.¡±


    I hear Tabitha chuckle in the dark. ¡°As usual, you have no concept of what you managed to do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure any trained healer could do a better job," I remain humble.


    This time Tabitha laughs, which quickly turns into a deep cough. ¡°A trained healer would¡¯ve chopped my left arm off and focused on my other injuries. The fact that I can feel my left arm at all is a miracle in itself. The best healer in Scholl might be able to do what you did, but not in the same conditions.¡±


    Good thing there was no light because I was blushing under Tabitha''s extensive praises. But hold on, Tabitha said something important just now. ¡°You can feel your left arm?¡±


    ¡°I can. It hurts something fierce, and I can tell the bones are slowly mending, but I have feeling in both arms," she proudly tells me.


    "That''s amazing," I let out a sigh of relief I didn¡¯t know I was holding in. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can estimate how long it will take you to recover?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s tricky; the potion complicates things,¡± Tabitha answers.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Well, the healing potion is helping me with my worst injuries, like the internal bleeding and my broken bones," Tabitha explains.


    Shit, I can¡¯t believe I forgot to check if she had any other significant injuries. I was so focused on her arms I ignored everything else.


    "Once the potion stops working, my natural healing will plummet briefly, but that should only last a few hours. Those potions weren¡¯t cheap, after all,¡± Tabitha morbidly jokes.


    "Does the same apply to the mana potion I drank?" I ask. "My mana regain slowed to a crawl, and I¡¯m running on fumes here.¡±


    ¡°Should be,¡± Tabitha gives me some much-needed good news.


    I didn''t tell her outright, but my mana reserves were circling the drain. Other than maintaining a single barrier of Mana Skin to protect myself from the harsh ambient mana, I couldn¡¯t do anything with my mana if I wanted to. That said, I didn¡¯t want Tabitha to worry about me while she was indisposed, so I directed the conversation elsewhere. ¡°You said your potions were expensive; how much were they?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Tabitha mumbles in the dark. ¡°You drank the cheapest one. I think I bought the pair for 320 gold coins.¡±


    Hearing Tabitha¡¯s casual mention of the price of the mana potion I drank sends me into a coughing fit. "That''s the cheapest?" I ask once I catch my breath. "What about the others?¡±


    ¡°Well, the healing potion was 370,¡± Tabitha throws out another astronomical number.


    ¡°For the pair?¡± I exclaim.


    "No, that was for the one," she drops another bomb.


    ¡°Do I even want to know about the antitoxin?¡± I nervously ask.


    "Those were the most expensive," Tabitha confirmed what I was already thinking. "But they were worth every copper,¡± she stresses.


    ¡°I guess," I reluctantly agree. "We were lucky it worked against the snake''s poison in the first place."


    ¡°Luck had nothing to do with it,¡± Tabitha informs me. ¡°The potions we took were designed to combat 99.99% of poisons and toxins.¡±


    ¡°And how does that work?¡± From what I knew in my past life, most poisons, venoms, and toxins required specific antidotes to combat them. Magic probably plays a significant factor in this world, but a cure-all like the one she was describing should still be impossible.


    ¡°Easy, because the potions we took didn''t cure us," Tabitha drops another bombshell I wasn''t expecting.


    ¡°What!?¡± I exclaim.


    "Calm down; we''re not in any danger. Well, we are, but not because of the poison in our systems,¡± Tabitha replies in a calming voice. ¡°The potion that stopped the effects of the snake¡¯s toxin is called a poison resistance potion. Instead of neutralizing or expelling the poison from our bodies, it only isolates and contains it and lets our bodies fight it naturally."


    ¡°And that¡¯s better?¡± I ask skeptically.


    ¡°It is,¡± Tabitha answers firmly. ¡°Thanks to the type of potion we took, our Poison Resistance skills will level as our bodies slowly fight off the toxin. Your skill will probably level more than mine, but considering how strong the poison was, I¡¯m hoping for at least two levels, maybe more if I''m lucky.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I interject. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me I could¡¯ve gotten the Poison Resistance skill just by drinking one of these potions? If so, why did you make me drink toad eggs this entire time?" I growl.


    Again, Tabitha laughed at my frustration, but thankfully she didn''t cough this time, which was a good sign. "You''re right; you could¡¯ve. Though if that was the case, we would¡¯ve only had one vial when we really needed it. Also, aren¡¯t you curious how much the potion was?¡±


    I could practically picture Tabitha¡¯s grin based on her tone of voice, but damn it, she knew how to tease me with information. "I''m guessing more than the healing potion. 500 gold coins?¡± I speculate.


    "Close, 610. Each," Tabitha stresses the last word, and I make a hissing sound from rapidly sucking in air.


    Holly crap, they were a lot of money! Wait a minute; I start doing the math in my head. We each drank a poison resistance potion, Tabitha drank one of the healing ones, and I drank one of the mana potions; overall, the four potions were worth 1,750 gold coins!


    "I take it by your silence; you''ve finally realized what it took to save us," Tabitha remarks in a subdued voice.


    ¡°We drank a fortune,¡± I don¡¯t need to be able to see my reflection to know I¡¯ve gone pale.


    ¡°And it was worth it. We¡¯re both alive,¡± Tabitha pauses. ¡°For now.¡±


    "If they were that expensive, does that mean your potions were tier 5?" I purposely ignored that last part of what Tabitha said, as I refused to think negatively after making it this far.


    ¡°I wish,¡± Tabitha huffs. ¡°No, all the potions I had were only tier 4. High-quality, mind you, but only tier 4."


    ¡°That¡¯s it? But they were so strong; and expensive?¡± I¡¯m shocked to hear such potions were only tier 4 and not 5.


    ¡°Nope, just tier 4,¡± Tabitha again assures me. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the gulf between tier 4 and 5. Like blacksmiths, tailors, or any other crafting profession, few apothecaries can make anything considered tier 5. So tier 4 is the best most people can get their hands on, and people above level 120 strictly monopolize gear higher than that. It''s the same reason my gear couldn''t hold up against the snake."


    ¡°I thought the snake was just that strong," I mumble in a quiet voice, but I might as well have been shouting in the silent ruins.


    ¡°That too,¡± Tabitha growls in what sounds like frustration. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d encounter a lesser dragon out here, especially not one strong enough to create its own mana zone. So if we went to combat it, we''d need to-," Tabitha''s voice suddenly cuts off.


    ¡°What¡¯s a mana zone?¡± I ask curiously, but Tabitha doesn¡¯t answer me. ¡°Tabitha, is everything ok?¡± I ask again.


    ¡°Tell me, Aaliyah; you''re watching our surroundings with Sense Mana like you always do, yes?¡± Tabitha ignores my question for her own, immediately putting me on guard.


    ¡°Always,¡± I answer. Even now, I have a clear picture of the rooms surrounding us.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t sense anything?¡± Tabitha asks, sounding worried now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Do you?" I push Sense Mana to its limits without entering a meditative state, trying to find whatever was worrying Tabitha.


    ¡°My danger sense skills started going off," Tabitha''s anxious voice echoes throughout the quiet room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything!" I shout, panicking about the invisible enemy not even Sese Mana could spot. ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana to summon a light.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do much, but I can do that,¡± Tabitha proclaims in the dark.


    ¡°Tikth idwessgh fral nhtig!¡±


    Tabitha casts a spell I''m unfamiliar with, but seeing how a ball of light quickly condenses a few feet above her, I''m assuming it''s Scholl''s version of my light spell.


    Once again, the room we¡¯re in is illuminated with light, and no sooner than it is, do they start emerging from the walls.

 Ch: 117.7

    They were coming from everywhere!


    Grabbing Tabitha by her armor, I quickly dragged her to the center of the room as a spectral hand reached for her through the wall I had her propped up against.


    ¡°Gods!¡± Tabitha exclaims as multiple ethereal shapes phase through the walls and ceiling. They looked like featureless people made of silvery smoke, but Tabitha looked at them like they were the embodiment of death.


    ¡°Are these remnants?" I nervously asked, spinning around and counting over a dozen such figures surrounding us, with more slowly emerging around us.


    ¡°Worse,¡± Tabitha sounds defeated. ¡°These are soul horrors, one of the strongest forms a ghost can manifest as.¡±


    ¡°That sounds bad,¡± I step forward and try kicking the closest one.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Tabitha yells, but it is already too late. My foot passes through the silvery specter like it wasn¡¯t even there, and at the same time, it reaches out lightning-fast and plunges its hand into my chest.


    For a brief second, I feel like I''m dying again as the soul horror tries to rip my soul from my body. Too bad for it because I''m in no mood to die. Activating Soul Devourer, I pull a reverse card and devour the intrusive limb before it can damage my soul.


    I¡¯d never thought I¡¯d ever hear a ghost scream before, and I don¡¯t think I ever want to again. The ear-bleeding sound the soul horror makes when I tear its arm from it has me staggering back, desperately trying to cover my ears with my hands. At least my counterattack made it retreat, and the others pause their advance.


    ¡®What did you do?¡± Tabitha exclaims once the ghost finally stops screeching. ¡°You need special gear or skills to fight off a soul horror. Even Master must be careful around them because they can directly attack the soul."


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I can¡¯t touch them with normal attacks,¡± I purposely avoid Tabitha¡¯s dumbfounded stare as I move back next to her.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alive right now,¡± Tabitha¡¯s astonished look says it all; this wasn''t something she would just forget about or pretend not to notice.


    ¡°I think we have bigger problems at the moment,¡± I hiss. My hammer was still resting at the bottom of the shaft off to the side; I could reach it if I tried, but it was still covered in the winged serpent¡¯s poison. I only glance at it briefly before ignoring it entirely; it wouldn''t do anything anyways. "If physical attacks won''t do anything, can you use magic to injure them?" I ask Tabitha, who was looking at me like I had sprouted a second head.


    Thankfully, my question reminds her of what''s happening around us, but she has no good news for me. "No, they''re resistant to magic too. It would take a tier 4 spell or higher to harm them, and neither of us has the mana supply to cast such a spell even if we knew one,¡± she explains dejectedly.


    Fuck, I guess there¡¯s only one way out of this. I¡¯ll need to openly use Soul Devourer in front of Tabitha without holding back.


    ¡°Leave me,¡± Tabitha again tries to sacrifice herself for me, but her voice sounds different this time. Maybe she finally realized that it was pointless to suggest such a thing and she was just going through the motions.


    "Yeah, no," I bring my hand to my chest. I¡¯m projecting an air of confidence, but in truth, I was worried. My soul felt off after absorbing the soul horror¡¯s hand. The appendage contained a lot of experience, and it wasn''t being absorbed as cleanly as it should.


    ¡°You have some sort of resistance against their attacks; I do not,¡± Tabitha pleads. ¡°If you leave me behind, you can find a place to recover and maybe hide until Master arrives.¡±


    ¡°Or I can just kill them until they stop coming,¡± I boldly proclaim. Soul Devourer flares to life, and ten ghastly appendages sprout from my back. Two ghostly arms swing around and merge with my real arms, like astral gloves.


    I look at Tabitha to gauge her response to my skill, but she doesn''t react outwardly. She must not be able to see my skill¡¯s manifestation without having Sense Soul. That''s good; at least she won''t look at me like I''m a monster.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, and don¡¯t worry,¡± I tell Tabitha, ignoring the pain in my chest. The ghosts were still frozen in place after I injured the first one, and I couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to strike first.


    "What are you?" Tabitha''s voice trails off as I step forward again toward the nearest specter.


    I don¡¯t know if they had any sense of self or were emotionless beings, but as soon as I approach the apparition, it jolts back to life and tries to shove its hand in my chest just like the first one did. Yeah, no, I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen a second time.


    Bringing my right hand up, I grab the ghost by its wrist before it can touch me.


    Thanks to Soul Devourer, I can touch them.


    I can hurt them.


    I can kill them.


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    The soul horror is more than a little caught off-guard by my grabbing it. It tries to pull its hand back and flee, but I don¡¯t let it. Instead, with my free left hand, I grab the angry ghost by the neck. Then I start pulling. The soul horror lets a soul-shaking wail of pain, but I don''t stop trying to tear the thing apart.


    The creature tries to swipe at me with its remaining hand, but too bad for it; I have eight more. It¡¯s so easy to control Soul Devourer¡¯s eight remaining limbs to reach out and grab the struggling spirit that it felt second nature to me. They wrap around the ghost like living chains, and as soon as the last one makes contact, I do what comes naturally.


    All at once, each hand of Soul Devourer rips a chunk out of the ghost and channels the foreign experience toward my soul. The mass of experience hits me like a fist to the gut, but I don¡¯t stop using my skill. As soon as a hand rips off a chunk of the ghost and absorbs it, I direct it to grab another, and in a few short seconds, the silvery form of the soul horror breaks down and crumbles. But as a last act of defiance, it lets out one last soul-turning scream, and all hell breaks loose.


    The death wails of the soul horror did something to the others who seemed more than willing to stand by and not interfere until now. It was like a dinner bell was rung, or maybe they were out to avenge their ally; either way, all the soul horrors rushed to attack at once. Worse of all, they weren''t only after me.


    Jumping backward, I had just enough time to rip a chunk out of a soul horror that was about to attack Tabitha. No matter what, I couldn''t let one of them touch her!


    The pain in my soul was steadily growing with every chuck I absorbed. I try to rip the ghosts apart and not take in the experience, but when I do that, the experience takes on a life of its own and remerges with the soul horror I ripped it from. I had no choice but to absorb everything, so that''s exactly what I do!


    I wasn¡¯t going to let them get Tabitha, I swear it! Ripping apart another soul horror, my soul feels like it¡¯s about to burst.


    I¡¯ll kill them all!


    Another falls by my hands.


    Kill them all!


    So much pain, but I must continue.


    Kill them!


    Don¡¯t stop.


    Kill!


    <hr>


    <u>Tabitha¡¯s Point of View:</u>


    I couldn¡¯t move, and it was killing me that I had to leave everything to Aaliyah. She wasn¡¯t even half my age, and she was giving everything she had to save me.


    I¡¯ve never felt so useless before in my life, but strangely at the same time, I¡¯ve never been prouder. Aaliyah was my junior, facing a group of monsters that would give even Master pause; why wouldn''t I feel proud of her? She used her Dancing skill to expertly doge and get close to the soul horrors while defending me. I couldn¡¯t tell how she was hurting them, but whatever she was doing, the strong ghosts were evaporating in quick succession.


    I hadn¡¯t had the chance to explain to her how dangerous soul horrors were. When we camped outside the magic-dense region Aaliyah said it was the first time she came across remnants, so there was no way she understood the danger of the creatures she was fighting. Remnants were harmless, creepy to be around, but harmless; all the other forms of ghosts were less so.


    When enough creatures die in a relatively small area, Remnants are formed, but if there are mass casualties, like in war zones, their stronger versions shades can appear. Unlike remnants, shades can influence the world around them and could physically attack people. They¡¯re easy to kill if you can cast basic magic or have a decently enchanted weapon, but they are still considered dangerous to the average individual.


    Remnants and shades are the most common form of ghosts, and most warriors go their entire lives without encountering anything stronger. Mainly because if a person is unfortunate to run into any other form of a ghost, they don''t survive the encounter. I have never seen anything stronger than the two until now, having only been told stories of the more dangerous versions, such as revenants and soul horrors.


    Unlike the primary two, who can form where a large amount of death mana acclimates, revenants and soul horrors needed more to manifest; they needed strong emotions. Because of this, revenants and soul horrors were exclusively found around where sentient creatures had died, mainly humans. You would think they would pop up everywhere during wars, but it was more complicated than that.


    Every person dies differently; some curse their enemies, others laminate their misfortune, but most die so quickly they can¡¯t feel anything. Revenants supposedly only form around areas of great tragedies like mass suicides or sacrificial acts where everyone is experiencing the same heightened emotions, whatever they may be. And it was a good thing because, unlike remnants and shades, revenants were quite deadly. They¡¯re said to be as strong as a level 70 warier, but they were genuinely feared because they were tough to pin down, required specific gear to combat their soul attacks, and demanded strong magic to fight.


    I heard from Master it takes entire hunting parties to track down and slay a revenant, and soul horrors were considered a hundred times worse, mainly because of how they come into being. While it takes a group to form a revenant, soul horrors were the opposite, they formed from the death of a single being, somebody above level 140.


    In this waning era, few people ever reach the level required to form a soul horror, and fewer suffer the kind of death it takes to form one. So why, in the gods¡¯ names, are there so many of them here!?


    When Aaliyah said she would handle them, I cursed her for her foolishness, but I was the fool. I''ve been training with her for months now, and it never occurred to me she was holding back against me. Against me, of all people! Whatever skill she was using was obviously strong, so why didn¡¯t she practice using it against me?


    The only thing I could think of was that it was too dangerous to do so, meaning she believed I wasn¡¯t strong enough to handle it. And maybe she was right.


    Aaliyah only needed to touch the soul horrors to utterly rip them to shreds. I''ve had little experience dealing with such skills, but I recognized a soul attack when I saw one. Scholl had few mages specializing in curses, but the ones we did have, were extremely dangerous. Master had me train against them a few times in the past, and I distinctly remember the feeling of having all my energy drained from me without being able to do anything about it. But even with their most potent spells, they couldn''t do what Aaliyah was doing right now.


    More soul horrors were emerging from the walls and rushing toward us, but Aaliyah wasn¡¯t phased by their appearance. In fact, she looked happy to see them. Aaliyah was visibly sweating but grinning from ear to ear, much like I''d been told I do while fighting.


    It was only a matter of time before Aaliyah subdued the remaining soul horrors, but it was odd; for some reason, my danger sense skills hadn''t started to calm down despite the reduced danger. If anything, they were louder now than when the soul horrors first appeared. Why was that?


    Aaliyah was winning, so there had to be another danger I wasn''t seeing, but what was it? Either way, I needed to warn her about it. "Aaliyah, be careful; my skills still say we''re still in danger,¡± I shout as she rips apart another soul horror with her seemingly bare hands.


    She was too busy to acknowledge my warning, so I tried again to ensure she heard me. "Watch out; there might be something else nearby!¡±


    This time she pauses, and I know she heard me. As long as she was aware of the hidden danger, she could-


    Aaliyah¡¯s head suddenly snaps in my direction unnaturally, and her killing intent washes over me. Her green eyes were glowing eerily like green fire, and despite her looking directly at me, it felt like she didn¡¯t see me at all.


    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is," I sighed tiredly. Another soul horror tries to attack Aaliyah distracting her from me, but I¡¯ve seen enough to know what¡¯s happening. I bet that''s why she¡¯s never used this mysterious skill against me. She''s lost her mind, and her body was moving on instinct alone. And my skills were still going off because once there were no more enemies to distract her, I would be her next target.


    So, in the end, I am going to die here, just not how I expected.


    I didn''t feel mad at Aaliyah, I knew her well, and she''d never do this if she knew she would harm me. I was prepared to die to save her, and that hasn''t changed.


    I don¡¯t blame her for what she¡¯s about to do; my only wish is that my death snaps her out of whatever state she''s fallen into, lest she tries to attack the winged serpent above us afterward. Aaliyah¡¯s skill may be able to damage it, but chances were she¡¯d die in the process.


    Only a few more soul horrors to go, I note the three remaining. Two of them were the same as all the others, but the last was massive, easily three times the size of the other ghosts. And it was waiting, waiting for the last of its allies to disappear before it engaged Aaliyah.


    I had no idea how strong it was, but either way, this was it. And I was okay with that. My only regret is that I can''t move my arms and kill myself before either get their hands on me.


    I wanted to save Aaliyah from the pain of killing me, and I didn''t want to risk my soul being ripped out of my body by the soul horror. People say if a ghost eats your soul, you won''t find peace in death, only torment. Of the two, I¡¯d prefer to die for the sake of young Aaliyah, but life rarely goes as planned.


    Aaliyah brutally rips apart the last two regular soul horrors, and the final battle commences.


    Unable to move, I pray Aaliyah is victorious against the final soul horror. If she wins, I''ll try to break through to her with my voice, but I wasn''t holding my breath.


    I wish her all the success in the world because if I¡¯ve learned anything training her, she''ll eventually become strong enough to help save Scholl.


    What better reason to die for?

 Ch: 117.8

    Where the hell am I?


    What am I doing here?


    Wasn¡¯t I just¡­.


    That''s weird; I can''t remember what I was doing.


    I vaguely remember exploring the Endless Forest, but the details feel hazy. And whenever I try to recall any recent memories, I can''t remember anything specific.


    Looking around, I hoped to spot anything that could jog my failing memory, but there was nothing¡ªabsolutely nothing around me.


    I was trapped in a dense fog with not even a single silhouette in the distance. The only thing I could see was the ground, and it was just as featureless as the fog around me, maybe even more so. It looked like I was standing on concrete, but there wasn''t a single blemish, making it look unnatural and too uniform.


    It didn¡¯t matter what direction I moved; everything felt the same, to the point I considered the possibility I wasn¡¯t actually moving. Was I trapped in some skill?


    I try to scan my soul for anything out of place, only to freeze in place when I can''t sense it at all. But that¡¯s impossible, unless¡ª


    The fog slowly lifts as I finally realize where I am. ¡°I¡¯m in my soul. But what happened?¡± With the obstruction gone, I could finally see my surroundings, and it wasn''t the scenery I was familiar with. There were no plants or rocky outcroppings; there wasn¡¯t a body of water stretching into the distance, only a blank canvas stretching in every direction. It was a world utterly devoid of substance, and even with my memory problems, I knew this was wrong.


    ¡°Oh, so you finally noticed,¡± a powerful voice echoes through my soul, catching me off guard.


    ¡°Who''s there?" I swing around to face the direction the voice originated from and immediately face two figures I wasn''t expecting. "Not you two again," I can¡¯t help but hiss in displeasure.


    ¡°Still disrespectful, I see,¡± a featureless ten-foot-tall being made of pure light hovers above me. ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve destroyed you when I had the chance,¡± Goddess Ilia threatens me, but for some reason, I¡¯m not as intimidated as the first time I ran into the pair.


    "Is that necessary, Sister?" An equally tall being made of churning darkness lazily asks its glowing partner.


    ¡°The disrespect,¡± Ilia¡¯s avatar howls with fury. ¡°We give this mortal our time, and she has the gal to look down on us? Us! Look, she isn''t even kneeling; the audacity!¡±


    ¡°True,¡± the avatar of death''s featureless head turned toward me. Even without a face, it felt like she was looking at me worryingly. ¡°Then again, the situation warrants a change in protocol.¡±


    ¡°What situation?¡± I ask without any hesitance. ¡°Are you two the reason my soul is like this?¡± The words tumble out of my mouth as if I had no filter. I knew I was talking to two divine beings or at least their avatars, but for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t muster up a reason to care.


    Little has changed since the last time I spoke to them. Hell, I''ve only gained a few levels in Sense Soul since then, and yet they felt entirely different to me. Why is that? The first time I met them after unlocking Soul Devourer, it felt like either of them could crush me with a mere thought, but now I wasn''t feeling any of that.


    When I looked directly at them for too long, the two avatars still radiated power and evoked strong emotions, but nothing close to what I remember. It¡¯s almost like, ¡°You two aren¡¯t really here,¡± I mumble.


    "No, that''s not right," I correct myself. Looking up, I notice a distinct lack of moons hovering overhead. ¡°You two aren¡¯t connected to your main bodies this time.¡±


    Both avatars flinch at my accusation but quickly fix their posture. ¡°How astute,¡± Ebeon notes in a cold voice.


    Ilia¡¯s avatar scoffs at me. ¡°You can tell all that, and yet you¡¯ve failed to realize what¡¯s happening to you," she says almost smugly.


    ¡°You keep saying that, but I don¡¯t understand,¡± I stare at the avatar of light until my eyeballs start to feel like they¡¯re burning.


    The ten-foot-tall creature of light floats down and leans over until her featureless face is mere inches from mine. ¡°You¡¯re dying,¡± I can feel the joy radiating off her as she gives me the grim news.


    "You''re lying," I take a hesitant step away from the angry avatar.


    ¡°And why would I need to do that?¡± Ilia''s avatar floats back up next to her sister''s and continues to look down on me, literally and figuratively.


    I didn¡¯t want to take the psychotic goddesses¡¯ word on it, but she was right; she had little reason to lie to me. Of course, you would¡¯ve expected grim news to come from the literal goddess of death. Though, from my previous experience with the duo, I learned the goddess of light took more joy in the suffering of the living beings compared to her sister. Ironic as it is.


    "Am I really dying?" I ask the more level-headed of the two sisters, hoping this was all some sick joke on Ilia''s part. Technically, mortals are constantly dying; we just usually do it slowly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ebeon''s single-word answer hits me harder than any blow I¡¯ve ever taken. But the sad part was I had no idea why I was dying or why I was in my soul in the first place.


    I¡¯m about to ask what happened, but Ebeon¡¯s avatar holds up one of its hands in a waiting gesture. ¡°Your soul is struggling to keep up with Soul Devourer. It¡¯s the reason why you are here. Anybody else experiencing what you are now would¡¯ve had their soul shatter from the shock, but your skills saved you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand." I struggled to follow along because I still had no idea what had caused this.


    Ilia''s avatar makes a scoffing noise despite not having a nose or mouth. ¡°Like all mortals, you bit off more than you could chew, neophyte."


    ¡°I thought you enjoyed what she did, Sister?¡± Ebeon comments lazily.


    ¡°Oh, I did,¡± the avatar of light radiates even more joy. ¡°Such dedication to your friend. Refusing to let her die,¡± Ilia''s avatar brings its hand to its blank face and mimes, blowing a chef''s kiss. ¡°Such strife, absolutely delicious. However," the light coming off Ilia¡¯s avatar dulls. ¡°Your friend has already come to terms with what¡¯s happening. I thought she would fight harder, but apparently, everyone has their breaking point.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame her,¡± Ebeon defends whoever her sister is talking about, and I feel the need to do the same.


    ¡°Tabitha would never give up!¡± I shout angrily, and suddenly, part of my memory returns. I didn''t enter the forest alone; my teacher Tabitha came with me. Clutching at my head, I groan as weeks¡¯ worth of memories rapidly return to me. I remembered all our adventures, the ups and downs we faced together, and finally, our encounter with the winged serpent. However, there was a noticeable blank space after that.


    ¡°You¡¯re just now remembering your companion; pathetic,¡± Ilia does not attempt to hide her contempt for me. "Though I suppose it is funny, you tried so hard to save her, and yet, in doing so, you''ve doomed her to a fate worse than death."


    "I don''t...." I stammer.


    ¡°Perhaps this can help,¡± Ebeon''s avatar turns toward her sister''s as if asking for her participation.


    ¡°Your generosity is wasted on her,¡± Ilia growls.


    ¡°But it is mine to give,¡± Ebeon replies in a collected voice.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ilia reluctantly agrees with her sister, and both hold out their hands toward the surface of my soul.


    I''m forced to turn away as a blinding light erupts from the ground. The light quickly fades, and when it does, I''m standing overlooking a dimly lit room. I could see Tabitha lying in the center of the room, and she wasn¡¯t alone. Multiple silvery ghost-like creatures were trying to get to her, but Tabitha had someone protecting her, me. And like that, the last missing parts of my memory snapped into place, and I remembered everything.


    I remember tearing apart the first couple of soul horrors, and then I was suddenly here, suffering from memory problems.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Reaching down, I tried to interact with what I was seeing, but the surface of my soul was still there¡ª only invisible. Other me was in the middle of tearing apart one of the ghosts, but everything was moving in slow motion. Oh yeah, I almost forgot time moved slower when I was inside my soul. When I started fighting, there were dozens of soul horrors, but counting the one other me was fighting, and only four were left.


    In slow motion, I watch myself use Soul Devourer to rip apart the ghost in my grasp as if it were made of smoke. "How is my body still moving if my consciousness is here?" I asked Goddess Ebeon, as she was the most likely to answer me.


    ¡°We already explained that,¡± Ilia''s avatar crosses its arms in front of its nonexistent chest.


    Thankfully, Ebeon doesn''t share her sisters'' disdain and answers me: ¡°The best way I can explain it to you is this: Though the soul horrors you''re absorbing don''t have souls, the experience they¡¯re made of contains high levels of emotions that simulate a soul. Your soul can¡¯t process them fast enough, which is why your soul currently looks like it does.¡±


    "All the experience you''re absorbing is covering your soul and crushing it. Your soul used your skills to draw your consciousness in to save itself and prevent it from crumbling under the weight. With your consciousness and soul closer together, the two can better weather the storm," Ebeon explains.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain how my body is moving,¡± I point out the obvious.


    I expect Ebeon to berate me for interrupting, but her avatar just nods its head. "The answer is much simpler than you think; just like your soul used your skills to bring your consciousness here forcefully, it also used them to keep your body moving. Your body is moving on instinct using your many skills.¡±


    ¡°Mainly the one we warned you about,¡± Ilia adds in an ''I told you so'' voice.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ebeon says remorsefully.


    ¡°Why is my body moving on its own a bad thing?" I ask, confused. "As long as I protect Tabitha, I don''t care what happens."


    ¡°How short-sided of you,¡± Ilia''s avatar chuckles in a way that worries me.


    ¡°Your body isn¡¯t protecting your friend,¡± Ebeon clarifies. ¡°It¡¯s responding to all the threats around it. And once all the soul horrors are dealt with, it will turn its attention to her.¡±


    ¡°And once that happens, you know what will happen.¡± I never thought a being of light could sound so dark.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll just wake up," I close my eyes and focus on leaving my soul like I''ve done hundreds of times. Only this time, nothing happens.


    ¡°Oh, still here?¡± Ilia jokes as I crack one eye open, expecting to be back in the real world.


    I quickly closed my eyes again and focused on leaving my soul, but I couldn''t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°Fuck, why won¡¯t it work,¡± I curse and stomp my feet in frustration. Underneath me, my body slays the third to last soul horror. Time was still moving slowly; my body was just killing them far too quickly. One of the remaining two was huge, but at the rate my body was going, I didn¡¯t have much time before it killed the last of them and moved on to Tabitha.


    "Help me get out of here," I fall to my knees and slam my head into the invisible ground, begging the two goddesses for help. I didn''t care how I looked as long as they helped me stop myself from ripping Tabitha''s soul out.


    ¡°This is how you should¡¯ve been acting from the start, mortal,¡± Ilia patronizes me, but I never really expected her to help. It was Ebeon I was pleading to, and we all knew it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t,¡± Ebeon¡¯s remorseful reply makes me feel like I was dunked in a sea of ice.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I shout, trembling at the idea that in a few short minutes, I would kill Tabitha with my own hands and damn my soul to an eternity of suffering and eventual destruction.


    ¡°It is as you said,¡± Ebeon reminds me. ¡°With the state of your soul, our connection to our realms is severed. We are, but fragments cut off from the whole. We can only show you what''s happening outside¡ª and even that is draining on us. And we aren¡¯t as free as you might think.¡±


    ¡°Sister, I believe you¡¯re saying too much,¡± Ilia cuts Ebeon off.


    ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Ilia''s sister retorts. ¡°You believe she will break the taboo and her soul will corrupted? So why does what I say matter?"


    "Because our business is our own and not meant for mortal ears,¡± Ilia almost sounds like she¡¯s threatening her sister.


    "It didn''t always use to be,¡± Ebeon responds in a composed manner, but her statement has a lot of bite to it.


    Seeing two goddesses arguing before me was something else, but I had bigger things to worry about. So, while I half pay attention to the two, I continue trying to force myself out of my soul. But it isn''t easy, with the two discussing something groundbreaking as if I weren''t here.


    ¡°We used to bestow our powers to mortals all the time,¡± Ebeon reminisces.


    ¡°And they destroyed each other,¡± Ilia counters.


    "Only because He spurred them on," Ebeon says darkly.


    "He was destroyed, and his cities wiped from existence,¡± Ilia¡¯s avatar glows with righteous fury.


    ¡°Obviously, not enough. Where do you think the mortals are now?¡± Ebeon''s retort sends her sister''s avatar reeling.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I scream at the top of my lungs, grabbing the attention of both goddesses. ¡°If the two of you aren¡¯t going to help, can you piss off? I can''t concentrate with the two of you distracting me.¡± I point an accusing finger at Ebeon, ¡°Where were you days ago when I had a million questions about the ruins in the crater!¡±


    "How dare you talk to us like that," Ilia''s avatar expands to over thirty feet tall and looms over me threateningly, but I cut her off before she can finish.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I stand my ground, a mere speck in front of a giant. "You''re just a fragment; you said so yourself. You have no power here. I do.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± The avatar of light deflates like a balloon leaking air until it''s back to its original size.


    Stomping around, I curse the two in my head. They had all the answers I wanted, but I didn''t have the time to sit and listen. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch my body kill the last ordinary soul horror and grit my teeth when it starts fighting the final one.


    ¡°Unless you two can take away Soul Devourer or have a way for me to escape, I don¡¯t want to hear anything else from you!¡± The two avatars stare at me, dumbstruck; obviously, unused to having a mortal being so disrespectful to them.


    Ilia¡¯s avatar looks like it wants to crush me, but Ebeon¡¯s just continues to stare at me with its featureless face. Then, after a tense moment of silence, Ebeon speaks, but it isn''t to argue with me. ¡°I would if I could, but even if we were connected to our hosts, neither Ilia nor I could take away a skill once it¡¯s been obtained by someone. Especially not a skill created by another.¡±


    ¡°Ebeon!¡± Ilia shouts in shock.


    "Wait, when I first met you guys, you said Soul Devourer fell under both your domains. So what''s this about it not being yours? How does that make any sense?¡±


    ¡°Ebeon, don¡¯t!¡± Ilia''s fragment warns her sister''s.


    Ebeon¡¯s avatar lets out a sigh. I''ve said too much. The only thing else I¡¯ll say is that we are merely managing the skill and many other similar ones for another. It is your skill; you must be the one to control it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I plead. ¡°I¡¯ll take anything at his point.¡±


    It''s hard to read a face of shifting darkness, but it felt like Ebeon''s avatar was staring at me with a sad look. She seemed to want to say something more but was hesitating to do so.


    "Do I need to pledge myself to you?" I offer when I see she''s on the cusp of helping me. "Help me save Tabitha, and I''ll do anything you ask."


    ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± Ilia answers for her sister. ¡°There are rules even we must follow, and one of them is that we can no longer freely give mortals our boons. You must earn everything yourself.¡±


    ¡°My sister speaks the truth.¡± Ebeon reluctantly nods.


    ¡°A hint; anything,¡± I continue to press.


    The two avatars stare at me, unmoving, not saying a single word.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± I start frantically clawing at the ground.


    ¡°Not if you do that,¡± Ilia haughtily comments, but I ignore her and focus on trying to dig my way to my soul.


    I was panicking but wasn''t so distraught that I missed the clues the two had already given me. Of course, they were mixed in with all the arguing and back-and-forth, but they subtly hinted at what I needed to do.


    The avatars told me they were disconnected from their hosts, meaning there were no moons to stare up at to escape. Similarly, they weren''t there to pull me out of my memories if I somehow made my way to the ocean, so that was a no-go. So that left only one way I could get out of here; I needed to force my way out. And that''s what I''ve been trying to do.


    Usually, when I''m not forced out of my soul space, it''s because I stopped and triggered a specific reaction between my soul and my conciseness; but with all this crap covering my soul, the two couldn''t resonate as they should. So I needed to punch through and make my way to my actual soul that was hidden underneath, and I needed to do it fast. But that was easier said than done.


    The ground didn¡¯t just look like concrete; it was solid like it, too. I tried to use Soul Manipulation to shift the stuff aside, but because my skill wasn¡¯t that high of a level, and technically the crap wasn''t yet part of my soul, it resisted all my efforts to do so.


    If only I had access to even a sliver of my soul; if I did, I could shape it into something to help me cut through the soul horror experience, but alas, I was alone.


    Wait, was I alone? I glance up at the two avatars, silently watching me struggle. Could that work? "You two said you couldn''t actively help me, right?"


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Ebeon quickly answers.


    ¡°But you can be forced to help me,¡± I counter.


    ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± Ilia laughs at the notion but abruptly stops when she sees the crazed look in my eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m just guessing, but I¡¯m assuming the two of you were left in my soul after our last encounter.¡±


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Ebeon helpfully confirms my suspicions. ¡°But we can in no way affect you, as it would go against the agreement. We fragments are merely here to better allow our patrons to observe you easier,¡± she adds.


    Putting aside the fact the goddess of death just admitted to spying on me like I was some reality TV star, I move forward with my plan.


    "Then the two of you are basically the same as foreign skills,¡± I look at the duo hopefully.


    ¡°In a word,¡± Ebeon starts, but Ilia takes offense to my reasoning.


    ¡°We are nothing like the pitiful skills you mortals use. On the contrary, as you can see, we are autonomous. How else would we be able to avoid this filth?" Ilia gestures to the ground I''m trying to break through.


    She was right, of course; unlike other foreign skills I''ve interacted with, the two avatars were in a class all their own. There was no way I could use them without their consent, meaning it was entirely up to them if my plan worked or not.


    ¡°We will not help you,¡± Ilia continues to stress.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I snap back. Underneath me, my body was slowly overcoming the final soul horror. I only had a few precious minutes left. ¡°I just need the two of you to stand there and not resist.¡±


    Ebeon¡¯s avatar reels back in shock, understanding what I was trying to get at, while her sister''s avatar stares at me confused, though she refuses to admit as much. I don¡¯t have time to explain my plan in detail, so I just jump into it. Reaching out with Sense Soul, I try to find the core of the two avatars I know they must have.


    ¡°You dare!¡± Ilia¡¯s avatar exclaims, but Ebeon reaches over and places a placating hand on her sister¡¯s avatar.


    ¡°Wait, Sister, let''s see where this goes." Ilia¡¯s avatar continues to grumble, but she doesn¡¯t resist me.


    Looking at the pair with Sense Soul was like looking into the core of a nuclear reactor. The avatars were bodies of pure power, the likes of which I''d never seen before, but I didn''t need to understand the type of energy to use it.


    My mind felt like it was splitting in half as I zeroed in on the core of their power. Their bodies were massive, but at the center of them was a single whisp of the goddess''s true power.


    Now for the hard part: if they resisted me at all, my plan would fail.


    Reaching out with Soul Manipulation, I try to control the two whisps of energy. It''s hard to do, much like controlling the soul horror experience; it wasn''t my power I was trying to control, but someone else¡¯s. But because they were projected into my soul like any other invasive skill, small parts of my soul had been mixed in with the whisps so they could anchor themselves properly, which meant I had something to grab ahold of.


    ¡°This crazy!¡± Ilia exclaims, but again, Ebeon holds her sister back.


    ¡°I think we should let this play out,¡± Ebeon suggests to her sister. ¡°Neither of us gains anything from letting his skill corrupt her."


    ¡°But we aren¡¯t supposed to interfere with mortals,¡± The avatar of light flickers unsurely.


    ¡°And we aren¡¯t,¡± Ebeon assures her sister. ¡°We told her she had to use her skills, and that is what she is doing."


    ¡°Our main conciseness¡¯s aren¡¯t going to like this,¡± Ilia says doubtfully.


    ¡°Maybe yours, but I don¡¯t think mine will,¡± Ebeon¡¯s avatar corrects her sister. ¡°You gain divinity through their suffering; I only gain it through their death and subsequent rest. And I doubt my progenitor wants to lose access to either of the two individuals, especially one who was denied a proper rest after their last life. We should let her save herself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± the avatar of light grumbles oddly humanly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility if need be.¡±


    ¡°So be it,¡± Ilia reluctantly agrees.


    As soon as the deities finish their little exchange, they drop their guard, and I can finally control the two whisps of power.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Ebeon¡¯s avatar wishes me well as her avatar starts to fade.


    Oppositely, Ilia¡¯s avatar is less joyful. "This is only a one-time thing," she stresses as her avatar disappears.


    Soon, just two whisps of energy are floating in the air, both no bigger than a sewing needle, one pitch black, the other a blinding white light. I pull the two whisps into my hand with Soul Manipulation and look down. When the avatars disappeared, so did the portal, showing me what was happening outside my soul.


    In my hand, the two whisps circle each other in perfect harmony. ¡°Thank you,¡± I mumble to them. Despite all my misgivings, the two were helping me save Tabitha and myself, whether indirectly or not, and I was extremely grateful.


    Shit, was I going to have to start praying to them?


    Ignoring that train of thought, I direct my hand containing the two whisps toward the once-plain ground beneath me. The two whisps float downward, and the ground, which wasn''t scratched by any of my previous attempts to escape, disintegrates when faced with the swirling energies.


    The whisps don''t even need to touch the ground to obliterate it, so I spin them faster and push harder. I had no idea what was happening outside my soul, but I knew I was cutting it close.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t let you die,¡± I repeatedly tell myself as I dig toward my soul.


    Toward freedom¡ªTwoards Tabitha.

 Ch: 118.1

    I needed to hurry!


    The rotating whisps of the goddesses¡¯ power spun as fast as I could control them and cut through the soul horror experience like butter. But it wasn''t enough. Worse, the whisps were slowly shrinking, but that wasn¡¯t the biggest problem; I was.


    The deeper I dug, the more it felt like I was being crushed under a mountain of pressure, and it was only getting worse the further down I went. Of course, my current form was just a projection of my consciousness, so I didn''t need to breathe. If I had to endure the same thing with my real body, it would¡¯ve been reduced to paste a long time ago.


    Only my willpower kept me going, and I was worried that it might soon give out, too, because the pressure wasn''t the only thing getting to me.


    While standing on the top of the soul horror experience, there had been a disconnect between my consciousness and my soul. But now that I was closing the distance between the two, that connection was once again strengthening, and I could feel the strain my soul was under and couldn''t imagine how it hadn''t crumbled by now.


    My soul desperately tried to lighten its load by absorbing and processing as much experience as possible, but there was too much to handle.


    The pain I was experiencing was already pushing the limits of what was endurable, and according to the goddesses, it would get worse when I returned to the real world, and my consciousness and soul were once again united.


    There was a real possibility I might die instantly after I regained consciousness, but that was a better alternative than becoming a monster if you asked me. And besides, if I die, Tabitha won''t need to worry about me when she escapes. So there was that, at least.


    It was cynical to think that way, but I was trying to look on the bright side of things. I really was.


    There was no way I could predict the pain level I would experience once I freed myself. Of course, I wasn''t going to give up without a fight, but I wasn¡¯t going to form any unreal expectations either.


    I felt the soul horror experience shifting around me as I pushed harder. I lost my view of the outside world, but the tremors were a sign my body was still absorbing the experience with Soul Devourer.


    I refused to believe the added experience I was feeling was from Tabitha.


    The extra weight made digging even harder, but it also meant I still had time. When the experience stops flowing in, that''s what I feared the most.


    I was almost there; I could feel myself getting closer to my soul!


    I just need to push harder. If I can do that, I¡¯ll ma¡ª


    Just then, I feel the soul horror experience settle around me and stop moving entirely.


    ¡°No!¡± Ignoring all the pressure and pain, I put everything into controlling the goddesses¡¯ fragments. If the experience around me settled, it meant no more was being absorbed, and if no more was being absorbed¡ª


    I was out of time.


    With reckless abandon, I hurl myself downward. I pushed harder than ever, to the point that my consciousness was right up against the gods'' revolving fragments and was shredded apart like everything else. But the pain didn''t matter; only reaching my soul did.


    I desperately wanted to reach my soul, and every second I didn''t, I felt an invisible scythe inch closer to my neck.


    Amid my frantic digging, it happened; the dull grey experience of the soul horrors gave way to reveal the fake grass I knew and loved. I wasted so much time meticulously forming every single blade I''d recognize it anywhere.


    The goddesses¡¯ fragments were damn near reduced to nothing, but I didn¡¯t care. Reaching out, my astral fingers, which were half destroyed by the goddess''s power, made contact with my soul, and through the unbelievable pain, I felt joy.


    It only took a split second, and I was finally back in the real world. And as fate had it, I was standing in front of Tabitha¡­...


    With over a dozen of my spectral arms stabbed into her chest.


    I could feel her soul in the palm of my skill''s grasp. With one tiny movement, Tabitha''s strong soul would be shredded to pieces, and I''d gain the power I always wanted. It would be so easy, a voice whispered in the back of my mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re back," Tabitha''s casual voice hit me as strong as any one of her full-powered punches. "So, these arms are what you used to kill the soul horrors. Interesting."


    How the hell could she be so calm?


    More importantly, she could see them!? Was it because I held her soul, or did she unlock a new skill?


    ¡°That¡¯s what you have to say,¡± I couldn''t hold back my tears from streaking down my face. Tabitha could see the arms and feel me grabbing her soul, so why wasn''t she looking at me like a monster? ¡°I could kill you,¡± I hiccup like a child.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°And?¡± Tabitha¡¯s unshakable eyes cut deep into my psyche. ¡°I was prepared to die for you; that hasn''t changed. Whatever happens, so long as you survive, I¡¯ll die with a smile on my face." Her mouth slowly morphed into her trademark battle grin. "That said, I preferred it if I didn''t die today. Can you retract your skill?" She casually asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I mumble. The voice in my head was screaming at me to silence Tabitha. I didn''t trust my skill to listen to me. Then there was the pain in my chest; it was overwhelming. I could feel my soul trying to drag my consciousness back inside to help stave off the pain, but what would happen if I did that? Would my skill deactivate or resume what I was doing before I stopped it?


    Breathing was a struggle, and my back was covered in sweat. I was doing my best not to move or accidentally trigger my skill, but the pain around my soul made things difficult to focus on. All the experience I absorbed was crushing me from the inside out, and I didn''t know what to do.


    ¡°Aaliyah, are you okay?¡± Tabitha notices my pain and is rightfully concerned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± I admit in a panic. It was getting hard to think, which meant I was about to lose control again.


    "Calm yourself," Tabitha''s authoritative voice slashed through the haze of pain like a sword strike.


    Through the tears streaming down my face, I pleadingly lock eyes with Tabitha.


    ¡°Your skill doesn¡¯t control you; you do.¡± Even in her weakened state, even with her life literally in the palm of my hands, Tabitha held an air of power and certainty.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± I bawl. ¡°It hurts so much,¡± I shakily bring my real hands up to my chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s causing you pain?¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t raise her voice, staying calm and composed.


    "It''s the soul horrors I absorbed," I whine, not even trying to hide the effects of my skill at this point.


    For the briefest moments, Tabitha''s eyes widen in surprise, but her face quickly hardens, and she continues to talk to me in a supportive tone. "I see. You have quite the skill there. Can you release any of it and lessen the pressure?"


    All I can do is shake my head in response. The darkness was closing in, and I could feel myself losing consciousness. Releasing some of the experience might help, but it could just as easily condense back into another soul horror.


    "Alright, then, share it with me," Tabitha suggests as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "Can you do that?"


    What! Was Tabitha suggesting I pour the excess experience into her? But she doesn''t have any soul skills or even Mental Resistance. Would she be able to survive such a thing? It was too big a risk.


    I shake my head again, but Tabitha wasn''t the kind of person to take no for an answer.


    "How many times will you save me today before you let me help you!?" Her calm demeanor finally snaps, and she yells at me. "I can''t move; at least let me help you shoulder your burden. If I die, then so be it."


    The voice whispering tells me to do the opposite and absorb Tabitha''s soul, but I ignore it.


    ¡°Do you not trust me?" The look on Tabitha''s face says it all. She wanted to protect me, to do whatever it took, and had the resolve to accept the consequences should I fail. Not trusting her would be tantamount to spitting in her face and throwing away the relationship we''ve built.


    I trusted Tabitha, and she trusted me. So, I go for it.


    Using Soul Manipulation, I channeled the pressure threatening to crush my soul back through Soul Devourer. Since I was already connected directly to Tabitha¡¯s soul, it wasn''t hard to push it onto her.


    It was like shedding an unbelievable weight; I felt instant relief, but Tabitha wasn''t as lucky. She didn''t so much as flinch when the first wave of experience slammed into her soul, but after the second and third waves hit, she was gritting her teeth so hard that her gums were bleeding, and she could no longer keep her light spell activated.


    ¡°Do you need me to stop?¡± I groaned in the dark. There was still too much experience for me to handle, but I was worried for Tabitha''s safety.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare," Tabitha snapped back through gritted teeth. "Keep going; I can take it."


    Reluctantly, I continue. If Tabitha said she could take it, I had faith in her.


    I keep channeling chunks of experience into her when I hear a new voice in my ear. It wasn''t the murderous psychotic one I was used to hearing when I used Soul Devourer, but it was familiar.


    ¡°How barbaric, you steal our power, and now you break even more taboos," Goddess Ilia''s angry voice sent shivers down my spine as she spoke directly into my mind.


    Was I really hearing her voice, or had all the pressure finally caught up to me?


    "I should smite you for what you did," Ilia threatens, and through all the soul horror experience still covering my soul, I feel a poke that feels like a branding iron against my soul.


    That wasn''t in my head, but how was Ilia interacting with me? I thought they could only make contact when a person unlocked a tier 6 skill.


    Don''t tell me!


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the ice-cold voice of Goddess Ebeon¡¯s voice whispers in my other ear. "Ilia wanted to drag you into your soul out of spite and talk to you there, but I convinced her otherwise. Congratulations, you''re the first mortal in a long time to unlock not one but two tier 6 skills, even though they''re both his." She said that last part almost sorrowfully.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I nervously answer under my breath. Even if Tabitha could''ve heard me, I doubt she would''ve noticed with how much pain she was in.


    I was still transferring experience like I was when Ebeon whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be so forceful; sense the skill you unlocked," she directed me.


    It was hard to sense anything with my soul still covered. But surprisingly, Sense Soul easily pierces through the barrier, and I feel my new skill.


    ¡°It¡¯s called Experience Transfer,¡± Ebeon tells me. ¡°It¡¯s just as dangerous as Soul Devourer; all be it for different reasons. I don''t suppose I need to tell you what those are?¡±


    She really didn¡¯t. If knowledge of Soul Devourer made me a target, Experience Transfer would place a neon sign over my head saying ''abducte me'' in bold letters.


    If Tabitha and I survive long enough to make it out of the Endless Forest, I would need to have a long chat with her about what she witnessed today. But I didn¡¯t have time to worry about that now.


    Experience Transfer made a huge difference as soon as I activated it; instead of transferring the experience in clumps as I had been, I was now sending a steady stream into Tabitha.


    It was still painful for her, but at least it was a steady sort of pain rather than having it spike in bursts like it was.


    For what felt like hours, I channeled massive amounts of experience into Tabitha''s soul. The pain we were forced to endure gradually receded to a manageable level, and I could once again think clearly; from there, I had no problem retracting Soul Devourer from her chest without harming Tabitha''s soul. At least not any more than I already have.


    As soon as my ghostly hands were free of Tabitha, my skill dissipated by itself, and all the energy left my body, and I collapsed to the ground next to Tabitha.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Ebeon¡¯s approving voice rings in my ear. "We cannot maintain this connection long, so we''ll have to wait until next time to talk formally."


    ¡°What makes you think they¡¯ll be a next time?¡± I ask back in a barely audible voice.


    ¡°Call it a hunch,¡± I hear the mirth in the goddess of death''s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t die too soon,¡± she says before I feel her presence vanish.


    I''m about to let out a sigh of relief when I''m reminded more than one god is watching me. ¡°Try to so much as touch the remaining parts of us in your soul, and I''ll do things that will make you wish for my sister''s embrace," Ilia angrily hisses in my ear before she, too, vanishes.


    I lay in silence, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but after five minutes of nothing happening, I finally allowed my body to relax. I was more than sore, and my soul was furiously working on converting the remaining experience covering my soul. There was no doubt in my mind there was enough to gain me a few levels, and that was after I transferred the majority to Tabitha.


    It was a good thing Tabitha was so strong; she had no resistance to it; thankfully, Tabitha''s higher level and strong will allowed her to shoulder a considerable amount of the burden.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if she was still awake or not, but I could hear her labored breathing, so at least I knew she was alive. Was there any doubt¡­. Yes, a lot, actually, but I suppose I should¡¯ve known better than to write Tabitha off, even with her injuries.


    Speaking of which, I wasn¡¯t much better. I might not have been in control of my body, but that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t feeling the effects of what it did. Now that there wasn¡¯t an emergency to worry about, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to twitch a finger, let alone move a limb.


    I struggle to keep my eyes open until I can''t come up with a reason why I should. I''m sorry if there''s anything else down here, but that¡¯s it for us.


    Thankfully, I don''t think we have to worry about that. With how aggressive the soul horrors were, there shouldn''t be anything else down here, and the fighting had to have drawn every last one of them to us.


    So, with that in mind, I give up trying to stay awake and let myself fall asleep. I''ve earned that much.

 Ch: 118.2

    I was awake, but I didn¡¯t want to be.


    There was no reason to open my eyes, as we were still underground, and I wouldn''t be able to see anything if I did, but that didn¡¯t stop me from checking my surroundings with Sense Mana.


    Considering we weren''t ambushed while asleep, it was safe to say we were temporarily in the clear, but one could never be too sure.


    The soul horror ambush was fresh in my mind, so I took extra time scanning the empty rooms surrounding us, the thick walls of the ruins, and any other gaps I had previously glossed over. Thankfully, though, everything was silent as a crypt.


    Next to me, Tabitha¡¯s breathing was steady, which was a good sign.


    "Are you asleep?¡± I couldn''t tell if Tabitha was awake yet, so I kept my voice just above a whisper, but even that sounded loud in the dark.


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± Tabitha¡¯s tired voice answers back.


    "Well, if that''s the case, any idea how long we were out for?" My stomach felt empty, but I could''ve been out for a few hours or a few days with how much I needed to heal.


    I hear Tabitha sigh beside me and groan as she slowly shifts around on her back. ¡°I say we¡¯ve been out for about two days.¡±


    "Is that so?" I lazily comment, not at all surprised that she sounded confident or that we were possibly out that long.


    ¡°It is a miracle either of us is alive. The goddess of death must not have seen fit to take our souls while she had the chance." I can hear the mirth in Tabitha¡¯s voice. Of course, she was joking, but she didn''t realize how right she was.


    I don¡¯t move to clasp my hands together or do anything like that, but I do silently say a prayer to Goddess Ebeon and, to a lesser extent, her sister, Ilia. Of course, I wouldn''t devote my life to the two as a priest would, but I fully recognize what the two did for me and am thankful.


    Plus, I was worried that my already lousy relationship with Goddess Ilia might become dangerous if I didn''t show her at least some appreciation.


    I gathered from my interactions with them that the gods can only interact with people at specific times. One was unlocking a tier 6 skill, something your average person was never likely to do. Seeing how I''ve met the duo twice in less than a year, my luck was either incredibly shitty or I needed to start buying lottery tickets. That, or be on the watch for lightning, whichever was least likely at this point.


    I was complaining, but honestly, we needed all the luck we could get. We survived the soul horrors by the skin of our teeth thanks to Soul Devourer, but the final boss was still slithering above our heads. I still couldn''t sense him, but I was sure the winged serpent was nearby, waiting for us to emerge from our hole.


    Speaking of which, "What do we do now?" I nervously ask Tabitha.


    "What else? We heal to the best of our abilities," she replies matter-of-factly in her usual bland tone. "We lick our wounds and devise a plan to escape the winged serpent. Maybe we can sneak away, or possibly- Fuck¡­...¡± Tabitha swears out of nowhere and suddenly stops talking altogether.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I sit up and start scanning our surroundings for whatever made Tabitha swear. For as long as I''ve known her, Tabitha seldom swore, so I was already mentally preparing myself for another life-or-death battle for her to react like that.


    Only.... there was nothing there. Meanwhile, with Sense Mana, I noted Tabitha was staring upward with her mouth wide open.


    ¡°Is it your danger sense skills?¡± I nervously ask, still scanning our surroundings, but Tabitha doesn¡¯t answer me. She doesn¡¯t even turn her head in my direction.


    ¡°Tabitha, are you alright?¡± I was starting to freak out at this point.


    Tabitha was mumbling about something I couldn''t make out, so I leaned closer. "What was that?" I ask, using my hands to check Tabitha''s arms in the dark. I wasn''t sure if the potion did its job, so I made sure not to shift anything while examining them.


    Sense Mana helps me check the state of her arms, and they appear to be healing nicely. The bones were mending at the rate expected of someone of Tabitha''s level, and I was about to tell her as such, but she finally said something audible.


    "My status page," Tabitha¡¯s voice quivers.


    ¡°Is it your health?¡± Did channeling the soul horror experience into Tabitha damage her in some way? "Do you need me to grab the remaining health potion?" I quickly offer.


    I don''t know if my question brought her back to reality or if she naturally came to her senses, but Tabitha thankfully snapped at me, "Don''t you dare; we might need it to escape."


    Letting out a sigh of relief, I can¡¯t help but smile in the dark. I was worried for a second there, but it looked like she was okay. Of course, Tabitha still needed time before her arms could fully heal, but if she had the energy to snap at me, well then¡ª


    "Fine, no potion," I do my best to sound like a pouting child. "Last time I worry about you," I make sure she can hear me rolling my eyes. "Why were you acting so weird?"


    Tabitha scoffs at me like I''m being unreasonable. "You would, too, if you opened your states page and saw something that shouldn''t be possible,¡± she rants in a manner I¡¯ve never seen before.


    With the threat of danger gone, my body untenses, and I can¡¯t help but laugh. I laughed because Tabitha sounded crazy, not because we won, but because we were alive, and laughing was the only thing I could do to not think about the challenges ahead of us. "How so?¡± I sputter between giggles.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Tabitha sounds frustrated. ¡°I leveled!¡±


    ¡°How''s that crazy? We just escaped a dragon; you deserve a level." I congratulate Tabitha, doing my best to sound as bland as she usually does. Part of me wanted to slow-clap, but I didn''t want to sour the occasion, and honestly, I was just too tired to do so.


    "You''re not getting it." Tabitha sounds like she wanted to throttle me, which wasn''t exactly new, but I don''t understand why. It takes her a full minute to find her voice, but when she does, I finally learn what had her freaking out.


    "I didn''t gain one level; I gained seven!¡±


    I let out a long, high-pitched whistle that reverberated off the stone walls. "Sweet, congratulations."


    Based on her following words, that was obviously not the reaction Tabitha was expecting.


    "I gain over twenty-seven million experience points, and you congratulate me like it''s no big deal!" Her tone shifts as she becomes more frustrated, but she doesn''t yell, which could be considered risky.


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    ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t move,¡± I gently push against Tabitha¡¯s arms, pinning them to the ground, as she tries to reach for me.


    "Why are you so calm? " She growled in my face, not in the least bit happy that I was holding her down.


    ¡°Well, because I thought you knew this was going to happen," I sheepishly responded.


    ¡°What! Why would you think that?¡± Tabitha interrogates me in the dark.


    ¡°I told you I absorbed the soul horrors,¡± I remind her. ¡°Remember, you said to share the pain. So, I transferred most of the extra experience to you.¡±


    Tabitha went silent and stopped squirming in my grasp. "That was experience?"


    ¡°Yeah, what did you think it was?¡± I frowned in confusion, but she couldn''t see what face I was making.


    ¡°I thought it was a form of ghostly poison," Tabitha replies in a hollow voice, finally realizing what I did. "I thought you could move it with your weird hands."


    Oh, that''s why she was so confident she could take it. Tabitha thought her Poison Resistance skill would help her when, in fact, it couldn''t.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s one way you could put it,¡± I awkwardly rub at the back of my head, releasing Tabitha in the process.


    Now that I think back on it, Tabitha only ever told me ghosts were fragments of souls left behind; she didn''t know that what remained were experience points congealing together after the soul''s core had passed on.


    "You already knew?" I could feel Tabitha''s accusing gaze on me even though I couldn¡¯t see her in the dark.


    ¡°Maybe?¡± I hesitantly answer.


    ¡°And you knew I would level?"


    ¡°There was a high probability," I reluctantly answer, expecting Tabitha to berate me for not telling her about such a massively important skill.


    But the verbal tongue-lashing never comes. Instead, Tabitha asks me a question in a quiet, hollow voice. ¡°Have you always been able to do that? Is that why Master is going to such lengths to recruit you? He never told me,¡± Tabitha sounds disappointed, and I think I know why.


    Tabitha thinks Pacore knew about my skills and kept silent because he didn''t trust her, but that wasn''t true. I could push all the blame onto Pacore, but it would eventually get out that I was lying, and I didn''t want to do that to Tabitha. So, I tell the truth.


    ¡°Pacore knows nothing about the skills I used," I tell her. "Not even my parents know about them; you¡¯re the only one. And no, up until now, I couldn¡¯t transfer experience to other people. I only just now learned how to do that."


    "You know how big of a deal this is? What a skill like yours could do?" Tabitha asks darkly. I wish I could see her face to better judge her reaction, but my mana pool was still recovering.


    "Will you silence me? Now is your chance," Tabitha morbidly suggests.


    ¡°Yeah, because I worked so hard to save you, only to kill you myself," I reply with overwhelming sarcasm so that even though Tabitha couldn''t see me rolling my eyes, she knew I would never do that.


    ¡°I see,¡± Tabitha hums in thought. ¡°Then what is your plan going forward?¡±


    That was a good question. But sadly, I didn''t have an answer at this time. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I huff. ¡°Do we have to talk about this now? I don''t know about you, but I''d rather have our heart-to-heart after we escape. Then, we can sit down and chat. Is that okay with you?¡±


    "If that is what you wish," Tabitha replies in her familiar monotone voice, which, for some reason, puts me at ease.


    An uncomfortable silence falls over us, made worse by the dark, but my awkward self can''t stand it for more than a few minutes before I try to fill the silence with idle chatter. "So, seven levels, huh? That''s cool. Do you have any idea how you''re going to distribute your points?"


    Tabitha sighs with equal parts exhaustion and exasperation. "Typical; you have no idea what you''ve done for me.¡±


    I wasn''t expecting that kind of response, but that didn''t stop me from answering honestly. "You''ve helped me so much; it¡¯s only right that I help you in return." I nudge Tabitha affectionately in the dark. "We''re friends, aren''t we?"


    "Friends," Tabitha slowly repeated the word as if it were a foreign concept. "You consider me a friend?" She sounded almost mystified.


    ¡°Friend, teacher, big sister, role model; I consider you a lot of things," I smile to myself, letting my words do the talking.


    "I''ve grown to tolerate you as well," Tabitha replies in an awkward attempt at humor in her usual monotone voice, making me giggle.


    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± I playfully quip. And like that, the heavy air between us is gone or pushed aside for later. We can discuss my skills and my future place in Scholl later.


    ¡°Did you get anything else?" I keep the conversation going before the silence sets in again.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tabitha let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a squeak. "To be honest, I never made it past my level. As soon as I saw it, I was caught off-guard."


    "Is that what you''re calling it?" I playfully tease.


    "What did you expect? Do you know what it¡¯s like to suddenly jump so many levels, especially at my age!?¡± Tabitha defends her actions, but it just makes me laugh harder.


    ¡°I actually do," I giggle.


    ¡°Of course, you would say that,¡± Tabitha mocks, sounding slightly frazzled. "At least this explains your ridiculous level.¡±


    ¡°Stop stalling,¡± I try to come off as good-natured, but I''m mostly trying to steer the conversation away from my skills.


    ¡°Alright, give me a second to check.¡± There¡¯s a short pause while Tabitha pulls up her status page, but a few seconds later, she can''t help but exclaim again. "I can''t believe I''m level 105 now. What is Master going to think?¡± I could practically hear the gears turning in her head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out,¡± I casually remark.


    ¡°You mean lie?" Tabitha retorts, and I don''t have a comeback. But, thankfully, that''s all Tabitha says on the subject before moving on. "I didn''t do much against the winged serpent, and I didn''t help with the soul horrors, so my skills are all the same.¡±


    ¡°That''s a bummer; I thought you''d at least get a new skill," I lazily comment.


    "Give me a second; I''m skimming through all my skills for any changes." I forgot that not everyone has a well-ordered status page like me. Tabitha had to have many different skills and scan through them all before she reached the end, where new skills would appear.


    "You''re right; I unlocked a new skill, though I¡¯ve never heard of it before?¡± Tabitha hums in thought.


    ¡°Maybe I can help,¡± I offer. ¡°That is if you¡¯re willing to tell me which skill you got.¡±


    Let it be known I wasn''t oblivious to the parallels between us. And while I would be bummed if Tabitha didn¡¯t tell me which skill she unlocked, I wouldn¡¯t hold it against her.


    Okay, maybe I would¡ª But only a little.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s only fair. And if I don''t know what it is, I doubt you would." Tabitha''s casual remark is a knife to the heart, but I know she meant nothing by it.


    "So, what is it?" I urge her to spit it out already.


    ¡°It¡¯s called Sense Soul. I¡¯ve never encountered it in my studies, but maybe Master will know. I''ll ask him the next time I see him. What do you think it does?¡±


    I sensed Tabitha turning her head toward me, and it was good she couldn''t see my expression because my jaw was almost to the floor. Of all the skills she could''ve unlocked, it had to be that one.


    ¡°Aaliyah?¡± Tabitha calls my name, reminding me I haven¡¯t answered her yet.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Tabitha doesn''t need to see my expression to hear the hesitation in my voice. "I take it you know of this skill?" Like a slash to the vitals, Tabitha cuts to the heart of the matter.


    Pacore already knows I have Sense Soul, so there wasn''t a reason to hide what I knew about the skill since Tabitha had already unlocked it. It seems that no matter what I do, I can''t avoid the subject of my skills. Well, at least it isn''t one of the scarier ones.


    "I do, and it¡¯s a good one; you unlocked a tier 5 skill,¡± I give Tabitha the good news and wait for her reaction.


    ¡°What!¡± Tabitha begins to raise her voice in alarm, but she catches herself before she gets too loud. ¡°A tier 5 skill!¡± She exclaims in a hushed voice. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Positive,¡± I assure her, but I don¡¯t think she was listening to me.


    Tabitha was back to mumbling to herself. ¡°I finally unlocked a tier 5 skill. I really did it. Me.¡±


    ¡°Yep, you sure did,¡± I casually interject to remind Tabitha that I was still here.


    In the dark, Tabitha''s head slowly turns in my direction. "I unlocked a tier 5 skill¡ªbut you already have it." She wasn''t accusing me of anything; it was more like she was trying to process everything.


    ¡°Yeah, and before you ask, Pacore knew about this one."


    How did I explain this properly? ¡°You know the skill I use to judge levels? It''s Sense Soul, though you need to level it before you can sense other people¡¯s souls.¡±


    It was surreal and oddly liberating to talk openly about one of my higher-tired skills. Due to all my paranoia, I rarely mentioned any of my stronger skills to anybody else, and the few people who did know about Sense Soul weren''t aware of my other skills or what they could do.


    Any information I had on Sense Soul should be considered a major secret, but after how much Tabitha has helped me, it felt right to tell her the few things I discovered or at least point her in the right direction.


    I start by warning her, "Be careful not to focus too closely on your soul, at least when you''re not somewhere safe."


    "And why is that?" I could sense Tabitha hanging on my every word; is this what it feels like to teach someone?


    ¡°It¡¯s a defensive mechanism. If you try to look at the core of your soul, your conciseness will be dragged in there. It¡¯s a great place to meditate and rest, but you''ll expose your body to danger if you aren''t careful."


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t use the skill until we¡¯re back at the village," Tabitha immediately understood what I was hinting at.


    "That''s probably best. Getting used to it will take a lot of meditation and practice."


    "Just my luck," I hear Tabitha grumble lightly. "I unlock a tier 5 skill and it doesn''t suit me at all."


    ¡°Sorry?¡± I confusingly reply.


    ¡°Ignore me,¡± Tabitha brushes off my concern. ¡°I know I shouldn''t complain; most go their whole lives without unlocking a tier 5 skill. It''s just¡ª I''ve dreamed of this day since Master Pacore accepted me as one of his disciples. I just thought any tier 5 skill I would get would be something more physical, like Master''s. Or maybe something to do with my sword skills, which I¡¯ve spent my whole life honing. Instead, I got a skill I have no idea how to use. It sounds more like a mage¡¯s skill than anything else."


    ¡°But you know magic; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get the hang of it,¡± I offer Tabitha some encouraging words, but she just huffs in amusement.


    ¡°I am no mage; I only know enough magic to charge my gear and cast the most basic spells. I despise meditating and anything else that requires me to do nothing for hours on end. I''ll trust you that it''s a valuable skill, but it isn''t me,¡± Tabitha lets out another tired sigh. ¡°How did I even unlock such a skill?¡±


    I cough into my hand embarrassingly. "That was probably my bad. The hands you saw coming out of my back were touching your soul. So, it only makes sense you''d start noticing it after suffering through such a thing. And I don¡¯t know what other tier 5 skills are like, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find Sense Soul more useful than it sounds. Trust me.¡±


    That wasn''t just me trying to make Tabitha feel better, either. Tabitha wanted a tier 5 skill she could use in battle, but I spoke from experience when I said physical skills weren''t everything.


    Sense Soul, Soul Manipulation, and Soul Devourer were all overpowered in different ways, and two out of three were considered passive skills. I could only imagine what a tier 5 sword would look like by comparison, but I wouldn''t trade any of them for the world. Each had saved my life in one way or the other and would likely continue doing so long into the future.


    "If you say so," Tabitha didn''t sound entirely convinced, but I was sure with some time and some help from me, she¡¯d come to appreciate the skill she was given.


    "Now, enough about me," Tabitha suddenly decided to flip things around. "Tell me, how many levels did you gain?"


    "What?" I answer back dumbly.


    "Come now. Don''t tell me you forgot to check your status page?" Tabitha chuckles mockingly, but not in a bad way, more like a sibling. ¡°You helped me escape the lesser dragon, saved my arms, and protected me against the soul horrors. If I gained this much, I''m almost afraid to hear what you got."


    I can''t help but blush, partially from Tabitha''s praise but mainly because I was embarrassed. It wasn''t my fault I forgot to check my status page; Tabitha was the one who distracted me....


    Okay, so it slipped my mind.


    The truth was, between resting and everything going on with Tabitha, it never crossed my mind to check my stats.


    I pushed the majority of the soul horror experience into Tabitha, but I still had a lot to process myself when I passed out. If she said she got twenty-seven million, how much did I keep?


    Only one way to find out.


    "Alright, give me a second,¡± I tell Tabitha as I pull up my status page.


    Let''s see what almost turning into a soul-sucking monster earned me; it better be good.

 Ch: 118.3

    LV: 82 Experience: 836,754/ 1,484,280


    Health: 1,784.96/2,530


    Stamina 1,388.34/1,697


    Mana: 561.22/1,030


    Vitality: 253.05


    Endurance: 100.40


    Strength: 156.06


    Dexterity: 156.06


    Senses: 62.75


    Mind: 65.64


    Magic: 103.42


    Clarity: 79.34


    Status Points: 70


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV80), Running (LV80), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV70), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV57), Chanting (LV52), Mining (LV51), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV47), Sword Skills (LV40), Acting (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV35), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV32), Pugilist Skills (LV16), Alchemy (LV15), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV81), Double Step (LV68), Charm (LV50), Hammer Arts (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Steady Hands (LV35), Intimidating Shout (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Gourmet (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV13), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3), Pugilist Arts (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Mana Manipulation (LV67), Expel Mana (LV64), Weighted Strike (LV47), Double Strike (LV46), Precise Strike (LV45), Flash Step (LV39), Contract (LV22), Poison Resistance (LV12), Enchanting (LV10)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV63), Mana Skin (LV60), Inject Mana (LV56), Extract Mana (LV40), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV32), Air Walk (LV24), Empowered Spell (LV20), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Multi-Strike (LV7), Appealing Deal (LV3),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV41), Soul Manipulation (LV22)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV17), Experience Transfer (LV3)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Running (LV80) 4,000exp


    Cleaning (LV54-57) 11,100exp


    Chanting (LV52) 2,600exp


    Dancing (LV31-32) 3,150exp


    Pugilist Skills (LV12-16) 3,500exp


    Sense Mana (LV81) 8,100exp


    Double Step (LV68) 6,800exp


    Steady Hands (LV35) 3,500exp


    Pugilist Arts (LV1) 100exp


    Mana Manipulation (LV66-67) 19,650exp


    Expel Mana (LV64) 9,600exp


    Double Strike (LV46) 6,900exp


    Weighted Strike (LV46-47) 13,950exp


    Precise Strike (LV45) 6,750exp


    Flash Step (LV38-39) 11,550exp


    Poison Resistance (LV6-12) 15,750exp


    Mental Resistance (LV63) 15,750exp


    Inject Mana (LV55-56) 27,750exp


    Magic Threads (LV29-32) 30,500exp


    Empowered Spell (LV18-20) 14,250exp


    Multi-Strike (LV6-7) 3,250exp


    Sense Soul (LV41) 20,500exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV20-22) 31,500exp


    Soul Devourer (LV11-17) 98,000exp


    Experience Transfer (LV1-3) 6,000exp


    Skill Experience: 374,500exp


    Crafting Experience: 1,491exp


    Fighting Experience: 8,409,773exp


    Total experience Gained: 8,785,764exp


    Okay, now I feel bad for giving Tabitha such a hard time about her reaction to her status page. I only earned a fraction of the experience she had, and it was taking everything I had not to shout or do something embarrassing to celebrate.


    Was it a coincidence we both gained seven levels? Probably, but then again, if I could¡¯ve handled all the experience, I''d have gained another ten levels on top of what I did¡ªmaybe more.


    But wait, something wasn¡¯t right; the numbers felt off. Tabitha said she got around twenty-seven million experience, over three times what I got. Still, I transferred over eighty percent of all the experience I gathered. By my math, Tabitha should''ve gotten something like fifty-four million, not twenty-seven. What gives?


    And wasn''t that a little low overall? Tabitha said that soul horrors were only formed from people above level 140. Some of the experience dissipated after I absorbed most of it, but not enough to equal that much. What was going on here?


    ¡°Is something wrong? It¡¯s unusual for you to be this quiet,¡± Tabitha¡¯s concerned voice echoes throughout the dark room. ¡°Is it possible you did not level?¡±


    ¡°No, I got seven levels too,¡± I inform her in a soft voice so she stops worrying.


    "You don''t sound that excited," Tabitha correctly observes.


    "I am; I''m just wondering why we got so little experience," I frown in confusion.


    ¡°We gained fourteen levels between us, and you think that isn¡¯t enough? Were you expecting to reach level 100 in one go?" Tabitha chuckles slightly mockingly.


    ¡°That would¡¯ve been nice. If that were the case, we''d have a better chance against the winged serpent," I sigh. ¡°It''s just that you said soul horrors were formed from high-level individuals who passed away under extreme conditions. I thought we might get something like ten times the amount of experience we did. But between us, we got less than forty."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The large number catches Tabitha off guard, and her laughter turns into a coughing fit. ¡°I see,¡± Tabitha wheezes after she catches her breath. ¡°I could see how that might bother you.¡±


    Tabitha was quite good at hiding her emotions, but even she could not pretend like that amount of experience was nothing. ¡°What do you think?" I asked Tabitha for her expert opinion.


    Tabitha hums softly in thought. ¡°Honestly, I''m of the opposite mind. We were lucky to get as much experience as we did.¡± I¡¯m about to ask why, but Tabitha predicts that and explains her reasoning before I can say anything.


    ¡°Yes, soul horrors are made from high-level individuals, and if what you say about them being made from experience is true, they should consist of hundreds of millions of experience points. But you forget, unless they have a steady source of souls to feed from, they¡¯ll slowly fade away. If we had encountered them thousands of years ago when they were first formed, we might have gotten that much experience. But then again, they would''ve been much stronger back then," Tabitha correctly pointed out.


    I feel a chill up my spine. From the sounds of it, the soul horrors were on their last legs, and they still almost killed us. ¡°Oh,¡± I mumble.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to downplay your accomplishment,¡± Tabitha clarifies, hearing the disappointment in my voice. "I am merely trying to help you reign in your expectations.¡± Tabitha¡¯s voice turns heavy. ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll ever be able to repay you for what you did for me, for not only my arms but for the levels as well. It would''ve taken me over a decade of hard work to get to level 105, and even that might not have been enough. You say you wish we got more, but this is already too much.¡±


    "But you really shouldn''t," I tried to tell Tabitha, but she didn''t have it.


    ¡°But I do," Tabitha remained firm. ¡°I¡¯ll find some way to pay you back, even if it costs me my life.¡±


    Sighing, I gave up trying to convince Tabitha that she didn''t owe me anything, as it was getting us nowhere. We both believed we owed the other and were too stubborn to admit otherwise. ¡°I look forward to the day,¡± I say with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Maybe we should talk about something more upbeat,¡± I try to shift the conversation.


    ¡°You were the one unhappy with the experience you got,¡± Tabitha smugly reminds me. ¡°But if you want to change the subject, I suppose I can humor you. So, what do your skills look like? Anything good?"


    ¡°Good would be an understatement,¡± I preen. ¡°So many of my skills leveled, I don¡¯t know where to start. I want to test everything out, but I¡¯m still tired."


    "How is your Health, Stamina, and Mana doing?" Tabitha momentarily sounds like my mom.


    ¡°My Health has recovered to 70%, but it¡¯s recovering slowly." After two days of rest, you would think it would be higher.


    ¡°Your body is probably still flushing out the winged serpent¡¯s poison. It will likely take a few more days for you to recover fully, but distributing your status points will help. What about your Stamina and Mana? I assume both are similarly reduced," Tabitha accurately predicts my condition as if she can see my status page.


    ¡°Stamina is better at 82%, but my Mana is the worst of the three,¡± I tell Tabitha. ¡°I used almost everything I had to save your arms, and what little I had left was further exhausted while fighting the soul horrors. I don¡¯t know what it was like before I passed out, but it was probably below 10%. It''s been two days, and I¡¯ve only recovered a little more than half my mana back.¡±


    I didn''t want to, as I was steadily raising my Mana stat through hard work, but if I wanted it to recover anytime soon, I would have to waste a few points manually raising it.


    "That''s understandable," I sense Tabitha nodding her head. "I wasn¡¯t aware you used so much mana on me. Most mages would¡¯ve collapsed if their mana dropped below 20%. That you fought in that state is certainly impressive.¡±


    ¡°Well, I had good reason to,¡± I blush in the dark.


    "Thank you again," Tabitha repeats.


    ¡°Poison Resistance went up seven levels. It¡¯s at level 12 now; do you think it will go any higher?¡¯ I ask, trying to change the topic to avoid any more embarrassment. It would just lead us into a circle of thanking each other again.


    "It''s possible," Tabitha tells me. "Though your body should''ve processed most of the poison by now. It''s just the bit left that''s hindering your healing."


    "Are you sure? I don''t want to doubt you, but that poison was powerful stuff. Even with my increased skill levels, I don''t think my level of Poison Resistance is strong enough to overcome it.¡±


    "But it''s not just your skill," Tabitha reminds me. "The anti-toxin potion you drank did most of the work. So even if your Poison Resistance skill was only at level 1 or you didn''t have the skill at all, your body still would''ve eventually broken it down. It just would''ve taken a lot longer."


    ¡°Is it the same for you?¡± I ask.


    "Not exactly; I had an easier time purging the poison because my Poison Resistance is much higher than yours."


    "Really, what level is it?" I ask in the heat of the moment, forgetting that it wasn''t normal for teachers to share their exact skill levels.


    But, surprise, Tabitha answers me. "My Poison Resistance has been stuck at level 60 for a long time, but thanks to our winged friend up there, I¡¯ve finally broken through. It only cost me a fortune and almost dying to do so,¡± Tabitha darkly jokes.


    "Almost dying seems to have that effect," I chuckle alongside Tabitha. "We almost died, but at least twenty-three of my skills leveled, and I gained two new ones."


    "Oh, two new skills?" Tabitha sounds interested.


    Damn, I got caught up in the moment, but then again, it wasn''t exactly that much of a secret. "Yeah, I unlocked Pugilist Arts, and the second one¡ª" I pause to find the right words. "The second one was the skill I got for transferring the experience to you." I purposely leave out how the skill works, not that Tabitha couldn''t infer with how much I''ve disclosed to her. I also don''t mention that it''s tier 6, as that would be a whole other can of worms to deal with.


    ¡°Probably from using your hands to fight off the soul horrors,¡± Tabitha guesses. She tactfully glossed over the more interesting skill, probably sensing I didn''t want to discuss it. "Did your Hammer Skills or Dancing level up? It''s good that you unlocked another skill, but you should still focus on those two."


    ¡°Dancing went up two levels, but I didn''t have the chance to use my hammer against the snake," I hang my head in defeat. "It''s still over there in the corner covered in poison.¡±


    "Don''t try touching it until you properly clean it with your magic," Tabitha reminds me. "The potions we drank neutralized what was in our systems, but it won''t help us against anything new.¡±


    ¡°And we don¡¯t have a third,¡± I frown bitterly. ¡°Fighting the snake will be hard without them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but at least we know it can turn its venom into a gas," Tabitha points out. ¡°And knowing is half the battle. Now that we know what the lesser dragon is capable of, we can devise a plan around our strengths, not his. But before that, we must heal. So, take some time and distribute your status points; I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    "But will seven levels each be enough?" I can''t help but ask.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what seven levels can do,¡± weirdly, Tabitha sounds quite positive.


    ¡°It sounds like you have an idea. Is it any good?" I lean in anxiously.


    "It''s not exactly a plan," Tabitha bursts my bubble before I get too excited. "I merely already know how I¡¯m going to distribute my status points.¡±


    ¡°Can I get a hint?¡± I ask.


    Tabitha hums in thought. "I suppose I can tell you. I''m forgoing putting many points into Vitality and putting most of them into Strength. I couldn¡¯t do much against the winged serpent''s tough hide with my current Strength, so I¡¯m focusing on that.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that against your build? Can you afford to do that?¡± Unlike me, Tabitha was highly specialized like her Master; shouldn''t she focus on her Dexterity?


    ¡°I think you misunderstand me,¡± Tabitha corrects me. ¡°I¡¯m still placing points into Dexterity as that will always be my priority. I¡¯m just using points I would¡¯ve placed into Vitality into Strength instead.¡±


    ¡°But my parents and Master always tell me I¡¯m supposed to place a percentage of my status points into Vitality, as it will help me live longer. Are you sure you¡¯re okay with that?¡±


    Tabitha starts to laugh so hard that she groans in pain. ¡°That¡¯s good advice. As humans, we live relatively short lives, so it''s natural that we try to stave off aging as long as possible. But some things are more important. For example, I already have a relatively high Vitality. The only reason I still put points into it is to extend my peak training years. But since you effectively cut out a decade of harsh battles, I can afford to distribute my points differently. Does that make any sense?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± I nod along, even though the gesture is meaningless in the dark.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand,¡± Tabitha sounds pleased. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to distribute my points and rest some more. I suggest you do the same.¡±


    "Do you need any water or some of the jerky?" I offered Tabitha what remained of our rations, as she might need it to recover.


    ¡°I can hold out another day. You have some if you need it,¡± Tabitha flips my question back on me before going silent.


    In the dark, I reach for my water skin. It¡¯s still contaminated with toad eggs, but after emptying it and refilling it the last few days, they¡¯ve lost most of their toxic properties. There¡¯s still a slight numbing sensation when I swallow a mouthful of the tainted water, but other than that, there are no other symptoms. I want to drink more as I''m pretty thirsty, but I only allow myself a single mouthful to conserve what we have.


    Closing the water skin, I set it aside with the rest of my gear and lay back down, close to Tabitha so that I can react if something happens, but far enough away that it isn''t awkward between us. Tabitha and I had only been talking for twenty minutes, but it felt longer than that, and even though my Stamina was relatively full, I still felt tired.


    However, before I fall asleep, I pull up a smaller version of my status page and distribute my points like Tabitha suggested.


    LV: 82 Experience: 836,754/ 1,484,280


    Health: 1,955.42/2,700


    Stamina 1,577.84/1,836


    Mana: 591.22/1,060


    Vitality: 270.00


    Endurance: 100.40


    Strength: 181.00


    Dexterity: 181.00


    Senses: 62.75


    Mind: 65.64


    Magic: 106.00


    Clarity: 79.34


    Status Points: 0


    The relief I feel from distributing my points is almost instant. The 17 points into Vitality boosted my recovery speed, and the more minor aches and pains I felt melted away. Of course, I still had a lot of recovery to do, but it was a start.


    Similarly, the three points into Magic help my struggling to recuperate mana pool, though not to the same degree as my Health. I had to put a few points into it to increase my recovery speed, but as I couldn''t waste much, I only put a few points into it.


    Most of my points went into Strength and Dexterity, as I would need them the most against the winged serpent. Whether we fight the beast or run, I couldn¡¯t fall behind Tabitha, as that would be a death sentence for her. She has made it abundantly clear she would sacrifice herself for me, so if I can¡¯t at least pull my weight, she¡¯ll likely throw herself in front of me to buy time.


    I''m unsure if I''ll be able to outrun the lesser dragon with my new stats, but I can try.


    I need to heal faster; I tell myself as I drift off to sleep again. Because, as soon as I was, it was strategizing time.


    The winged serpent will find the hard way we aren''t as weak as we were a few days ago, that I could guarantee.

 Ch: 118.4

    ¡°Will you watch over me?¡± I ask over my shoulder.


    "My left arm is still unusable, but my right is just fine.¡± Thanks to the light spell hovering over Tabitha¡¯s head, I can see her flexing her one good arm as a show of strength.


    "Okay then," I nod and focus on my goal.


    Across the room, covered in poison, sat my hammer. Directly above it was the shaft leading to the surface. According to Sense Mana, the pile of bones above the hole had collapsed over it, sealing it, but it would only take the winged serpent a swish of its massive tail to send the blockage flying.


    To our understanding, the serpent couldn''t reach us down here, but that didn''t mean we could afford to be careless. To clean my hammer, I would need to get close to it; otherwise, I''ll waste the precious mana I''ve spent the last three days recovering. I initially hoped the poison would start dissipating after sitting there for so long, but even now, I could still sense the poison on my hammer just as active as when we were initially hit with it.


    The poison contained a particular type of mana attracted to living beings. The same mana tendrils that penetrated my defenses were all over my hammer, ready to spring into action should I accidentally touch it. I leveled multiple skills fighting it off the first time, so in theory, it should be easier to cleanse the poison a second time, but making predictions after only dealing with it once was a great way to get myself killed.


    While I focused on cleaning my weapon, Tabitha was to keep an eye on the shaft above me. If the ground so much as rumbled or a single bone fragment fell from above, she would pull me back and rush us outside the room. The winged serpent would only need a few short seconds to remove the blockage and direct its corrosive breath down the shaft, and if we weren¡¯t prepared for it, we could get caught up in it and would surely die.


    Chances were that wouldn''t happen, as the snake could''ve done just that any time over the last few days, but again, it never hurts to be safe.


    ¡°I should only need a minute,¡± I mumble more as a reassurance to myself rather than speaking to Tabitha.


    ¡°I have your back,¡± my knight in shining¡ªdented armor reassured me.


    That was another reason why I needed my hammer. Though it would be cumbersome to attempt with its size, I needed my hammer to try and fix Tabitha¡¯s armor. Her chest plate was caved in, which couldn¡¯t be comfortable to wear, and the armguards on her right arm were worse. Unfortunately, I could do nothing with the scraps of metal that used to be the armor on her left arm, but I could at least try to fix everything else.


    ¡°Okay, here goes,¡± I walk silently over to my hammer, making sure not to make a sound.


    Avoiding the rotten scraps of wood that used to make up the lift, I inch closer to my weapon. Looking up, I gaze deep into the pitch-black shaft stretching upwards. There wasn''t even a speck of light, which is a good sign. It''s ominous to have overhead, but it''s still a good sign. If there was any light, I might question if it was a trap, but since there wasn''t, it was one less thing I needed to worry about.


    Everything seems fine as I inch closer to my goal, but I can''t help but curse that I didn¡¯t have Silent Casting when I chant my spell. Thankfully, I don¡¯t need to shout like an anime protagonist to cast my magic, only needing to whisper the words in a soft yet even voice.


    ¡°Ahyt ls weem appiss!¡±


    Cleaning magic envelops me, and I feel the dust accumulated over the last three days fall away. Of course, it wasn''t much, thanks to Mana Skin, but my skill couldn''t protect me from everything, and it was pretty dirty down here, so it was still refreshing to feel spotless again.


    I only indulge in the feeling for a second before I activate Empowered Spell and boost my magic until the zone of cleanliness around me stretches to reach my hammer¡¯s handle. If I wanted to, I could have my spell cover my weapon all at once as I did with Tabitha and myself when we were initially poisoned, but it''s easier and less mana-intensive to slowly work my way from one end of my hammer to the other.


    As soon as my spell contacts my poisoned weapon, the toxin tries to infiltrate my mana, but unlike Mana Skin, which only defends, my cleaning spell actively fights back against the intrusive substance. Of course, I need to channel more mana to keep it from digging into the mana I¡¯m projecting, but without the urgency of dying forcing me to fight all of it at once, my spell steadily and easily overcomes the poison.


    I sense Tabitha stepping behind me, entering my spell''s range, but as she''s not dragging me out of the room, I focus on the task at hand. It takes a few minutes and some steady mana control, but eventually, my weapon is clean, at least, I think it is.


    Before I let my spell fade away, I scan every inch of my hammer, searching for even a hint of remaining poison. The surface was spotless to the naked eye, but that didn¡¯t mean I was ready to reach down and grab my weapon just yet. There was still one more place I had to check.


    My foresight pays off immediately because as soon as I direct my senses into my hammer and scan the mana structure within, I find small traces of the winged serpent¡¯s poison. There isn¡¯t much of the tainted mana, and if I wasn''t looking for it, I could''ve missed it entirely, but I was, and I did. None of our other gear was tainted this way, but none was covered in the stuff for three days.


    Using Mana Manipulation and Inject Mana, I push my cleaning spell directly into my hammer until every bit of the toxic mana is purged. Of course, the spell wasn''t designed for this kind of thing, so I need to control it carefully, but with my two new levels in Mana Manipulation, it''s relatively easy to do.


    Once I''m 110% certain every last trace of poison was scoured from my weapon, I reach down and collect my hammer. I''m surprised at how much lighter it feels after raising my Strength stat by 25, but then again, the weight of my hammer never caused me trouble; it was a centrifugal force when I swung it that threatened to pull me off my feet.


    I would still need to anchor myself to the ground to swing my weapon correctly, but now, with higher stats, I¡¯ll be able to use it against the winged serpent, though I still had doubts. Swinging my hammer over my shoulder, a sense of security washes over me as I anchor it to my back with Magic Threads. It might have its flaws, but in the end, I felt safer having it with me.


    I steal one last glance at the exit above us before returning to the wall where our packs were laid out. In my wake, you could see where I cast my magic, as there was now a perfect circle of cleanliness at the bottom of the shaft. Cleaning my hammer took a quarter of my mana pool, but now that my mana recovery had returned to normal, it would only take me a few hours to get that mana back.


    ¡°Thanks for the cleaning. Dried blood starts to ich after the third day," Tabitha smirks at me.


    "I was wondering why you got so close to me," I said, looking Tabitha up and down. The glowing orb of light above her cast weird shadows due to its positioning, but I could see everything I needed to. With all the dried blood removed, I could finally see the results of her injuries, and it was enough to make me wince.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that bad," Tabitha declared, looking down at her left arm cradled in a makeshift sling I had fashioned for her.


    Not that bad? Tabitha¡¯s entire left arm was one big scab. "Was your potion not enough?" I didn''t understand how it worked. Her right arm was completely healed; why wasn''t her left? Did the potion mend her bones, or was it just because of her Vitality?


    Tabitha smiles reassuringly. "The potion worked just fine, but its effects have long since faded. My Vitality is finishing things.¡±


    ¡°And the scars?¡± I ask, motioning to the few patches of Tabitha¡¯s left arm that had finished healing and were now clean, thanks to my spell. There wasn¡¯t a single section of unblemished skin, just a never-ending patchwork of scars.


    ¡°Even we aren¡¯t immune to scars." Tabitha didn''t look bothered by her arm in the slightest. ¡°If anything, I can show it off to people,¡± she says proudly.


    ¡°Why?¡¯ I give her an incredulous look. "I mean, weren''t scars a sign you were injured? Or is this a Scholl thing?"


    ¡°Maybe, but true warriors will recognize what I went through,¡± Tabitha grins like a maniac.


    ¡°Seriously, is everyone in your country crazy, and if so, how has it lasted this long?¡± I jokingly shake my head disappointingly, but I can¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned by now?" Tabitha postured. "You have to be crazy to reach the top." I gave her a look that said I didn''t believe her, but we both knew she was correct.


    Tabitha wasn''t fooled. "You like to pretend you''re not, but if you ask anyone in your village to describe you, I''m 100% certain they''ll refer to you as the ¡®crazy running girl.''"


    "They would not," I reflexively start to refute her, but the second half of my argument disappears at the tip of my tongue. Oh gods, she''s right! I am the village weirdo; I''m even worse than Master Del.


    My eyes widen at the realization, and Tabitha laughs in delight. ¡°Take pride in it,¡± she boastfully tells me. "Besides, worrying about how others see you is pointless. Take my arm, for example," Tabitha gestures with her good arm. "Anyone who looks down on me for having battle scars isn''t someone I want to give my time to, much less acknowledge.¡±


    "That''s¡ªquite profound,¡± I stare at Tabitha in amazement.


    Tabitha tries to puff out her chest but whines in pain, bringing her right hand to where her chest plate is dented.


    Right, I shouldn¡¯t put that off any longer. ¡°Alright, take it off,¡± I order Tabitha sternly.


    Tabitha¡¯s eyes widen, and she instinctively takes a step back. "What, no; this is no place to remove my armor.¡± Tabitha looked worryingly toward the exit, but we both knew that was an excuse. She just didn¡¯t like taking off her armor.


    ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± I point out to her. ¡°Everything''s been quiet the last few days; if there were anything else dangerous down here, we would''ve seen it by now. And you''re still recovering; that can''t be comfortable,¡± I point at her chest where her armor had the biggest dent.


    ¡°Wearing this armor is the only thing that saved me,¡± Tabitha says defensively.


    ¡°So let me try to fix it,¡± I take a step in her direction. ¡°Don¡¯t make me take it off you.¡±


    "You think you can," Tabitha''s eyes narrow menacingly.


    ¡°In your current condition, yes,¡± I deadpan.


    ¡°Fine," with great reluctance, Tabitha finally relents in a downcast voice.


    She tries to reach for the strap to unfasten her armor but struggles with only one hand. "Wait a minute," I suggest. "Let''s move a few floors down; put some space between us and the shaft while I work."


    Tabitha nods and moves to grab her bag, but I beat her to the punch. Reaching down, I grab both of our things. Tabitha looks at me like she¡¯s about to demand I hand it over, but I stand firmly in place, and she''s forced to sigh and relent to me carrying everything.


    ¡°Lead the way then,¡± Tabitha says, moving beside me, providing light while I guide us.


    Together, for the first time, we left the room we had fallen into three days ago.


    We immediately exited out into the adjoining hallway, and I directed us right as that was the fastest way to the closest intact stairway.


    ¡°You know where you¡¯re going?¡± Tabitha asks me as I lead her down multiple hallways and connecting rooms.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re almost to the first flight of stairs,¡± I point ahead.


    ¡°Then you have a specific room in mind?" Tabitha turns her head and glances at me.


    ¡°Sure do,¡± I point down at the stone floor. ¡°There is a good-sized room we can make use of four stories down. It has some intact stone benches I can use as a makeshift workstation. Plus, the deeper we go, the more of the structure I can scan.¡±


    ¡°Are there any signs of life?¡± Tabitha asks, nimbly stepping around a large pile of bone dust. "Any more soul horrors we need to be on the lookout for?"


    ¡°You wish,¡± I smirk. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but no more free experience."


    ¡°Pity," Tabitha tries to shrug, but as she is still injured, she can only move her right shoulder, making for quite the comical sight.


    Just then, a low growling noise echoes through the silent hallway. Tabitha and I reach for our weapons in alarm, but I quickly turn crimson as I realize what is making the sound. Bringing my left hand up, I massage my armored stomach. ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologize.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for," Tabitha''s hand remained on her sword''s hilt. "I am hungry too. We should probably eat once we make it to our destination.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡± Other than a bite of jerky yesterday, we haven''t touched our remaining rations. My stomach was growling, but I could hold out for another day or two if needed.


    Tabitha didn''t look as convinced. ¡°Even if we eat what little we have, it¡¯s best to do so now. My recovery has slowed; what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost there,¡± I pull up a cheat sheet of my status page.


    Health: 2,241.63/2,530


    Stamina 1,588.47/1,697


    Mana: 782.34/1,030


    ¡°I¡¯m still down 300 Health, but my Stamina is fine, and I used a quarter of my mana pool to clean you and my hammer,¡± I rattle off in quick order. ¡°What about you?¡± I look directly at Tabitha¡¯s sling.


    "My bones are healing just fine, thanks to you." Tabitha looked content. ¡°After we eat, I should only need another day before I can move it again and another to regain full movement. It''ll take a couple of weeks before it''s 100%, but I''ll be back in fighting shape soon. As for my Stamina and Mana, both are relatively full, so you don''t need to worry about the light; I can keep it going for some time."


    "At least that''s some good news," I proclaim. ¡°In here,¡± I direct us into a room coming up that contains the stairs leading downward. ¡°Do you think I could heal broken bones in a few days with my Vitality?¡±


    "Depends on the break," Tabitha explains casually as we travel deeper into the r


    uins.


    From there, our conversation shifted to various topics, some serious and some¡ª less so.


    We spent a few minutes discussing how the bricks used on the floor differed from the ones on the walls. They were almost indistinguishable, the only difference being that the floor bricks were a slightly paler grey.


    Color aside, though, the bricks making up the floor had the same force-absorbing properties as their wall counterparts, only much milder. It was like walking on a beach; you had to put in more effort to move, but nothing as ridiculous as trying to walk on the wall bricks.


    While I could talk about magic materials all day, Tabitha wanted to discuss more pressing matters. She asked me if I could sense the lesser dragon above us, and shamefully, I had to tell her I couldn''t. She wasn''t surprised by this and explained why I had trouble sensing the winged serpent.


    According to her, the winged serpent had deployed a mana zone. I had heard Tabitha use the terminology earlier when we first ran into the lesser dragon, but it was only now that she explained what it frankly was.


    Strong magic beasts can diffuse part of their essence around themselves and affect the mana of a given area, creating zones that can hinder the skills of others and slowly morph their surroundings to suit them better.


    It was why the forest above the colosseum was dead; the winged serpent¡¯s mana zone corrupted the surrounding mana, making it unsuitable for plant life. It was also why I couldn¡¯t sense it, no matter how hard I tried. The winged serpent perfectly blended into the background it created, so unless I¡¯m incredibly close to it, I won''t be able to pinpoint its exact location.


    The mana zone was also responsible for tricking Tabitha''s Danger Sense, and the bad news didn''t stop there. According to Tabitha, if all that wasn''t bad enough, there was a genuine possibility that the winged serpent could track our movement inside its mana zone, meaning as soon as we surfaced, it would know.


    I know I shouldn¡¯t be casting stones, but I couldn¡¯t help but curse at such an overpowered ability. How on earth are we supposed to fight something like that?


    Tabitha reassured me it was possible, though it would be tricky. I asked her if she¡¯d ever fought against a magic beast with a mana zone, but she denied ever doing so. Only extremely powerful magic beasts form a mana zone, and encountering one is rare. It was just our luck we ran into one.


    Tabitha did add one piece of what she considered good news to her explanation. When she first realized we were in a mana zone, Tabitha feared the magic beast we ran into was above 150, as that was around the level magic beasts started forming mana zones.


    I had snapped at her, questioning how that could be considered good news, but she assured me it was coming.


    Tabitha told me she couldn''t sense the winged serpent''s level, but after fighting it, she was positive it wasn''t near level 150.


    So why the mana zone? As Tabitha put it, it had to do with the winged serpent being a lesser dragon.


    Tabitha explained that lesser dragon was used to describe beasts with draconic ancestry, no matter how removed they were. Dragons were apex creatures known for their invincible bodies and even more devastating magic capabilities. Because the winged serpent was a descendant of them, it was able to manifest a mana zone prematurely.


    Tabitha was confident the winged serpent was somewhere around level 130; it could be lower or higher, but it definitely hadn''t reached 150.


    It was exciting learning about mana zones. Of course, Tabitha reminded me multiple times that everything she knew came from her master, but that got me thinking: Pacore was over 150; could he produce a mana zone? Tabitha didn''t want to talk about it, but was a mana zone something you advertised? Pacore said he had zero magical talent, but did you need talent to affect the world around you?


    No, you didn¡¯t.


    I pondered the potential of such an ability down multiple flights of stairs until we reached the room I was leading us to.


    The two of us were now sufficiently far enough away from the snake that it wouldn¡¯t be able to hear me working on Tabitha¡¯s armor. And now that we were here, it was time to get to work¡ª


    Right after a quick meal of hard biscuits and overly salted jerky.


    It was that, or I got distracted by my stomach while I worked.


    First, food, then we could start on our preparations.


    I need to fix Tabitha''s armor, improve Mana Skin now that I¡¯ve gained so many magic skill levels, and lastly¡ªI looked down, focusing on a large underground chamber I could now sense deep beneath us.


    Before we leave, we''ll need to check out that room. All the remaining death mana from the soul horrors was slowly gathering there.


    I couldn¡¯t sense any soul horrors, but if there were any more left, that¡¯s where they would be hanging out. But, sadly, exploring would have to wait until later.


    But we¡¯ll get there, eventually.

 Ch: 118.5

    It was always fun to work around other people, even if I was the only one doing the work. There was just something about having somebody watching me that always made me want to do my best.


    I wish I could say everything was fine, but it wasn''t.


    I could deal with Tabitha giving me advice on any number of subjects, but smithing was not one of them.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not going to ruin it?¡± Tabitha anxiously asks over my shoulder.


    "I''m trying not to," I growl. I had already asked Tabitha to back up multiple times, and while she listened to me for a second, it didn''t take long before she was hovering over me again¡ª which was impressive, seeing how she was shorter than me.


    "It''s just.... my armor is essential to my fighting style and cost me quite a lot of money,¡± Tabitha reminds me for the dozenth time.


    "I don''t think I can do anything to make it worse," I reply snarkily, but we both know that isn''t exactly true. Sure, Tabitha''s armor had a massive dent in it, but the enchantments were still holding firm, and as long as they were still functioning correctly, the armor wasn¡¯t technically destroyed.


    All it would take is a single bad swing of my hammer, and I could accidentally compromise the many crisscrossing runes on the inside of the breastplate, turning it into an expensive piece of scrap metal.


    Tabitha wouldn''t stop pleading with me with her eyes until I sighed in defeat. "Fine, come over here," I waved her next to me. "If you''re going to hover so closely, you might as well help me. Hold your breastplate as still as you can," I instructed her. In truth, I was going to have to ask her to help me anyway, but it was better to make her think she wore me down.


    Tabitha nods happily and follows my instructions to the letter. I was stronger now and could swing my hammer with one hand, but I wouldn''t have much control if I did.


    If I was going to fix Tabitha''s armor, it was better for me to have both hands available. Considering I had no tools to secure her breastplate to the stone bench I had chosen as my workstation, Tabitha would need to step in.


    ¡°No, like this." I adjust Tabitha''s grip, so her hand is as far away from the spot I''m working on as possible to be safe. After all, Tabitha only had one working arm at the moment, and I didn''t want to make things worse.


    ¡°Like this?¡± Tabitha asks inquisitively.


    ¡°Yeah, like that; just keep it as still as you can," I say, anchoring myself to the ground using Magic Threads and raising my hammer.


    Tabitha visibly flinches as I swing my hammer down. I¡¯ve seen her caught off guard multiple times, most recently with the winged serpent, but she rarely flinches and never because she¡¯s scared.


    Well, now, she looked terrified. I wanted to chastise her for having so little faith in me, but I was too busy focusing on my swing. That, and I felt kind of bad for her.


    I wish I could''ve had the chance to heat her breastplate before trying to hammer the dent out, but I didn¡¯t have the supplies or the knowledge to heat something already enchanted. Plus, there was very little to burn down here, and even if I could find and gather enough scrap wood to make a fire, it wouldn¡¯t be hot enough to affect the metal in the first place.


    Heating it with magic was out, too, as Tabitha''s breastplate had an enchantment to resist such things. So, the only thing I could do was hammer the dent as is.


    Using a combination of my various hammer skills, I slam my hammer down with everything I have. The sound of ringing metal fills the room as I do my best to fix the dent. But Tabitha¡¯s tier 4 armor refuses to make life easy.


    After four full-powered swings, the metal barely moves an inch, but I don¡¯t give up. Even if it''s only slightly, I was making a difference. And seeing how my Stamina was full and I had nothing else to use it on, I might as well go until my arms gave out.


    Slowly and agonizingly, I sweat over the piece of armor, only pausing momentarily to ask Tabitha if she was holding out okay. "Can you go on?" I wheeze halfway through, pounding out the dent.


    Tabitha was sweating, too, but not for the same reason. "I can go on," she groans. I was sweating because I was using multiple skills simultaneously back-to-back, but she was sweating because she was holding onto her armor. Each of my swings sent powerful shockwaves through the metal and subsequently into her.


    ¡°Are you sure? We can pause for a bit?" I tell her. Tabitha''s armor and the bench absorbed most of the kinetic energy but not all of it. I was worried all the vibrations might be aggravating her wounds too much.


    ¡°Hurry up and fix my armor because once you stop, I¡¯m putting it back on, and I¡¯m not taking it off again,¡± Tabitha threatens. Of course, I knew she was only partially serious, but if that was how she felt, who was I to stop her?


    ¡°Alright,¡± I¡¯ll try to hurry. I lift my hammer over my shoulder again.


    ¡°Just do it right,¡± Tabitha says nervously, her tough exterior cracking momentarily, betraying how she truly felt.


    I pretended not to notice her discomfort, choosing to nod and continue working as if nothing was wrong.


    The winged serpent did a number on her armor. It took all my strength to get it back into shape, and the lesser dragon obliterated Tabitha''s shield and dented her chestpiece almost on a whim. I¡¯ll be able to knock the dent out, but how will we deal with a monster that can hit that hard?


    Tabitha''s shield was gone, and just because I was pounding out the dent didn''t mean her breastplate would magically be back to the way it was. Without properly reforging it, Tabitha¡¯s armor will always be weaker where it was dented. I haven''t told her yet, as that conversation was sure to be painful, but Tabitha would have to be extra careful in the future. The best I could do was make it no longer painful for her to wear.


    Honestly, I''m surprised her chestplate wasn''t worse, specifically the runes. I tried studying their 3D structures whenever Tabitha let me, so I was familiar with how complicated they were. And yet, even though multiple runes were stretched with the metal, the enchantment still functioned properly.


    The beginner runes I knew were extremely fragile, so seeing the much more intricate versions withstand the snake''s strike and my hammer blows left me curious if there was something different about these or if they were higher-tier runes.


    They might have been simply more robust than the basic ones, but I had a feeling there was something special about them. I wanted to meet the artisan who enchanted it, but first, we had to make it out of here alive.


    ¡°Almost. And there,¡± I swing my hammer for the last time. Wiping the dripping sweat from my face, I examine my handiwork. It was a rushed patch job, and I could only make it as flat as I did because the metal only deformed under the snake¡¯s strength and was never torn, but considering my lack of tools, I was proud of my work.


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    ¡°Can you help me put it on?¡± Tabitha asks in a monotone voice, but her eyes practically plead for me to help her.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I smile reassuringly. But while I''m helping Tabitha secure her armor, I decide to suck it up and rip the band-aid off before I chicken out any further. ¡°I patched your armor, but" I struggle to deliver the bad news.


    ¡°But my armor will need to be replaced,¡± Tabitha finishes for me, catching me off-guard.


    ¡°You knew?¡± My eyes widen.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been forced to replace a piece of armor,¡± Tabitha lets out a long sigh and, with her right hand, rubs the spot where the dent used to be. The spot stood out as the metal was now a lighter shade than the rest of it, another sign that its structure was compromised.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t do more,¡± I hang my head apologetically.


    ¡°Why must you blame everything on yourself?¡± Tabitha rolls her eyes exasperated. "You did what you could... It was my inadequacies that led us to where we are now. We can blame ourselves all we want, or we can move on. Just like the potions, my armor did its job. Of course, I''ll need to replace it, but that''s a task for later." Tabitha said everything without emotion but was still affectionately rubbing her armor with a slight frown.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help you get new armor, even if I have to make it myself,¡± I tell her, not as her student but as a friend.


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Tabitha''s lips curl up a fraction, and I''m treated to a rare smile that has nothing to do with battle. But, sadly, it doesn''t last long. ¡°Well, we ate most of our food, and you fixed up my armor, ready to check out the chamber you told me about?¡±


    While eating, I told Tabitha about the death-filled chamber I sensed below us. She wanted to check it out, but why did it feel like she was deflecting? It was almost like she was trying to distract herself, which was okay, but I had two more things I wanted to do before we went down.


    ¡°Can we actually rest here for one more day?¡± I hesitantly ask.


    "Really, I thought you would want to explore the most?" Tabitha is visibly surprised by my request.


    "Trust me, I do," I tell her. ¡°But I gained a lot of skill levels I didn''t have when practicing around the crater. So, if it''s okay with you, I want to try to break through Mana Skin''s test while everything is still relatively fresh in my mind. I wanted to try earlier, but I only now have the mana to spare, and if we go down, I have no idea if that will still be the case.¡±


    It was left unsaid that we might encounter danger down there, and while we were more prepared for it, I wanted to improve my defenses before we ran into the next hurdle.


    ¡°I understand," Tabitha sighs and untenses. "If you need time, we can stay here for a day.¡± She slowly lowers herself and sits on the stone bench we used to fix her armor. "It''s probably best I finish healing anyways,¡± she lazily comments before closing her eyes.


    Tabitha was never easy to read, but even I could tell she was anxious to get moving. She had to be tired of sitting around doing nothing; I know I was, but leaving now wouldn''t be a good idea. It sucked seeing my battle-hungry teacher down in the dumps, and I could only imagine how bored she must be after the last three days, but there was simply no better time for me to improve one of my most valuable skills.


    So, before I give in to my emotions against my better judgment, I turn away from a seemingly resting Tabitha. Her light spell was still hovering over her shoulder, illuminating the room, so I knew she wasn¡¯t really asleep. Instead, she probably just closed her eyes to give me a sense of privacy.


    Moving a few feet away, I sat on one of the other intact stone benches in the room, and surprisingly, it was pretty comfortable. Like everything else, it was made from force-absorbing stone, so even though I was sitting on a stone, it felt softer, almost like wood. The bench was the perfect place to meditate, but before I did that, I shook out my legs and rolled my shoulders.


    I would likely not be moving for an extended period, and I didn''t want my still-healing body to lock up from the lack of movement.


    While stretching, I steal one last glance at Tabitha, who still hasn¡¯t opened her eyes again. In my mind, I wished that she would heal enough to gain use of her other arm.


    Besides a few strips of jerky and a quarter of a waterskin left, we were out of supplies, so the countdown had officially begun. We had a maximum of three days to prepare ourselves before our hunger pains returned and our fighting potential started deteriorating. But if I were to be any help in the coming battle, I would need to strengthen my defenses.


    Closing my eyes, I sunk into a meditative state. I didn''t immediately rush into trying to improve Mana Skin; instead, I centered myself by clearing my mind.


    First, I regulated my breathing and examined Mana''s Skin''s existing barriers. After resting for three days, my skill was back to 100%, and all three layers were going strong.


    There were small gaps between each layer, which I had filled with varying degrees of the death mana. It was a little funny because after absorbing the soul horrors, the toxic mana down here had started to clear up, and now the mana held between the layers of Mana Skin was more toxic than the stuff around us.


    Creating a channel between my barriers, I let out all the compressed ambient mana as it would complicate things. I then reabsorb barriers two and three, leaving only one barrier protecting me from the high levels of ambient mana.


    Now that I think about it, I should see how bad it is without my skill now that I¡¯ve gained seven levels. Reabsorbing the last barrier protecting me, I suddenly feel the total weight of the ambient mana around me. It felt like it was trying to rush into me, but my natural resistance kept the high mana levels at bay.


    Still, I was absorbing more ambient mana than I would have liked, so I quickly reactivated my skill, but it was nice knowing I could survive without it if I absolutely needed to.


    Now, onto step two; while leaving a single barrier active, I mold my mana into threads. One by one, I knit them together to strengthen them. This was where I previously started having problems, but it felt different this time. When I was practicing outside the crater, I could form the threads just fine, but now it felt like I had much greater control over them, so I confidently continued.


    Very carefully, I start overlapping the threads. Usually, they would break down and meld together into a single mass, but after using them to stitch Tabitha''s arm back together, keeping them separate felt doable.


    From a numbers perspective, I only gained two levels in Mana Manipulation and four in Magic Threads, but those six levels made all the difference. Mana Manipulation was tier 3, and Magic Threads was tier 4; sometimes, I forget because I have so many strong skills, but both were extremely powerful, and it was almost unheard of to gain that many skill levels at once.


    After passing two tests in Mana Manipulation, my skill had become much more challenging to level, yet I earned not one but two levels for what I did. I could feel the difference in how I could control my mana, and it was much easier to get it to do what I wanted.


    Leveling Magic Threads also helped, and at the rate it was improving, it wouldn''t be long before it reached level 40 and its first test. And as I think that, I sense a slight shift in my soul, and the threads become even easier to manipulate. I don¡¯t even need to pull up my status page to know Magic Threads leveled again, and hopefully, it wasn''t the last time.


    It¡¯s painstaking work, but I slowly conjure more threads of mana and continue to weave them together. I start small with a washcloth-sized piece of mana fabric, but it slowly grows as I add more mana to it. What I was doing was overly mana-intensive, but if I could get it to the correct size and merge it with Mana Skin, it would be worth it.


    After what feels like hours of molding and weaving my mana, eventually, I have a blanket of mana wrapped around me. I was tired beyond belief and sweating up a storm, but I couldn¡¯t stop now. Controlling the blanket, I start squeezing it around me. I needed the weave to be as tight as possible if I wanted it to protect me.


    The blanket feels like it¡¯s crushing me more than the ambient mana in the crater did, but I power through it. The threads threaten to give and meld into one another, but I don¡¯t let them. Instead, I keep compressing everything until my mind and body are screaming for me to stop, and that''s when I do it. I forcefully bind the tight fabric-like magic to my existing Mana Skin barrier.


    The skills don¡¯t mesh immediately and try to repel one another, but I refused to let that happen. I use all my magic skills to hold everything together through sheer force of will.


    And then it happens.


    Finally, my skills stopped fighting each other and locked together, and I felt a small explosion of experience merge with my soul. My eyes snap open, and I suck in a large breath of air.


    Sweat threatened to drip into my eyes, but I could see Tabitha watching me with a smile through the precipitation. "I take it you succeeded," she beams at me.


    ¡°Was there any doubt?¡± I cockily reply.


    ¡°Not even for a second,¡± Tabitha replies without missing a beat.


    Bringing my hands up, I slowly flex them, testing how everything feels. The weave barrier took more concentration to keep up, so I couldn''t form a third barrier on top of the two I had conjured, but that was okay for now.


    It would require some testing, but I was confident my new two-barrier system would outperform the old three-barrier system many times over. Even now, I can note a significant difference between the two. Mana Skin''s old barriers were excellent at regulating how much ambient mana came into contact with me, but there was always a steady trickle, whether I liked it or not. But now, that trickle was cut off.


    The only mana my weave barrier let through was what I purposely let in. The ambient mana couldn''t penetrate my new defenses even in this high mana environment.


    What a game-changer.


    I was practically vibrating with excitement. I wanted nothing more than to suggest we rush down to the weird mana anomaly I sensed, but my better judgment kept me from doing so. I finally leveled Mana Skin, but it wasn¡¯t without cost.


    My mana levels were down to about 40%; nothing that would affect my regain rate, but it will take some time to recharge.


    ¡°You look happy,¡± Tabitha nods approvingly at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to test it, but I¡¯m hoping I¡¯ll finally be able to help you against the winged serpent,¡± I try to project my resolve.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Tabitha doesn¡¯t immediately reject my offer, which makes me happy, but I know I''ll need to prove myself before she lets me put myself at risk. ¡°I take it you need some time to regain your mana?¡±


    ¡°I could probably be back to full in ten hours," I stretched my arms as they felt a little sore. "How long did I take?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting still for the past four hours,¡± Tabitha quirks an eyebrow.


    "Sounds about right." I wasn''t surprised. Weaving countless threads of mana took time, after all.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Tabitha asks, shifting on her bench.


    ¡°Mostly, but there¡¯s one more thing I want to check,¡± I tell her. ¡°But I can do it while I¡¯m recovering. The only problem is, it will require even more focus, so I¡¯ll need you to continue watching over me if that¡¯s okay with you.¡±


    ¡°More focus?¡± Tabitha tilts her head to the side in confusion.


    ¡°Yeah, technically, I¡¯ll be asleep. Do you remember what I told you about using your new skill on your soul? I''m doing that," I tell her without holding anything back, as I already told Tabitha what her skill is capable of.


    "You want to go into your soul!" Tabitha''s calm persona shatters, and her eyes widen in shock. "Why would you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a great place to rest,¡± I rub the back of my head awkwardly. ¡°But mostly, I want to check the state of my soul. So many things happened these last few days, and I want to ensure everything is okay. In here," I tap my chest.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tabitha looks like she isn¡¯t sure how to react. ¡°And you¡¯ll be safe?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod. ¡°You just won¡¯t be able to wake me up easily. I still don¡¯t sense anything around us, even around the creepy room below us, but you never know. Will you be okay by yourself?"


    "Who is the master here, and who is the student?" Tabitha gives me an incredulous look. ¡°I can guard you; do your thing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure? I pretend to have reservations, knowing it will annoy Tabitha.


    ¡°Go,¡± Tabitha¡¯s eyes narrow menacingly, but I just smile at her.


    ¡°You''re awesome,¡± I give Tabitha one last thanks before I sprawl out on the bench and close my eyes.


    After this, we could head out. We had preparations to make and snake butt to kick.


    But first, I needed to check on my soul, and I knew it wouldn''t be pretty.


    Let''s see how much damage was done.

 Ch: 118.6

    No matter how I looked at it, my soul was a complete and utter disaster. I expected some damage from absorbing that much experience at once, but this was beyond anything I could imagine.


    From the moment I opened my eyes in my soul, I was surrounded by a twisted mockery of my clearing. All the plants I¡¯d painstakingly molded were flattened, ripped in half, or stretched into grotesque shapes. Patches of my stonework were strewn everywhere, and my meditation hut was in ruins, looking like it had imploded and exploded simultaneously.


    But gravity didn''t exist here, so while my hut was reduced into countless pieces, the chunks just floated in midair, making it look like everything was frozen mid-explosion. Everything was trashed in every sense of the word, but the most concerning thing was the deep gashes in the ground.


    Even though my soul''s surface resembled a forest, everything except the occasional hill or divot was usually flat. But now the ground was upturned, and deep crevasses, some over five feet wide, stretched as far as I could see. The gashes dug deep into the surface of my soul, and just looking at them made me feel a faint pain in my chest.


    Was this the result of absorbing too much experience at once, or did that first soul horror damage my soul more than I realized?


    But this was why I had to risk entering my soul; this was why I was here.


    It didn''t matter where the damage came from; I needed to fix it. A damaged soul was a weak soul. What would happen if I got hit with another skill as powerful as the winged serpent''s?


    Many factors went into determining how long a skill would affect me, mainly the user''s skill level and whether it was malicious or beneficial, but they all worked the same. Multiple fragments try to integrate themselves into the target''s soul¡¯s surface, but now, with all these gashes, those fragments could burrow deeper than they should be able to.


    My soul was naturally mending itself, and I could sense the crevasses slowly filling in, but it was happening gradually, and as I said, some of the fissures were quite big.


    Focusing on the closest crack, I manipulate the surrounding experience to start filling it in like I was patching a crack in the sidewalk. The broken remnants of my meditation cabin break apart into motes of light, and I use that experience to cover the last bit of the fissure once it reaches ground level.


    When I was done, all that remained of my cabin was a single billboard hovering in the air. On the board were multiple plaques, each representing the multiple contracts I made with Pacore and Kervin. It was a good thing they were intact, but I had a feeling it more likely had to do with their nature as a foreign skill rather than them being that strong.


    Glancing around my soul, I sigh; one fissure down, untold more to go. It was good that the time-dilation factor worked in my favor, or else I''d never get all this done in time. But then again, filling that first crack didn''t take long, and manipulating the experience felt much easier than I remember.


    Like how I improved Mana Skin, thanks to leveling my other magic skills, controlling the surface of my soul became much easier due to the levels I gained in Soul Manipulation and Sense Soul. Improving the former gave me better control, but breaking past the latter''s bottleneck was arguably more important.


    Overall, I could sense my soul to a much greater degree now. I knew the state of everything around me, and I dare say I felt like a god in my own little world.


    But speaking of gods.


    Looking up, I stare at the seven full moons hovering overhead, especially the two I felt a faint connection to. It felt like I was being watched, but if I probed any harder, I would be ejected from my soul, so I didn''t look up for long. Pulling my eyes away from the celestial bodies, I glance again around my surroundings, half expecting a particular pair of goddesses to appear. However, after a minute, I was still standing alone.


    The pair said they could only interact with mortals on rare occasions, so I shouldn''t be surprised they didn''t magically appear, but I wasn¡¯t necessarily going to take their word on it. I highly doubted there was a convenient rule saying gods couldn¡¯t lie to mortals, so until I was absolutely sure they couldn¡¯t appear on a whim, I would treat it as if they could.


    But even if they were here, there was no reason to do anything differently. So, ignoring the moons overhead, I focused on patching everything in sight. If I had the time, I''d work on the clearing I always appeared in, but only after I had secured my soul.


    From the tiniest cracks to the biggest ravines, I scour every inch of my soul for anomalies. The smallest ones only took a few seconds to smooth over, while others felt like they took hours to fill in.


    I with the surface anomalies in the forest before moving onto the rocky area separating me from my sea of memories. While working on that section of my soul, I do something I''ve been planning for a while: I carve a clear path to my sea of memories to get there faster in case of emergencies.


    I avoided the sea because even though there might be more cracks in it, I didn''t want to risk getting booted out of my soul prematurely.


    Time seemed to stand still as I worked, but even so, I worked as if my life depended on it¡ª which it did. I had no time to mess around and had much to do.


    After the influx of experience, the surface area of my soul increased drastically, so there was a lot of new scenery to see. There was more forest to comb through and larger mountains separating me from the sea, but the most exciting discovery I came across was a lake.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    It wasn¡¯t a big lake by any means, only a couple hundred feet from end to end, but it was new, so it was interesting. The lake was shallow, no more than five feet deep at its center, with water so clear I mistook the lake for a crater when I first saw it. It wasn''t until I touched the surface and the water rippled that I realized what had appeared on the surface of my soul.


    I say water, but just like everything else here, it was made from experience and just looked like water. And unlike the sea, touching the water didn¡¯t make me relive any memories. In fact, as far as I could tell, the lake did nothing and was simply another way for my soul to express itself.


    Personally, I liked to think the lake at the center of the Endless Forest had left a lasting impression on me, but that could just be me reading into things. The point was that it was something new, and I was interested in manipulating my surroundings to see if I could replicate the feeling of water.


    But I knew I was getting distracted, so after thoroughly examining the lake, I returned to fixing things and didn''t stop until I was done.


    After a lot of hard work and circling my soul multiple times, I was confident I patched everything up. Of course, it would take a few days for the patches to blend seamlessly into everything else, but I was convinced everything would be stable again by the time we had our rematch against the winged serpent.


    Now, how long have I been here?


    I could vaguely sense that it¡¯s been about nine hours in the real world, meaning I should leave soon, but there was one more thing I needed to do before I left.


    Using a combination of Sense Soul and Soul Manipulation, I conjure my status page inside my soul.


    LV: 82 Experience: 932,190/ 1,484,280


    Health: 2,686.19/2,700


    Stamina 1,836/1,836


    Mana: 909.61/1,060


    Vitality: 270.01


    Endurance: 100.41


    Strength: 181.01


    Dexterity: 181.00


    Senses: 62.77


    Mind: 65.67


    Magic: 106.02


    Clarity: 79.35


    Status Points: 0


    Skills:


    Tier 1:


    Meditation (LV81), Running (LV80), Blacksmithing (LV75), Hammer Skills (LV71), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV58), Chanting (LV53), Mining (LV51), Drawing (LV48), Trading (LV48), Cooking (LV47), Sword Skills (LV40), Acting (LV36), Dagger Skills (LV35), Wood Carving (LV32), Sewing (LV32), Dancing (LV32), Pugilist Skills (LV16), Alchemy (LV15), Spear Skills (LV2)


    Tier 2:


    Sense Mana (LV81), Double Step (LV68), Charm (LV50), Hammer Arts (LV50), Measurement (LV49), Axe Arts (LV39), Steady Hands (LV36), Intimidating Shout (LV34), Writing (LV32), Mathematics (LV31), Increase Price (LV22), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Gourmet (LV15), Dagger Arts (LV13), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3), Pugilist Arts (LV1)


    Tier 3:


    Mana Manipulation (LV67), Expel Mana (LV64), Weighted Strike (LV47), Double Strike (LV46), Precise Strike (LV46), Flash Step (LV39), Contract (LV22), Poison Resistance (LV14), Enchanting (LV10)


    Tier 4:


    Mental Resistance (LV63), Mana Skin (LV61), Inject Mana (LV57), Extract Mana (LV40), Magic Blacksmithing (LV36), Magic Threads (LV34), Air Walk (LV24), Empowered Spell (LV21), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Multi-Strike (LV7), Appealing Deal (LV3),


    Tier 5:


    Sense Soul (LV41), Soul Manipulation (LV23)


    Tier 6:


    Soul Devourer (LV17), Experience Transfer (LV3)


    Increased Skill Levels


    Meditation (LV81) 4,050exp


    Hammer Skills (LV71) 3,550exp


    Cleaning (LV58) 2,900exp


    Chanting (LV53)2,650exp


    Steady Hands (LV36) 3,600exp


    Precise Strike (LV46) 6,900exp


    Poison Resistance (LV13-14) 4,050exp


    Mana Skin (LV61) 15,250exp


    Inject Mana (LV57) 14,250exp


    Magic Threads (LV33-34) 16,750exp


    Empowered Spell (LV21) 5,250exp


    Soul Manipulation (LV23) 11,500exp


    Skill Experience: 90,700exp


    Crafting Experience: 4,736exp


    Fighting Experience: 0exp


    Total experience Gained: 95,436exp


    ¡°Wow,¡± I whistle.


    I must be adjusting after absorbing all the soul horrors because leveling twelve skills in three days was a lot, even for me, especially considering I spent two of those days sleeping. That meant I leveled almost every one of these skills in the last twenty-four hours, which was insane.


    I knew Mana Skin and Magic Threads leveled, but the rest were a happy surprise.


    I was overjoyed to see that Meditation leveled again. It''d only been like a week since it last increased, and for it to happen again so soon was a big boon. It probably reached level 81 because of the mana control I demonstrated while leveling Mana Skin. I was in a deep state of meditation during that whole process and was rewarded for maintaining it throughout the experience.


    A couple of my skills leveled because of what I did with Mana Skin, but the rest went up from helping Tabitha fix her armor and me cleaning my hammer. The only exceptions were Poison Resistance, which leveled twice after the winged serpent poison finally made its way through my system, and Soul Manipulation, which leveled just a little while ago while I was repairing the damage to my soul.


    The two skills I was most surprised to see level were Inject Mana and Hammer Skills. Inject Mana leveling was a big deal; I used it on a bunch of different objects, mainly in combination with Magic Threads, but that wasn¡¯t why it improved.


    Instead, Inject Mana leveled because I channeled my cleaning spell into my hammer. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ve never thought of it until now, but it made sense once I thought about it. What were spells but mana organized and controlled by an enchantment? As long as I kept it powered and waited until it was finished, why couldn''t I force a spell into something?


    I was going to need to investigate this further. Too bad I only knew four spells: self-cleaning, hovering light, small flame, and flame javelin. The cleaning and light spells would do little inside my hammer, but I could see potential with the other two.


    To this day, I still miss the flaming katana I sacrificed to bring down the soul devourer, but I couldn¡¯t just channel any spell into my only weapon. What would happen if the spell melted it from the inside out? I could be left without a weapon or something worse.


    I needed to test this new application of magic on something I didn¡¯t mind destroying, but that was another thing I would have to wait until later to explore.


    My magic skills were growing by leaps and bounds, but my mind kept returning to Hammer Skills. I still couldn''t believe it leveled from fixing Tabitha''s breastplate. It took a lot of control not to ruin it by accident but enough to level from it; I didn''t think so.


    Maybe the skill was closer to leveling than I previously thought, and Tabitha''s armor was just the thing to push it over the edge...


    So much was changing; it was hard to keep up with everything. Don''t get me wrong; I''m happy that I''m improving, considering our situation. I just felt tired, which was funny because I was almost fully healed.


    In the last nine hours, my body had converted enough mana to bring me back up to 90%, and I only needed less than twenty points until my Health was fully recovered. I was almost back to perfect fighting shape, which meant it was time I returned to the real world and checked on Tabitha to see how she was doing.


    She''ll want to explore the bottom chamber of the ruins, and so long as she''s recovered enough, now might be a good time to finally see what''s drawing the remaining death mana to the chamber beneath us.


    If we can find one more soul horror, I should get enough experience to reach level 83.


    I know it''s greedy of me to hope for such a thing, especially after spending so much time fixing my scared soul, but I wanted to help Tabitha. According to her, there were still around fifty levels separating me from the winged serpent. Sure, I killed the soul devourer, which was at an even higher level than the lesser dragon, but that was only because I had the exact skills to counter it.


    The winged serpent wasn''t as specialized as the soul devourer, which, oddly enough, made it more dangerous rather than less.


    No matter what, Tabitha would have to be the main attacker, but there had to be something I could do to help her.


    I groan in frustration. My mind was spinning in circles, and that wasn''t helping anybody. Maybe Tabitha can help me come up with an idea?


    Closing my eyes, I search for the connection that leads back to my body and find it almost immediately. Again, Sense Souls'' breakthrough fundamentally changed how I feel my soul. If I was ever in the same situation again, crushed by experience, I was confident I could handle myself better.


    Triggering the connection, I feel my consciousness being forced back into my body and the real world.


    It was time to see what secrets this building was hiding from us and, if lucky, maybe a way to escape this death trap.


    Or, possibly¡­. kill a lesser dragon.


    Wouldn''t that be nice?

 Ch: 119.1

    Reality hits me like a slap to the face as my eyes snap open wide, but all that greets me is darkness.


    Slowly, I sit up from my lying position and scan the dark room with Sense Mana. Tabitha was still where I left her when I entered my soul, sitting like a statue on the stone bench. She didn¡¯t have her light spell activated, but her mana network was calm and steady, a good sign that she was healthy and that nothing happened while I was out.


    Tabitha was probably awake, but she could be meditating or resting her eyes, so I didn''t call out to her. Instead, I do what I do every time I wake up in a dubious location and scan for anything dangerous. We were deeper underground now, but my senses could still reach the surface from where we were. I quickly confirmed that I still couldn''t sense the winged serpent before focusing on our surroundings, mainly the sinister feeling chamber below us.


    In the nine or so hours I¡¯d been out, more of the remaining death mana had been pulled downward and gathered there, so much so that the air in our room felt less sickly. The death mana had been replaced with earth mana; the air was still stale, but it was slightly more bearable than what it was. At least it no longer felt like we were sleeping on our graves.


    Luckily, the change in mana was the only thing I sensed, so I was free to let out a sigh of relief.


    "You''re up." Tabitha''s soft voice echoed in the quiet room.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I yawn as I stand up and stretch my arms and legs. ¡°Thanks for watching over me," I smile toward Tabitha, forgetting she can''t see me for a second. You know what¡ª I''m not dealing with this again.


    ¡°Cicsh het ploetts lages!¡±


    As soon as the ball of light forms in the palm of my hand, it starts slowly drifting above me, banishing the darkness around us and allowing me to see Tabitha again.


    She squints due to the sudden brightness but doesn''t look away. ¡°If you asked, I would¡¯ve cast it.¡±


    ¡°I know you would¡¯ve," I smile knowingly. "But which of us will use less mana to maintain it? How¡¯s your arm doing?¡± I stare at her scared left arm.


    ¡°Better,¡± Tabitha copies me and stands up. ¡°I should be able to move it again by the end of the day. So how was it,¡± she pauses as if unsure. "How was your soul?¡± Tabitha awkwardly asks me.


    Funny, I''ve never seen Tabitha this unsure of herself before. I guess talking about souls was awkward, even for a person like her. Or maybe it just went to show how taboo soul skills are to everybody. I thought talking about my soul with Tabitha would be easier since she unlocked Sense Soul, but I suppose that was just me being optimistic.


    But seeing as I wanted Tabitha to become more used to talking about soul matters, I ignored her awkwardness and proceeded as if we were having a regular conversation. "There was a lot of damage; it took me a few days to patch it all up, but I think I¡¯m better now. Thanks for asking,¡± I smile brightly.


    ¡°A few days?¡± Tabitha¡¯s face scrunches up in confusion. ¡°You were only out for nine hours. Ten, max. What are you talking about?¡±


    "Oh yeah, you don''t know," I puff up my chest and try to replicate the exact tone and stance Tabitha likes to take when she¡¯s teaching me. ¡°When you¡¯re in your soul, time flows differently.¡±


    "I don''t understand; how can time move differently?" I can see the confusion written across her face.


    I¡¯m about to wag my finger like a knowing teacher at an uneducated student and explain the difference when I pause¡ª And for once, it wasn''t because I was trying to be dramatic.


    In truth, I didn''t know how to explain the concept of time dilatation to Tabitha. I only knew of it from media back on Earth; I had no idea of the science behind it or how to explain how it was even remotely possible.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I stammer, my professional demeanor crumbling under Tabitha''s unimpressed frown. "How do I explain this?" I rub the back of my head.


    "You don''t know." Tabitha''s eyes narrow like a hawk as she calls my bluff.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain how it works,¡± I correct her. ¡°Listen, all you need to know is you can spend a long time in your soul, and when you leave, it will only be a few hours in the real world. Does that make any sense?" I ask, hoping she understood my ramblings.


    ¡°I believe I do," Tabitha slowly nods along, but her expression quickly becomes one of joy. ¡°Wait, if you can spend more time in your soul, then can you train in there!?¡± She asks excitedly. ¡°I could spend more time perfecting Sword Mastery!¡±


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± I hold my hands up, interjecting before Tabitha gets her hopes up too high. "You can meditate in your soul, but nothing physical transfers over to the real world¡ª I''m sorry," I try to let her down easily.


    All of Tabitha¡¯s initial excitement vanishes as if it were never there in the first place, and she audibly grumbles. ¡°Then what good is more time?¡± Her shoulders sag slightly, practically pouting by Tabitha''s standards.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "There are other things it''s good for," I rush to tell her, seeing Tabitha''s downcast expression.


    "Like?" Tabitha didn''t look convinced. "It''s good that you can grow stronger while meditating, but not all of us are like that. I spent the last nine hours meditating like you, and I have nothing to show for it."


    "You were practicing Sense Soul?" My eyes widen in shock. "I thought I said¡ª I thought you didn''t care about it?¡±


    "You must not think very highly of me," Tabitha drolls. "Regardless of my reluctance, you told me it''s a tier 5 skill. I''d be a fool if I didn''t try to see if it would help me grow stronger."


    Tabitha sees my concerned look and rolls her eyes. "You''re too young to worry about my safety; I know how to ease into a new skill, and I took your warning to heart. I only tried to focus on the outer edges of my soul and avoided the core, as you said. It''s strange," Tabitha brings her right hand up and touches her breastplate. "Ever since I got this skill, I''ve felt a small flame in my chest. Initially, it worried me; humans aren¡¯t supposed to mess with souls; only the gods should have that power."


    "But?" I prod, sensing a huge but coming.


    ¡°But, whenever I focus on the flame in my chest, I feel comforted. I feel alive,¡± Tabitha grins like a child being hugged by their parents. "It''s soothing."


    I smirked, knowing the feeling Tabitha was describing. There was nothing like looking at your soul to make you feel alive. Our souls were the center of our being, and seeing them burning strong was an indescribable feeling.


    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± I beam happily. "I''ve heard a lot about how people frown upon soul skills, and I won''t lie, there are risks to using them, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re inherently evil.¡± I chuckle before adding, ¡°And I don¡¯t think the gods care that much.¡±


    I hold my hands out in a broad gesture. ¡°Feeling your soul might not be the most glamorous tier 5 skill, but it has many uses. It''s how I realized the winged serpent was affecting us. It''s also how I can enrage people with only a glance and can estimate their levels. And most helpfully, it allows me to tidy up my status page."


    Tabitha looked semi-interested by the first three uses, but the fourth earned me another roll of the eyes. "Of course, that''s the most useful thing to you," Tabitha shakes her head tiredly. "I''ll admit, the skill sounds like it has many uses, but tidying up your status page, what does that even mean?¡±


    Now I get to wag my finger and not feel stupid. "A lot more than you would imagine. I can see how close my stats are to increasing naturally, thanks to Sense Soul. It also means I can organize my skills however I want: by tier, by level, what have you, I can do it. I can pull up only a part of my status page if I want to, which is great for seeing my Health, Stamina, and Mana without clouding my vision with my entire status page," I smugly grin.


    "That¡­. actually sounds useful," Tabitha begrudgingly admits. "And I can do the same thing?"


    ¡°Probably. I''ve been practicing the skill for a while now, and it took me time to figure out everything I could do with it, but with my help, it shouldn¡¯t be long for you to get the basics down,¡± I boast.


    ¡°And you¡¯d give me such valuable information freely?¡± She gives me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Not for free,¡± I grin predatorily at my teacher.


    ¡°As I thought, " Tabitha nodded sagely, looking almost relieved to hear my knowledge had stipulations. ¡°Name your price," she demanded confidently, making me pause.


    I just wanted to say something cheesy like ''You have to be my friend'' and have fun finally having a way to pay her back for everything she''s done for me. I was only giving her a hard time because she finally admitted that Sense Soul was remarkable in its own way. I had no intention of asking anything from her. Anything I could ask for, she was already helping me with...


    Actually, there was one thing.


    It hurt to do so, but this was the best time to ask since she brought it up and now was as good as any other. Clearing my throat, I lock eyes with Tabitha. "You''ve done so much for me," I start. "I wish I could give you this knowledge for free, but I have to ask for one thing."


    Tabitha nods approvingly, "Say it.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and forced the words out: "I''ll teach you what I can, but in exchange, please don¡¯t tell anyone what I can do.¡± My heart threatened to burst out of my chest, and I could feel myself trembling from anxiety. "If word gets out about my skills, who knows what will happen?"


    ¡°That is a lot to ask for," Tabitha doesn''t break eye contact with me. "You ask, I don''t tell my king. Worse, you ask me to say nothing to Master, to whom I owe everything. You realize this, yes?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I meet Tabitha''s intense gaze, managing not to flinch back.


    For what feels like forever, Tabitha and I say nothing, the soft glow of my magic illuminating our battered bodies, casting deep shadows behind us.


    In my head, I''m pleading Tabitha takes the deal. While the winged serpent was a blade hovering over our necks, Tabitha¡¯s knowledge of my skills, what they could do, and how they could be used were a meteor threatening to destroy my entire world. I could pretend it wasn''t there and focus on the problem before us, but that didn''t magically fix it. So, when Tabitha looks ready to answer, I can''t help but swallow a nervous lump in my throat and anxiously listen to her decision.


    ¡°You saved my life at the cost of endangering your own,¡± a hint of pride leaks into Tabitha¡¯s otherwise emotionless voice. ¡°You helped me obtain strength that would¡¯ve taken me decades to achieve. Even now, you fuss over my health as if our positions were swapped. You may be the one person besides Master I call a friend."


    ¡°Does that mean?" I start, but Tabitha cuts me off.


    ¡°But I cannot blindly agree to your demands,¡± she says with conviction.


    My legs threaten to give out on me, but I remain standing. ¡°I see,¡± I lower my head in disappointment. I thought Tabitha and I had grown close enough that she''d have my back, but I was wrong.


    "Let me finish," I hear her say while I still have my head bowed. ¡°I cannot say whether I will ever disclose your secrets, as you and I will live long lives, and neither of us can predict the future. But you have earned my trust, and hopefully, I, yours. Of course, it will be impossible to hide the levels we gained here, but when we escape, and I mean when¡ª not if¡ª you will not need to worry about me spilling your secrets.¡±


    "Even if Pacore asks you?" I look up, tears gathering in the corner of my eyes.


    Tabitha looks uncomfortable seeing my teary-eyed expression, but she powers through it. ¡°I believe Master will understand if I tell him I can¡¯t disclose what happened to us. While I hope you realize you can confide in him one day, I understand your weariness toward Master. So, I will not outright lie to him, but I will not disclose the specifics we¡¯ve gone through.¡±


    ¡°And you think he¡¯ll accept that?¡±


    Tabitha scoffs. "Gods, no, he''ll be more of a pain in the ass than you are. But unless extenuating circumstances happen, your secrets are safe with me.¡±


    "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I repeat, rushing forward and wrapping Tabitha in a hug. Of course, while being careful of her arm still in the sling.


    Tabitha flinches at my sudden closeness but doesn''t immediately tell me to let her go. And even in her current condition, it wasn''t like she couldn''t have dodged me if she really wanted to.


    "Alright, enough," Tabitha finally says after a few minutes. ¡°The two of us are warriors; this is unbecoming."


    ¡°I¡¯m a craftsman, so I can be touchy-feely all I want,¡± I retort, giving Tabitha one last happy squeeze before letting her go.


    I don¡¯t think Tabitha realizes how much of a weight off my mind this is. I¡¯ve been focusing on healing and thinking up a plan to escape the lesser dragon, but in the back of my mind, I was constantly worrying about what would happen once we succeeded and made it back to the village. But now that I have Tabitha¡¯s word, I can devote 100% of myself to the here and now.


    If there was one thing I knew about Tabitha, it was that she was extremely loyal to those she cared about. Of course, I could ask her to form a contract with me, but that might sour our relationship, and depending on how well she takes to her soul studies, she¡¯ll eventually realize how to break contracts herself. So, there was no reason to form one, mainly because I trusted Tabitha with my life.


    "Alright, no more of this," Tabitha stepped back, and though it was hard to see in the faint light, I could see the slight blush she was trying to conceal. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re healed fully?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I nod happily.


    ¡°And I¡¯m just waiting on my arm,¡± Tabitha notes before turning toward the doorway leading out of the room. ¡°I no longer have a shield, so I don¡¯t need to use my left arm. Let¡¯s check out that chamber you were going on about.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± I grab our gear and bounce happily beside her. I don''t care what happens next; it wouldn''t affect my mood.


    Today was a new day, or at least I think it was. It was hard to keep track of time down here, but no matter what time it was, it was irrelevant. We were mostly healed, so it was time we explored our surroundings.


    Whatever that may entail, we were ready.

 Ch: 119.2

    ¡°So, what am I doing wrong?¡± Tabitha asks as we walk down a dark corridor.


    The humidity rose the deeper we traveled. The grey brickwork was still solid in most places, but after thousands of years, parts had started to give way, allowing dirt to pour into the dilapidated structure and water to seep inside.


    ¡°The trick is to start small. Repeatedly open and close your status page, but focus on your soul while you do it,¡± I instruct.


    ¡°And that will work?¡± Tabitha was visibly surprised by the simplicity of my recommendation, but it was indeed the best place to start.


    "Sure," I comment as we walk through a thin covering of wet mud on the floor. The section of the hallway we were walking through had started to sag, allowing the moisture to pool in one place. "Where do you think our status pages come from? It''s our souls. The flame you sense is all the experience you¡¯ve gained, and your soul projects that as numbers.¡±


    "Fascinating," Tabitha mumbles with a far-off look in her eye, a sign that she''s summoned her status page. ¡°I wonder if Master is aware of such things?¡±


    "Is it really that surprising?" I ask as we leave the muddy section of the ruins and turn down yet another dark passageway. "And would Pacore even tell you if he did?"


    "I would think so." Tabitha started sounding confident, but her expression slowly slipped into something less sure. "But then again, Master has his secretive side.¡±


    "But I thought you were his favorite student or something?¡± I direct us into an adjacent room.


    "That''s nice of you to say," Tabitha smiles from ear to ear like a schoolgirl talking about a senior she has a crush on. Gross. "But I¡¯m not sure I can claim that title. Master has devoted much time to teaching me, but he is quite old, and I¡¯m one of his newer students. Number 37, to be exact."


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like much,¡± I note. ¡°I would think Pacore would have thousands of students.¡±


    ¡°I think you are confusing people he has trained with his students.¡±


    "Is there a difference?¡± I asked as I led us down another flight of stone stairs, bringing us closer to the chamber below.


    ¡°Verry much so,¡± Tabitha says pridefully. ¡°As one of the three strongest people in Scholl, Master is obligated to oversee and command countless people, but that doesn''t make all of them his students. To be a student of Pacore the Deathless, you must display exceptional talent and be handpicked by him.¡±


    "I get that, but shouldn''t he be picking people with similar fighting styles to himself?¡± I¡¯ve only met Tabitha so far, and while her fighting style was similar to Pacore''s, it wasn''t exactly the same.


    "It''s said in his younger years; he did," Tabitha educates me as we walk. ¡°But as he¡¯s grown older, he¡¯s branched out and accepted more students with different fighting styles. Not all of us emulate Master¡¯s path, but that doesn¡¯t mean he has nothing to teach us, and most are just happy to be under his umbrella of influence.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nod along. ¡°Then does that make me his 38<sup>th </sup>student?¡±


    Tabitha chuckles good-naturedly," I am not Master''s most recent student. Master Pacore has taken in three others since me, and once he returns to Scholl with you and introduces you to the king, you''ll be his 42<sup>nd</sup> ward¡ªthe second student he''s taken in the last ten years."


    ¡°Hold up,¡± I stop walking and turn toward Tabitha. ¡°Are you saying Pacore only takes in a single student every ten years?!¡±


    "Not necessary. It isn''t like Master has a quota to fill, but it''s about that," Tabitha confirms to my utter disbelief. "Maybe now you understand the unique opportunity you are being given." She can''t help but smirk at me.


    "You mean the opportunity forced upon me," I correct with more than a bit of sass.


    ¡°Please,¡± Tabitha rolls her eyes. ¡°You must have realized by now that you couldn¡¯t remain in that small village forever, especially for someone so eager to adventure in a magic-dense region. Either you would''ve gotten yourself killed trying and failing at going it alone, or people would''ve noticed a girl your age with your levels."


    "You would''ve been forced to make a pact with someone; you should count yourself lucky it was Master who found you first. He loves nothing more than helping talented individuals like yourself grow even stronger; you''ll fit right in."


    "Maybe," I begrudgingly grumble. I hated to admit it, but Tabitha was making some excellent points. I''ve done everything mostly on my own until I ran into Pacore, but my growth has noticeably exploded since I met him and, by extension, Tabitha. I wouldn''t be nearly the level I am now without her training and guidance; that was an undeniable fact.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Tabitha stares into my eyes with a certainty you rarely see in people. She truly believed I would do well in Scholl with all her heart, and arguing with that kind of devotion was pointless.


    So, I urge us forward instead. "This way," I wave for Tabitha to follow me, which she does without hesitation.


    ¡°Are we getting close? That was the third flight of stairs,¡± Tabitha asks, her hand resting on her sword¡¯s handle.


    ¡°Almost,¡± I look down and to the side at a random wall. "The entrance to the chamber is one more floor below us."


    ¡°Can you sense anything now that we are closer?" Tabitha follows my gaze but can''t see what I sense, which is arguably very little.


    "Just a mass of mana. The chamber itself is difficult to pierce, and the unusual mana is making things harder to pinpoint,¡± I inform Tabitha.


    "But are there any enemies?" Tabitha does her best to hide her growing smile, but a battle nut like her isn''t the best at hiding her emotions when she is excited. After days of rest, she was overflowing with energy and didn''t care if she was still an arm short; she craved excitement.


    I could sympathize with her. After everything that has happened to us recently, we could use a win under our belts. I''m not asking for another life-or-death battle, just something challenging to get the blood pumping that doesn''t end with us almost dying or passing out in exhaustion.


    "Possibly," I crack my knuckles. "When we reach the chamber, I''ll use Meditation to boost my skills and see if I can see anything. That should give us an idea if anything dangerous awaits us inside." At least, that is what I hoped.


    It was no secret that my skills have fallen disappointingly short lately. From not sensing things well in the crater to missing the winged serpent and the soul horrors lucking in the walls, we¡¯ve been ambushed by almost everything we''ve encountered recently. That was why I double-checked and triple-checked our surroundings every few minutes.


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    I refused to let another monster sneak up on us, but again, I had trouble sensing things due to weird mana interference. It almost felt like¡­.


    "Hey, Tabitha. What are the chances we will run into another monster that can utilize a mana zone?" I ask a touch nervously.


    "Why; is that what you''re sensing?" Tabitha¡¯s eyes widen a fraction, and we both skid to a halt.


    ¡°Not exactly, but it is similar,¡± I tell her. Unlike with the winged serpent above us, there wasn¡¯t a foreign mana mixed in with all the death mana, but it was still acting unnatural. "Is there anything that can perhaps draw in death mana, an enchantment perhaps?"


    ¡°It isn¡¯t out of the realm of possibilities," Tabitha hums thoughtfully. "Seeing how old these ruins are, it could be any number of things, but I don''t think it''s another monster as strong as the lesser dragon."


    "And what makes you say that?" I ask for her reasoning.


    ¡°Simply put, two monsters of that caliber wouldn¡¯t be this close to one another,¡± Tabitha points upwards. ¡°The snake might not come down here normally, but if there were a beast capable of threatening it down here, it would¡¯ve cleared it out or left to find some other place to nest. So, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re dealing with another mana zone.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure of that because our last encounter didn''t go so well?¡± Again, I stress the importance of the matter.


    ¡°I¡¯m 70% sure," Tabitha proudly states, like the number she just said was higher than it was. ¡°If you¡¯re nervous, we can turn back,¡± Tabitha offers with a challenging smile.


    ¡°Please, like you¡¯d let us turn back after we came all this way,¡± I snort and shake my head in disbelief.


    Tabitha¡¯s grin widens, ¡°You know me so well. Is the chamber open, or is it secure?¡±


    Finally, a question I could answer confidently. ¡°The chamber is closed behind two large doors; we¡¯ll be able to see them soon; they''re not that far away."


    ¡°Then lead the way,¡± Tabitha nudges me forward. ¡°We¡¯ll reevaluate when we reach the doors. If it seems too dangerous, we¡¯ll leave. Simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Simple as that,¡± I repeat mockingly. ¡°I think that¡¯s the attitude that got us into our current situation,¡± I morbidly joke. Of course, both of us were at fault for getting tricked by the winged serpent, so I was making fun of myself as much as I was Tabitha, and she knew that.


    "Then we learn from our mistakes," Tabitha tries to project an air of confidence and sound profound, but she overdoes it and just comes off as silly.


    "Right," I smile along with her as I lead us to the deepest parts of the ruins. And as I said, it doesn''t take long for us to reach the massive double doors leading into the chamber, absorbing all the death mana.


    ¡°That¡¯s some impressive architecture,¡± I whistle at the massive stone slabs blocking our way.


    "Indeed," Tabitha nods in agreement while her eyes scan every inch of the grey stone. "It''s locked." She notes dryly.


    ¡°Not locked, enchanted." I use Sense Mana to look under the bland grey surface of the stone that had no noticeable handles at the profound runes hidden there.


    "Still functioning, huh?" Tabitha looked slightly impressed, and for good reason. For whatever enchantment to still function today, the runes had to endure whatever destroyed the city that once stood here and thousands of years of wear and tear.


    ¡°Not all of them are still active,¡± I clarify, spotting multiple enchantments that had gone dark and were no longer active. ¡°Still, though," I gaze at the 50-foot-something doors. What was this chamber meant for? A giant?


    We were deep underground and hadn''t seen what used to be a window for a few floors now, meaning this section of the ruins was probably always meant to be underground. T


    The placement of the chamber was also odd. It was connected to the rest of the structure but also positioned off to the side, out of the way of everything else. Then there was how well everything was reinforced and how hard it was to sense with my skills. No matter how you look at it, the chamber is a massive vault.


    Sense Mana couldn¡¯t tell me exactly what was inside, but it gave me a clear enough view of the overall space. The room was circular with a domed ceiling spanning 94 feet across, making the one room almost 7,000 square feet overall.


    ¡°Now that we are closer, can you see what¡¯s on the other side?¡± Tabitha turns and asks me.


    "Not clearly, but let me try with Meditation." I take a seat on the cold ground and close my eyes. I sensed Tabitha move closer to guard me while I activated my skill.


    With my skills acting in unison, the world shifts around me and expands to new limits. Sense Mana and Meditation had leveled to 81 since the last time I tested my range, and those two levels made a world of difference, but breaking through bottlenecks will do that.


    I could now sense the minute mana flow of all objects within 20 feet of me, and my overall range had increased to 912 feet. When I add Meditation into the mix, I can scan everything within 3,009 feet of myself. I could sense so much of the ruins around us; it was wild, and reaching the surface was easy.


    However, there were two noticeable things. First, I was pushing my skills to their limit, but I still couldn¡¯t spot the winged serpent hiding in its mana zone. The second issue was the chamber; I could force my senses past the walls of the chamber, but once I did, it was like everything became fuzzy¡ªdistorted.


    There wasn''t anything alive inside, but that didn''t mean there weren''t any enemies. However, there was one thing I was sure of: it wasn''t the enchantments messing with my skills¡ª it was something inside the chamber. But what? It was impossible to decode what the exact specifics of the various still working runes did, but from where they are placed, I was positive their only function was keeping the chamber sealed, not shielded.


    I could sense the overwhelming amount of death mana inside the chamber and that it was all converging at a single point. "I think there''s another undead inside," I said, opening my eyes and meeting Tabitha''s inquisitive gaze. "All the death mana is being drawn into a single point on the opposite end of the room," I said, pointing at the stone doors.


    "Oh," Tabitha lost some of the fire in her eyes.


    "I thought you were looking for a fight?" I playfully nudge her side.


    "If it''s undead, then you can just use your skill to handle it,¡± she sighs but then notices my confused look. "You can use it, right? Without going berserk?"


    "I should," I sheepishly reply. ¡°So long as it isn¡¯t too strong, I shouldn¡¯t have a problem with it. I had trouble with the soul horrors because I was exhausted from escaping the winged serpent and healing you. But, ugh...." I stammer over my words. "With my new skill, I don''t need to worry about absorbing too much as long as you''re with me."


    ¡°I see," Tabitha nods in understanding. "So, you¡¯ll transfer everything you can¡¯t handle, like back then. But how are we to get inside?¡± Tabitha slowly draws her sword and takes a stance before vanishing and reappearing in front of the door. At blindingly fast speeds, she thrusts her sword at the stone doors¡ª


    And nothing happens.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Tabitha audibly curses, pulling her sword back. There was a faint scratch mark on the door from where she tried to pierce it, but that was all. "These doors are worse than the bricks," she audibly grumbles. ¡°I even used a few of my skills with that strike.¡±


    Even with most of the enchantments dead, the doors could still stop an attack from somebody above level 100. Impressive, but not unreasonable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re getting in with brawn," I say, stepping up next to Tabitha and pressing my hand on the massive stone doors.


    "Can you open them?¡± Tabitha raises a questioning eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try,¡± I struggle to hold back my giddy expression. The runes were overly complicated, and though I couldn''t copy them, they''ll be a good reference for the future.


    "And if you can''t?" Tabitha smirks challengingly.


    ¡°Then I go with plan B, destroy the doors," I grin back.


    "And how are you going to do that?" Tabitha looks at me skeptically. She probably thought I couldn''t do anything if she couldn''t, but I had a way in that she didn''t.


    "Yep, all I need to do is compromise the still-working enchantments. If I did that, the runes would go out of control, and the material would turn to dust." Or at least I hoped they did, but I don''t mention that possibility.


    ¡°Then why not just do that first?¡± Tabitha sheaths her sword and crosses her arms in front of her chest, knowing how I would answer.


    ¡°Obviously, because I want to have a chance to examine the runes,¡± I playfully stick my tongue out at her.


    ¡°Figures,¡± Tabitha rolls her eyes and sighs dramatically. ¡°Please don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°Got somewhere to be?¡± I chuckle as I raise my other hand and channel my mana into the stone doors.


    "Funny," Tabitha dryly remarks, not sharing my sense of humor.


    I know I tease, but I wasn¡¯t planning on making Tabitha wait long. If I couldn¡¯t figure out how to open the doors by the end of the day, I would destroy them; the runes be damned. We are on a time crunch, after all. That said, I don''t waste any time and jump right into trying to decode what each rune does.


    An internal locking mechanism ran along the seam where the two doors met. If the mechanism were metal, it would''ve rusted by now, but instead, it was made from the same grey stone as the doors themselves. Every component fit perfectly together like the world''s most complex jigsaw puzzle, and the doors were sealed so tight the only thing passing through them was mana.


    There were countless runes to look through, but I focused on the ones on the locking mechanism. Since there were no handles, the doors had to be opened another way, and I was betting it was magic.


    Of course, a skill might be required, but that would limit who could gain access to the chamber, hence a magic key.


    Not literally, though magic keys might be a thing; I suspected the runes had to be activated in a particular order or a specific way to get the door to open on its own.


    I spend the first hour examining how all the runes of the locking mechanism link to one another, and then, after two more, I figure out which rune I¡¯m supposed to start with.


    Hours go by, but it feels like nothing more than a few minutes to me because I''m having fun. But by this point, I''m rethinking the skill requirement idea because this is difficult even for me and my skills. Unless everybody used to have skills like mine thousands of years ago, I don''t think many could''ve opened this door¡ª


    Or sealed it.


    Each rune was a puzzle needing to be solved; they reacted differently to each other whenever mana was channeled through them and continued to change as more runes were incorporated. That meant I had to start with the first rune, decode my way through it, and press on to the next without losing control of my mana. If I stopped applying mana, the runes would shift back instantly, and I would have to start again.


    It took me some time to make it two-thirds of the way through the lock, pushing my control to the limits. But on the flip side, I was getting better at decoding the runes.


    The trick was observing the enchantment as a whole rather than getting hung up on each individual rune. After much trial and error, I could guess how the next rune would function based on the previous ones.


    I could only imagine how ridiculous I must look standing in front of the doors with my hands stretched out for as long as I have, but thankfully, Tabitha didn''t see fit to ridicule me. She probably recognized how hard I was concentrating; that, or she was waiting for me to finish.


    It was also possible she was standing guard. If the doors opened suddenly, Tabitha was close enough to react in time but far enough away that she wouldn''t bother me while I worked.


    "Twelve''s done, four more to go," I say under my breath as I work.


    From there, my progress slows down a bit as things get progressively more difficult, but I continue until I''m just about done with the last rune. "Ready?" I ask over my shoulder. "I think this is it," I tell Tabitha with a smile.


    "Really?" Tabitha raised a single eyebrow, the only sign that she was surprised that I had succeeded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see," I turn back to the doors and finish channeling my mana through the sixteenth and final rune. As soon as I do, colorful lines appear all over the previously featureless grey doors, and we can hear a rumbling from within.


    The doors opened. We were in, but the question remained: What were we going to find on the other side?


    It was time to find out.